The present invention relates to a component assembly comprising a sheet metal part and a nut element attached thereto, the nut element being arranged in an opening of the sheet metal part and being adapted to receive a bolt element having a shaft part with a thread and a head part of larger radial dimensions. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such a component assembly.
Such component assemblies are extremely well known from many patent specifications, with the nut element normally having a flange region which is arranged at the side of the sheet metal part remote from the head part of the bolt. The bolt element is then normally used in order to secure another component to the component assembly consisting of the nut element and the sheet metal part. The other component is clamped between the head part of the bolt element and the sheet metal part.
Arrangements of this kind are also known in which one operates without a further component, for example when the nut element is used as a drain point at an oil pan or sump. In this case the shaft part from the bolt element is screwed into the thread of the nut element and seals directly or indirectly by means of an interposed seal against the underside of the nut element.
A problem with such oil pans is that the oil pan cannot be completely emptied on draining the oil because the flange region of the nut element has a certain constructional height within the oil pan and thus a residual volume of oil cannot be drained off.
This residual volume is however problematic, in particular but not exclusively when the engine of the car is started as a test or for running in before leaving the manufacturer's plant. It is namely usual nowadays to allow the engine to run for about 15 minutes at the manufacturer's plant and to subsequently carry out an oil change. It is particular important with this first oil change to remove swarf and abrasive particles which are unavoidably present in the engine with the oil, particularly since the first regular oil change will only be carried out after 10,000 to 20,000 km. The larger the residual volume of oil which cannot be drained the more swarf and abrasive particles remain in the engine and the higher is the probability that motor damage will be caused hereby.
The object underlying the present invention is to provide a component assembly, which is in particular suitable as an oil pan or as a drain point for another fluid, by which the oil or the other fluid can be drained as fully as possible or at least down to a small residual quantity, independently of the constructional height of the flange part of the nut element.
In order to satisfy this object provision is made in accordance with the invention that the sheet metal part has at least one hole or a cut-out adjacent to the nut element which is not covered by the nut element but can however be covered over by the head part of the screwed-in bolt element.
Although the flange part of the nut element can be arranged now as previously above the sheet metal part the oil or another fluid can always be drained after removing of the bolt element so that only a very small residual quantity of the liquid (if at all) remains in the oil pan and indeed without the head part of the bolt projecting further downwardly than before, which is for example undesired in a motor car in order to avoid as far as possible damage to the oil pan by ground contact.
Particularly preferred embodiments of the component assembly can be found in the subordinate claims.
The sheet metal part can lie in one plane in the region of the attachment of the nut element, with a region of the nut element which lies opposite to a flange part then projecting through the sheet metal part. In order to achieve the required seal between the head part of the bolt element and the sheet metal part, a sealing ring is then used which is larger in its axial dimension than the axial dimension of the region of the nut element which projects through the lower side of the sheet metal part. In such an arrangement the sealing ring can have an inner diameter which has at least substantially a circular shape which can be centred by the region of the nut element projecting through the sheet metal part. If, for example, the region of the nut element which projects to the sheet metal part has a square or rectangular shape then the sealing ring can be centred by the four corners of the projecting region.
Another possibility consists in arranging the opening of the sheet metal part or of the hole or holes in the base region of a recess or dished region.
In this arrangement the region of the nut element projecting through the sheet metal part can be arranged in the recess and indeed such that it is set back relative to the side of a sheet metal part confronting the head part of the bolt element. In this case a sealing ring is used which seals against the sheet metal part radially outside of the recess, i.e. the sealing ring forms a seal with the sheet metal part and with the head part of the bolt at the lower side of the sheet metal part radially outside of the recess.
It is particularly preferred when the nut element has a rectangular or square shape in plan view. Such nut elements are well known, for example in the form of a so-called UM element or HI element or URN element of the company Profil, with the UM elements and the HI elements being introduced into a rectangular opening of the sheet metal part and being held therein by means of clinched or stamped features which are effected at two oppositely disposed sides of the element which is rectangular in plan view. In this way they are held in a manner safe against press-out and safe against rotation at the sheet metal part. With an arrangement of this kind, with a rectangular opening in the sheet metal part which can be connected in a shape-locked manner to the nut element by clinched features at two oppositely disposed sides of the opening a hole, or a cut-out can respectively be provided at the two further oppositely disposed sides of the opening without this impairing the security against rotation in the sheet metal part of the element which is of square-shape in plan view to a significant degree. With a URN element holes can also be provided around the cylindrical rivet section without significantly impairing the security against rotation of the nut element in the sheet metal part.
The invention is not restricted to the use of elements which are rectangular in plan view but rather can be used in principle with the most diverse forms of fastener elements which can be introduced into or attached to a sheet metal part as press-in elements or rivet elements.
Finally, the present invention relates to a method with the particular feature that the hole or holes in the sheet metal part are produced in one stamping process which is used to manufacture the opening prior to the attachment of the nut element.
The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to embodiments and to the drawing in which are shown:
In this embodiment the opening 14 of the sheet metal part is of square shape and the opening 14 is provided in the base region 22 of a recess 24 in the sheet metal part 12. The nut element shown here is a so-called UM element of the company Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG which has been used for many years. Normally the corresponding nut element, which has a rectangular shape in plan view, is introduced in a self-piercing manner into the sheet metal part, although it is also known to attach the nut element in a pre-punched sheet metal part, i.e. a sheet metal part having a square opening.
The nut element itself has a head part 26 which can be seen from
In accordance with the invention the sheet metal part 12 has at least one hole or a cut-out 40 which is not covered by the nut element. As is, for example, readily visible with regard to
In order to explain this in more detail reference will now be made to
In comparison
When the bolt element 16 is screwed into the thread 13 of the nut element 12 the head part 20 of the bolt or the seal 56 which is normally provided, contacts the sheet metal part radially outside of the recess 24 and seals here. I.e., when a sealing ring 56 is provided, which is the normal case, the flange region 58 of the head part 20 of the bolt element 16 clamps the sealing ring 56 between itself and the underside of the sheet metal part 10 radially outside of the recess 24 so that a ring seal is formed here. Since the ring seal is formed radially outside of the recess 24 or of the opening 14 and the holes 40 it is not necessary for the nut element to be attached in sealed manner to the sheet metal part. Thus the cost and complexity required for the corresponding seal, which could optionally be produced by an adhesive, can be spared.
The sealing ring 56 is centred here by the shaft part 18 of the bolt element 16 so that it adopts the position shown in accordance with
The arrangement with two holes 40 at two sides of the piercing section of the nut is preferred because these holes do not impair the security of the nut element against rotation but on the other hand can be made large enough to drain the oil without hindrance. On removing the bolt element the oil flows both through the thread cylinder 13 of the nut element and also through the two holes 40. The holes 40 ensure that the oil is completely removed down to the small residual quantity in accordance with
Since the holes 40 are now no longer arranged in the base region of a recess, but rather in the sheet metal part in the plane of the underside of the sheet metal part one succeeds, as a comparison of
At this point it should be mentioned that car or engine manufacturer endeavour to keep the distance by which the drain screw projects from the oil pan as small as possible, because otherwise the danger is larger that the drain screw can be torn out of the oil pan by ground contact. For this reason an attempt is also made to accommodate the drain screw at a point which is less endangered, for example at the rear end of the oil pan or hidden behind a cross member or the like. It is also known to design the base region of the oil pan in a sloping manner and to arrange the drain point at the lowermost region of the slope so that in this way the residual quantity of oil can also be minimized. The drain point can also be provided in an oblique surface of the oil pan, for example in the region of a lower corner of the pan. With the present invention one succeeds in almost fully removing the oil from the lowermost corner. Even if a residual quantity of oil is still present as a result of the manner of construction in accordance with
Reference is now made to
The same applies to the
The invention can also be used with only one hole or with more than two holes. It is not restricted to the use of elements with a square or rectangular shape in plan view but rather cylindrical or round elements or other elements can also be used. With elements having a round rivet section three holes or cut-outs can for example be produced in the rim region of the circular opening of the sheet metal part through which the rivet section of the elements is passed. The holes must however be made so large that they project radially further outwardly than the contact surface of the element so that the oil, or another liquid, can flow through them when the element is secured to the sheet metal part and the bolt element is removed.
In this connection
As described and claimed in EP 0 759 510 B1 the RSU element 60 is a hollow body element in the form of a nut element for attachment to a plate-like sheet metal part, with a ring-like or cylindrical recess 66 being present at the end face 64 of the hollow body element which is to be attached to the sheet metal part, within this raised ring-shaped contact surface 64 and with a plurality of undercuts 68 being provided in a sidewall 76 of the recess 66 as well as features 70 providing security against rotation. The base surface 72 of the recess 66 extends up to the threaded bore of the hollow body element and merges at least substantially without a pilot part into this cylindrical bore 74.
The security against rotation is provided here by a plurality of mutually spaced recesses 70 in the ring-like contact surface 64. The manufacture of these recesses leads to the undercuts 68 being provided at the sidewall 76 of the recess 66, i.e. these undercuts lie at peripheral positions which correspond to the recesses 70 in the ring-like contact surface 64 providing security against rotation.
The element shown in
One notes that the fastener section 80 projects out of the flange region 82 of the element 60 and that the flange region 82 is made relatively broad and thus offers space for the bores 78 which communicate between the upper contact pressure surface 84 of the element and the recess 66. In this way the bores 78 can be made with a relatively large diameter so that oil can drain in problem-free manner through the bores 78.
A first possibility for the attachment of the elements in accordance with
In accordance with
During deformation of the collar region 88 by means of the corresponding (not shown) die button the element is moved by means of a setting head towards the die, with the punch of the setting head exerting a pressure onto the ring-like contact pressure surface 84 but not however at the fastener section 80 in order to avoid an undesired deformation of the threaded bore 74.
In this embodiment the element 60 is provided in a shape matched stepped bore 90 of a setting head 92 which is provided with a central hole punch 94. This arrangement, i.e. the element 60 with the setting head 92 and the hole punch 94 is located above the sheet metal part 10. At the lower side of the sheet metal part 10 there is located a die button 93 which can have the same shape as the die button which is used to form the collar region 88 of the sheet metal part 10 into the undercuts 68 or into the recesses 70 providing security against rotation.
As is usual in the attachment of such element the setting head and the die button are arranged on different tools of a press and, on closing of the press, the setting head is moved towards the die button or vice versa. In this connection a hold-down member for the sheet metal is normally used which is arranged concentrically around the setting head 92 and which presses the sheet metal part 10 against the end face 95 of the die button. This takes place in a first closing phase of the press. During the further closing of the press the hole punch enters into contact with the sheet metal part and, in collaboration with the central bore 97 of the die button, cuts a piercing slug out of the sheet metal part with the piercing slug being disposed of through the central bore of the die button. At the same time the cylindrical post 99 of the die button presses the sheet metal part into the desired collar shape 88 and deforms the material of the collar region 88 so that this sheet metal material is formed into the undercuts 68 and also into the recesses 70 providing security against rotation. The result in
As can be seen from
The head part 20 of the oil drain screw 16 can be provided with a polygonal outer periphery or with a central recess, i.e. a recess arranged concentrically to the central longitudinal axis, such as for example a recess to receive a six cornered key (inbus) or a different key such as a Torx key Recess™.
One can see from
At this point it should also be briefly mentioned that an RSU element can also be realized in modified form, for example in accordance with the European patent 957 273 in which the security against rotation is formed by a wave-shaped groove in the contact surface of the element, with the radially inner apex points of the wave-shaped recess being arranged at the positions of the undercuts. A modified element of this kind, i.e. with bores directed in the axial direction, in accordance with the bores 78 of the embodiment of
The
Such RND elements are well known per se and are amongst other things protected by the European patent 1 116 891. As claimed there, a customary RND fastener element 110 consists of a riveting cylinder section 112, a flange section 114 which extends radially away from the cylindrical riveting section 112 generally perpendicular to the latter and a fastener section 118 which lies opposite to the cylindrical riveting section 112, with the flange section 114 including an outer ring-like sheet metal contact surface 120. A ring-like groove 122 is provided adjacent to the cylindrical section 112 and surrounds the cylindrical section radially within the outer ring-like sheet metal contact surface 120. Furthermore, a plurality of spaced radial ribs 124 is provided which bridge the groove 122. The fastener section of the element 110 has, as shown here, a bore having a thread 126 which is arranged coaxially to the cylindrical section 112 and to the central longitudinal axis 128.
In this connection the ring-like groove 122 is of generally V-shape and extends radially inwardly in the direction of the cylindrical section 112.
The element 110 shown in
The sheet metal part 10 is pre-pierced in this example as shown in
After the pre-piercing of the sheet metal part in accordance with
As evident from
At this point it should be mentioned that it is in no way necessary to provide four such grooves, rather one could operate with another number of radially extending grooves, for example one, two, three, five or more such grooves. The four grooves shown here extending radially are however preferred. It is favourable when, as shown, a different number of radially extending grooves 130 in the element and of the radial cut-outs 136 in the sheet metal part is provided (in this example four grooves 130 and three cut-outs 136) one can ensure in this manner that at least one radially extending groove at least partly aligns with at least one radial cut-out 136 and indeed independently of the actual rotational orientation of the element. I.e. it is not necessary to ensure a special rotational orientation of the element 110 about its central longitudinal axis 128.
The oil drain screw 16 could also be provided here with a central recess in the head part 20 to receive a suitable turning tool.
Finally, reference is made to
These Figures show the use of a so-called RSN element 150 which is described in detail in the European patent 539 793, there in conjunction with the so-called clamping hole riveting process which is however not used here or does not have to be used here.
The formation of the dome-like raised portion in accordance with
Thereafter, the sheet metal part 10 is flattened by means of another die button and another punch at the centre 156 of the dome-like raised portion 154 so that the sheet metal part now adopts the shape in accordance with
In a further stage, which is shown in
The outer diameter of the cylindrical rivet section 160 corresponds at least substantially to the diameter of the hole 158 in the base surface of the recess 154 so that the rivet section can be passed through this hole. Thereafter the element is pressed by means of a setting head against a correspondingly designed die button which forms the cylindrical rivet section into the rivet bead and also ensures that the ribs providing security against rotation dig into the sheet metal material. The result can be seen in
The overall situation with a screwed-in oil drain screw 16 is then as shown in
At this point it should also be mentioned that it is in no way necessary to provided three elongate openings. There could be more openings or fewer than three openings and the elongate openings could ultimately also be replaced by cylindrical bores or cylindrical passages which do not have to be produced by drilling. The embodiment in accordance with
Thus the component assembly can be such that the nut element (10) is a rectangular element in plan view in the form of a press-in element. Alternatively the nut element can be a rectangular element in plan view having a cylindrical rivet section at one end face.
In another alternative the nut element can be a fastener element 60; 110; 150 with a circular outline in the form of a press-in element (60) or in the form of a rivet element 110; 150.
The sheet metal part 10 is preferably an oil pan 50.
The oil drain hole 152 or holes in the sheet metal part can have an elongate shape.
In a component assembly using an RSU-type element, a peripherally extending recess, in particular a recess which is approximately semi-circular in cross-section, can be provided in the ring-like contact surface with the peripherally extending recess preferably being wave-shaped in a plan view.
In an embodiment, a plurality of preferably mutually spaced-apart recesses 70 can be provided in the ring-like contact surface 64 for the provision of security against rotation.
Moreover, raised features can be provided at the sidewall of the recess which form the undercuts 68 and indeed at peripheral positions which correspond to the recesses 70 in the ring-like contact surface.
In an alternative design, a peripherally extending recess, in particular a recess which is approximately semi-circular in cross-section is provided in the ring-like contact surface with the peripherally extending recess preferably being wave-shaped in plan view.
When it is stated wherein the hole 40 or the holes is or are arranged adjacent to the opening 14 of the sheet metal part 12 it will be understood that the hole can be separated from the opening by a web of sheet metal material. Alternatively the hole can merge into the opening. That is to say the opening is shaped to receive the press in part or rivet section of the nut element and the hole has a boundary which lies outside of the so shaped opening and an open boundary coincident with part of the periphery of the of the so shaped opening.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2008 011 794 | Feb 2008 | DE | national |
10 2008 015 711 | Mar 2008 | DE | national |
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/393,447 filed Feb. 26, 2009, which claims priority of German patent application No. 10 2008 011 794.3 filed Feb. 29, 2008 and German patent application No. 10 2008 015 711.2 filed Mar. 26, 2008, and the complete contents of all of the applications are incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country |
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1776791 | Oct 1958 | DE |
0 539 793 | May 1993 | EP |
0 759 510 | Feb 1997 | EP |
0 957 273 | Nov 1999 | EP |
1 116 891 | Jul 2001 | EP |
Entry |
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English language translation of German Search Report dated Apr. 19, 2010 relating to German Patent Application No. 10 2008 015 711.2. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120199420 A1 | Aug 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12393447 | Feb 2009 | US |
Child | 13453260 | US |