Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102015005965.3, filed May 8, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure pertains to a latching connection with a first component, which includes a latching projection, and a second component, which has an opening into which the latching projection can be inserted in a mating direction and latched in a final position, in particular for attaching a cladding element to a motor vehicle body. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    DE 10 2012 019 808 A1 discloses a latching connection that makes it possible to fix the cladding element in various positions staggered in the mating direction by providing several latching projections, which each interact in various positions of the two components staggered in the mating direction. 
         [0004]    An option to adjust in the mating direction is of interest when adjacent cladding elements are to be mounted flush, which is most often the case in particular when both cladding elements are painted body panels. Decorative elements like chrome trims, whose color deviates from the painted cladding elements, are most often not flush, but rather mounted so as to project over adjacent cladding elements, so that the avoidance of a step in the surface contour is less crucial for an aesthetic overall impression than the clean design or avoidance of a joint between the adjoining cladding elements. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The present disclosure provides a latching connection that enables a rapid, and yet visually attractive assembly of such cladding elements with a controlled or insignificant joint width. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a self-adjusting latching connection includes a first component having a latching projection, and a second component having an opening into which the latching projection can be inserted in a mating direction and latched in a final position to a base, on which one of the two components is movably guided transverse to the mating direction between a resting position and a locking position. A spring acts on the one component in the direction of the resting position, and a bolt detachably fixes the one component in the locking position. 
         [0006]    Such a latching connection makes it possible to assemble the other component by first inserting the latching projection into the opening, after which the bolt is released, so as to displace the other component, driven by the spring. The position here reached by the other component can be determined via direct impact with another part, in particular a cladding element, so that upon conclusion of assembly, the other component and the cladding element directly contact each other without any visible joint between them; however, it would also be conceivable to provide spacers in a hidden location, which prescribe the width of a joint between the other component and the cladding element. 
         [0007]    The bolt can be shifted preferably in the mating direction in order to release the fixation of the one component. In particular, the other component can be shaped so as to shift the bolt while inserting the latching projection into the opening, and thereby automatically release the displacement in the direction of the resting position without the necessity of a separate assembly step. The one component should be guided in a slit in a wall of the base. In particular, the base can be shaped like a box, wherein this wall can then form a longitudinal wall of the box. 
         [0008]    In order to simplify the assembly of the components, the slit can be open toward one end face of the base, and the one component can be insertable into the slit via this open end face. In order to facilitate an unlocking by the other component while inserting the latching projection into the opening, an actuating projection of the bolt can protrude out of the base through an opening in the wall. The aforesaid one component can be the first component mentioned above that exhibits the latching projection. 
         [0009]    The latching projection and a base plate of the one component can then together border a groove, into which the base engages so as to guide the movement between the locking position and resting position. In order to enable the release of the bolt, a hinge, in particular a film hinge, can be formed between the base plate and bolt. The film hinge can in particular be flexible in design, so as to impinge on the lock in the locking position. 
         [0010]    The spring is preferably designed as a single part with the one component. In order to simplify the structural design, and hence the manufacture, of the aforesaid one component, the opening and latching projection can be arranged between the bolt and the spring. A component joined—preferably as a single piece—with the base can exhibit a longitudinal edge oriented transverse to the mating direction and transverse to the direction of movement between the resting position and locking position, and its distance from another part can be adjusted by means of the latching connection. In particular, the component joined with the base can be a trim, a blind or a cover profile on a motor vehicle body. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a detail of a motor vehicle body with components, which are suitable for anchoring with the help of the latching connection according to the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is the components depicted on  FIG. 1  in a schematic cross section; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first component and base of the latching connection; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the base and first component in the inserted state; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an alternative configuration of the first component; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a longitudinal section through the base and the first component mounted and locked thereon; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is the placement of the second component on the first in a longitudinal section similar to  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is the first and second components in the resting position in a longitudinal section similar to  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description. 
         [0021]    As an exemplary application of the present disclosure,  FIG. 1  shows a cutout of a motor vehicle body with an A-pillar  1 , a fender  2  and a blind  3 , which is mounted in a gusset between the A-pillar that steeply inclines toward the back in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a horizontal upper edge of the fender  2 . A profile  4  at the lower edge of the blind  3  abuts smoothly against the upper edge of the fender  2 , and thereby evenly elongates a door weather strip  5  that extends between an outer door panel  6  and a pane  7  of the door. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows the blind  3  in a schematic cross section, whose section plane reaches upward until into the A-pillar  1  and downward until into the fender  2 . The blind encompasses a base plate  30  injection molded out of plastic, onto whose interior a box-shaped base  8  of a latching connection described in even greater detail below is molded. The profile  4  is splashed onto the exterior of the base plate  30 , and consists of a more flexible plastic than the base plate  30 . Its lower edge contacts the fender  2 . A profile  31  is splashed onto the upper edge of the base plate  30 , and protrudes far enough over the latter to form an elastically compressed sealing lip in contact with the A-pillar  1 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  presents a perspective view of the base  8  and a first component  13  of the latching connection. The base  8  is essentially shaped like a box that sticks out from the base plate  30 . The base plate  30  itself is not shown on  FIG. 3 , which is why the side of the box facing it appears to be open. A slit  10  extends into a wall  9  of the base  8  facing away from the base plate  30  over a majority of its length. The slit  10  is open edged toward an end face  11  of the base  8 , A cross slit  12  crosses the slit  10  shortly before the end face  11 . 
         [0024]    A first component  13  of the latching connection is injection molded as a single piece out of plastic. It encompasses a rectangular base plate  14  and a latching projection  15  that rises from the base plate  14 . The latching projection  15  encompasses two elastically deflectable, upwardly converging flanks  16 , whose lower end is provided with a respective undercut  18  via a stop flange  17 . 
         [0025]    A groove  19  extends between the stop flange  17  and base plate  14  on both sides of a shaft, which joins the base plate  14  and stop flange  17  and is largely concealed by the stop flange  17  on  FIG. 3 , and its width is dimensioned corresponding to the thickness of the upper wall  9  in such a way that, during insertion of the first component  13  with the base  8 , it engages into the groove  19  and guides the insertion movement along the slit  10 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows the first component  13  in a state inserted into the base  8 . 
         [0027]    A spring  20  sticks out from the base plate  14  in relation to the insertion direction toward the front. The spring  20  is fabricated as a single piece with the base plate  14  out of plastic, but with less of a material thickness than the latter so as to achieve the necessary elasticity. 
         [0028]    The spring  20  can vary in shape; on  FIG. 3 , it is shaped like an arc that initially branches downwardly away from the base plate  14 , and then pivots forward in the insertion direction. In a variant shown on  FIG. 5 , the spring  20  extends in a zigzag pattern from a front edge of the base plate  14  toward the front. The variant on  FIG. 3  is preferred, since this spring  20  can reach a higher spring constant by virtue of its higher width on the one hand, and on the other hand, because it is linked with the base plate  14  beyond the front edge, it can exhibit a longer length in the insertion direction, and correspondingly also enables a larger stroke. 
         [0029]    A bolt  22  is molded onto a rear edge of the base plate  14  via a film hinge  21 . The bolt  22  is essentially plate shaped, with a upper side  23  that evenly lengthens the upper side of the base plate  14  in the relaxed state of the film hinge  21 , as shown on  FIG. 5 , and after the upper side  23 , an inclined surface  24  that ascends toward the back, from which an actuating projection  25  rises. During insertion into the base  8 , the inclined surface  24  is initially pressed downward—in relation to the perspective on  FIGS. 3 to 5 —while in contact with the upper wall  9 , so that the bolt  22  twists elastically downward in the film hinge  21 , as may be seen on  FIG. 3 , and the inclined surface  24  slips into the base  8 , and can finally latch into the cross slit  12  from below. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows this latched-in state in a longitudinal section through the base  8  and first component  13  along a plane parallel to the slit  10 . The spring  20  engages into a corner between the wall  9  and a rear end wall  26  of the base  8 , and is exposed to an elastic stress. 
         [0031]    On  FIG. 2 , a second component  27  of the latching connection is formed by a leg of an outer wall panel of the A-pillar  1  extending behind the blind  3 . An opening  28  of this second component  27  is dimensioned in such a way that, while inserting the latching projection  15 , its legs  16  are pressed elastically against each other, and finally latch into their undercuts  18 . However, before the component  27  reaches the undercut  18 , it impacts the actuating projection  25  and forces the latter back, so that the inclined surface  24  slips out of the cross slit  12 . As long as the blind  3  is still being held by the hand of an employee or by a robot while being pressed against the body, the spring cannot relax. However, as soon as the blind  3  is released, the spring  20  again pushes the component  13  at least partially out of the slit  10  toward the end face  11 , as depicted on  FIG. 8 , until the position on  FIG. 2  has been reached, in which contact between a longitudinal edge  29  of the profile and the adjacent fender  2  stops any continued movement of the profile  4  and components  13 ,  27 , and the profile  4  smoothly adjoins the fender  2 . 
         [0032]    While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Technology Category: 7