The present invention relates to a component assembly comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component includes a first planar, shallow connection region and the second component includes a second planar, shallow connection region connected to the first connection region. The invention is furthermore directed to a method of manufacturing such a component assembly.
In many areas in which planar, shallow components or components having such connection regions have to be connected to one another, this connection takes place by rivet connections or screw connections which are relatively complex and expensive to manufacture.
An example is represented by suspension apparatus for carrier rails which usually comprise two different components, namely a base part which has A coupling section formed at its lower end for coupling to carrier rails for suspended ceilings and which includes a connection region in its upper region which is connected to a corresponding connection region of a spring-elastic connection part of the suspension apparatus. The spring-elastic connection part is usually made in U shape and had two holes in each of its limbs through which a bar-shaped fastening part can be inserted. The bar-shaped fastening part is clamped to the connection part due to the pretension of the U-shaped spring-elastic connection part so that an adjustable connection can be established between the connection part and the fastening part. The fastening of the connection part to the base part usually takes place by a rivet connection which is complex to establish and is associated with relatively high costs.
Connections of planar, shallow connection regions are also required in further sectors, in particular in the manufacture of metal sections or plastic sections.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a component assembly of the initially named kind which can be manufactured in a simple and inexpensive manner. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing such a component assembly should be provided.
Starting from a component assembly of the initially named kind, this object is satisfied in accordance with the invention in that the connection regions each include at least two connection sections which are each formed as material sections bent out of the plane of the respective connection region, in that the connection sections each have an edge made in substantially arcuate shape, in that an end of the arcuate edge is arranged spaced in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the respective connection region, in that a further edge of the connection section adjoins the end of the arcuate edge and extends obliquely or transversely to the arcuate edge, in that the connection sections each include a guide surface extending obliquely to the plane of the respective connection region, and in that two respective connection sections mesh with one another, wherein the respective guide surface of a connection section of the first connection region at least regionally contacts a guide surface of a connection section of the second connection region.
A method in accordance with the invention for manufacturing such a component assembly is characterized in that slits or openings are produced in the connection regions which each have at least one substantially arcuate edge, in that by production of a further slit or of a further opening at one of the ends of each of the arcuate edges, a respective further edge is produced which adjoins it and which extends obliquely or transversely to the arcuate edge, in that at least two respective connection sections are produced in the connection regions by material sections respectively bordered by the arcuate edge and by the further edge are bent out of the plane of the respective connection region so that an end of the arcuate edge is arranged spaced in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the respective connection region and the connection sections each include a guide surface extending obliquely to the plane of the respective connection region and that the components are attached to one another and are rotated with respect to one another such that two respective connection sections engage into one another and the respective guide surface of a connection section of the first connection region at least regionally contacts a guide surface of a connection section of the second connection region.
In accordance with the invention, no additional connection part is thus required to connect the two components of the component assembly to one another. A respective material section can be bent out of the plane of the respective connection region by the planar, shallow design of the connection regions, with this bending out taking place such that a type of partial thread section is produced at each of the two connection regions. The correspondingly formed connection sections have obliquely extending guide surfaces which contact one another on meshing and which draw the two components together and ultimately firmly connect them to one another by rotating the two components with respect to one another in the sense of a screw movement.
With mutually connected components, the edges each act as contact edges so that in a predefined load direction, that is, for example, in a perpendicular direction in the event of a component assembly formed as a suspension apparatus, forces can be received and the two components of the component assembly are securely held together.
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the other end of the arcuate edge lies in the plane of the connection region. The end of the further edge disposed remote from the arcuate edge preferably likewise lies in the plane of the connection region. It is thereby ensured that, on the rotating of the two components with respect to one another, they are completely drawn together and the planar, shallow connection regions ultimately contact one another in the assembled state.
One or more of the arcuate edges are advantageously formed by arcuate slits formed in the respective connection region. In this manner, the required arcuate edges can be manufactured very simply without the material of the components being substantially weakened. It is generally also possible that larger openings are introduced into the components instead of slits as long as the required arcuate edges are respectively formed by these openings.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the connection sections of a component are each arranged on the same side of the component. It is thereby ensured that at least two respective connection sections are arranged on one side of a component which can each engage into two respective connection parts arranged on a side of the other component.
The further edge is preferably arranged as a straight line. The further edge in particular extends in this respect, starting from the end of the arcuate edge, outwardly or inwardly in the radial direction. A straight-line edge can take up the forces occurring in the assembled state particularly easily since it can be arranged so that the occurring forces act substantially perpendicular on the edge.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, one or more of the arcuate edges are formed as an edge of with respect to circular shape, in particular as a quadrant arc. It is thereby ensured that a rotation of the components with respect to one another for connecting the two components is possible without problem. The edges generally do not have to made mathematically exactly in partially circular shape since a rotation of the components with respect to one another is also possible with edges not of ideal partially circular form, for example due to tolerances in the production of the slits or openings.
In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the connection sections of a connection region are each arranged with point symmetry to a common center of the partially circular edges. The partially circular edges in particular each have the same center. This design also assists the simple rotation of the two components with respect to one another on the connection.
The partially circular edges of a connection region advantageously each have the same radius. In this respect, the partially circular edges of one of the connection regions preferably have a larger radius than the partially circular edges of the other connection region. It is thereby ensured that the connection sections can engage into one another on the joining together and can be rotated with respect to one another.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the respective further edge adjoining a partially circular edge with the larger radius extends, starting from the end of the partially circular edge, in the radial direction inwardly, whereas the respective further edge adjoining a partially circular edge with the smaller radius extends, starting from the end of the partially circular edge, in the radial direction outwardly.
In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the two components and in particular the connection regions are latched to one another. For this purpose, beads or other latch elements can be formed in the connection regions, for example, which engage into one another or engage beneath one another with components rotated with respect to one another.
The connection between the first connection region and the second connection region is advantageously made releasable. This can be achieved, for example, with or without the previously named latch connection or by an additional screw connection. It is generally also possible that the components are non-releasably connected to one another after the complete rotation of the components with respect to one another. This can take place, for example, by a pressure joining process such as clinching or crimping or by clamping, squeezing, pressing, welding, adhesive bonding or riveting.
The first component and/or the second component is/are preferably composed of metal or of plastic.
A component assembly in accordance with the invention can, for example, be used as a suspension apparatus for carrier rails, in particular for suspended ceilings or the like. Such a suspension apparatus includes a base part which is formed for coupling to a carrier rail and a spring-elastic connection part fastened to the base part which is formed for the adjustable connection of the base part to a fastening part. The suspension apparatus is formed by a component assembly formed in accordance with the invention, with the base part being formed by the first component and the connection part being formed by the second component.
Further advantageous embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.
The invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to embodiments and to the drawings; there are shown in these:
Whereas the base part 1 usually comprises simple sheet metal, the connection part 3 is formed from spring steel to hold the fastening part 6 securely in the openings 5. For this purpose, the two limbs 4 are first bent toward one another and are released again after inserting the fastening part 6 into the openings 5 so that the fastening part 6 is clamped in the openings 5 due to the spring pretension of the connection part 3. The upper end of the fastening part 6 can then be fastened to a ceiling in a conventional manner so that ultimately the total suspension apparatus is securely fastened to the ceiling.
At the lower end of the base part 1, a coupling section 7 is formed which is designed for coupling to a carrier rail 8 shown by a dashed line. Further transversely extending carrier rails can be formed at the carrier rail 8 which are designed, for example, for carrying plates for suspended ceilings.
With an installed suspension apparatus, the base part 1 and the connection part 2 are loaded by the weight of the carrier rail 8 and by the weight of the elements carried by it in a load direction shown by an arrow 9.
The design and in particular the fastening of the connection part 3 at the base part 1 in the embodiment in accordance with
Two slits 15, 16, which are of quadrant shape and which are arranged with point symmetry to a common center 17 are formed in the first planar, shallow connection region 13.
An enlarged representation of the corresponding cutting pattern is shown for better illustration in
It can be seen from
As can furthermore be recognized from
A center part 29 of the second component 26 connecting the two limbs 27 includes a second planar, shallow connection region 30.
Two quadrant-shaped slits 31, 32 are formed in the second connection region 30, with a straight-line slit 35, 36 adjoining a respective end 33, 34 of the quadrant-shaped slits 31, 32 extending radially inwardly. The individual slits 31, 32, 35, 36 can be recognized more clearly in a cutting pattern shown in
The quadrant-shaped slits 31, 32 have a common center 37 and each have radii r2 of equal size.
As in particular a comparison of
It can be recognized from
The connection sections 22, 23 and 38, 39 are thus formed helically or spirally over a part circumference of approximately 90° and can be screwed together due to their dimensioning, as is shown in
The two components 12, 26 are initially placed onto one another for connecting the first component 12 to the second component 26, as is shown in
On a further clockwise rotation in accordance with
In addition, latch elements can be provided at the first and second components 12, 26 to achieve a latching of the two components 12, 26 in the end position shown in
The connection between the first and second components 12, 26 can in particular be loaded in a load direction indicated by an arrow 46 in
Shallow elements in accordance with the invention are to be understood as metal sheets as well as all thin, plate-like or panel-like components or connection regions whose thickness is much smaller than their length and width, with the elements being able to be manufactured from metal and from plastic or from other suitable materials.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2009 047 831.0 | Sep 2009 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2010/005833 | 9/23/2010 | WO | 00 | 4/27/2012 |