The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2009 015 376.4 filed on Mar. 27, 2009 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention relates to a screw connection for a fixed connection of two assemblies which are mounted in a variable position with respect to each other, using a connecting member penetrated by a screw.
Making a fixed connection of two assemblies is frequently encountered, in particular in the area of the production of furniture where furniture parts, in particular those which meet each other at right angels, are to be brought into engagement with each other, wherein a fixed connection is established by means of screws. Therein, the problem is frequently encountered that, because of inaccuracies during production, the respective receiving portions for screws, i.e. a hole for a screw head and a bore for a screw thread, are positioned not coaxially to each other such that is necessary to provide for a possibility for correction. In most cases, this is achieved wherein a seat serving for receiving a connecting screw, for a head of a screw is embraced with clearance whereby a corresponding possibility for correction is given for a connecting member connecting two furniture parts (here DE Utility Model G 88 10 628.4, page 3, first paragraph).
However, such a possibility for correction proves to be unfeasible when the two parts to be connected to each other, are subjected to vibrations during use such that they tend to be displaced with respect to each other which results in that the respective fastening means can migrate backwards and forwards in the enlarged receiving hole. Such a possibility of correction is unfeasible for many purposes, in particular in automobile construction where particular assemblies are to be fixed separately to the car body wherein production in accuracies have to be accepted for the car body as well as for the respective assemblies, but where, in spite of this, a connection has to guarantee a stable, undisplaceable seat in the end.
This problem is solved in a screw connection for a fixed connection of two assemblies which are mounted to each other in a variable position, using a connecting member penetrated by a screw, thereby that the connecting member is mounted between the assemblies by means of a self-cutting screw penetrating the connecting member and one of the assemblies, which screw is grooving its thread into both parts in such a way that, starting from a stable end position of the one assembly and the connecting member, the screw is adapted to be screwed into the connecting member as well as into the one assembly by means of thread grooves such that, by means of the self-cutting thread of the screw, the connecting member and the one assembly are held in a fixed position with respect to each other, and the other assembly is fastened directly to the connecting member.
In this arrangement, the property of the self-cutting screw to maintained the in the beginning variable, after screwing in of the screw, however, then fixed distance, since two assemblies are provided with a thread by self-cutting upon screwing in of the screw in its given position, respectively, such that, by means of the thread and the screw, the two assemblies are held undisplaceable in the position in which the assembling of the assemblies is such that, also after assembling the two assemblies, they are consequently held stably in their position taken during screwing-in of the screw. Such a connecting member is adapted to be appropriately designed such that the connecting member and the one assembly are provided with protrusions each of which comprise coaxial bores for taking up of the screw which is adapted to be coaxially screwed into the bores such that the screw screwed into the bores secures the assembly and the connecting member in the position being obtained during screwing-in. By screwing in the self cutting screw into the coaxial bores in the two assemblies, the above-mentioned effect of securing the distance of the two assemblies is than resulting since the thread cut therein provides, by means of the screw, a connection which results from the respective position of the assemblies when they are fixed somewhere and are provided with a self-cutting screw.
In an advantages embodiment, the assemblies and the connecting member, respectively, are provided with several protrusions provided with a bore in order to produce a particularly stable, long lasting connection.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In
In order to securely connect the two assemblies 1 and 9 with each other by means of the connecting member, the screw 8 is now further screwed into the assembly 9 and into the connecting member 3, whereby, at first, the position shown in
The last phase of the production of the connection which is shown in
Now, the first assembly 1 may be fixed to the flange 2, as shown in
In
In the
The connecting member 3 according to
It is apparent from the sectional view according to
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2009 015 376 | Mar 2009 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3927437 | Ford | Dec 1975 | A |
4477990 | Buchanan | Oct 1984 | A |
4580689 | Slater | Apr 1986 | A |
4960964 | Schnell et al. | Oct 1990 | A |
5173001 | Schunke | Dec 1992 | A |
5807008 | Schwenk et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
6585448 | Grossman et al. | Jul 2003 | B2 |
6945729 | Yasuda | Sep 2005 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
88 10 628.4 | Oct 1988 | DE |
83 10 628.4 | Dec 1988 | DE |
201 12 171 | Nov 2001 | DE |
100 55 405 | May 2002 | DE |
103 50 887 | May 2005 | DE |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20100247268 A1 | Sep 2010 | US |