Fastening element and system with a fastening element

Abstract

A fastening element comprises a housing having a top side and a bottom side and partially defines a recess extending along a longitudinal axis and adapted to receive the shaft of a stud, and a slit extending radially from the recess. The fastening element further comprising a spring ring seated in the slit and protruding radially into the recess. The sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed. The spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body partially defining a hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude radially into the hole.

Claims

1. A fastening element for gripping a shaft of a stud, the fastening element comprising: a housing having a top side and a bottom side, and partially defining a recess extending along a longitudinal axis, and adapted to receive the shaft of the stud, and further including a slit extending radially outward from the recess, and a strip having a first and a second end along a strip axis, and the strip first end is connected to the bottom side of the housing, and the second end is a free end, and the strip extends slanting radially inward toward the longitudinal axis and axially downward from the bottom side; and a spring ring seated in the slit and partially protruding into the recess, and the sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed, and the spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body defining a central hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude into the hole.

2. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the housing is made of plastic material, and wherein the spring ring is made of metal.

3. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the spring fingers are evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis.

4. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a circular cross-section and is centered on the longitudinal axis, and the housing has a diameter being between 10 and 30 millimeters.

5. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein an angle between the strip axis and the longitudinal axis is between 10 and 45 degrees.

6. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the bottom side includes a collar that partly extends around the recess.

7. A fastening element according to any claim 1, wherein the top side comprises notches equally distributed around the longitudinal axis.

8. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a blind hole.

9. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the recess is a through hole.

10. A system comprising: a first component provided with a stud; a second component provided with a fastening element comprising: a housing having a top side and a bottom side, and partially defining a recess extending along a longitudinal axis and adapted to receive a shaft of the stud, and further including a slit extending radially outward from the recess; a spring ring seated in the slit and partially protruding into the recess, and the sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed, and the spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body defining a central hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude into the hole; and a spring is provided between the first and the second components, and the spring is distant from the fastening element; and wherein the stud is partly received within the recess, and wherein the stud cooperates with the spring ring such that the stud is retained within the recess by the spring ring.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the stud further comprises an enlarged section, and wherein the enlarged section of the stud is retained within the recess by the spring fingers.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein the stud is a welding stud or a press-in bolt.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein one of the first and second component is a drive element, and wherein the other of the first and second component is a hinged element of an engine flap.

14. A fastening element for gripping a shaft of a stud, the fastening element comprising: a housing having a top side and a bottom side, and partially defining a recess extending along a longitudinal axis, and adapted to receive the shaft of the stud, and further including a slit extending radially outward from the recess, and the top side includes notches equally distributed around the longitudinal axis; and a spring ring seated in the slit and partially protruding into the recess, and the sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed, and the spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body defining a central hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude into the hole.

15. A fastening element according to claim 14, wherein the spring fingers are evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis.

16. A fastening element according to claim 14, wherein the housing has a circular cross-section and is centered on the longitudinal axis, and the housing has a diameter being between 10 and 30 millimeters.

17. A fastening element according to claim 14, and the housing further includes a strip having a first and a second end along a strip axis, and the strip first end is connected to the bottom side of the housing, and the second end is a free end, and the strip extends slanting radially inward toward the longitudinal axis and axially downward from the bottom side.

18. A fastening element according to claim 14, wherein the bottom side includes a collar that partly extends around the recess.

19. A fastening element according to claim 14, wherein the recess is a through hole.

20. A system comprising: a first component provided with a stud; a second component provided with a fastening element comprising: a housing having a top side and a bottom side, and partially defining a recess extending along a longitudinal axis and adapted to receive a shaft of the stud, and further including a slit extending radially outward from the recess, and a strip having a first and a second end along a strip axis, and the strip first end is connected to the bottom side of the housing, and the second end is a free end, and the strip extends slanting radially inward toward the longitudinal axis and axially downward from the bottom side; a spring ring seated in the slit and partially protruding into the recess, and the sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed, and the spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body defining a central hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude into the hole; and wherein the stud is partly received within the recess, and wherein the stud cooperates with the spring ring such that the stud is retained within the recess by the spring ring.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the stud further comprises an enlarged section, and wherein the enlarged section of the stud is retained within the recess by the spring fingers.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein the stud is a welding stud or a press-in bolt.

23. A system according to claim 20, wherein a spring is provided between the first and the second components, and the spring is distant from the fastening element.

24. A system according to claim 20, wherein one of the first and second component is a drive element, and wherein the other of the first and second component is a hinged element of an engine flap.

25. A system comprising: a first component provided with a stud; a second component provided with a fastening element comprising: a housing having a top side and a bottom side, and partially defining a recess extending along a longitudinal axis and adapted to receive a shaft of the stud, and further including a slit extending radially outward from the recess, and the top side includes notches equally distributed around the longitudinal axis; a spring ring seated in the slit and partially protruding into the recess, and the sprig ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring within the housing is allowed, and the spring ring comprises a body and spring fingers, wherein the body is an annular body defining a central hole, and wherein the spring fingers protrude into the hole; and wherein the stud is partly received within the recess, and wherein the stud cooperates with the spring ring such that the stud is retained within the recess by the spring ring.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the stud further comprises an enlarged section, and wherein the enlarged section of the stud is retained within the recess by the spring fingers.

27. A system according to claim 25, wherein the stud is a welding stud or a press-in bolt.

28. A system according to claim 25, wherein a spring is provided between the first and the second components, and the spring is distant from the fastening element.

29. A system according to claim 25, wherein one of the first and second component is a drive element, and wherein the other of the first and second component is a hinged element of an engine flap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will readily appear from the following description of embodiments, provided as non-limitative examples, in reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fastening element;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fastening element of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the fastening element of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of the fastening element of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the fastening element of FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 6 is another side view of the fastening element of FIG. 1;

(8) FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the fastening element of FIG. 1 with a spring ring;

(9) FIG. 8 is a side view of the fastening element of FIG. 1 with strips resting against a surface of another elements. The strips allow to absorb shocks;

(10) FIG. 9 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a system with the fastening element of FIG. 1.

(11) On the different Figures, the same reference signs designate identical or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIG. 9 shows a system 44 with a first component 46, a second component 48 and a fastening element 10.

(13) The fastening element 10 comprises a housing 12. The housing 12 has a recess 14 extending along a longitudinal axis X and adapted to receive the shaft of a stud 16. A slit 18 extends radially from the recess 14. The recess can be a through hole or a blind hole.

(14) The housing comprises a top side 28, a bottom side 30 and a lateral wall 32. The slit 18 partly opens through the lateral wall.

(15) The housing 12 has for example a circular cross-section and is centered on the longitudinal axis. The housing has a diameter being between 10 and 30 millimeters.

(16) The top side 28 extends in a top side plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. The bottom side 30 extends in a bottom side plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. The distance along the longitudinal axis between the top side and the bottom side is between 5 and 20 millimeters, in particular between 4 and 12 millimeters, or between 5 and 10 millimeters.

(17) The housing 12 is for example made of plastic material. Materials as PA or POM or any rigid plastic material can be implemented.

(18) As represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the housing is provided with strips 34 having a first and a second end 36, 38 along a strip axis. The strips 34 are adapted to rest against a surface as represented in FIG. 8. The first end 36 is connected to the bottom side. The second end is a free end. The second end is directed toward the longitudinal axis X. More particularly the second end projects radially inwardly. The angle between the strip axis and between the longitudinal axis X is between 0 and 90 degrees, in particular between 10 and 45 degrees.

(19) The recess 14 and the slit 18 are adapted to receive a spring ring 20 (notably visible in FIG. 7). For instance, the spring ring is seated rotatable in the slit, so that a rotational motion of the spring ring 10 within the housing 12 is allowed. The spring ring 10 comprises a body 22 and spring fingers 24. The spring ring is made of metal. The spring ring is seated in the slit with a certain degree of clearance along the longitudinal axis X.

(20) The body is an annular body defining a hole 26. The body extends in a body plane that extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X.

(21) The spring fingers 24 protrude into the hole 26. The spring fingers are equally spaced (or evenly distributed) around the longitudinal axis. The spring fingers protrude radially in the hole 15. The spring fingers 24 each extends substantially in a finger plane. The body plane and the finger plane are at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees, in particular between 0 and 45 degrees, or between 0 and 30 degrees, or between 5 and 30 degrees or between 5 and 25 degrees or between 5 and 20 degrees, or at an angle of 15 degrees. The spring fingers are oriented toward the longitudinal axis and toward the top side.

(22) The fastening element 10 is part of the system 44. More particularly, the second component 48 is provided with the fastening element 10. The first component 46 is provided with a stud 16 or a bolt.

(23) The stud 16 is for example a press-in bolt or a welding stud. FIG. 9 illustrates a press-in stud or bolt. The stud 16 comprises a free end with an enlarged section. The free end with the enlarged section is opposite the first component 46. The free end with the enlarged section is followed by a second section having a smaller diameter than the enlarged section, and then a third section having a bigger diameter than the second section and/or than the enlarged section.

(24) Depending the kind of stud used, the stud is either welded or glued or bonded or press-fitted with the first component 46.

(25) The free end of the stud with the enlarged section is received within the recess. Thus the stud cooperates with the spring ring and is retained within the recess by the spring ring, and more particularly by the spring fingers. The enlarged section 52 of the stud forms a supporting surface 54 against which the spring ring rests and prevents an uncoupling of the first and second component. For instance, the enlarged section of the stud forms a supporting surface against which the spring fingers rest.

(26) The first and second component can also be connected together by a spring 56. The spring 56 is arranged at a non-zero distance from the stud and the fastening element 10.

(27) The first component is for example a drive element. The second component is for example a hinged element of a flap, in particular an engine flap, more precisely an engine flap for a vehicle.

(28) In another embodiment, the first component is a hinged element of a flap, in particular an engine flap, more precisely an engine flap for a vehicle, and the second component is a drive element.

(29) Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.