I-shaped nut, connecting structure and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of threaded connection, and discloses an I-shaped nut, a connecting structure and a vehicle, the I-shaped nut comprises a nut shell and a metal nut body with internal threads, the nut shell comprises a cylindrical body, a first flange and a second flange, and the first flange and the second flange are arranged at the two ends of the cylindrical body; the nut body is provided with a cylindrical body, the cylindrical body is provided with an axial through hole, the axial section of the nut shell is in an I shape, the material density of the nut shell is smaller than that of the nut body, and the nut body is embedded in the axial through hole. The invention has the advantages of light weight and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of threaded connection technology, specifically relating to an I-shaped nut, a connection structure, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Most car spoilers are connected to the car body using a combination of plastic clips, locating pins, bolts, and nuts. Among these, the bolt and nut connection structure is responsible for most of the installation force. The existing bolt and nut connection uses T-shaped metal bolts or nuts. The T-shaped metal nuts have a complex shape and structure, which cannot be cold-forged in one go. They need to be disassembled and then assembled or formed by machining. This results in high cost per vehicle, and the all-metal structure is also heavy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide an I-shaped nut, a connection structure, and a vehicle that have the advantages of being lightweight and low-cost.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an I-shaped nut, which includes:

[0005] The nut body has internal threads and is made of metal.

[0006] The nut housing includes a cylindrical body and a first flange and a second flange disposed at both ends of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has an axial through hole. The axial cross-section of the nut housing is I-shaped. The material density of the nut housing is less than that of the nut body. The nut body is embedded in the axial through hole.

[0007] Optionally, at least one reinforcing rib is provided between the first flange and the second flange, and the reinforcing rib extends and is embedded in the outer wall of the nut body.

[0008] Optionally, the nut shell is made of plastic, and the nut body is embedded in the axial through hole by thermoplastic welding. The conditions for thermoplastic welding include:

[0009] The temperature for thermoplastic welding is between 180℃ and 230℃.

[0010] Optionally, the pressure applied during thermoplastic welding is P = welding area A × pressure coefficient per unit area K × yield strength of the plastic material σ, where K = K avg -2Σ,K avg For at least 15 groups of K i The arithmetic mean of K, where K i =P i / (A i ×σ), P i In order to actually apply pressure, A iLet Σ be the cross-sectional area of ​​the metal insert, and P be the cross-sectional area of ​​the metal insert. i The standard deviation.

[0011] Optionally, the surfaces of the first flange and / or the second flange are provided with grooves for placing washers.

[0012] A second aspect of this application provides a connection structure, which includes a mounting base, a bolt, and an I-shaped nut as described in this application. The mounting base includes a base plate and a snap-fit ​​leg. One end of the snap-fit ​​leg is connected to the base plate, and the other end is snapped between a first flange and a second flange. The bolt is threadedly connected to the nut body of the I-shaped nut.

[0013] Optionally, the substrate is provided with multiple ribs extending toward the I-shaped nut.

[0014] Optionally, a washer is provided in the groove of the first flange and / or the second flange, and the compression amount of the washer is equal to (initial thickness - compressed thickness) / initial thickness × 100%.

[0015] Optionally, the washer is provided with a flat washer.

[0016] Optionally, the volume relationship between the washer and the groove on the first flange and / or the second flange is as follows: V 垫圈 <V 凹槽 And after compression V 垫圈 =80%~90% V 凹槽 Wherein, the volume of the washer is: V 垫圈 =πr 2 h and r are the washer radius (mm), h is the washer thickness (mm); groove volume: V 凹槽 =πR 2 H and R are the groove radii (mm), and H is the groove depth (mm).

[0017] Optionally, the length of the leg end face of the bolt extending beyond the I-shaped nut is 2-3 times the pitch of the nut body.

[0018] Optionally, the leg end face of the bolt extends beyond the I-shaped nut by more than 3 mm and does not contact the base plate.

[0019] A third aspect of this application provides a vehicle in which the vehicle body and spoiler are connected by the connection structure described in this application.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, this application adopts the form of a nut shell combined with a nut body. Compared with the prior art of forming an I-shaped nut by machining or riveting a metal block to a T-shaped nut body, the overall weight of the I-shaped nut is reduced and the cost is lowered.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the following detailed description to explain the embodiments of this application, but do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure for a specific implementation method;

[0024] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a H-shaped nut.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0026] 4 Mounting base 5 I-shaped nut

[0027] 6 bolts, 41 reinforcing bars

[0028] 42 Connecting leg 51 First flange

[0029] 52 Second flange 53 Reinforcing rib

[0030] 54 Nut body 55 Washer Detailed Implementation

[0031] The specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0032] This application discloses an I-shaped nut, which includes a nut shell, a first flange 51 and a second flange 52 opposite to each other, and a cylindrical body located between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52. The I-shaped nut has an axial through hole extending along the central axis of the cylindrical body. The axial through hole passes through the first flange 51, the second flange 52, and the cylindrical body. A nut body 54 is embedded at the axial midpoint of the axial through hole. The nut body 54 has an internal thread that mates with a bolt. The material density of the nut shell is less than that of the nut body 54. Compared with the prior art of forming an I-shaped nut by machining or riveting a T-shaped nut body to a metal block, this application directly fits the nut body 54 into the nut shell, which has a material density less than that of the nut body, thus reducing the overall weight of the I-shaped nut. In this invention, the material of the nut shell can be carbon fiber composite material or plastic, etc., where plastic has the advantages of fast injection molding production and low cost.

[0033] To increase the reliability of the I-shaped nut, multiple reinforcing ribs 53 can be added between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52. The outer contour of the nut body can also be set as I-shaped. The upper flange of the nut body is embedded in the first flange 51, and the bottom surface of the upper flange and the bottom surface of the first flange 51 are both connected to the top surface of the reinforcing rib 53. The lower flange of the nut body is embedded in the second flange 52, and the top surface of the lower flange and the top surface of the first flange 51 are both connected to the bottom surface of the reinforcing rib 53. Thus, the reinforcing ribs 53 are extended and embedded in the nut body 54, and multiple reinforcing ribs 53 can be arranged at intervals along the circumference of the nut body.

[0034] In this invention, a plastic nut shell is selected, and the nut body 54 is embedded in the axial through hole by thermoplastic welding. The conditions for thermoplastic welding include: the thermoplastic welding temperature is between 180°C and 230°C; the pressure applied during thermoplastic welding is P = welding area A × pressure coefficient per unit area k × yield strength σ of the plastic material, where K = K avg -2Σ, It should be noted that the inventors discovered that different materials have different K values, which were obtained experimentally as follows:

[0035] ① Take a block of material with the same material as the nut shell (e.g., PA66 material in the prior art). Generally, the nut body in the prior art is selected, and the welding area of ​​the nut body is known.

[0036] ② Under laboratory conditions (normal temperature and pressure), P is adjusted using a standard pressure block. i The value is determined by assembling the nut body with the plastic housing and testing the push-out force and rotational torque to ensure they pass the tests. i In order to actually apply pressure, A i The cross-sectional area, push-out force, and rotational torque of the metal insert are qualified according to formula K. i =P i / (A i ×σ) yields K i ;

[0037] ③ Calculate the arithmetic mean K after testing at least 15 sets of data using step ②. avg The 2Σ value of K is calculated using the normal distribution, where Σ is the standard deviation in statistics, used to measure the dispersion of data and the presence of outliers. It represents the standard deviation of the data. Thus, K = K avg -2Σ gives the coefficient K value of the nut shell material;

[0038] ④ In subsequent production applications, without changing the material of the nut shell, the K value can be obtained and applied under different welding areas or pressure conditions. If the material of the nut shell is changed, the K value needs to be obtained again according to steps ①-③.

[0039] In this application, there are no special requirements for the material of the nut body 54. Depending on the working conditions, steel nuts, aluminum nuts, copper nuts, etc. can be used, and this invention will not elaborate further.

[0040] In this application, there are no special requirements for the specifications of the nut body 54. Depending on the working conditions, commercially available nut bodies, such as nut bodies with specifications of M6 or M4, can be used. This invention will not elaborate further on this.

[0041] The surfaces of the first flange 51 and / or the second flange 52 are provided with grooves for placing the washer 55. It is understood that the washer 55 can also be integrally formed with the nut housing. The washer 55 can be made of EPDM material and injection molded with the nut housing in a secondary process or can be made of foam. The foam washer can be integrated with the nut housing by bonding or other connection means, so that the I-shaped nut of this application can be used in occasions that require sealing, such as waterproofing.

[0042] Based on the foregoing disclosure, this application discloses a connection structure, which includes a mounting base 4, a bolt 6, and an I-shaped nut 5 of this application. The mounting base 4 includes a base plate and a snap-fit ​​leg 42. The base plate can be provided with mounting holes for mounting on the connected parts. One end of the snap-fit ​​leg 42 is connected to the base plate, and the other end is snapped between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52. The bolt 6 can pass through another connected part and be threadedly connected to the nut body 54 of the I-shaped nut 5, thereby connecting at least two connected parts.

[0043] The mounting base 4 of this application can be configured as follows: Figure 1As shown, for example, two opposing snap-fit ​​legs are configured. The first end of the snap-fit ​​leg is perpendicularly connected to the substrate, and the second end is bent towards each other and snapped between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52. Multiple ribs 41 extending towards the I-shaped nut 5 are provided on the substrate between the two snap-fit ​​legs, so as to press down the upper surface of the first flange 51 and increase the connection rigidity at this position.

[0044] A washer 55 is provided in the groove of the first flange 51 and / or the second flange 52, so that the washer 55 can be integrally formed with the first flange 51 and / or the second flange 52. The washer 55 can be made of EPDM material and injection molded with the nut shell, or the washer 55 can be made of foam. The foam washer can be integrated with the groove of the first flange 51 and / or the second flange 52 by bonding or other connection means, so that the I-shaped nut of this application can be used in occasions that require sealing, such as waterproofing. The compression amount of the washer 55 = (initial thickness - compressed thickness) / initial thickness × 100%. When EPDM material is used, the compression amount of the washer 55 is 25%.

[0045] The volume relationship between the grooves on the first flange 51 and / or the second flange 52 and the corresponding washers 55 disposed in the grooves is as follows: V 垫圈 <V 凹槽 And after compression V 垫圈 =80%~90% V 凹槽 This means that the washer is not allowed to completely fill the groove, where the volume of the washer is V. 垫圈 =πr 2 h and r are the radius of the 55mm washer (mm), h is the thickness of the 55mm washer (mm); groove volume: V 凹槽 =πR 2 H and R are the groove radii (mm), and H is the groove depth (mm).

[0046] After the components are connected and the bolts are tightened, the legs of bolt 6 are positioned between the multiple ribs 41, and the length of the bolt 6 extending beyond the I-shaped nut 5 is 2-3 times the pitch of the nut body 54. Specifically, the length of the bolt 6 extending beyond the I-shaped nut 5 is greater than 3mm and does not contact the substrate. It should be noted that this application does not have special requirements for the bolt specifications; the bolt thread specifications are the same as the nut, and the length is selected based on the sheet metal thickness and the thickness of the plastic nut. This will not be elaborated further in this application.

[0047] Flat washers can be added to bolts to reduce local stress on the clamped parts and provide good anti-loosening effect after tightening, thereby increasing connection reliability. For example, washers 55 can be added to the surface of the second flange 52, and flat washers can be set on washers 55. The waterproof sealing effect of the overall connection structure can be enhanced by applying thread sealant.

[0048] The connection structure of this application can meet the connection requirements of large non-metallic parts and the vehicle body in vehicle manufacturing, such as low weight and relatively low cost, thereby reducing the weight and cost of the assembly. Therefore, based on the aforementioned disclosure, this application discloses a vehicle in which the vehicle body and the spoiler are connected by the connection structure of this application. Specifically, for example, the mounting bracket is installed on the vehicle body, and the spoiler is connected by bolts 6 and I-nuts 5, which has the advantages of lightweight, low cost, high reliability and easy installation.

[0049] Example 1

[0050] Through such Figure 1 The connection structure shown mounts the spoiler to the vehicle body, wherein the mounting bracket is installed on the body and connected to it via bolts 6. Figure 2 The threaded connection of the I-shaped nut 5 shown enables the spoiler to be mounted on the vehicle body. The mounting base 4 includes a base plate and snap-fit ​​legs 42. The base plate can be provided with mounting holes for mounting on the vehicle body. The I-shaped nut includes an injection-molded nut shell. The nut shell includes opposing first flanges 51 and second flanges 52 and a cylindrical body located between the first flanges 51 and second flanges 52. The I-shaped nut has an axial through hole extending along the central axis of the cylindrical body. The axial through hole passes through the first flanges 51, second flanges 52 and the cylindrical body. An M6 nut body 54 (aluminum hexagonal nut) is embedded in the axial middle position of the axial through hole.

[0051] One end of the snap-fit ​​leg 42 is connected to the base plate, and the other end is snapped between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52. The bolt 6 can pass through the spoiler and be threaded to the M6 ​​nut body 54 of the I-shaped nut 5. Four reinforcing ribs 53 are added between the first flange 51 and the second flange 52 at equal intervals in the circumference. The outer contour of the nut body can also be set as I-shaped. The upper flange of the nut body is embedded in the first flange 51, and the bottom surface of the upper flange and the bottom surface of the first flange 51 are both connected to the top surface of the reinforcing rib 53. The lower flange of the nut body is embedded in the second flange 52, and the top surface of the lower flange and the top surface of the first flange 51 are both connected to the bottom surface of the reinforcing rib 53.

[0052] The nut body 54 is embedded in the axial through hole by thermoplastic welding. The insert pressing area A is measured to be 78.5 mm². 2 The plastic material used in this test was PA66, with a corresponding yield strength σ of 80 MPa. Under normal temperature and pressure conditions, 15 PA66 cones were pressed into the test chambers with an actual pressure ranging from 1100 N to 1350 N. i The value and test push force and rotational torque are qualified, according to formula K i =P i / (A i ×σ) yields 15 sets of K i And calculate Σ and K through statisticsavg = (K1+K2+K3+…K 15 ) / 15, using the formula K=K avg -2Σ K was measured to be 0.19. The conditions for thermoplastic welding include: thermoplastic welding temperature between 200℃; the applied pressure P = welding area A = 78.5 mm². 2 The pressure coefficient per unit area K is 0.19, and the yield strength σ of PA66 plastic material is 80 MPa = 1193.2 N, which is used to make I-shaped nuts.

[0053] The surfaces of the first flange 51 and the second flange 52 are each provided with a groove for placing the washer 55. The washer 55 can be made of EPDM material. The compression amount of the washer 55 = (initial thickness 1.0 - compressed thickness 0.75) / initial thickness 1.0 × 100% = 25%.

[0054] The volume relationship between the grooves on the first flange 51 and the second flange 52 and the corresponding washers 55 disposed in the grooves is as follows: V 垫圈 <V 凹槽 This means that the washer is not allowed to completely fill the groove, where the volume of the washer is V. 垫圈 =πr 2 h = 3.14 * 0.52 * 1, where r is the radius of washer 55 (mm), and h is the thickness of washer 55 (mm); groove volume: V 凹槽 =πR²H = 3.14 * 0.65 2 *0.75, R is the groove radius in mm, H is the groove depth in mm.

[0055] After the bolt is tightened, the leg of the bolt 6 is located between the multiple ribs 41 and the end face extends out of the I-shaped nut 5 by a length that is 2.5 times the pitch of the nut body 54.

[0056] Conclusion: In existing technologies, for example... Figures 1-2 The nuts shown are manufactured using cold heading and machining methods. Machining a single nut takes 45 seconds. The I-shaped nuts of this invention use thermoplastic welding, which means that the metal processing part only requires cold heading and hot pressing only takes 8 seconds. This greatly improves the processing efficiency of the product and reduces the manufacturing cost, as well as the overall weight of the product.

[0057] It should be noted that, in this application, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" generally refer to the upper, lower, left, and right as shown in the accompanying drawings; "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours of each component; and "top" and "bottom" are generally used to describe the relative positional relationships of the components in relation to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational directions.

[0058] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0059] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0060] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0061] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. An I-shaped nut, characterized in that, The I-shaped nut includes: The nut body (54) has internal threads and is made of metal. The nut housing includes a cylindrical body and a first flange (51) and a second flange (52) disposed at both ends of the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has an axial through hole. The axial cross section of the nut housing is I-shaped. The material density of the nut housing is less than that of the nut body (54). The nut body (54) is embedded in the axial through hole.

2. The I-shaped nut according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one reinforcing rib (53) is provided between the first flange (51) and the second flange (52), and the reinforcing rib (53) extends and is embedded in the outer wall of the nut body (54).

3. The I-shaped nut according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nut shell is made of plastic, and the nut body (54) is embedded in the axial through hole by thermoplastic welding. The conditions for thermoplastic welding include: the thermoplastic welding temperature is between 180°C and 230°C.

4. The I-shaped nut according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conditions for thermoplastic welding include: the pressure applied during thermoplastic welding P = welding area A × pressure coefficient per unit area K × yield strength of the plastic material σ, where K = K avg -2Σ,K avg For at least 15 groups of K i The arithmetic mean of K, where K i =P i / (A i ×σ), P i In order to actually apply pressure, A i Let Σ be the cross-sectional area of ​​the metal insert, and P be the cross-sectional area of ​​the metal insert. i The standard deviation.

5. The I-shaped nut according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surfaces of the first flange (51) and / or the second flange (52) are provided with grooves for placing the gasket (55).

6. A connection structure, characterized in that, The connection structure includes a mounting base (4), a bolt (6), and an I-shaped nut (5) as described in any one of claims 1-5. The mounting base (4) includes a base plate and a snap-fit ​​leg (42). One end of the snap-fit ​​leg (42) is connected to the base plate, and the other end is snapped between the first flange (51) and the second flange (52). The bolt (6) is threadedly connected to the nut body (54) of the I-shaped nut (5).

7. The connection structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The substrate is provided with multiple ribs (41) extending toward the I-shaped nut (5).

8. The connection structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, A washer (55) is provided in the groove of the first flange (51) and / or the second flange (52), and the compression amount of the washer (55) is (initial thickness - compressed thickness) / initial thickness × 100%.

9. The connection structure according to claim 8, characterized in that, The volume relationship between the washer (55) and the grooves on the first flange (51) and / or the second flange (52) is as follows: V 垫圈 <V 凹槽 And after compression V 垫圈 =80%~90%V 凹槽 Among them, the volume of washer (55) is: V 垫圈 =πr 2 h, r are the radius of the washer (55) in mm, h is the thickness of the washer (55) in mm; groove volume: V 凹槽 =πR 2 H and R are the groove radius (mm), H is the groove depth (mm); and / or The washer (55) is provided with a flat washer.

10. The connection structure according to claim 6, characterized in that, The length of the leg end face of the bolt (6) extending beyond the I-shaped nut (5) is 2-3 times the pitch of the nut body (54); and / or The leg end face of the bolt (6) extends more than 3 mm beyond the I-shaped nut (5) and does not contact the substrate.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle body and spoiler are connected by the connection structure described in any one of claims 6-10.

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