Assembly and method for securing a fastening element

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for securing a fastening element to a first component, wherein the first component has a passage opening for a shaft of the fastening element, said assembly comprising a securing element, which reaches around the shaft of the fastening element, wherein a head part of the fastening element and the securing element are arranged on opposite sides of the first component and the shaft of the fastening element engages in a receptacle of a second component for the frictional and/or interlocking connection of the two components. According to the invention, the securing element is pre-fastened to the second component before a first connection of the first component to the second component and is separated from the second component and reaches around the shaft of the fastening element after a first release of the connection between the first component and the second component.

Claims

1. An arrangement for securing a fastening element to a first component, wherein the first component has a through-hole for a shaft of the fastening element, said arrangement having a securing element, which reaches around the shaft of the fastening element, wherein a head part of the fastening element and the securing element are arranged on opposite sides of the first component and the shaft of the fastening element engages in a receiving means of a second component for a frictional and/or interlocking connection of the first and second components, wherein the securing element is pre-fixed to the second component before the connection of the first component to the second component and is separated from the second component and reaches around the shaft of the fastening element after an initial release of the connection between the first component and the second component.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the shaft of the fastening element has a barrier for reaching behind the securing element during the connection of the first component to the second component.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the barrier is a barb.

4. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the barrier is a threaded flank increasing in circumference.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the securing element is made from an elastic material.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the securing element is a washer.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the securing element is a cap.

8. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first component is part of a motor vehicle body.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the second component is an equipment element to be fastened to the motor vehicle body.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the equipment element is a motor vehicle lighting device.

11. A method for securing a fastening element to a first component by means of a securing element which is arrangeable on a shaft of the fastening element so that a head part of the fastening element and the securing element are arranged on opposite sides of the first component, wherein the securing element is pre-fixed to a second component before a connection of the first component to the second component, the shaft of the fastening element reaches behind the securing element with a barrier during the connection of the first and second components and the securing element is separated from the second component and remains on the shaft of the fastening element after an initial release of the first and second components.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the securing element is pre-fixed to the second component by adhesion or clamping.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be explained in more detail below in exemplary embodiments with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the inventive arrangement for securing a fastening element and

(3) FIG. 2 shows the inventive arrangement in various assembly steps.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) A vehicle 70 is firstly illustrated schematically in FIG. 1, which vehicle comprises various motor vehicle lighting devices, for example headlights or taillights, in a known manner. For explanation of the exemplary embodiment, reference is made below to a motor vehicle lighting device 72 on the rear of the vehicle 70. The motor vehicle lighting device 72 is fixed to a vehicle body during the final assembly of the vehicle 70. At least one fastening element 20 serves for this purpose, which fastening element, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment, is constructed as a screw. The term fastening element is therefore defined below by the term screw 20. It is of course clear that, instead of the screw, this also includes a different fastening element by means of which the inventive arrangement for securing the fastening elements can be realized.

(5) The arrangement according to the invention is clarified in the magnified illustrations in FIG. 1.

(6) The arrangement comprises at least one screw 20 having an external thread 22, at least one securing element 30 having an opening 32, a first component 50 having a through-hole 52 and at least one second component 40 having an internal thread 44. The second component 40 is to be frictionally connected to the first component 50 by means of the screw 20.

(7) The first component 50 here is a bracket of the vehicle body. In a preferred embodiment, the bracket 50 is a plate which can be part of the vehicle body of the vehicle 70. The second component 40 is part of a housing of the motor vehicle lighting device 72.

(8) The screw 20 reaches through the through-hole 52 of the bracket 50 and the opening 32 of the securing element 30. The screw 20 has a shaft 24 which is provided with an external thread 22.

(9) An integrated insert 42, which has an internal thread 44, is located in the component 40. The external thread 22 of the screw 20 and the internal thread 44 of the insert 42 correspond to one another so that the screw 20 can be screwed into the insert 42. The component 40 is thus frictionally connected to the bracket 50.

(10) The insert 42 can be connected to the component 40 in a frictional, interlocking or bonded manner. According to a further variant embodiment, the internal thread 44 can also be provided directly in a wall of the housing 40 of the motor vehicle lighting device 72.

(11) The securing element 30 is arranged on the component 40 such that the opening 32 corresponds to the depression in the component 40 or insert 42, which depression has the internal thread 44. The securing element 30 here can be constructed as a washer 34 or as a cap 36. The securing element 30 is connected to the component 40 via a bonding agent, for example an adhesive layer 80. The securing element 30 therefore has a defined position on the component 40.

(12) If the securing element 30 is constructed as a cap 36, it is possible to dispense with the formation of the adhesive layer 80. The cap 36 is constructed here such that it reaches around a corresponding structure of the component 40 or the insert 42 in a clamping manner by means of its circumferential collar. According to an exemplary embodiment (not illustrated) the collar of the cap 36 can also engage in a corresponding recess of the insert 42.

(13) The shaft 24 of the screw 20 furthermore has a barb 62 constructed as a barrier 60. The barb 62 is formed here by an annular collar extending radially around the shaft 24. An external diameter of the barrier 60 is dimensioned here such that it is smaller than or equal to the through-opening 52 in the component 50. However, the external diameter of the barrier 60 is greater than the diameter of the opening 32 of the securing element 30.

(14) With reference to the arrangement shown schematically in FIG. 1, it is clear that the securing element 30 is arranged on the component 40according to the exemplary embodiment, on the motor vehicle lighting device 72before an initial connection of the components 40 and 50. The securing element 30 is therefore already in a pre-fixed position relative to the fastening element, i.e. the screw 20, during an assembly step.

(15) The function of the inventive arrangement for securing a fastening element is clarified with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates a sequence of assembly steps during an initial connection of the components 50 and 40 to one another and an initial release of this connection.

(16) The sequence of method steps is illustrated from top to bottom in the illustration in FIG. 2.

(17) The adhesive layer 80 is applied to the component 40 in a first method step. As the method step 2 clarifies, the securing element 30 is then pre-fixed to the component 40 on this adhesive layer. The component 40 is positioned with the component 50 such that the screw 20 can pass through both the through-opening 52 and the opening 32 with its shaft 24.

(18) In a third assembly step, the external thread 22 of the screw 20 is screwed into the internal thread 44 of the component 40. With this, both the external thread 22 and the barrier 60 pass through the opening 32 in the securing element 30. The securing element 30 is preferably made from an elastic material, for example rubber. The securing element 30 can also be made from a plastics material. The securing element 30 therefore yields in the region of the opening 32 so that the barrier 60 can pass through the opening 32. By applying a screw force to the head of the screw 20, a frictional connection between the components 40 and 50 is therefore realized.

(19) If this connection between the components 40 and 50 is to be released again, the screw 20 is unscrewed with its external thread 22 out of the internal thread 44. With this, the barrier 60 comes into bearing contact with the securing element 30. The force applied to the securing element 30 by the barrier 60 is greater here than the adhesive force between the securing element 30 and the component 40 via the adhesive layer 80. The securing element 30 thus breaks away from the adhesive layer 80 and therefore from the component 40 and remains on the shaft 24 of the screw 20. The securing element 30 therefore constitutes a captive device for the screw 20 on the component 50. The screw 20 is therefore prevented from getting lost during the dismantling of the components 40 and 50 and is immediately re-available for assembling the component 40 again or a different component 40.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(20) 20 Fastening element/screw 22 External thread 24 Shaft 30 Securing element 32 Opening 34 Washer 36 Cap 40 Second component/equipment element to be fastened/motor vehicle lighting device 42 Inserts 44 Internal thread 50 First component/bracket 52 Through-hole 60 Barrier 62 Barb 70 Vehicle 72 Motor vehicle lighting device 80 Adhesive layer