Building Component with Groove Recesses for Tolerance Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fastening components lack tolerance compensation, leading to stress and distortion in connections, poor ground connections, and adverse effects on electromagnetic compatibility due to rigid bearing surfaces and bent arms.

Innovation Solution

A component with groove-shaped recesses on its base surface allows for a flexible connection, enabling a spring effect that compensates for tolerances and prevents lateral displacement, ensuring secure fastening and improved EMC properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a bearing surface protruding from the base due to a bulge is rigidly connected to the base, then structural strength is improved, but tolerance compensation is not possible leading to stress and distortion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidtolerance compensation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bearing surface is segmented from the base through groove-shaped recesses that create flexible connection zones. These recesses allow the bearing surface to move independently relative to the base, enabling tolerance compensation while maintaining overall structural integrity. The segmentation creates a spring effect that absorbs dimensional variations without transmitting stress to the entire structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bearing surface is designed with dynamic flexibility through the groove-shaped recesses, allowing it to adapt its position in response to tolerance variations. This dynamic capability enables the bearing surface to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations, preventing stress accumulation and distortion while maintaining secure fastening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If a bent-out arm is used to form the bearing surface, then flexibility is improved, but lateral displacement occurs making assembly difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible connection is achieved by introducing groove-shaped recesses in the planar base surface, creating flexibility in the vertical dimension (perpendicular to the base) rather than through lateral bending. This dimensional change allows the bearing surface to move vertically to compensate for tolerances without experiencing lateral displacement, thereby maintaining assembly ease while providing necessary flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a bent-out arm is used to form the bearing surface, then flexibility is improved, but bending moments arise impairing ground connection

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidground connection
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The groove-shaped recesses create flexibility in the vertical dimension, allowing the bearing surface to move perpendicular to the base without creating lateral bending moments. This prevents impairment of the ground connection while maintaining the necessary flexibility for tolerance compensation. The recesses act as stress-relief zones that absorb dimensional variations without transmitting bending moments to the base.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Adaptability or versatility

If a bent-out arm is used to form the bearing surface, then flexibility is improved, but antenna effect is created adversely affecting EMC properties

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidantenna effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible connection is achieved through groove-shaped recesses in the planar base, creating vertical flexibility without the lateral extensions that characterize bent-out arms. This eliminates the antenna effect that would adversely affect EMC properties while maintaining the necessary flexibility for tolerance compensation. The recesses confine the flexible movement to localized zones without creating extended conductive paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The flexible connection ensures secure assembly, prevents tilting of fastening elements, and enhances electrical and galvanic connections by allowing vertical movement while maintaining planar contact, thus reducing stress and improving EMC properties.

Implementation Method 1

A flexible connection of the bearing surface to the base surface can be formed by the groove-shaped recess, as a result of which a spring effect of the bearing surface relative to the base surface can be achieved

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpring effect: Spring

Implementation Method 2

The elastic deflection of the bearing surface in the fastening direction, in particular in the perpendicular direction to the base area, enables a good electrical or galvanic connection, in particular a ground connection

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3015720B1Component
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP3015720B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3015720B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3015720B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a building element (100) with a base surface (10) and a bearing surface (11) projecting from the base surface (10) for placing a counter-building element (200) to be attached to the building element (100), wherein a bore (13) for receiving a fastening element (14) is formed on the bearing surface (11), wherein at least one groove-shaped recess (15, 16, 23) surrounding the bearing surface (11) is formed on the base surface (10) at least partially.