A rivet element for setting a thread into at least one component has a head portion which can be interlockingly brought into abutment with the component and a sleeve portion which can be inserted into an opening extending through the component and can be plastically deformed. The sleeve portion is provided with an internal thread into which a traction mandrel and/or a screw element can be screwed. The sleeve portion has a protruding rib structure on the outer circumference, the rib structure having at least one first support rib and at least one second support rib which extend in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve portion and are separated from one another by a recess. After the plastic deformation of the sleeve portion, the support ribs contact one another in order to allow a direct force flow between the head portion and the sleeve portion.

An axle assembly and method of assembly. The axle assembly may include a drive pinion and a preload nut. The drive pinion may have a recess. The preload nut may have a deformable ring. The deformable ring may engage the drive pinion inside the recess to inhibit rotation of the preload nut.

The rivet nut (22) includes: the threaded attachment to replace the weld nut, the collar to spread the load interface to plastic panel (14) and to the attached component, room for a sleeve type compression limiter (24), or a collar that would be an integrated compression limiter.

A fastener for retaining a bolt in a hole in a structure, comprising a bushing integrally formed with and extending from the bottom surface of a retainer, the bushing being dimensioned for insertion into the hole in the structure and having a wall thickness ranging from about 0.005 inches to about 0.030 inches, wherein the bushing is configured to be expanded within the hole, thereby securely coupling the expanded bushing within the hole of the structure and anchoring the retainer to the surface of the structure surrounding the hole. A tool for installing a fastener, comprising a tapered mandrel configured for insertion within a fastener situated within a hole of the structure, a drive mechanism configured to retract the mandrel through the fastener and thereby expand the fastener, and a force sensor configured for measuring a force applied by the drive mechanism to retract the mandrel through the fastener.

A car body (1) includes a nut plate (2) predominantly made of hardened steel, wherein the hardened steel of the nut plate (2) is welded directly to the car body (1). A nut plate (2) as for use in direct welding to a car body (1) is also provided. A method for mounting a nut plate (2), which is predominantly made of hardened steel, to a car body (1), wherein the method involves welding the hardened steel of the nut plate (2) to the car body (1).

The invention relates to a connection element, in particular a thermal adhesive bonding boss, to be introduced into at least one component, in particular a hollow chamber component, in particular a plate-shaped hollow chamber component which has hollow chambers, under the effect of pressure and rotation, comprising a main part which comprises a thermoplastic synthetic material. The connection element has a longitudinal axis and is designed to rotate about the longitudinal axis, and the connection element has an upper face with a tool placement point and a lower face which faces away from the upper face, wherein the connection element has an expanding portion made of a thermally activatable expandable material on the main part on a circumferential surface extending between the upper face and the lower face.

A retainer comprises first and second legs extending away from a base wall. In one embodiment, the first leg includes a dimple array surrounding an aperture and projecting from an inboard surface of the first leg. In another embodiment, the first leg has a necked portion having a set of first shoulders extending away from a first base, and a first apertured portion extending away from the set of first shoulders. The second leg has a necked and stepped portion having a step extending away from a second base, and a shouldered portion extending away from the step and having a set of second shoulders extending laterally outwardly, and a second apertured portion extending away from the second shoulders. The retainer of either embodiment may be coupled to a nut to produce a retainer and nut assembly.

Method and installation kit for fastening a plurality of individual objects to a supporting structure via blind rivet nuts guided through respective openings in the plurality of individual objects and in the supporting structure, in which an opening in one of the plurality of individual objects and an opening in the supporting structure to be fastened together have different sizes. Each blind rivet nut has a rivet shank and female thread with a same size female thread, and at least two of the blind rivet nuts have different outer sizes. Method includes selecting outer size of one blind rivet nuts according to the size of the opening in the one of the plurality of individual objects and the size of the opening in the supporting structure; screwing a threaded spindle into the female head of the selected blind rivet nut; and forming a closing head by pulling the threaded spindle.

The present invention provides a floating nut, a battery assembly and a vehicle. The floating nut comprises a limit box defining a cavity located therein and a nut body which comprises an axially extending body and a flange radially extending from one end of the body, wherein the size of the flange is configured to adapt to fit within the cavity; and an outer contour of the flange is configured in the shape of a parallelogram, and the parallelogram is configured to have diagonal lines of unequal lengths. The floating nut, the battery assembly and the vehicle of the present invention have the advantages such as being simple in structure, easy to manufacture and convenient for installation, can be used in a limited space, and can reduce the risk of failure.

A self-clinching fastener for attachment to a plastically deformable metal panel includes a body portion with a central axis, the body portion has an outer peripheral surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the central axis. A punch portion is coaxial with the central axis and extends from the body portion such that the annular-shaped surface encircles the punch portion, the punch portion includes an outer peripheral surface extending in the direction of the central axis. A plurality of spaced apart lugs encircle the punch portion and axially projecting outwards from the annular-shaped surface, one of the lugs has a contact face configured to engage the metal substrate, the contact face declining, relative to an imaginary horizontal plane on which the annular-shaped surface lies, in a radially outwards direction of the self-clinching fastener.