Facility connection

Abstract

Device connection with a sheet (1), the length of which in the longitudinal direction (L) is at least three times its width in the transverse direction (Q), characterized in that a curved first recess (3) is arranged on at least one first end (2) of the sheet (1) arranged in the longitudinal direction (L), through which recess a first slot (4) extends.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device connection according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] An equipment connection is a device with which a piece of equipment, e.g. a cupboard or a shelf, is connected to a side wall of an interior. This is particularly relevant in transport vehicles which are equipped with facilities for storing tools and materials which must be firmly attached to the interior of the vehicle in order to ensure that the equipment is securely held in place in the vehicle during operation and in the event of an accident. This also prevents it from becoming loose, falling over and damaging or injuring the vehicle interior or the occupants, for example when driving on uneven road surfaces, during rapid braking or acceleration, when cornering quickly or in the event of an accident. This is particularly important for high equipment, e.g.For cabinets and shelves, it is important to anchor them not only in the floor area of ​​the vehicle, but also in the wall area, i.e. on the side interior wall of the vehicle.

[0003] Corresponding connections are known. DE 10 2013 108 807 B4, for example, discloses a fastening device for vehicle equipment for detachable fastening to an opposite rail mounted in a vehicle. The fastening device comprises a first fastening element that can be fastened to the rail and a second fastening element that can be fastened to the vehicle equipment, which are connected to one another via a pivot arm. A third fastening element that can be fastened to the rail or the vehicle equipment is also present, as is a support arm that connects the third fastening element to the respective opposite fastening element. This enables relatively simple assembly and stable fastening of a vehicle equipment in a vehicle.

[0004] However, the fastening device shown in the cited publication is designed for conditions in which the vehicle equipment and the vehicle wall are at specific angles to each other, in particular at a 90° angle, since the metal elements, i.e., the rail and the support arm, are pre-shaped accordingly, and the screws passing through their holes can only be guided at a specific angle. The known fastening device is therefore not universally applicable, especially if there are slopes on the vehicle equipment or the vehicle wall where the fastening must be made.

[0005] The task therefore is to further develop a facility connection in such a way that it can be used as universally as possible, without having to design and manufacture a separate connection for each vehicle type and each facility situation.

[0006] This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and a use can be found in the subclaims.

[0007] Thus, the device connection according to the invention comprises a sheet whose longitudinal length is at least three times its transverse width, wherein at least one first, longitudinally arranged end of the sheet has a curved recess through which a slot extends. Due to the curvature of this recess, a screw can be inserted through the slot at a wide angle corresponding to the length of the slot and screwed into a screw nut located opposite.

[0008] In an advantageous embodiment, the recess is arranged around a transverse axis, with the slot then extending in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, the recess can be arranged around a longitudinal axis, with the slot then extending in the transverse direction.

[0009] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the recess is curved around an axis extending both transversely and longitudinally, thus creating a spoon-shaped configuration. In this case, the slot can extend in any direction, but preferably in the longitudinal direction.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, a correspondingly curved recess is located not only at the first end of the sheet, but also at the opposite second end, which also has a slot. This provides the advantage of angle-independent fastening at both ends of the device connection.

[0011] It is possible to form the recess located at the other end of the sheet in an opposite direction, i.e., in the opposite spatial direction to the first recess. However, in an alternative design, it can also point in the same direction.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the sheet metal has at least one round or elongated hole in its central region between the ends, on the one hand to save material, on the other hand as an additional fastening option for further supports and connections or a cover cap (not shown).

[0013] Preferably, the equipment connection consists not only of the described sheet metal, but also of the screws penetrating the slots and corresponding screw nuts for fastening the sheet metal to the vehicle equipment and the vehicle interior wall.

[0014] Finally, the subject of the invention is the use of such a device connection for fastening a device within a motor vehicle.

[0015] An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show: Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a furniture connection according to the invention together with the top of a shelf post; Fig. 2 the order pursuant to Fig. 1 in assembled condition from a perspective rotated by approximately 120°; and Fig. 3 the facility connection according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 showing two different angular positions of the fastening screws and without holes in the middle area.

[0016] Fig. 1 shows the essential components of the device connection according to the invention in an exploded view. The central element of the device connection is a sheet 1, which can preferably be made of metal, in particular aluminum or steel, and whose length in the longitudinal direction L is significantly greater than its width in the transverse direction Q, at least by a factor of 3. The thickness of the sheet 1 is small compared to the longitudinal and transverse dimensions and is typically in the range 1 to 4 mm. The sheet 1 has a curved recess 3 and 7 at its first end 2 and also at its second end 6, with a first curved recess 3 being arranged at the first end 2 of the sheet 1 and a second curved recess 7 being arranged at the second end 6 of the sheet 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the recesses 3 and 7 are curved both around an axis running in the transverse direction Q and around an axis running in the longitudinal direction L and are thus spoon-shaped.Likewise, the recesses 3 and 7 are arranged in opposite directions, ie the first recess 3 runs in one direction with respect to the surface of the sheet 1 and the second recess 7 in the opposite direction. Both recesses 3 and 7 are produced from a rectangular sheet which is placed in a die, the recesses 3 and 7 being produced by pressing and a slight reduction in the thickness of the sheet 1 in the area of ​​the recesses 3 and 7 being accepted.

[0017] In the central area 5 of the sheet 1 there are two holes 9, which on the one hand can serve additional fastening purposes and on the other hand result in a reduction in the weight of the sheet 1.

[0018] Each of the recesses 3 and 7 has a slot 4 and 8, respectively, namely the first recess 3 has a first slot 4 and the second recess 7 has a second slot 8, wherein the slots 4 and 8 extend in the longitudinal direction L of the sheet 1. Since the recesses 3 and 7 are curved, the slots 4 and 8 arranged therein also run with the same curvature.

[0019] In addition to the described sheet 1, the device connection according to the invention also includes standard components, namely a first screw 10, which passes through a first washer 14 before being guided through the first slot 4 and an adjoining second washer 15, up to a screw nut (not shown) into which the first screw 10 can be screwed.

[0020] Furthermore, a second screw 11 runs through the second slot 8 of the second recess 7, the second screw 11 being arranged on a grooved plate 18 and, before passing through the second slot 8, passing through a third washer 16 and after passing through the second slot 8, passing through a fourth washer 17. This is followed by a screw nut 13 which acts on the screw 11 and can be tightened thereon.

[0021] The grooved plate 18 connected to the second screw 11 is shaped so as to be guided in the vertically extending groove 20 on the side of a shelf post 19, which here represents the piece of furniture to be fixed, and to be displaced in the vertical direction.

[0022] The specific installation situation of the Fig. 1 shows the device connection Fig. 2, where the shelf post 19 is opposite to the illustration in Fig. 1 is rotated by about 120°. How Fig. 2, the grooved plate 18 is located within the groove 20 of the shelf post 19. The second screw 11 attached to it passes through the third washer 16 and then the second recess 7 of the sheet 1, then the fourth washer 17 and then engages the screw nut 13, which is tightened onto the second screw 11.

[0023] On the opposite side, i.e., in the area of ​​the first end 2 and the sheet metal 1, the first screw 10 runs through the first washer 14, the first slot 4 of the sheet metal 1, and the second washer 15; the corresponding screw nut is not shown here. This is fastened to the first screw 10 once the connection to the vehicle interior has been established, for example, by passing the first screw 10 through a hole in an inner panel of the vehicle interior.

[0024] Fig.Figure 3 illustrates the flexibility of the device connection according to the invention in that the sheet metal 1 (shown here without holes 9) with the arrangements of the first screw 10, first washer 14, second washer 15 at the first end 2 of the sheet metal 1 and the second screw 11 with grooved plate 18, third washer 16, fourth washer 17 and screw nut 13 at the second end 6 of the sheet metal 1 are each shown in a position shown by solid lines and in a position shown by dashed lines. It can therefore be seen from this figure that the respective screws 10 and 11, together with the other components arranged therein that are movable relative to the sheet metal 1, can be moved within the slots 4 and 8, respectively, so that due to the arrangement of the slots 4 and 8 in the curved recesses 3 and 7, a change in direction of the axes of the screws 10 and 11 can take place by approximately 45°.This figure therefore shows that the device connection according to the invention can be adapted to a wide variety of geometric conditions. If both screws 10 and 11 are arranged approximately in the middle of the slots 4 and 8, respectively, their axes run parallel. If the screws 10 and 11 are moved within the slots 4 and 8, respectively, their angle also changes, as can be clearly seen by comparing the illustrations with solid and dashed lines. In this way, a very wide variety of connection geometries can be realized with the device connection according to the invention without having to use a different sheet 1 for each installation situation. This results in universal applicability and a reduced need for extensive inventory.

[0025] In all embodiments, the slots 4 and 8 can be wider than the diameter of the threads of the screws 10 and 11, respectively, so that a lateral tilting of the screws 10 and 11 is also possible, which further increases the flexibility.

[0026] In alternative embodiments not shown, it is also conceivable for the depressions 3 and 7 not to be spoon-shaped, but only curved around an axis running in the transverse direction Q, in which case the slot would extend in the longitudinal direction L, or - alternatively - for the depressions 3 and 7 to be arranged around an axis running in the longitudinal direction L, in which case the slot would run in the transverse direction Q. These embodiments would also enable a high degree of flexibility.

[0027] The described nuts can be normal nuts with incorporated washers or so-called pull-in nuts, which are firmly connected to the body. List of reference symbols L longitudinal direction Q transverse direction 1 sheet 2 first end 3 first deepening 4 first slot 5 Middle range 6 second end 7 second deepening 8 second slot 9 holes 10 first screw 11 second screw 13 Screw nut 14 first disc 15 second disc 16 third disc 17 fourth disc 18 grooved plate 19 shelf posts 20 grooves QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2013 108 807 B4

[0003]

Claims

[1] Device connection with a sheet (1) whose length in the longitudinal direction (L) is at least three times its width in the transverse direction (Q), characterized by that at least one first end (2) of the sheet (1) arranged in the longitudinal direction (L) has a curved first recess (3) through which a first slot (4) extends. [2] Facility connection according to claim 1, characterized by that the recess (3) is arranged around an axis running in the transverse direction (Q) and the slot extends in the longitudinal direction (L). [3] Facility connection according to claim 1, characterized by that the recess (3) is arranged around an axis running in the longitudinal direction (L) and the slot runs in the transverse direction (Q). [4] Facility connection according to claim 1, characterized by that the recess (3) is arranged around an axis running in the transverse direction (Q) and longitudinal direction (L) and is thus spoon-shaped. [5] Facility connection according to claim 4, characterized by that the first slot (4) extends in the longitudinal direction (L). [6] Device connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a second recess (7) and a second slot (8) according to one of the preceding claims are also arranged at the second end (6) of the sheet (1) opposite the first end (2). [7] Facility connection according to claim 6, characterized by that the second recess (7) at the second end (6) is formed in the other direction, i.e. opposite, relative to the recess at the first end (2) of the sheet. [8] Device connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sheet (1) has at least one round or elongated hole (9) in its central region (5) located between the ends (2, 6). [9] Device connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat for the or each slot (4, 8) a screw (10, 11) penetrating this and a screw nut (13) for fastening the sheet (1) are provided. [10] Use of a fixture connection according to one of the preceding claims for fastening a fixture within a motor vehicle.

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