Rotatable connection

Abstract

A rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, the rotatable connection comprising: a first connecting piece composed of metal and which is to penetrate the first component over at least the entire thickness of the first component, in which at an end facing the second component, the first connecting piece is welded to the second component.

Claims

1. A rotatable connection, comprising: a first component, having a plate-shape, and composed of a fibre reinforced plastic material; a second component, having a plate-shape, and composed of a fibre-reinforced plastic material, the second component being disposed parallel to the first component; a bearing sleeve, mounted within and interwoven into the first component such that a compaction of fibres of the fibre reinforced plastic material is produced in a region around the bearing sleeve, the bearing sleeve having shaped portions distributed over a periphery thereof in which the fibres are compacted to thereby form a positive material connection to increase resistance to twisting under load between the bearing sleeve and the first component; a first cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the bearing sleeve and the first component to define a first rotational axis; a second cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the second component to define a second rotational axis that is coaxial to the first rotational axis; a weld connection connecting the first cylindrical pin-shape connecting piece and the second cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece at a welding zone disposed between opposing distal ends of the first and second connecting pieces via a reactive film, and thereby forming a unitary bearing pin about which the first component and the second component are to rotate relative to each other.

2. A rotatable connection, comprising: a first component, composed of a fibre reinforced plastic material; a second component, composed of a fibre reinforced plastic material, the second component being disposed parallel to the first component; a first cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece, composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the first component over at least the entire thickness of the first component to define a first rotational axis; a second cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece, composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the second component over at least the entire thickness of the second component to define a second rotational axis that is coaxial to the first rotational axis; and a weld connection connecting the first cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece and the second cylindrical pin-shaped connecting piece, at a welding zone disposed between opposing distal ends of the first and second connecting pieces via a reactive film, and thereby forming a unitary bearing pin about which the first component and the second component are to rotate relative to each other; a first bearing sleeve, mounted within the first component and through which the first connecting piece coaxially and rotatably extends, the first bearing sleeve being integrated into the first component so as to be interwoven into the first component such that a compaction of fibres of the fibre reinforced plastic material is produced in a region around the first bearing sleeve, the first bearing sleeve having shaped portions distributed over a periphery thereof in which the fibres are compacted to thereby form a positive material connection to increase resistance to twisting under load of the first bearing sleeve relative to the first component; and a second bearing sleeve, mounted within the second component and through which the second connecting piece coaxially and rotatably extends, the second bearing sleeve being integrated into the second component so as to be interwoven into the second component such that a compaction of fibres of the fibre reinforced plastic material is produced in a region around the second bearing sleeve, the second bearing sleeve having shaped portions distributed over a periphery thereof in which the fibres are compacted to thereby form a positive material connection to increase resistance to twisting under load of the second bearing sleeve relative to the second component.

3. A rotatable connection, comprising: a first component, having a plate-shape, and composed of a fibre reinforced plastic material; a second component, having a plate-shape, and composed of a fibre-reinforced plastic material, the second component being disposed parallel to the first component; a first connecting piece, having a cylindrical pin-shape, and composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the first component over at least the entire thickness of the first component to define a first rotational axis; a second connecting piece, having a cylindrical pin-shape, and composed of metal, coaxially and rotatably extending through the second component over at least the entire thickness of the second component to define a second rotational axis that is coaxial to the first rotational axis; a first bearing sleeve mounted within the first component and through which the first connecting piece coaxially and rotatably extends, the first bearing sleeve being interwoven and integrated into the first component such that a compaction of fibres of the fibre reinforced plastic material is produced, the first bearing sleeve including shaped portions distributed over a periphery thereof in which the fibres are compacted to thereby form a positive material connection to increase resistance to twisting under load of the first bearing sleeve relative to the first component; and a second bearing sleeve mounted within the second component and through which the second connecting piece coaxially and rotatably extends, the second bearing sleeve being interwoven and integrated into the second component such that a compaction of fibres of the fibre reinforced plastic material is produced, the second bearing sleeve including shaped portions distributed over a periphery thereof in which the fibres are compacted to thereby form a positive material connection to increase resistance to twisting under load of the second bearing sleeve relative to the second component; and a weld connection connecting the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece at a welding zone disposed between opposing distal ends of the first and second connecting pieces via a reactive film, such that the first component and the second component are to rotate relative to each other.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

(2) FIG. 1a illustrates a side view of a rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, in accordance with embodiments.

(3) FIG. 1b illustrates a sectional view along A-A of FIG. 1a of a rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, in accordance with embodiments.

(4) FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, in accordance with embodiments.

(5) FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, in accordance with embodiments.

(6) FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a rotatable connection between a first component and a second component, in accordance with embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

(7) As illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b, a rotatable connection in accordance with the invention between a first component 10 composed of plastics or fibre composite, and a second component 11 formed by a metal sheet is provided. The connection comprises a first cylindrical or pin-shaped connecting piece 1 made of metal, in which the first connecting piece 1 penetrates the first component 10 over the entire thickness of the first component 10. The first connecting piece 1 is welded at its end facing the second component 11 to the second component 11 in the welding zone 21 on the surface of the second component 11 by spot welding. The first connecting piece 1 is also welded at its end remote from the second component 11 to a third component 12, for example, a plate or a shaped part, also in a welding zone 21. The connecting piece 1 is arranged in a first sleeve 30 which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the first component 10 and acts as a plain bearing sleeve. The first sleeve 30 is designed to be slightly shorter in length than the connecting piece 1 in order to prevent jamming of the connected components.

(8) As illustrated in FIG. 1b, the first sleeve 30 has recesses 32 on its external diameter in order to ensure security against twisting relative to the first component 10.

(9) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first component 10 is rotatably connected to a second component 11 on only one side. The first connecting piece 1 is designed as a pin with a head and is welded at the end at which the connecting piece 1 has no head, in the welding zone 21, to a metal sheet of the second component 11. The connecting piece 1 in this embodiment is also mounted in a first sleeve 30. In contrast thereto, the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 4 which may be used with materials which are less critical in terms of corrosion and wear, and which in other respects is the same embodiment as in FIG. 2, has no sleeve 30, wherein preferably the opening in the first component 10 provided for receiving the connecting piece 1 is already produced during the production process of the first component 10 in order to obtain a high degree of strength in this region, such as for example by compaction 14 of the fibres. Particularly, however, a first sleeve 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is interwoven into the first component 10 which is designed as a fibre composite plate, wherein a compaction 14 of the fibres is produced in the region around the first sleeve 30, by which the strength is increased in the surroundings of the joint.

(10) As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first connecting piece 1 is designed as a pin with a head and, at the end at which the first connecting piece 1 has no head, is welded to a second connecting piece 2 designed as pin with a head, and namely at the end of the second connecting piece 2 which also has no head. The welding in the welding zone 22 takes place by way of a reactive film. The first connecting piece 1 is mounted via a first sleeve 30 in the first component 10 and the second connecting piece 2 is mounted via a second sleeve 31 in the second component 11. The first and second components 10, 11 are in this case designed as plastics or fibre composite plates and are rotatable relative to one another. In a further embodiment, the second sleeve 31 may also be dispensed with and thus the first sleeve 30 designed to be longer, so that it passes through the first and second components 10, 11. Also in this case, the first and/or the second sleeve 30, 31 may be designed to be slightly shorter than the connecting pieces 1, 2 in order to prevent jamming of the connected components.

(11) The term coupled or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

(12) Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments may be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(13) 1 First connecting piece 2 Second connecting 10 First component 11 Second component 12 Third component 14 Compaction 21 Welding zone 22 Welding zone 30 First sleeve 31 Second sleeve 32 Recess