Clamped connection between a profile part and a sheet metal part by means of a clamping strip

A clamped connection between a profile part and a sheet metal part by mans of a clamping strip. An edge area of the sheet metal part is held in its position between a foot portion of the clamping strip and a receiving device of the profile part and rests on an angular portion of the receiving device. An edge area of the sheet metal part, which projects into the receiving device and has a rectangular construction, is fixed in the receiving device by means of the clamping strip having an approximately T-shaped cross-section, the wedge-shaped foot portion of the clamping strip having at least one detent which interacts with an undercut area of the receiving device. Holding lips of a head portion of the clamping strip interact with the sheet metal part and the profile part in a supporting manner.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a clamped connection between a profile part and a 
sheet metal part by means of a clamping strip. 
A clamped connection of this generic type is disclosed in Austrian Patent 
Document AT-PS 370 370, wherein a U-shaped or V-shaped edge area of the 
sheet metal part is inserted into a corresponding receptacle of the 
profile part, and is held in position by a clamping strip. The clamping 
strip, which interacts with the profile part by way of a detent 
connection, has a molded-on part which corresponds in shape to the edge 
area of the sheet metal part. 
In order to provide an effective clamped connection, the receiving device, 
the edge area of the sheet metal part and the molded-on part of the 
profile part as well as the components of the detent connection must be 
carefully coordinated with one another. The U-shaped or V-shaped edge area 
of the sheet metal part is difficult to manufacture, and takes up a 
relatively large amount of space. Since only the edge area of the sheet 
metal part interacts with the clamping strip, a clamped connection between 
the receptacle, the sheet metal part and the clamping strip exists only at 
one point so that a tilting movement of the sheet metal part may occur. 
It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop a clamped 
connection between a profile part and a sheet metal part by means of a 
clamping strip which is simple, effective, avoids tilting movements of the 
sheet metal part, and allows for compensation of tolerances in a simple 
manner. 
According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of two holding 
lips, which extend approximately at a right angle to the wedge-shaped foot 
portion of the clamping strip. In this manner, a tilting movement of the 
sheet metal part is avoided, and only a defined lateral expansion of the 
receptacle is permitted during insertion of the clamping strip so that 
there is always an operationally appropriate clamped connection. The 
individual parts of the clamped connection can be manufactured in a simple 
and low-cost manner. 
The principal advantages achieved by the invention are that, by means of 
the end area of the sheet metal part which is bent away approximately at a 
right angle, and the approximately T-shaped construction of the clamping 
strip, a clamped connection is provided which, while it requires little 
space, has a simple construction, in which case tolerances can be 
compensated in a simple manner. 
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention 
when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
FIG. 2 illustrates a clamped connection between a profile part 2 and a 
sheet metal part 3 by means of a clamping strip 4. The oblong profile part 
2 preferably is manufactured by the extrusion method from light metal. At 
an upper end area, it has a cross-sectional widening 5 with an 
approximately wedge-shaped receptacle 6 which is open toward the top and 
is bounded by two lateral webs 7, 8 and a lower connecting piece 9. 
The one web 7 has an approximately L-shaped profile, with the shorter leg 
10 extending away from the upper free end of the upright leg 11 and 
projecting toward the outside at approximately a right angle. A bent edge 
area 12 of the sheet metal part also made of light metal rests on the 
L-shaped web 7 of the profile part 2, specifically on the side facing the 
receptacle 6. This end area is held in its position by means of the 
clamping strip 4. The flange 13 of the sheet metal part 3, which is bent 
away at the end side, has a shorter length than the height dimension of 
the receptacle 6 so that the flange end 14 does not extend to the bottom 
15 of the receptacle. In the delivered state, the web 7 takes up the 
inwardly bent position 7' indicated by a dash-dotted line (FIG. 3). 
The other, upright-aligned web 8 tapers continuously toward the top and, on 
the side facing the receptacle 6, has an oblique contact surface 16 
extending from the bottom 15 toward the top, at which locally a 
step-shaped area 17 is provided which interacts with detents 18 and 18' of 
a foot portion 19 of the clamping strip 4. The area 17 which forms an 
undercut is arranged approximately at the level of the shorter leg 10 of 
the web 7. 
The clamping strip 4 has an approximately T-shaped cross-section and 
comprises a foot portion 19 adapted to be inserted into the receptacle 6 
and a head portion 20 disposed essentially above the receptacle 6, the 
head portion 20 comprising two holding lips 21, 22. One holding lip 21 is 
locally supported on the exterior side of the sheet metal part 3, whereas 
the other holding lip 11 interacts with the profile part 2. 
On the side facing the web 8, the wedge-shaped foot portion 19 is provided 
with two detents 18, 18' disposed above one another. A first detent 18' is 
situated toward the bottom of the wedge-shaped foot, defining a predetent 
position; and a second detent 18 is situated toward the top, defining a 
main detent position of the clamping strip 4. Above the second detent 18, 
a bent transition area 23 is formed between the foot portion 19 and the 
two holding lips 21, 22 of the clamping strip 4. The holding lips 21, 22 
extend on both sides of the foot portion 19 and are aligned approximately 
at a right angle with respect to the foot portion 19. On its free end on 
the side facing the sheet metal part 3, one holding lip 21 has an 
approximately semicircular cross-sectional widening 24 which under 
prestress rests on the exterior side of the sheet metal part 3. The 
shorter leg 10 of the L-shaped web 7 of the receptacle 6 disposed on the 
bottom also extends under prestress with respect to the sheet metal part 3 
disposed above it. 
At its free exterior end, the other holding lip 22 has a downwardly 
directed triangular molded-on part 25 which interacts with an upper end 
area 28 of the web 8 of the profile part 2 so that only a defined lateral 
expansion of the profile part 2 is possible. An obliquely directed inner 
contact surface 26 of the molded-on part 25 rests on a corresponding 
exterior surface 27 of the end area 28. A lower end of the molded-on part 
25 extends approximately to a horizontal projection 29 of the profile part 
2. Viewed in the perpendicular direction, the upper end area 28 of the 
profile part 2 extends up to a lower boundary surface 30 of the holding 
lip 22. In the delivered condition, the two webs 7, 8 of the profile part 
2 are directed inward (under prestress) and, when the clamping strip 4 is 
inserted, are pressed toward the outside. However, it is also possible 
that only one of the two webs, for example, 7' of the profile part 2 is 
prestressed with respect to the sheet metal part or to the clamping strip 
4. 
The mounting of the clamping strip 4 is performed by means of a pressing 
tool. For this purpose, a horizontal bearing surface 33 of the lower 
connecting piece 9 of the receptacle 6 rests on a pressing tool (not 
shown). The clamping strip 4 is manually inserted in the receptacle 6 by 
means of a die acting from above, and is moved from the predetent position 
into the main detent position so that an effective clamped connection 1 
exists along the whole longitudinal course of the sheet metal part 3 and 
of the receptacle 6. When the clamping strip 4 is inserted, a small gap is 
provided between the widened bottom 15 of the receiving device and the 
lower end of the foot portion 19 in order to prevent an excessively deep 
insertion. In addition to the clamped connection 1, an adhesive connection 
may also be provided between the profile part 2, the clamping strip 4 and 
the sheet metal part 3. For this purpose, before the sheet metal part 3 is 
placed inside and the clamping strip 4 is inserted, an adhesive body (not 
shown) is inserted into the widened bottom 15 of the receptacle 6. In the 
embodiment, the profile part 2 and the sheet metal part 3 form sections of 
a transmission tunnel 31 of the vehicle body structure 32. (See FIG. 1.) 
Naturally, the clamped connection 1 according to the invention may also be 
used at other points of a vehicle body structure 32. 
Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is 
to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and 
example, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope 
of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the 
appended claims.