Press-in Element with Radial Pocket for Thick Sheet Metal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing press-in elements are not suitable for thick sheet metal parts, as they require a special die button to displace material into ring recesses, and struggle with providing adequate resistance against rotation.
Innovation Solution
A press-in element with a head part and neck part design featuring a ring-like projection and radial spacing, allowing material displacement without a special die button, and incorporating ribs for rotation resistance, which can be self-piercing or used in pre-pierced components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing press-in elements with ring recesses are used, then material displacement can be achieved in thin sheet metal parts, but a special die button is required and the elements are not suitable for thick sheet metal parts
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex die button to push material into a ring recess from the back side, the invention inverts the approach by having the sheet metal material flow forward into a pocket formed by the ring-like projection and ring bead during the pressing process itself. This eliminates the need for a special die button while enabling material displacement in thick sheet metal parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a radial dimension to the material displacement process by using a ring-like projection that extends radially outward from the neck part, creating a pocket that receives material flowing in the radial direction. This radial material flow approach enables effective anchoring in thick sheet metal without requiring complex axial displacement mechanisms.
2Reliability
If conventional press-in elements are used, then simple design is maintained, but adequate resistance against rotation is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetric features in the form of ribs on the outer surface of the head part. These ribs create corresponding grooves in the sheet metal during pressing, forming an asymmetric interlocking structure that provides effective resistance against rotation while adding minimal complexity to the element design.
3Strength
If material is pressed into ring recesses using die button, then anchoring is achieved in thin sheets, but the process becomes impractical for significantly thicker sheet metal parts
Solution Approach 1:
The invention enables the sheet metal material to serve itself by flowing naturally into the pocket formed by the ring-like projection and ring bead during the pressing process. The material forms its own anchoring structure without requiring external intervention from a specially shaped die button, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining strong anchoring in thick sheet metal.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a press-in element for pressing into a non-pierced or pre-pierced component. The press-in element has a head part having a ring surface confronting the component and a neck part which projects away from the ring surface, i.e. from the component contact side. The head part further has a ring-like projection surrounding the neck part with a radial spacing and projecting away from the ring surface. The neck part has a radially outwardly projecting ring bead, which can be formed as a continuous ring bead or as a ring bead interrupted at points. The apex of the ring bead has an axial spacing from the ring surface which is larger than the axial spacing of the apex of the ring-like projection from the ring surface, which lies radially within this projection and together with it and the ring bead forms a pocket which receives material of the component.