Device for securing a component to a mechanical structure

Abstract

A retaining device (1) for a component attached to a mechanical structure comprising fasteners, the device having two connecting elements (2, 3) between the component to be retained and the mechanical structure, one of said connecting elements being a connecting element to the structure (2) comprising a ring (20) configured to grip a protruding portion of said fastener, and said connecting element to the structure incorporating a support (21) for a connecting element to the component (3). Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Fig. 1A

Description

Title of the invention: Device for securing a component to a mechanical structure

[0001] The invention relates to a device for retaining a component to a mechanical structure, provided with two connecting elements between the component to be retained and the structure. The invention relates in particular to a mechanical structure of a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is known to use a device for retaining a component to a mechanical structure, which comprises a connecting element to the component to be retained, attached to a connecting element to the mechanical structure. The latter comprises a finger adapted to insert into a dedicated hole in the structure, a hole which has been specifically added. Such a device is frequently used to retain pipes or cables in a vehicle.

[0003] One disadvantage of such a retaining device is that it requires the addition of a dedicated hole in the structure, which complicates the construction of the structure and results in additional costs. Another disadvantage is that these holes can reduce the mechanical strength of the structure. These disadvantages are all the more significant if the structure has numerous holes dedicated to such retaining devices.

[0004] There is a need to be able to offer an alternative to mechanically-type devices for holding an organ to a structure. One aim of the invention is to provide a simple and economical device.

[0005] To this end, the invention provides a device for retaining a component to a mechanical structure comprising screw elements, the device being equipped with two connecting elements between the component to be retained and the mechanical structure. One of said connecting elements of the device is a connecting element to the structure comprising a ring configured to grip a protruding portion of said screw element. Furthermore, said connecting element to the structure incorporates a support for a connecting element to the component.

[0006] Preferably, said ring comprises a hollow cylindrical portion (the inner wall of which defines the inner recess of the ring), which has an internal shape adapted to receive the external shape of the protruding portion of a screw element. The internal dimensions of said hollow cylindrical portion of the ring allow said connecting element to be held tightly to said portion of the screw element.

[0007] Advantageously, said structural connection element is a ring whose inner wall of the hollow cylindrical portion has a hexagonal cross-section configured to enclose an externally hexagonal projecting portion of a screw element. It is common to use elongated screw elements comprising a A protruding part with a hexagonal external shape, such as the hexagonal head of a screw or stud, or a hexagonal nut, particularly in the mechanical industry, and especially in the automotive sector. Such a structural connection element is therefore readily used to secure a component to this type of fastener.

[0008] Advantageously, the hollow cylindrical portion of the ring has a hexagonal cross-section; in other words, its outer and inner walls have corresponding hexagonal shapes, the faces of their respective hexagons being aligned from one wall to the other. The ring is easily integrated into the structure and can be manipulated with a standard wrench adapted to hexagonal shapes.

[0009] The support for a connecting element to a component, which is integrated into the structure, is incorporated into one face of the ring perpendicular to the axial direction of the ring, and it has the form of a plate with a longitudinal orientation perpendicular to the axial direction of the ring. One face of said plate closes one of the bases of the hollow cylindrical portion of the ring, and the other face of the plate supports the connecting element to a component. The portion of the face of said plate closing one of the bases of the hollow cylindrical portion of the ring thus forms an internal surface of the ring.

[0010] The retaining device according to the invention is removable.

[0011] Advantageously, said support includes two lateral tabs extending beyond the cylindrical part of the ring, facilitating the handling of the retaining device, and offering the possibility of using a tool to lever the device out if necessary.

[0012] Preferably, said element for connecting to the structure (ring with integrated support) is made of plastic, preferably polyamide (PA), in particular polyamide 6-6 (PA 6-6). Even more preferably, the retaining device according to the invention is made entirely of the same plastic material. This entire device can be manufactured simply, in one piece, for example by molding.

[0013] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said ring comprises internal means for retaining the screw element. More specifically, the internal surfaces of the ring are provided with these retaining means. These retaining means are particularly useful in cases where the screw element is subjected to high dynamic stresses. In particular, said retaining means are added means, such as claws or spring blades disposed on the surface of the inner wall of the hollow cylindrical part of the ring. Preferably these claws are metallic.

[0014] The connecting element to the organ to be held can be of any known type that The element connecting to the component to be held may be, but is not limited to, selected from elements designed to hold a tubular component, such as a pipe, tube, or cable. These tubular components may include, in particular, a U-shaped clip, a multi-clip U-shaped bracket, a two-part circular clip that can be closed together, a self-closing strap, a tubular support, possibly partially open to receive a cable, and a single or multiple spacer. The element connecting to the component to be held may also be selected from elements designed to hold a wire or cable connector.

[0015] The advantage of the device of the invention is that it is easily adaptable to any connecting element with an organ, without any specific adaptation of this connecting element being necessary.

[0016] The invention also relates to a mechanical structure housing at least one part to be held and equipped with at least one screw element which has a protruding part, said part to be held being held by a holding device as described above. Preferably, said at least one fastener is an elongated element whose protruding part has an external hexagonal shape, such as the head of a screw or stud, or such as a nut with an external hexagonal shape. The protruding part of the fastener is accessible on a surface of the structure.

[0017] In particular, said mechanical structure is part of the structure of a motor vehicle.

[0018] In particular, said organ to be maintained is a tubular organ.

[0019] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of example but not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig.1A] is a three-quarter perspective view from above of a device for retaining an organ to a structure which includes screw elements according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0021] [Fig.1B] is a three-quarter perspective view from below the retaining device of [Fig.1A].

[0022] [Fig.2] illustrates, according to an exploded view, the installation of the figure-holding device IA and IB on a screw element.

[0023] [Fig.3] represents the assembly of the retaining device according to the invention and of the screw element according to [Fig.2], retaining a pipe shown partially.

[0024] [Fig.4A] is a partial perspective view of a mechanical structure of the type supporting an engine of a motor vehicle, equipped with a screw element.

[0025] [Fig.4B] is a view of the mechanical structure of [Fig.4A], the retaining device according to the invention shown in figures IA and IB being used to retain a pipe to the screw element.

[0026] To facilitate understanding of the figures, the orientations expressed in the description of the figures are given with reference to an orthonormal VLT frame in which V represents the vertical direction oriented upwards of the device, corresponding to the axial direction of the ring of the device, L represents the longitudinal direction along that of the support integrated into the device, and T the direction perpendicular to the other two directions V, T.

[0027] The figures will be discussed together.

[0028] Figures IA and IB represent an embodiment of a holding device 1 according to the invention, designed for the support of a tubular organ such as a pipe, a tube, or even a cable.

[0029] The device 1 comprises a connecting element 2 with a mechanical structure, this element having a ring 20, one face of which (upper face) incorporates a support 21 in the form of a longitudinal plate with longitudinal orientation L, perpendicular to the axial direction of the ring, such that the ring has a hollow cylindrical portion closed at its upper base by the lower face 211 of the support. The opposite face 210 of the support supports a connecting element 3 with a component which is a pipe A, as shown in [Fig. 3]. This connecting element 3 is integrated into the upper face 210 of the support 21.

[0030] The wall of the hollow cylindrical portion of said ring 20 has a hexagonal cross-section, the inner wall 201 and outer wall 202 of this cylindrical portion of the ring each having a hexagonal perimeter, the six sides of the respective hexagons of said walls being aligned between said walls. The inner hollow 200 of the ring therefore has a hexagonal perimeter suitable for receiving a projecting portion of a screw element with an external hexagonal shape.

[0031] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the ring 20 is designed to removably grip a head 40, the protruding part of a stud 4, which has an external hexagonal shape. This type of fastener is frequently used in automotive applications. The internal recess 200 of the ring is thus precisely shaped and sized to fit this stud head so that the ring is securely held around it. In the example shown, the internal distance "D" between two opposite faces of the hexagonal shape of the internal wall 201 is 16 mm.

[0032] In addition, the support 21 includes two lateral extensions 212, 213, projecting beyond the cylindrical part of the ring 20, forming lateral tabs that facilitate handling of the removable retaining device, and offer the possibility of Use a tool to pry the device off if necessary.

[0033] The connecting element 3 with an organ is a U-shaped clip with an internal shape adapted to receive a tubular element, such as a T-pipe ([Fig.3]).

[0034] The entire device is made from a single piece, by molding polyamide 6-6 which has qualities of rigidity and heat stability.

[0035] As illustrated in [Fig. 4A], the mechanical structure, which is that of an engine mount for a motor vehicle, includes a stud head 40, a projecting part of the stud 4 located in an accessible manner on a surface "S" of this structure. Only one head is shown in this figure; however, the structure includes numerous hexagonal heads of this type of fastener (screw, stud). This head has an accessible hexagonal external shape. [Fig. 4B] illustrates the device 1, whose ring clamps the stud head 40 to retain a cooling pipe A in the U-shaped clip 3 carried by the device 1 on the face 210 of its support 21.

[0036] The retaining device according to the invention for retaining a component to a mechanical structure is easy to implement, and it is economical in its manufacture and use.

Claims

Claims

1. Device (1) for holding a member to a mechanical structure which comprises screw elements, the device being provided with two connecting elements (2, 3) between the member to be held and the mechanical structure, one of said connecting elements being a connecting element to the structure (2) comprising a ring (20) configured to grip a projecting part (40) of said screw element (4), and said connecting element to the structure integrating a support (21) of a connecting element with the member (3).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said ring comprises a hollow cylindrical part which has an internal shape adapted to receive the external shape of the projecting part (40) of a screw element (4).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the internal wall of said hollow cylindrical part has a hexagonal cross section configured to enclose a projecting part of hexagonal external shape of a screw element.

4. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that said support (21) which integrates said element for connecting to the structure (2) is integrated in one face of the ring perpendicular to the axial direction of the ring, and it has the shape of a plate with a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the ring, one of the faces (211) of said plate closing one of the bases of the hollow cylindrical part of the ring and the other face (210) of the plate supporting the element for connecting with a member (3).

5. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said support (21) comprises two lateral tabs (212, 213) projecting on either side of the cylindrical part of the ring.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said element for connecting to the structure is made of plastic, preferably polyamide, in particular polyamide 6-6.

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is formed from a single piece.

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said ring (20) comprises internal means for retaining the screw element.

9. Mechanical structure accommodating at least one member to be maintained (A) and equipped with at least one serial screw element (4) which comprises a projecting part (40), characterized in that said member to be held (A) is held to the projecting part of the screw element by a holding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Mechanical structure according to claim 9, characterized in that said at least one screw element is an elongated element (4) whose projecting part is of hexagonal external shape (40), such as the head of a screw or a stud, or such as a nut of hexagonal external shape.

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