A device for compensating for tolerances between two components to be connected by means of a connecting screw, comprising a base element, a compensating element which can be moved out of the base element, the base element and the compensating element forming a passage for the connecting screw, which passage defines an axial direction, and a retaining element for retaining the base element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102018130388.2 that was filed Nov. 29, 2018, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for compensating for tolerances between two components to be connected by means of a connecting screw, comprising a base element, a compensating element which can be moved out of the base element, the base element and the compensating element forming a passage for the connecting screw, which passage defines an axial direction, and a retaining element for retaining the base element.

BACKGROUND

A tolerance-compensating device of this kind is known in principle. The base element and the compensating element are usually in left-hand threaded engagement, while the connecting screw has a right-hand external thread. A spring element is arranged in the compensating element, which spring element produces a frictional connection between the connecting screw extending through the passage and the compensating element. Axially extending latching legs are formed on the retaining element, which legs are clipped into latching openings provided for this purpose in the first component in order to pre-mount the tolerance-compensating device on a first of the components. Moreover, a nut element for the connecting screw is non-rotatably attached to the first component. If the connecting screw for screwing together the components is guided through the components and the tolerance-compensating device and screwed into the nut element, then, owing to the frictional connection, the compensating element rotates out of the base element until said compensating element abuts the second component and the spacing between the components is bridged by the tolerance-compensating device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing a tolerance-compensating device of the type mentioned at the outset which can be pre-mounted on the first component without said component being specifically prepared.

The problem is solved by a tolerance-compensating device having the features of claim1and is solved in particular in that the retaining element forms a latching portion for latching to a nut element provided for the connecting screw.

The general concept underlying the invention is that of not latching the retaining element directly in a first of the components, but rather using the nut element provided in any case on the first component. The tolerance-compensating device according to the invention is therefore latched merely indirectly to the first component such that the first component does not need to be specially prepared for the latching. This makes it easier to pre-mount the tolerance-compensating device since the first component does not need to be provided with latching openings, and also prevents weakening of the first component due to latching openings of this kind.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

According to an embodiment, the latching portion extends transversely, in particular at a right angle to the axial direction. For latching to the nut element, the tolerance-compensating device can thus be slid onto the first component from the side, thus virtually radially, as a result of which it is possible to pre-mount the tolerance-compensating device on the first component, even under restricted spatial conditions.

For example, the latching portion may comprise two latching arms that are spaced apart from each other and define a receiving portion for the nut element therebetween. In this case, it is advantageous if the latching arms are resiliently formed or supported and can spread apart against a restoring force in order to receive the nut element.

According to another embodiment, the retaining element is C-shaped when viewed in longitudinal section, in particular such that it forms a radially extending receiving space for receiving the first component. In this way, the retaining element can be slid laterally onto the first component and engage around the first component from above and from below.

The latching portion is, when viewed in the axial direction, preferably spaced apart from a retaining portion of the retaining element in which the base element is retained. In this way, the latching portion and the retaining portion come to rest on opposite sides of the first component, as a result of which the tolerance-compensating device, in the pre-mounted state, is secured more reliably to the first component.

In order to facilitate mounting the tolerance-compensating device on the first component, the latching portion and/or the retaining portion is/are advantageously provided with lead-in chamfers.

According to another embodiment, the latching portion and the retaining portion are interconnected by a connecting portion. The connecting portion forms virtually the backbone of the retaining element and preferably extends in the axial direction.

The connecting portion is advantageously substantially cuboid. This facilitates correct alignment of the tolerance-compensating device in a magazine as well as handling of the tolerance-compensating device by means of a robot. The tolerance-compensating device can also be more effectively prevented from tilting in a magazine if the connecting portion forms projecting guide elements on opposite side faces. Two axially spaced-apart guide elements are preferably formed on each side face. In addition, at least one of the guide elements may be formed in the manner of a prism or a hipped-roof. It is also conceivable for at least one guide element to be in the form of a notch.

According to an embodiment that can be produced particularly economically, the retaining element is integrally formed. For example, the retaining element can have a plastics material. This may be in particular an injection-molded part.

According to yet another embodiment, a ferromagnetic insert is embedded into the retaining element, in particular into a connecting portion of the retaining element. This facilitates handling of the tolerance-compensating device by means of a robot and thus contributes to even simpler pre-mounting of the tolerance-compensating device on the first component.

According to yet another embodiment, the retaining element has a T-slot. The T-slot can in particular extend in the axial direction and/or be formed on a back side of a connecting portion of the retaining element opposite the latching portion. Such a T-slot makes it possible to thread the tolerance-compensating device and preferably a plurality of tolerance-compensating devices onto a correspondingly formed T-shaped carrier or a carrier strip for the purpose of transport and/or storage. If the carrier strip is flexible, it is also particularly suitable for supplying the tolerance-compensating devices threaded thereon to a robot for automated pre-mounting of the tolerance-compensating devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 4show a tolerance-compensating device14according to a first embodiment. The tolerance-compensating device14comprises a base element16and a compensating element18which is in left-hand threaded engagement with said base element. For this purpose, the base element16forms a left-hand internal thread16a, while the compensating element18has a correspondingly formed external thread18a. The thread axes of the internal thread16aand the external thread18adefine an axial direction.

The base element16and the compensating element18form a passage20for a connecting screw (not shown), which passage extends in the axial direction. A spring element22is inserted into the part of the passage20defined by the compensating element18, which spring element is provided to produce a frictional connection between the connecting screw extending through the passage20and the compensating element18.

The connecting screw is used to screw together two components which are spaced apart from each other and of which a first component24is shown inFIG. 2. A nut element26for the connecting screw is non-rotatably attached to the first component24.

In the present embodiment, the nut element26is a press nut which is pressed into a correspondingly provided receiving hole28in the first component24. In this context, the term “press nut” is also understood to mean press-in nuts, blind-rivet nuts, flare nuts, drive(-in) nuts, etc. Moreover, it is conceivable to fasten the nut element26to the first component24in another way, for example by gluing or welding.

The tolerance-compensating device14further comprises a retaining element30formed of a plastics material, in which retaining element the base element16is non-rotatably retained. In the present embodiment, the base element16is pressed into the retaining element30. However, it is also conceivable to glue the base element16into the retaining element30or to shrink or injection-mold the retaining element30onto the base element16. Specifically, the base element16is fitted in a retaining portion32of the retaining element30, which portion extends substantially at a right angle to the axial direction.

Moreover, the retaining element30forms a latching portion34which also extends substantially at a right angle to the axial direction. The latching portion34has an axial spacing from the retaining portion32that is adapted to the thickness of the first component24.

The latching portion34comprises two latching arms36which are spaced apart from each other, curved slightly toward each other and define a receiving portion for the nut element26therebetween. The latching arms36have a particular resilience such that they can spread apart against a restoring force when pushed in a radial direction onto the nut element26and spring back into their rest position as soon as the nut element26is received in the receiving portion (FIG. 4). In order to prevent the latching portion34from unintentionally detaching from the received nut element26, the latching arms36have, in the region of their free ends, mutually facing latching projections38. For reinforcing the latching arms36, they are connected, in the region of their bottom, by a reinforcing element40which partially projects over the nut element26that is received in the receiving portion.

To pre-mount the tolerance-compensating device14on the first component24, the tolerance-compensating device14is slid laterally, i.e. in a radial direction, onto the first component24such that the first component is received between the retaining portion32and the latching portion34and the latching portion34latches to the nut element26, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. In order to facilitate sliding the tolerance-compensating device14onto the first component24, lead-in chamfers41are formed both in the region of the free ends of the latching arms36and in the corresponding region of the retaining portion32.

In the pre-mounted state, the tolerance-compensating device14does not necessarily have to be fitted on the component24without clearance. Instead, a particular clearance of the tolerance-compensating device14latched to the nut element26is desired, at least in a radial direction, but possibly also in an axial direction, since this facilitates the subsequent screwing together of the components, in particular the alignment of the tolerance-compensating device14with the connecting screw.

In order to screw together the components, the connecting screw is inserted through a corresponding hole in the component (not shown) and (inFIG. 1from above) guided through the passage20in the tolerance-compensating device14and screwed into the nut element26. Owing to the opposite-hand threads of the connecting screw and the tolerance-compensating device14, while the connecting screw is being screwed into the nut element26, the compensating element18is rotated out of the base element16due to the frictional connection produced by the spring element22until said compensating element abuts the second component (not shown). From this point in time, the spacing between the components is bridged by the extended tolerance-compensating device14and the components can be clamped together by tightening the connecting screw.

The retaining portion32and the latching portion34are interconnected by means of a connecting portion42which extends in the axial direction and forms virtually the backbone of the retaining element30. The connecting portion42has a cuboid basic shape and forms a T-slot44on the back side thereof facing away from the latching arms36.

By means of the T-slot44, the tolerance-compensating device14can be slid onto a correspondingly formed T-shaped carrier46for transport and/or storage purposes, as shown inFIG. 5by means of three tolerance-compensating devices14.

Alternatively, the T-slot44makes it possible to thread the tolerance-compensating device14onto a flexible carrier strip48.FIG. 6shows a carrier strip48of this kind having a large number of tolerance-compensating devices14threaded thereon. Such a design is suitable, for example, for supplying the tolerance-compensating devices14to a robot for automated pre-mounting of the tolerance-compensating devices14on one or more components24.

Such a robot may in principle be a gripper robot. Alternatively or additionally, however, the robot may also have a magnet for retaining the tolerance-compensating devices14. For interaction with the magnet of the robot, an insert50made of a ferromagnetic material, for example sheet steel, is embedded into the retaining element30, in the present embodiment in the region between the T-slot44and the reinforcing element40.

In addition, in each case two axially spaced-apart prism-like or hipped-roof-like guide elements52are provided on opposite outer sides of the connecting portion42, which guide elements are used to additionally guide the tolerance-compensating device14in a magazine54, as shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 7shows a tolerance-compensating device14according to a second embodiment, which ultimately differs from the above-described first embodiment only in that the retaining element30does not have a T-slot44, but instead the insert50made of ferromagnetic material is embedded into the back side of the connecting portion42facing away from the latching arms36.

It is understood that the insert50can in principle also be omitted, as shown by the tolerance-compensating device14according to a third embodiment shown inFIG. 9, which otherwise does not differ from the second embodiment shown inFIG. 7.

Moreover, a fourth embodiment (FIG. 10) is also conceivable which has an insert50but does not have guide elements52and which otherwise does not differ from the second embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS