Rivet Element for Setting a Thread

Abstract

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.

Claims

1.-7. (canceled)

8. A rivet element for setting a thread into at least one component, the rivet element comprising: a head portion configured so as to be brought to rest in a form-fitting manner on the component when used; and a sleeve portion which is insertable in use into an opening extending through the component and is plastically deformable, wherein the sleeve portion has an internal thread into which a traction mandrel and/or a screw element is screwable, the sleeve portion has a protruding rib structure on an outer circumference, the rib structure has at least a first support rib and at least a second support rib which extend in a longitudinal direction of the sleeve portion and which are separated from one another by a recess, such that, after plastic deformation of the sleeve portion when used, the first and second support ribs contact one another in order to permit a direct force flow between the head portion and the sleeve portion.

9. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein the recess is a slot in the sleeve portion.

10. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein the rib structure has a plurality of rib pairs arranged distributed in the circumferential direction of the sleeve portion, each rib pair has the first support rib and the second support rib which extend in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve portion and which are separated from one another by the recess.

11. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein the support ribs are cuboidal.

12. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein the support ribs are formed integrally with and from the same material as the sleeve portion.

13. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein after the plastic deformation, the sleeve portion has at least one bead portion which is adjacent to the rib structure.

14. The rivet element according to claim 8, wherein the rivet element is made of metal and/or plastics material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rivet element;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the rivet element of FIG. 1;

[0027] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rivet element in the plastically deformed state with a cut-out; and

[0028] FIG. 4 is a view rotated through 90° of the rivet element of FIG. 3.

[0029] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a rivet element 10 for setting a thread into a component (not shown).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The rivet element 10 is made of metal and/or plastics material and has a head portion 14, which can be brought to rest in a form-fitting manner on the component, and a sleeve portion 16, which can be inserted into an opening extending through the component.

[0031] The head portion 14 has a cylindrical flange 18, which rests in a form-fitting manner on the component when the sleeve portion 16 is inserted into an opening extending through the component.

[0032] The sleeve portion 16 is plastically deformable and is in the form of a hollow cylinder 20 with an internal thread 22. A traction mandrel (not shown), for plastically deforming the sleeve portion 16, and a screw element (not shown) can be screwed into the internal thread 22.

[0033] As can be seen from an overview of FIGS. 1 to 4, the sleeve portion 16 has a rib structure 26 on its outer circumference 24. The rib structure 26 is formed of a plurality of rib pairs 28 arranged distributed in the circumferential direction U of the sleeve portion, wherein each rib pair 28 has a first support rib 30 and a second support rib 32 which extend in the longitudinal direction L of the sleeve portion 16.

[0034] The support ribs 30, 32 are separated from one another by a recess 34, wherein the recess 34 is in the form of a slot 36 introduced into the sleeve portion 16.

[0035] As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first support rib 30 rests directly on the head portion 14, while the second support rib 32 is arranged at the free end of the sleeve portion 16. In the present case, the second support rib 32 is longer than the first support rib 30. In the plastically deformed state of the sleeve portion 16, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the two support ribs 30, 32 abut one another directly, so that a direct force flow between the head portion 14 and the sleeve portion 16 is made possible when a screw element (not shown) is screwed in.

[0036] In the plastically deformed state of the sleeve portion 16, bead portions 38, which result from the compression of the sleeve portion 16 during plastic deformation, form between the support ribs 30, 32 in contact with one another. The bead portions 38 thereby form convexities.

[0037] In the following text, a possible method for connecting two components by means of the rivet element 10 and overelastic screw tightening will be explained. First of all, there is produced in one of the components an opening extending through the component, wherein the opening has a circular portion and rectangular portions. The rivet element 10 is then inserted into the opening such that the sleeve portion 16 is arranged within the circular portion and the rib structure 26 is arranged within the rectangular portion, and the head portion 14 rests on the component. A traction mandrel (not shown) is then screwed into the internal thread 22, and a traction force is applied to the traction mandrel. The sleeve portion 16 thereby deforms plastically in that the sleeve portion is compressed, so that the second support rib 32 moves towards the first support rib 30 and the bead portions 38 form between the rib pairs. When the plastic deformation of the sleeve portion 16 is complete, the two support ribs 30, 32 abut one another. The traction mandrel is then unscrewed from the internal thread 22 and a second component is positioned with an opening over the rivet element such that a screw element (not shown) is inserted into the opening and screwed into the internal thread 22 and tightened overelastically.

[0038] The provision of support ribs 30, 32, separated by a slot 36, on the outer circumference 24 of the sleeve portion 16 permits a direct force flow between the head portion 14 and the sleeve portion 16 when the riveting process is complete, when a screw element is screwed into the internal thread 22. As a result of the direct force flow from the head portion 14 to the sleeve portion 16, resetting phenomena due to a high pretension as a result of overelastic screw tightening are ruled out. A defined pretension force is thereby achieved, which can ensure the functional demands on overelastic screw tightening. Moreover, high scatter in the screwing process curves owing to rotation angle variations caused by the resetting process does not occur. In addition, the combination of the opening having a rectangular portion and the rib structure 26 arranged therein provides form-fitting protection against twisting of the rivet element 10 in the carrier material during screwing and overelastic tightening.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0039] 10 rivet element [0040] 14 head portion [0041] 16 sleeve portion [0042] 18 cylindrical flange [0043] 20 hollow cylinder [0044] 22 internal thread [0045] 24 outer circumference [0046] 26 rib structure [0047] 28 rib pair [0048] 30 first support rib [0049] 32 second support rib [0050] 34 recess [0051] 36 slot [0052] 38 bead portion [0053] U circumferential direction [0054] L longitudinal direction