A connecting apparatus for the adherence and positioning of plastic components

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection apparatus developed to connect the first component made of plastic material with the second component, to ensure that the connecting element remains in the correct position on the part until it is assembled to the vehicle and to prevent thermal expansion that causes loosening of the parts.

Description

[0001] A CONNECTING APPARATUS FOR THE ADHERENCE AND POSITIONING OF PLASTIC COMPONENTS

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a connection apparatus developed to connect the first component made of plastic material with the second component, to ensure that the connecting element remains in the correct position on the part until it is assembled to the vehicle and to prevent thermal expansion that causes loosening of the parts.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] Nowadays, plastic injection molding is frequently used in many sectors for fast and efficient production. In the automotive industry, plastic injection molding is a method used in the production of many parts. These include door handles, interior and exterior trim parts, headlight and lamp housings, mirror covers, interior console parts and many more.

[0006] In systems belonging to the prior art, fluctuations in component tolerances are inevitable during the production of a first component formed from plastic material. Since plastic materials have a high coefficient of thermal expansion, a connecting element connected to the first component is separated from the first component and cannot return to its original position due to thermal expansion of the first component and / or the second component.

[0007] For example, patent application DE 601 27 893 T2 "A strip attachment device" relates to a molding attachment device suitable for attaching a side molding to fill a gap between an edge of a windshield and a vertical wall of a vehicle body adjacent to an opening of a vehicle body to which the windshield is attached. The device is used in the manufacturing and connection relationship described in the cited patent.

[0008] Another application on the subject, patent application 2020 / 12842 "Connection between components with different coefficients of thermal expansion", relates to a connection between a first component and a second component attached to it, where the first and second components have a different coefficient of thermal expansion. In particular, the invention relates to a rail vehicle with such a connection. In this application, a different technique was used to link the two components.

[0009] On the basis of the above-referenced document and the disadvantages of embodiments existing in the present art, the above-mentioned problems arising due to fluctuations in component tolerances, thermal expansions, and fluctuations in component tolerances for a first component formed from a plastic material and for connecting the first component to the second component, necessitated the development of a new product by the inventor.

[0010] When the above-mentioned current requirement and the application of the known state of the art are examined, in order to eliminate these disadvantages, the inventor hereby discloses a system that prevents the loosening of the connection between the first component and the connecting element to the second component due to thermal expansion.

[0011] Purpose and Brief Description of the Invention

[0012] The main purpose of the invention is to enable the first component made of plastic material to be connected to the second component.

[0013] Another purpose of the invention is to ensure that the connecting element remains in the correct position on the part until it is installed on the vehicle.

[0014] Another purpose of the invention is to prevent loosening of the connection between the first component made of plastic material and the second component due to thermal expansion.

[0015] Another purpose of the invention is to enable locking using a long and flexible structure.

[0016] Another purpose of the invention is to enable contacting with less material.

[0017] In order to fulfill the aforementioned purposes, the invention is relates to a connection apparatus having a connecting element that fixes the first part to the second part by means of a shaft positioned between a lower plate and an top plate and a threaded screw connected to the shaft in order to connect a first part made of plastic material with a second part, to ensure the positioning of the parts during the assembly process and to prevent thermal expansion causing loosening of the parts, it includes the slide bottom surface, which is positioned flat against the floor of the first part to enable the said connecting element to be positioned and fixed, the fixing feather 1 and the fixing feather 2, which are positioned bilaterally and oppositely on the slide bottom surface, and which are flexible to ensure the fixing and positioning of the connecting element, the slide entry area which allows the connecting element to be positioned in the first part on said slide bottom surface, slide cavity which allows the connecting element to be fixed by moving along the cavity on said slide bottom surface and safety feathers 1 and safety feathers 2 in the manner a double-sided and opposite direction on the slide bottom surface surrounding the slide cavity to prevent deformations such as loosening and flexing of parts that may occur as a result of thermal expansion.

[0018] In order to realize all the advantages mentioned above and to be understood from the detailed description below, the present invention brings along many conveniences in terms of the mentioned features.

[0019] The structural and characteristic features and all advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood by the figures given below and the detailed description written with references to these figures, therefore, the evaluation should be made by taking these figures and detailed descriptions into consideration.

[0020] Brief Description of Figures

[0021] Figure 1 is a side profile cross-sectional view of the inventive connection apparatus.

[0022] Figure 2 is a bottom surface view of the inventive connection apparatus.

[0023] Figure 3a is a bottom surface view of the connecting element in the inventive connection apparatus.

[0024] Figure 3b is a view showing the direction of movement of the connecting element from the bottom surface in the inventive connection apparatus.

[0025] Figure 4 is a top surface view of the inventive connection apparatus.

[0026] Figure 5a is a top surface view of the connecting element in the inventive connection apparatus.

[0027] Figure 5b is a view showing the direction of movement of the connecting element from the top surface in the inventive connection apparatus. Figure 5c is a view of the inventive connection apparatus assembled with the second part.

[0028] Reference Numbers

[0029] 1 . First part

[0030] 2. Second part

[0031] 3. Slide top surface

[0032] 4. Slide bottom surface

[0033] 5. Slide cavity

[0034] 6. Slide entry area

[0035] 7. Fixing feather 1

[0036] 8. Fixing feather 2

[0037] 9. Safety feather 1

[0038] 10. Safety feather 2

[0039] 11. Connecting element

[0040] 11. a- Bottom plate

[0041] 11.b- Shaft

[0042] 11. c- Top plate

[0043] 11.d- Threaded screw

[0044] 12. Screw bottom plate guiding surface 1

[0045] 13. Screw bottom plate guiding surface 2 d- Slide wall thickness g- shaft height

[0046] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0047] In this detailed description, a first part (1 ) formed of plastic material and a connection apparatus for connecting the first part (1 ) with the second part (2) and for positioning the first part (1 ) during the assembly process are described for a better understanding of the subject matter and in a non-limiting manner. As shown in Figure 1 , the inventive system generally comprises a first part (1 ) made of plastic material produced by injection moulding or 3D printing, and a connecting element (11 ) for connecting the first part (1 ) and the second part (2). Here, the second part (2) is a body part and / or a fairing part of a motor vehicle. The first part (1 ) is fitted with a slide for the positioning and movement of the connecting element (11 ). As can be seen in Figure 1 , the first part (1 ) contains a slide bottom surface (4) with a thickness (d).

[0048] The connecting element (11 ) having a threaded screw (11 d) has a bottom plate (11 a), an top plate (11 c) and a shaft (11 b) projecting from said bottom plate (11a) and connected to said bottom plate (11 a). The shaft (11 b) located between the bottom plate (11a) and the top plate (11 c) at a height (g) is equal to the slide wall thickness (d).

[0049] Figure 4 shows the slide top surface (3) in the first part (1 ) and Figure 2 shows the slide bottom surface (4). On the slide bottom surface (4), there is the slide entry area (6) where the connecting element (11 ) enters the slide and the slide cavity (5) where it is positioned by advancing. As can be seen in Figure 2, on the said slide bottom surface (4), there are fixing feather 1 (7) and fixing feather 2 (8) with flexible structure to be positioned mutually and bilaterally, thermal expansion safety feather 1 (9) and thermal expansion safety feather 2 (10), also to be positioned mutually and bilaterally.

[0050] Figure 3a shows the bottom surface of the first part (1 ) and the area where the connecting element (11 ) is positioned in the slide entry area (6) located on the slide bottom surface (4). The connecting element (11 ) moves towards the slide cavity (5) as shown in Figure 3b, and is held and fixed by the double-sidedly positioned flexible fixing feather 1 (7) and fixing feather 2 (8). Since the height (g) of the shaft (11 b) between the bottom plate (11 a) and the top plate (11 c) of the connecting element (11 ) is equal to the wall thickness (d) of the slide, the connecting element passes through it and is locked by the fixing feathers 1 (7) and fixing feathers 2 (8) positioned on both sides. In order to prevent thermal expansion such as loosening and stretching of the parts due to thermal changes, safety feathers 1 (9) and safety feathers 2 (10) are positioned on both sides and opposite each other on the slide bottom surface (4) surrounding the slide cavity (5). As shown in Figures 5a and 5b and 5c, the second part (2) is connected to the connecting element (11 ) and through it to the first part (1 ) with a threaded screw (11 d). The afore mentioned threaded screw (11 d) is connected in one piece to the shaft (11 b) of the connecting element (11 ). The screw bottom plate guiding surface 1 (12) and the screw bottom plate guiding surface 2 (13) guide the threaded screw (11d), thus ensuring that the first part (1 ) and the second part (2) are connected without the negative consequences of thermal expansion and preventing fluctuations in part tolerances.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A connection apparatus having a connecting element (11 ) which fixes the first part (1 ) to the second part (2) by means of a shaft (11 b) positioned between a lower plate (11 a) and an top plate (11 c) and a threaded screw (11 d) connected to the shaft (11 b) in order to connect a first part (1 ) made of plastic material with a second part (2), to ensure the positioning of the parts during the assembly process and to prevent thermal expansion causing loosening of the parts, characterised in that it includes;• the slide bottom surface (4), which is positioned flat against the floor of the first part (1 ) to enable the said connecting element (11 ) to be positioned and fixed,• the fixing feather 1 (7) and the fixing feather 2 (8), which are positioned bilaterally and oppositely on the slide bottom surface (4), and which are flexible to ensure the fixing and positioning of the connecting element (11 ),• the slide entry area (6) which allows the connecting element (11 ) to be positioned in the first part (1 ) on said slide bottom surface (4),• slide cavity (5) which allows the connecting element (11 ) to be fixed by moving along the cavity on said slide bottom surface (4),• safety feathers 1 (9) and safety feathers 2 (10) in the manner a double-sided and opposite direction on the slide bottom surface (4) surrounding the slide cavity (5) to prevent deformations such as loosening and flexing of parts that may occur as a result of thermal expansion.

2. A coupling device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the shaft height (g) and the slide wall thickness (d) are equal for the coupling to occur.

Images