DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING PARTS BY SCREWING HEADLESS CONNECTING ELEMENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for assembling at least two parts (P1, P2) having opposite bores (A1, A2) for receiving connecting elements that cooperate by screwing, characterized in that said connecting elements comprise a threaded cylindrical sleeve (1) for internally receiving a threaded bolt (2), said sleeve and said bolt each having an enlarged head (12, 21) which, during assembly, fits into a cavity (a1, a2) of complementary profile formed in the bores on the outer side of said parts. (Fig. 3)

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR ASSEMBLING PARTS BY SCREWING CONNECTING ELEMENTS

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of mechanical assembly of parts in the automotive field and is interested, more particularly, in an improved device intended to ensure the assembly of wheel components by means of headless connecting elements.

[0002] Numerous devices already exist for the purpose of ensuring the mechanical assembly of several parts. Among these devices, the most common are those comprising a threaded rod whose end is fitted with a head allowing it to be screwed in using a suitable tool. Such devices take the form of screws, bolts, lag screws, or studs and are used, in particular, in the automotive field to ensure the connection between the wheel hub and the brake disc.

[0003] However, in this type of connection, the head of the stud protrudes outside the parts and is therefore in the immediate vicinity of the surrounding parts and, in particular, the wheel pivot. This stud is mobile because it rotates with the brake disc around the fixed pivot, making this configuration critical.

[0004] Indeed, the standards of some car manufacturers impose a minimum distance of 10 mm between fixed and moving parts. However, with the smallest assembly methods available on the market today, this gap remains significantly smaller (on the order of 3 to 4 mm).

[0005] Furthermore, it is not possible to remove material from the pivot to provide a larger space between the two because, being under stress around the bearing, it must therefore necessarily exhibit good mechanical resistance.

[0006] US patents 11590796B2 and 11174909B2 describe methods of assembling a brake disc with a hub using tapered connecting elements such as a bushing or a screw mounted in bores. However, these elements have at least one portion that remains protruding outside the bore after screwing. These assembly methods are therefore not suitable for the environment relevant to the invention, in which none of the elements involved in the assembly should have a protruding portion after mounting.

[0007] In this problematic context, the invention sought a technical solution enabling the assembly of at least two parts by means of connecting elements not having any protruding parts outside of these parts.

[0008] This objective is achieved, according to the invention, by means of an assembly device for at least two parts having opposite bores intended to receive elements of a link cooperating by screwing, characterized in that said linking elements comprise a threaded cylindrical sleeve intended to internally receive a threaded bolt, said sleeve and said bolt each having an enlarged head which, during assembly, fits into a complementary profile cavity formed in the bores on the external side of said parts.

[0009] According to a specific feature of the assembly device of the invention, the enlarged heads of the sleeve and the bolt are conical, as are the outer end portions of the bores.

[0010] According to another specific feature of the assembly device of the invention, the lengths of the sleeve and the bolt are determined as a function of the length of the bores so as to be inserted fully between the two parts to be assembled.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the assembly device of the invention, the connecting elements are provided with a central orifice for the actuation of a screwing tool.

[0012] Another object of the invention is a method for mechanically assembling at least two parts having through bores opposite each other by means of a device as defined above, characterized in that said bores are made with end cavities on the outside side of said parts whose diameter is enlarged and whose profile is at least partially conical, the sleeve and the bolt are fully inserted into the bores on both sides of the parts and the bolt is screwed into the sleeve to fix them to each other in the bores and to secure the two parts by pressing the heads (11, 21) into the cavities (al, a2).

[0013] Yet another object of the invention is a use of the device as defined above for the assembly of a wheel hub and a brake disc of a motor vehicle.

[0014] A final object of the invention is a motor vehicle comprising wheel hubs assembled to brake discs by means of a device having the characteristics defined above.

[0015] In its most general aspect, the improvement brought by the invention to known mechanical assembly devices makes it possible to avoid interference between the connecting elements of a fixed and dynamic assembly of moving parts and a static environment comprising fixed parts in the immediate vicinity.

[0016] The assembly device of the invention uses connecting elements of a generally cylindrical-conical shape which do not require the presence of protruding parts (head, external nut, etc.) on the external faces of the parts to be joined.

[0017] The assembly and disassembly operations of the device of the invention are very simple and easy to implement on the parts to be assembled, manually or automatically.

[0018] The device and method of the invention can be applied to the secure assembly of more than two parts by adapting, appropriately, the dimensional characteristics of the bores and the connecting elements.

[0019] In addition, the invention provides, at the same time, a significant gain in terms of size, an improvement in safety and an increase in the lifespan of the various components of complex dynamic systems.

[0020] Finally, the new assembly method proposed by the invention offers versatility, better reliability and greater safety compared to current assembly methods, thus promoting multiple and varied applications in a large number of industrial sectors.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the accompanying figures, for which:

[0022] [Fig. 1] is a cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention on two parts to be joined together before the installation of the connecting elements of the assembly device according to the invention.

[0023] [Fig.2] is an exploded perspective view of the implementation method of [Fig.1] during the installation of the connecting elements of the assembly device of the invention.

[0024] [Fig.3] is a cross-sectional view of the implementation of the process of [Fig.1] during the installation of the connecting elements.

[0025] [Fig.4] is a cross-sectional view of the implementation of the process of [Fig.1] after the installation of the connecting elements and assembly of the two parts.

[0026] [Fig.5] is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the connecting elements of the assembly device of the invention in the free state.

[0027] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs throughout the figures.

[0028] Naturally, the embodiment of the assembly device according to the invention, schematically illustrated in the figures above and described below, is given only by way of non-limiting example. It is explicitly provided within the scope of the invention that different embodiments can be proposed and combined to create others.

[0029] The invention relates to the general field of mechanical assembly of parts such as those found, in particular, in a motor vehicle. Specifically, the invention concerns the method of assembling moving parts in a dynamic assembly located near a set of static parts. Such a configuration is found in suspension systems and, in particular, on the rotating assembly comprising a wheel hub fixed to a brake disc and located near the fixed wheel pivot.

[0030] The parts to be assembled are generally pre-equipped with opposing bores designed to internally receive connecting elements by screwing. The invention aims to provide a device for securing these parts together by means of connecting elements that have no protruding parts outside these bores after assembly.

[0031] This objective is achieved, according to the invention, by first producing bores Al, A2 with a cylindrical profile extended by an end portion of a widened and conical profile formed on the outside of the respective parts PI, P2 to be assembled, as illustrated in particular by [Fig. 1]. These through bores Al, A2 will then be designed to fully house connecting elements that cooperate by screwing, such as those of the device of the invention described below, in order to avoid any interference with the surrounding fixed parts.

[0032] According to the invention, these connecting elements comprise, on the one hand, a cylindrical sleeve 1 with an internal thread 11 intended to internally receive a bolt 2 whose shank has a peripheral thread 22. The sleeve 1 and the bolt 2 each have an enlarged head 12, 21 which, during assembly, fits into a cavity al, a2 of complementary profile formed in the bores Al, A2 on the external side of the parts to be assembled, as illustrated by Figures 2, 3 and 4.

[0033] The respective enlarged heads 12, 21 of the socket 1 and the bolt 2 are conical, as are the cavities a1, a2 at the outer end of the bores a1, a2. These heads are advantageously each provided with a central hole 10, 20 for operating a tightening tool, such as a hexagonal wrench. However, it would be possible to provide holes of a different shape, for example, a slot for using a screwdriver.

[0034] The invention provides that the lengths of the sleeve 1 and the bolt 2 are predetermined based on the length of the bores A1, A2 so as to be fully inserted between the two parts P1, P2 to be assembled. Preferably, the threaded shank of the bolt 2 is fully housed within the sleeve 1 after tightening. The position and length of the cylindrical central portion of the sleeve 1 are determined so as to position it at the interface between the two parts P1, P2.

[0035] The mechanical assembly method for parts PI, P2 is carried out, according to the invention and as illustrated by Figures 2 to 4, by first creating the bores Al, A2 with their end cavities al, a2 on the outer side of these parts. The diameter of these cavities is enlarged relative to the diameter of the cylindrical central part of the bores Al, A2 with a flared profile that is at least partially conical or complementary to the profile of the heads of the sleeve 1 and the bolt 2.

[0036] The sleeve 1 (here in part P2) and then the bolt 2 (here in part PI) are then fully inserted into the bores Al, A2 and on both sides of the parts as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the bolt is screwed into the sleeve ([Fig. 4]) to fix them together and lock them in the bores. After tightening, the heads 11, 21 then rest in the cavities a1, a2 and ensure both the shimming and the joining of the two parts P1, P2.

[0037] The method of assembling parts described above and illustrated by the figures can be used without risk of contact with surrounding parts because the connecting elements (sleeve 1 and bolt 2) ensuring the joining of these parts are contained entirely within their bores and thus do not have protruding parts outside the joined assembly.

Claims

Demands

1. Assembly device of at least two parts (PI, P2) having opposite bores (Al, A2) intended to receive connecting elements cooperating by screwing, characterized in that said connecting elements comprise a threaded cylindrical sleeve (1) intended to internally receive a threaded bolt (2), said sleeve and said bolt each having an enlarged head (12, 21) which, during assembly, fits into a cavity (al, a2) of complementary profile formed in the bores on the outside side of said parts.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the enlarged heads (12, 21) of the sleeve (1) and of the bolt (2) are conical as are the outer end cavities (al, a2) of the bores (Al, A2).

3. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the lengths of the sleeve (1) and the bolt (2) are determined as a function of the length of the bores (Al, A2) so as to be inserted integrally between the two parts (PI, P2) to be assembled.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connecting elements are provided with a central orifice (10, 20) intended for the actuation of a screwing tool.

5. A method for the mechanical assembly of at least two parts (PI, P2) having opposite through bores (Al, A2) by means of a device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bores are made with end cavities (al, a2) on the outside side of said parts whose diameter is enlarged and whose profile is at least partially conical, the sleeve (1) and the bolt (2) are fully inserted into the bores on both sides of the parts and the bolt is screwed into the sleeve to fix them to each other in the bores and to secure the two parts by bearing the heads (11, 21) in the cavities (al, a2).

6. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 for the assembly of a wheel hub and a brake disc of a motor vehicle.

7. Motor vehicle comprising wheel hubs assembled to brake discs by means of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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