Fastener Element With Mounting Recess And Undercut Sidewalls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fastener elements either require functional sections for piercing or riveting, leading to increased weight, additional manufacturing steps, and potential leakage due to pre-drilled holes, compromising the seal integrity of components.
Innovation Solution
A fastener element with a mounting recess and undercut sidewalls that presses component material into the recess for secure attachment without piercing or pre-drilled holes, forming a form-fitted connection and preventing deformation-induced perforation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fastener elements with piercing edges or riveting sections are used, then reliable attachment to the component is achieved, but the weight of the fastener element increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the piercing edge and riveting section from the fastener element design. By removing these functional sections that enable piercing and riveting, the fastener element achieves weight reduction while maintaining attachment reliability through an alternative mechanism using the mounting recess and component material deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the fastener element actively piercing the component with a piercing edge, the invention inverts the approach by having the component material actively engage with the fastener element. The mounting recess receives deformed component material that flows into the recess and locks behind the undercut, reversing the traditional active-passive relationship between fastener and component.
2Reliability
If functional sections for piercing and riveting are provided on the fastener element, then secure attachment is achieved, but additional manufacturing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex functional sections (piercing edge, riveting section) from the fastener element, simplifying its geometry to essentially a body with a mounting recess. This reduction in geometric complexity directly translates to fewer manufacturing steps and easier production, while the attachment function is achieved through the simplified recess structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the fastener element by eliminating intricate features like piercing edges and riveting sections. The mounting recess with its undercut geometry provides the necessary attachment function through simpler parametric definitions, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If the component is pre-perforated or perforated during attachment, then the fastener element can be attached, but the seal integrity of the component is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention prepares the mounting recess in advance on the fastener element body, creating a receptacle that will receive deformed component material. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for pre-perforation or perforation during attachment, as the recess is already formed and ready to engage with the component material that will be deformed into it.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful effect of material deformation into a beneficial locking mechanism. By designing the mounting recess with an undercut, the deformation of component material that flows into the recess creates a form-fitted connection that locks the fastener element in place, transforming what could be a source of leakage (perforation) into a secure, sealed attachment.
4Reliability
If material of the component is pressed into the mounting recess for attachment, then a form-fitted connection is achieved, but the component material must be deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies deformation locally only to the component material that flows into the mounting recess, rather than deforming the entire component. The undercut geometry of the recess confines the deformation to a localized region, creating a form-fitted connection without compromising the overall structural integrity of the component.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a nested structure where the deformed component material is pressed into and nested within the mounting recess. The component material forms an inner layer that locks behind the undercut of the recess, creating a nested, form-fitted connection that provides reliable attachment while minimizing the extent of material deformation required.
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 solution provides a reliable, weight-efficient, and leak-proof attachment method that simplifies manufacturing and ensures the seal integrity of components by eliminating the need for pre-drilled holes and additional functional sections.
Implementation Method 1
material of the component which is pressed into the mounting recess and in this connection was pressed behind the undercut secures the fastener element to the component in the axial direction by means of a form fitted connection
Data Source
AI summary
A fastener element for attachment to a component, wherein the fastener element has a contact surface which contacts the component in the installed state. Furthermore, the fastener element has a mounting recess which faces the component in the dismantled state. The mounting recess is bounded by at least one sidewall and by a base section. The sidewall is, at least regionally, provided with at least one undercut which is effective in the axial direction of the fastener element. The base section is formed free of any aperture.