Captive fastening arrangement

Abstract

Fastening arrangement (10) comprising: - a screw (12) having a screw head (14) and a shaft section (16) provided with an external thread; and - a cylinder head cover (18) having a through-hole (20), wherein the through-hole (20) has an inner diameter dimensioned such that it allows axial passage of the externally threaded shaft section (16) through it, wherein the screw head (14) has a dimension extending transversely to a central axis (A-A') of the screw (12) which exceeds the inner diameter of the through-hole (20) so that the screw head (14) is restrained against axial passage through the through-hole (20);- a plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) provided on the cylinder head cover (18), wherein the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) project radially inwards from an inner wall (21) of the through-bore (20); - wherein the screw (12) comprises at least one detent projection (24) formed on the externally threaded shaft section (16); - wherein, upon axial insertion of the externally threaded shaft section (16) through the through-bore (20), the at least one detent projection (24) engages with the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) and deflects the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) to allow axial passage of the at least one detent projection (24) through the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22);- wherein, after the axial passage of the at least one detent projection (24) through the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22), the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) return to their undisplaced initial shape and thereby prevent a reverse axial movement of the screw (12) relative to the cylinder head cover (18), so that the screw (12) and the cylinder head cover (18) together form a pre-assembled unit which can be handled manually as a single component before installation in a cylinder head (28);- and wherein the plurality of spring-elastic deformable engagement elements (22) has a bending flexibility index (FI) in the range of 0.005 to 40,000.;