METHOD OF CONNECTING TWO COMPONENTS

Abstract: Method of connecting two components (10,14) by deforming material of one component into a widening hole (12) of the other component and squeezing the pressed-in material outwards until the hole is at most filled. The connection is effected by a single press stroke.

Description: The invention relates to a method of connecting two components. Such a method is described, for example, in document EP-A-0 155 619 which is considered to represent the uearest prior art. In the production of numerous objects, of which we shall mention here just household appliances and motor vehicles, two components which bear on one another in a planar manner in the area of the connecting point are to be connected to one another. For example, a clip is to be fixed to a motor-vehicle body or a bearing bush to a washing machine wall, or the like. So-called projection welding is mostly used in such cases, but riveting and screwing are also common. Compared with the other techniques, projection welding has the advantage that the components remain fluid-tight, which is desired or even necessary in many cases. But it has the disadvantage that, in the case of parts coated on the surface, depending on the type of coating, either welding is not possible at all without pretreatment or else, in particular in the case of galvanized steel parts, the zinc coating is damaged in the area of the weld. US-A-3,828,517 discloses a method of connecting a relatively thin first component to a relatively thick second component in which, in first, separate operations, the thin component is perforated and if need be provided with a chamfer, the thick component is subjected to an extrusion operation in such a way that a rivet fitting into the hole is integrally formed and finally, during the actual connecting, the rivet is inserted into the hole and the rivet head is formed on the side of the thin component remote from the thick component. If, during the connection of two components of different thickness, it is desired to provide the recess not in the thick component but in the thin component, for example for aesthetic reasons, this known method cannot be used, since not enough material can be driven through for forming the rivet head. This also applies to the method in which an apparatus according to EP-A-155,618 is used. German Patent Specification 918 090 discloses a connecting method of two workpieces wherein exterior positioning means are provided to hold the workpieces, one thereof being plastically deformed into a tapering hole of the other. The material to be deformed must be transferred from the outer side of the workpiece in direction to the other workpiece with the result that extremely high deformation forces are required. It is the object of the present invention to provide a method to connect two workpieces wherein the drawbacks of the prior art as mentioned above are overcome. Briefly, the method of the invention provides a connection of a first, thicker workpiece and a second, thinner workpiece. The first workpiece has a stepped hole having its smaller section adjacent the second workpiece. A support extends into the hole's larger section but only to a depth that the step remains unimpeded. By means of a punch moved by a single press stroke, material of the second workpiece opposite the hole is deep drawn into the smaller hole section so as to form a cup-shaped protuberance without cuts. The cup bottom, upon further punch displacement, engages the support and is laterally extruded so as to interengage behind the step of the hole. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing. The lefthand side of the drawing illustrates in section the workpieces and deformation means prior to the connecting step while the righthand portion of the drawing shows the parts after the press has reached its stroke end. The first workpiece or component 10 is provided with a stepped bore 12 whose smaller orifice faces the second workpiece or component 14. The deformation is effected by means of two press punches. The bottom press punch or support 16 comprises a bearing plate 18 having a projecting centering head 20 whose cross-section is complementary to the larger cross-section of the bore 12 (it should be noted that the term "bore" is to include all conceivable cross-sectional shapes, that is, not only cylindrical drilled holes, but also triangular, hexagonal, square holes, etc.. In this way the first component is positioned relative to the top tool 22, which consists of a punch 26 provided with a collar 24. The collar limits the penetration depth of the punch, as can be recognized in the righthand half of the figure. The cross-setion of the punch 26 is dimensioned in such a way that the second component is not cut into but sufficient material is driven through that, when the penetration depth is reached, driven-through material flows laterally behind the bore shoulder and a positive locking connection results. The centering head 20 is dimensioned in the axial direction in such a way that, when the penetration depth of the punch is reached, a minimum distance remains between a crowned projection 28 of the centering head and the end face 30 of the punch, so that the joint location becomes fluid-tight. The finished joint location has on either side a depression of regular shape which can, for example, be filled in and painted over. It should be noted that a plurality of connections between two components can be produced by the use of multiple tools by means of a single press stroke.

Claims: A method of connecting a first workpiece having, in the connection area, a first thickness to a second workpiece having, in the connection area, a second thickness smaller than said first thickness, said first workpiece being provided with a hole having a first, smaller section adjacent said second workpiece and a second, larger section remote from said second workpiece, said sections being separated by a step, said method comprising the step of deforming material of said second workpiece into said hole by means of a punch moved by one single press stroke and without cutting through said second workpiece whereby said deformed material is extruded to interengage said hole, wherein said first workpiece is positioned by means of a support member having a section shape complementary to said second hole section and extending into said hole to an extent such that said step is left unimpeded and said deformed material is extruded beyond said step. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said workpieces has a surface coating.

Inventors: ECKOLD, GERD-JUERGEN, MAASS, HANS, Eckold, Gerd-Jürgen
Applicants: ECKOLD, GERD-JUERGEN, MAASS, HANS, WALTER ECKOLD GMBH & CO. KG VORRICHTUNGS- UND GERAETEBAU
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B21D39
IPC codes: B21D39, F16B4, F16B5