The invention relates to a joining element comprising a shaft to be placed into a component; a head provided at a first end of the shaft; and a punching element attached in a losable manner to a second end of the shaft remote from the head.

A rivet nut tool has a primary gear driven by a motor and a gear assembly coupled to the primary gear for rotation for moving a pull screw by a movement distance to achieve a stroke. The tool has a selection button for selecting a stroke value and a pull-riveting force. A control processor receives the selected stroke value and pull-riveting force. A count sensor is used to measure the rotational movement of a primary gear in terms of signal counts for determining the stroke achieved by the pull screw. The selected stroke value is presentable as a preset count value. When the signal count reaches the preset count value, or the motor current exceeds the current needed for the selected pull-riveting force, the control processor is configured to reverse the rotation direction of the motor so as to return the pull screw to its start position.

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.

Fastener assemblies and nut plate assemblies include a plate member, a shell member and a floating nut disposed within the shell member and defining a bore configured to receive a threaded fastener. The fastener assemblies and nut plate assemblies also include at least one magnetic component disposed within the shell member and configured to switch the nut plate assembly between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration.

The present invention relates to a setting device for fastening a functional element to a workpiece, in particular to a sheet metal component. The setting device comprises a die for receiving and supporting the workpiece and a setting head having a setting die which cooperates with the functional element and by which the functional element can be fastened to the workpiece in an axial setting movement. The setting device further comprises a checking device for determining the quality of a connection of the functional element to the workpiece, wherein the checking device has a sensor having a first contact section, which can be electrically conductively contacted with the functional element, and having a second contact section that can be electrically conductively contacted with the workpiece. The present invention furthermore relates to a corresponding method of fastening a functional element to a workpiece.

An attachment component which includes a body, the body having attachment means intended for allowing the attachment component to be assembled with a part including complementary attachment means, an insertion tip arranged at one end of the body so as to allow at least one portion of the body to be inserted through a part made of composite material, an axial abutment intended for halting the insertion of the body through the part made of composite material, and a breakable portion inserted between the insertion tip and said end of the body, the breakable portion being configured to break when a predetermined force is applied to the insertion tip with a view to detaching the insertion tip from the body.

A functional element having a functional portion, a generally tubular rivet portion and a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is characterised in that features of shape are provided at the rivet portion for co-movement of the sheet metal part during the formation of the rivet bead, in particular at the free end of the rivet portion and/or at the radially outer side of the rivet portion, at least in the region adjacent the free end of the rivet portion. A component assembly comprising a functional element and a sheet metal part as well as a method for the attachment of a functional element to the sheet metal part are also claimed.

A gag bar with a cam surface is used to reciprocate a kicker pin in a ram-driven punch assembly into the bore of a pierce nut in a pre-mounting position. The kicker pin and punch assembly are thereafter driven toward a workpiece to install the pierce nut in the workpiece and to fully separate a slug formed during the pierce nut entry from the workpiece. The gag bar and punch are thereafter reciprocated to allow the next pierce nut to be put in position.

Fastener assemblies and nut plate assemblies for fastener assemblies include a nut defining a bore configured to receive a threaded fastener, and a lock member. The assembly has a locked configuration in which the lock member is configured to fix rotation of the threaded fastener relative to the nut and an unlocked configuration in which the threaded fastener is allowed to rotate relative to the nut. The assembly also includes a magnetic component configured to engage the lock member and switch the assembly between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration.

The invention relates to an attachment component (1) which comprises a body (2), the body (2) comprising attachment means intended for allowing the attachment component (1) to be assembled with a part including complementary attachment means, an insertion tip (6) arranged at one end of the body (2) so as to allow at least one portion of the body (2) to be inserted through a part made of composite material, an axial abutment (32) intended for halting the insertion of the body through the part made of composite material, and a breakable portion (8) inserted between the insertion tip (6) and said end of the body (2), the breakable portion (8) being configured to break when a predetermined force is applied to the insertion tip (6) with a view to detaching the insertion tip (6) from the body (2).