Anchoring device

An anchoring device has an insert sleeve and an expanding rivet. The insert sleeve is anchorable in an insert recess of a support part via engagement tongues. In a final assembly configuration, spreading arms of the expansion rivet are situated in arm clearances of the insert sleeve by the action of an expansion shank of a rivet pin, and are engaged with retaining edges of the insert sleeve. In this manner, the mounting part is removably connected to the support part with the expansion shank removable from the rivet body by releasing the spreading arms from the insert sleeve in order to release the connection.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2014/070784 filed Sep. 29, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an anchoring device.

2. Description of the Related Art

One anchoring device is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,845. The previously known anchoring device has an insert sleeve with engagement tongues which are engageable with an inner wall of an insert recess which is formed in a support part, and the insert sleeve being equipped with retaining means. In addition, the previously known anchoring device has an insertion part which may be pushed into the insert sleeve in an insertion direction and which is blocked against displacement opposite the insertion direction by the retaining means. When the insertion part is pushed into the insert sleeve, the engagement tongues engage with the inner wall of the insert recess as the result of a radially outward motion, so that the insert sleeve is then anchored in the insert recess. The insertion part is designed as a cylindrical pin which, after being pushed into the insert sleeve with customary handling forces, undetachably engages with retaining tongues, as retaining means, which face radially inwardly in the insertion direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an anchoring device is characterized by ease of disassembly with very stable anchoring of the insert sleeve.

For the anchoring device according to the invention, as a result of the insertion part having a rivet body with at least one spreading arm which cooperate(s) with at least one retaining edge, the insertion part may be detachably and removably connected to the insert sleeve via the movement of the or each retaining arm, so that the anchoring device is once again removable from the insert recess if necessary.

In one form thereof, the present invention provides an anchoring device having an insert sleeve with engagement tongues which are engageable with an inner wall of an insert recess which is formed in a support part, and the insert sleeve being equipped with retaining means, and having an insertion part which may be pushed into the insert sleeve in an insertion direction and which is blocked against displacement opposite the insertion direction by the retaining means, characterized in that the insertion part has a rivet body that is equipped with at least one spreading arm, and that the retaining means are formed by at least one retaining edge which engages with the or each spreading arm.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, the embodiment disclosed below is not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise form disclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows, in a perspective view, one exemplary embodiment of an anchoring device according to the invention, having an insert sleeve1made of sheet metal as a punched-bent part, and having an expansion rivet2, made of a hard elastic plastic material, as an insertion part.

The insert sleeve1has a closed ring-like shape, except for a circumferential gap3, and extends in an axial direction. At an axial end on the head side, the insert sleeve1is provided with radially outwardly protruding support tongues4,5,6which are integrally formed on flat sections7,8,9having a substantially planar shape. The flat sections8,9adjoining the circumferential gap3on the edge side have flared-out sections10,11which adjoin the circumferential gap3and which are oriented at an angle radially outwardly with respect to the flat sections8,9on the edge side. The support tongues5,6integrally formed on the flat sections8,9on the edge side are each provided with a disassembly recess12,13. The flat sections8,9on the edge side are connected to the middle flat section7, situated opposite from the circumferential gap3, via radially outwardly curved connecting sections14,15.

An arm clearance16,17,18is formed in the flat sections7,8,9, respectively, so that the insert sleeve1has ring structures which are open on the head side and the base side. An engagement tongue19,20is formed on the flat section8,9, respectively, on the edge side, and is connected to the adjacent connecting section14,15via a connecting web21,22, which extends in the circumferential direction and is joined to the respective engagement tongue19,20in a relatively elastic manner. The engagement tongues19,20are angled in the direction of the support tongues5,6which are integrally formed on the corresponding flat section8,9on the edge side, and are flared radially outwardly and are preferably pointed.

The expansion rivet2of the exemplary embodiment according toFIG. 1has a rivet body23which bears a radially outwardly protruding head plate24on a head end. In the exemplary embodiment according toFIG. 1, four spreading arms25,26,27,28which extend away from the head plate24in the axial direction are integrally formed on the head plate24.

In modifications which are not illustrated, the rivet body23has two or three spreading arms.

In addition, the expansion rivet2according toFIG. 1is equipped with a rivet pin29which has a cover plate30, and an expansion shank31which is integrally formed on the cover plate30and extends in the axial direction.

In the arrangement according toFIG. 1, the rivet pin29is completely pushed into the rivet body23, so that due to the action of the expansion shank31on the spreading arms25,26,27,28, the spreading arms are flared radially outwardly, and in the inserted configuration of the expansion rivet2which is pushed into the insert sleeve1inFIG. 1, the spreading arms enter into the arm clearances16,17,18or into the circumferential gap3.

FIG. 2shows, in a perspective view, the insert sleeve1of the exemplary embodiment according toFIG. 1. The design of the insert sleeve1, which is closed in a ring shape except for the circumferential gap3, and its basic triangle-like shape in cross section due to the flat sections7,8,9in this exemplary embodiment, are particularly clearly apparent fromFIG. 2. Furthermore, it is particularly clearly apparent in the illustration according toFIG. 2that on the ring structure on the head side, a retaining edge32,33,34is formed as a retaining means in each case on the arm clearances16,17,18on their side facing the respective support tongue4,5,6.

FIG. 3shows, in a perspective view, the expansion rivet2of the exemplary embodiment according toFIG. 1, with the rivet pin29in a position that is only partially pushed into the rivet body23. It is apparent fromFIG. 3that the spreading arms25,26,27,28are radially inwardly tapered with a bevel on their free end facing away from the head plate24to ensure ease of insertion into the insert sleeve1.

FIG. 4shows, in a cutaway perspective view, a support part35which is provided with an insert recess36. In the arrangement according toFIG. 4, the insert sleeve1according to the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 1is inserted with pressing together of the flared-out sections10,11, so that the support tongues4,5,6rest on a top side37of the support part35, and the engagement tongues19,20are anchored in an inner wall38of the insert recess36for captive retention, after a relaxation of the insert sleeve1, which is particularly effective due to the curved connecting sections14,15. The insert sleeve1is thus fixedly connected to the support part35in a detachable manner.

FIG. 5shows, in a top view, the arrangement according toFIG. 4. It is apparent from the illustration according toFIG. 5that good adaptability of the insert sleeve1is ensured, even at insert recesses36having a nonuniform design, due to line-type contact areas between the flared-out sections10,11and the connecting sections14,15and the inner wall38of the insert recess36. The flat sections7,8,9are situated at a distance from the inner wall38with formation of a free space.

In addition, it is apparent fromFIG. 5that the cross section of the insert sleeve1may be reduced enough that it is removable from the insert recess36after releasing the engagement tongues19,20, for example by introducing a forceps-like disassembly tool into the disassembly recesses12,13of the support tongues5,6on the edge side, and closing the circumferential gap3.

FIG. 6shows, in a cutaway perspective view, the exemplary embodiment of an anchoring device according to the invention according toFIG. 1, with the insert sleeve1situated in the insert recess36of the support part35corresponding to the arrangement according toFIGS. 4 and 5, a mounting part39which is placed on the top side37of the support part35, and the expansion rivet2in a preassembly configuration. In the preassembly configuration, the rivet body23is passed through an insertion recess40formed in the mounting part39, and with the spreading arms25,26,27,28is pushed into the insert sleeve1in such a way that three spreading arms25,26,27are situated in arm clearances16,17,18respectively, and the remaining spreading arm28rests in the circumferential gap3between the flared-out sections10,11, which are situated at a distance from one another in the circumferential direction. A reliable rear engagement of the spreading arms25,26,27resting in the arm clearances16,17,18is ensured due to the free space between the flat sections7,8,9and the inner wall38. The head plate24of the rivet body23hereby rests on a top side41of the mounting part39, while the support tongues4,5,6of the insert sleeve1are situated between the support part35and the mounting part39.

FIG. 7shows, in a cutaway perspective view, the arrangement according toFIG. 6, with the rivet pin29of the expansion rivet2now in a final assembly configuration, pushed into the rivet body23in an insertion direction. It is clearly apparent fromFIG. 7that in the final assembly configuration, the cover plate30of the rivet pin29rests on the head plate24of the rivet body23, and the expansion shank31of the rivet pin29radially outwardly braces the spreading arms25,26,27,28of the rivet body23. In the process, the retaining edges32,33,34dig into the spreading arms25,26,27situated in the arm clearances16,17,18, and the engagement tongues19,20dig further into the inner wall38, so that the expansion rivet2is fixedly situated in the insert sleeve1in a detachable manner. The insert sleeve1is now likewise anchored very stably over its extent in the longitudinal direction.

After the rivet pin29is moved opposite the insertion direction, for example moved once again into the preassembly position according toFIG. 6, the spreading arms25,26,27,28relax at least to a certain extent, so that the connection between the spreading arms25,26,27situated in the arm clearances16,17,18and the retaining edges32,33,34is loosened at least enough that the rivet body23is removable from the insert sleeve1with relatively little force, and the mounting part39is thus once again removable from the support part35. The insert sleeve1may also be subsequently removed, if necessary, as explained in conjunction withFIG. 5.