Method of connecting two components as well as a component connection

Abstract

A method of connecting a first component having a first hole with a second component having a second hole includes the acts of placing together the two components so that the holes are situated above one another, and fixing the two components on one another. The fixing occurs by pushing a connection element projecting beyond the two components through the two components, the connection element having at least one clamping head which projects beyond a side of the first component facing away from the second component, and clipping a clamping element onto the clamping head, so that the clamping element is supported on a side of the first component facing away from the second component and exercises a clamping force onto the connection element which clamps together the two components.

Claims

1. A component connection comprising: a first component having a first hole; a second component having a second hole; a connecting element that extends through the first and second holes, and which projects over the first and second components; a clamping element that is supported on a side of the first component that is remote from the second component and exerts on the connecting element a clamping force which clamps the first and second components together; and a fitting portion having a thickness that is slightly greater than or slightly less than the combined thickness of the first and second components, wherein the connecting element has at least one clamping head having a shape of a sphere and which projects over a side of the first component which is distant from the second component, the clamping element is elastically clipped onto the sphere, the first component and second component directly contact each other at the perimeters of the first hole and second hole, and the first component and the second component are separate and distinct components which are movable relative to one another.

2. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the first and second holes are circular.

3. The component connection according to claim 1 wherein the first and second holes are oriented concentrically relative to one another.

4. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the connecting element.

5. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the clamping head is formed in one piece with the fitting portion.

6. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the at least one clamping head includes a first clamping head which is connected to a second clamping head via the fitting portion.

7. The component connection according to claim 6, wherein a second clamping element is clipped onto the second clamping head.

8. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is made of steel or aluminum.

9. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second components is a part of a vehicle body.

10. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the fitting portion directly contacts a convex outer surface of the sphere, and a second surface of the fitting portion, that is orthogonal to the first surface, directly contacts edges of the first and second components that define the first and second holes.

11. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the first and second components are permanently connected together by welding or gluing.

12. The component connection according to claim 1, wherein the first and second components are positioned by the fitting portion non-displaceably relative to each other along a longitudinal axis of the connecting element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a view of a first embodiment of a connection element according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is a view of a second embodiment of a connection element according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of two components which are mutually connected by way of the connection element illustrated in FIG. 2 and two clamping elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) FIG. 1 illustrates a connection element 1, which has a rotationally symmetrical construction with respect to a longitudinal axis 2. The connection element 1 has a clamping head 3 which is further developed here as a sphere. A fitting section 4 adjoins the clamping head 3. The fitting section 4 is coordinated in a complementary manner with respect to two holes which are provided in components to be connected with one another. A clamping section 51 adjoins the fitting section 4, which clamping section 51 covers or reaches behind one of the two holes provided in components (not shown) to be connected with one another.

(5) FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a connection element 1 which, in addition to the first clamping head 3, has a second clamping head 3a. In the embodiment illustrated here, the two clamping heads 3, 3a are each constructed as a sphere. The two clamping heads 3, 3a are arranged on two mutually opposite sides of the fitting section 4 and are connected with the fitting section 4. The two connection elements 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be produced in one piece of a metallic material or of a synthetic material. They may, for example, have been cast, turned by way of a turning machine or milled.

(6) FIG. 3 illustrates the basic principle as to how two components can be positioned relative to one another and be connected with one another by way of a connection element, as illustrated in FIG. 1 or 2 In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a connection element 1 is used, as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 illustrates a first blank-type component 5, which may, for example, be a metal plate of a vehicle body component (not shown here in detail), onto which a second blank-type component 6 is placed which may, for example, also be a metal plate of a vehicle body component. A hole 7 is provided in the first component 5. A second hole 8 is provided in the second component 6. The two components 5, 6 are oriented relative to one another such that they rest against one another, and the two holes 7, 8 are oriented concentrically to one another. The connection element 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 is fitted through the two holes 7, 8.

(7) As illustrated in FIG. 3, the fitting section 4 is designed to be complementary with respect to the two holes. As a result of the fitting section 4, the two components 5, 6 are therefore positioned to be undisplaceable in directions which are transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis 2. In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the thickness D of the fitting section 4 measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis (see FIG. 2) is slightly greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two components 5, 6. The fitting section 4 therefore projects slightly beyond the two blank-type components 5, 6. This must not necessarily be so. The thickness D of the fitting section could also be slightly less than the sum of the component thicknesses in the area of the holes 7, 8.

(8) As illustrated in FIG. 3, a first clamping element 9 is clamped or clipped onto the first clamping head 3, and a second clamping element 9a is clamped or clipped onto the second clamping head 3a. The clamping element 9 is designed here to be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 2. It has a surrounding ring-type supporting area 10 which presses on an exterior side of the component 6, which faces away from the component 5. The design of the clamping element 9a is identical to that of clamping element 9.

(9) The two clamping elements 9, 9a and the connection element 1 are mutually configured such that, after the clipping of the two clamping elements 9, 9a onto the clamping heads 3, 3a of the connection element 1, a clamping force is generated that clamps the two components together.

(10) For this purpose, the two clamping elements 9, 9a have to have a sufficiently elastic construction so that a clipping onto the assigned clamping head 3 and 3a, respectively, becomes possible.

(11) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.