Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7731467?dq=7,172,682
Timestamp: 2016-05-26 03:15:46
Document Index: 393590507

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 116', 'arts 146', 'art 106', 'art 416', 'art 430', 'art 716', 'art 730', 'art 1016']

Patent US7731467 - Bolt element having a shaft part and a spherical head, component assembly ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsBolt element (10) having a shaft part (12) which is designed at a first end (14) for a rivet connection (16) to a panel element (18), in particular to a sheet metal part, is characterized in that the shaft part (12) has a spherical formation (22) at its other end (20) the ball diameter (D) of which is...http://www.google.com/patents/US7731467?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7731467 - Bolt element having a shaft part and a spherical head, component assembly and method for the manufacture of a bolt elementAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7731467 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/380,235Publication dateJun 8, 2010Filing dateApr 26, 2006Priority dateJul 9, 1999Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS20060233625Publication number11380235, 380235, US 7731467 B2, US 7731467B2, US-B2-7731467, US7731467 B2, US7731467B2InventorsJiri BabejOriginal AssigneeProfil Verbindungstechnik Gmbh & Co., KgExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (36), Referenced by (4), Classifications (8), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetBolt element having a shaft part and a spherical head, component assembly and method for the manufacture of a bolt element
It is moreover evident from FIG. 1 that the spherical formation 22 has an equator line 46 which lies in a plane which stands perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 34 of the shaft part. At the position of the equator line 46 there is essentially no burr, i.e. no raised portion to be found during the manufacture of the bolt element, but rather this equator 46 merely shows the position of the parting joint of the tools which are used to form the spherical formation. These tools are shown in more detail in FIG. 2. They comprise a lower die 50 and an upper tool 52. The designation ‘lower and “upper” relates here, as also at other points of the description and claims solely to the alignment of the drawing and does not represent any restrictions on the actual alignment of the die or of the tool. These parts could just as easily be arranged so that the die is disposed above the tool 52 or such that the central longitudinal axis 54 is arranged horizontally or in another direction.
First of all it is evident that the abutment element 112 has a ring-like, radially extending, collar 120 which engages into corresponding grooves 122 of the shaped parts, with the abutment element 112 being movable with the shaped parts in the axial direction 118 of the die 104. The lower end 124 of the abutment element projects into a hollow space 126 of the die body 106 and is terminated there with a disk element 130 screwed on by means of a screw 128. In this hollow space 126 there is a compression coil spring between the radially inwardly projecting shoulder 132 of the outer part of the die and the die 130, with the compression coil spring being designed to draw the abutment element 112 downwardly and also the shaped parts 116 with the abutment element 112 via the ring-like collar 120, the maximum downward movement of the shaped ‘parts is bounded by the upper side 134 of the ring shoulder against which the shaped parts enter into contact. This also restricts, via the collar 120 and the grooves 122, the lowest possible position of the abutment element 122. The upper end 136 of the abutment element 122, which can be seen in enlarged form in FIGS. 8 and 9, forms a shaping space 138 for the tubular end 14 of the spherical bolt element 10. This ring-like shaping space has a rolling surface 140 of semicircular ‘shape in cross-section in its base region which is arranged significantly below the radially inwardly projecting noses 142 of the shaped parts 146. The end face 143 of the central post 144 of the abutment element lies flush with the upper side 146 of the shaped parts in FIG. 8, which in turn lies flush with the upper side of the outer part 106 of the die 104 and of the tool (not shown), which accommodates the die.
FIG. 22 shows the assembled state of the functional element in accordance with FIG. 21. It can be seen that the hollow head part 416 is deformed in exactly the same way as in the prior embodiments—with the difference that in this case the upper annular surface 457 of the annular fold 452 is arranged a little above the sheet metal part. However, this is not absolutely necessary. The corresponding surface could equally well be arranged beneath the plane of the sheet metal part 430 or at the same height as the plane of the sheet metal part.
This embodiment has the advantage that while the functional element is still made with a conical cutting surface 726, the face 720 of the head part 716 is made simply as an annular surface which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 724 and which is not rounded as, for example, at the rounded portion 28 in FIG. 11. A manufacturing step is saved in this way in the manufacturing of the functional element. The annular recess 740 of the die 732 is in principle of similar design to the annular recess 40 of the die 32 in accordance with FIG. 12, but is rounded convexly at the transition into the end face 733, as shown at 737. Furthermore, a plurality of inclined grooves 739—in this embodiment eight such grooves, as shown in FIG. 26B—are worked into this rounded transition 737 so that radially extending noses 741 are in each case formed between two adjacent grooves 739.
The hold down member 770 is also biased in the direction of the sheet metal part by springs 772 which here—like the spring 776—are indicated schematically as compression coil springs, although other spring types can also be used which are well known in tool-making. The hold down member 770 can belong to a setting head having the plunger arrangement 743 or to a tool of the press on which the setting head is fitted. The upper ends of the springs 772 are accordingly braced against the setting head or the tool.
FIG. 27A shows the state after the sheet metal part 730 has been inserted 10 into the press and the closing movement of the press has been begun—just so far that the hold down member 770 contacts the upper side of the sheet metal part and lightly clamps the sheet metal part between it and the tappet 768.
Metal foams made, amongst other things, of aluminum or magnesium and metal foams made of steel are known. Different manufacturing processes are known which can be used for the production of such metal foams. For example, metal powder can be mixed with a chemical compound which later—in a thermal treatment—effects the foaming of the metal. Gas, which causes the foaming, is released at the metals melting point. It has already been possible in this way to produce foamed aluminum with a gas portion of up to 97%. Steel foams can also be produced using this method. The process can be used for a wide range of elements and alloys. The possibility also exists of making metal structures from hollow balls, for example hollow steel balls.
FIG. 29 shows the functional element 1010 in the starting state in a half-section on the left-hand side of the central longitudinal axis 1024, with the other half of the functional element 10 being made symmetrically on the other side of the central longitudinal axis 1024—with the exception of the thread, which naturally forms a continuous thread cylinder with the shown half of the thread.
FIG. 30 shows a slightly modified embodiment in comparison with FIG. 29. The component 1030 is here also prepared by the making of a cylindrical bore 1031, this bore 1031 however stops immediately above the lower layer 1039 of the composite material 1030. No swage 1035 is made in the upper layer 1033 of the composite component 1030 here, either. The diameter of the bore 1031 corresponds—as also in the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 29, at least substantially to the outer diameter of the hollow head part 1016 of the functional element 1010, which is here identical to the corresponding element 1010 of FIG. 29.
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KGMethod of attaching a fastening element to a panel and combination of a panel and at least one fastening elementEP0993902A2Oct 15, 1999Apr 19, 2000Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH &amp; Co. KGMethod for attaching a functional element, die, functional element and mounting assemblyEP1183130B1May 10, 2000Jul 16, 2003PROFIL-Verbindungstechnik GmbH &amp; Co. KGMethod and device for fastening an auxiliary joining element to a sheet-shaped work piece and work piece that is provided with such an auxiliary joining elementGB2152862A Title not availableWO1997011811A1Sep 25, 1996Apr 3, 1997Profil Verbindungstechnik Gmbh & Co. KgMethod of inserting a fastener element, bolt element, riveting die and component assemblyWO2001003880A1Jul 7, 2000Jan 18, 2001Profil Verbindungstechnik Gmbh & Co. KgFunctional element, method for fixing it in a sheet metal part, assembling element and swaging assemblyWO2001003881A1Jul 7, 2000Jan 18, 2001Profil Verbindungstechnik Gmbh & Co. KgMethod for placing a functional element; die, functional element; assembly element and die arrangement* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS8328489 *Dec 11, 2012Acument Intellectual Properties, LlcSelf-pierce rivets and an adjustable strap handleUS8608419 *Aug 11, 2010Dec 17, 2013Profil-Verbindungstechnik Gmbh & Co. KgFunctional element, method for an introduction of the functional element into a sheet metal part and also component assemblyUS20090152334 *Dec 8, 2008Jun 18, 2009Acument Intellectual Properties, LlcSelf-pierce rivets and an adjustable strap handleUS20110038687 *Aug 11, 2010Feb 17, 2011Jiri BabejFunctional element, method for an introduction of the functional element into a sheet metal part and also component assembly* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification411/501, 411/183International ClassificationF16B19/04Cooperative ClassificationF16B37/062, F16B19/08, F16C11/0604European ClassificationF16C11/06A, F16B19/08Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJul 2, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: HVB BANQUE LUXEMBOURG SOCIETE ANONYME, LUXEMBOURGFree format text: CHARGE OVER CERTAIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT;ASSIGNOR:PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG;REEL/FRAME:021185/0025Effective date: 20080605Owner name: HVB BANQUE LUXEMBOURG SOCIETE ANONYME,LUXEMBOURGFree format text: CHARGE OVER CERTAIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SUPPLEMENT;ASSIGNOR:PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG;REEL/FRAME:021185/0025Effective date: 20080605Dec 2, 2013FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Dec 3, 2014ASAssignmentOwner name: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG, GERMANYFree format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:UNICREDIT LUXEMBOURG S.A.;REEL/FRAME:034524/0638Effective date: 20140829RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services