Plastic Flange Screw Fastening With Corrugation Locking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening methods for vehicle components, such as sensors, often rely on metallic bushings or lock washers to prevent screw loosening under load, which can be costly and require additional components.
Innovation Solution
A fastening arrangement featuring a screw with a corrugation profile and a matching profile on the plastic flange, allowing for a force-fit engagement that secures against loosening without the need for additional components, utilizing embossed profiles during manufacturing and fiber-reinforced plastic for enhanced reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metallic bushings or lock washers are used to prevent screw loosening under load, then the screw connection reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the functions of the plastic flange and the locking mechanism into a single integrated component. The plastic flange incorporates a bearing region with a corrugation profile that directly engages with the screw head, eliminating the need for separate lock washers or metallic bushings. This merging of components maintains screw connection reliability while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The corrugation profile on the plastic flange acts as an intermediary mechanism between the screw head and the flange body. This profile creates a force-fit engagement that prevents screw loosening without requiring additional fastening components. The corrugation profile mediates the load transfer and provides the necessary locking action.
2Stability of the object's composition
If lock washers or harder screw heads are used to prevent loosening, then the screw connection stability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to additional components or specialized materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the plastic flange by incorporating a corrugation profile in the bearing region. This profile modification allows the plastic material to deform and create a force-fit engagement with the screw head, providing stability without requiring harder materials or additional components. The parameter change is implemented through standard injection molding processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a cost-effective plastic flange with an integrated corrugation profile instead of expensive metallic bushings or specialized lock washers. The plastic material, while softer, provides sufficient stability through its deformable corrugation profile that creates a mechanical interlock with the screw head.
3Device complexity
If corrugation profiles are embossed during screw and flange manufacturing, then the force-fit engagement is achieved without additional components, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The corrugation profiles are embossed into the screw head and plastic flange during their respective manufacturing processes, before assembly. This preliminary action ensures that the profiles are pre-formed with the required precision, and the force-fit engagement is achieved simply by bringing the components together during assembly, rather than requiring complex adjustment or additional fastening steps.
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 effectively prevents screw loosening under load, eliminating the need for metallic bushings and lock washers, while ensuring a secure and cost-neutral fastening mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a harder, second corrugation profile is introduced on the underside of the screw head (16), which, in the screwed state, plastically and elastically deforms the first corrugation profile (14) and brings about force-fit engagement that secures against loosening
Implementation Method 2
a harder, second corrugation profile is introduced on the underside of the screw head (16), which, in the screwed state, plastically and elastically deforms the first corrugation profile (14)
Implementation Method 3
Together with the screw, force-fit engagement that secures against loosening is thus formed
Data Source
AI summary
A fastening arrangement is for fastening two objects together and includes a plastic flange and a screw. The plastic flange is formed on a first object and bears on a second object. The screw includes a screw head and a threaded shank. The plastic flange defines a through-opening through which the threaded shank of the screw is guided and is screwed into a corresponding threaded bore in the second object, such that an underside of the screw head bears on a bearing region at an edge of the through-opening on the plastic flange. A first corrugation profile is defined on the bearing region of the plastic flange, and a harder, second corrugation profile is defined on the underside of the screw head. In the screwed state, on account of a pretensioning force, the second corrugation profile plastically and elastically deforms the first corrugation profile and brings about a force-fit engagement.