Punch-Riveted Connecting Element Foot Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing punch-riveted connections are not optimized for various connecting functions and are costly to manufacture, with limitations in accommodating different component thicknesses and prone to mechanical stressing and 'flaking off' of the head section.
Innovation Solution
A solid punching rivet with a cylindrical or elliptical shaft section and a foot section featuring a small annular circumferential elevated portion, allowing for increased material flow and reduced mechanical stress, along with a shaft section that tapers or widens to enhance anchoring and accommodate varying thicknesses, and a concave transition between the head and shaft sections to reduce bending stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If connecting elements are manufactured using traditional metal-cutting methods, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional metal-cutting manufacturing methods with a forming process. The connecting element is created by plastic deformation of a blank material through a die, eliminating costly cutting operations while maintaining dimensional accuracy through controlled forming parameters and die design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing approach from subtractive (cutting) to formative (shaping). By controlling forming parameters such as die geometry, pressing force, and material flow, the connecting element achieves required precision without the high costs associated with metal-cutting processes.
2Power
If the shaft section diameter is reduced to allow more material flow, then punching force efficiency improves, but structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different diameters to different sections of the connecting element. The shaft section has a smaller diameter optimized for material flow and punching efficiency, while the head and foot sections maintain larger diameters for structural strength. This local differentiation allows the shaft to be slender without compromising overall component strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting element is divided into distinct sections (head, shaft, foot) with different functional requirements. The shaft section is segmented as a separate functional zone with optimized diameter for material flow, while other sections maintain larger dimensions for strength, allowing each segment to be optimized independently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting element is designed with high tolerance for thickness fluctuations, then versatility across different component pairings improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the connecting element with a length and dimensional tolerance range that accommodates multiple component thickness variations. A single connecting element design can be used across different component pairings without requiring precise customization, achieving universality through carefully selected tolerance ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates built-in tolerance compensation in the connecting element design. The dimensional tolerances are predetermined to absorb thickness variations in component sections, cushioning against the effects of manufacturing variations before they affect connection quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A connecting element for forming a punch-riveted connection of at least two component sections is provided, wherein a foot section has at its free end a foot base with a basic shape which is cylindrical or at least approximated to the cylindrical shape. According to the invention, an annular circumferential elevated portion is formed in the foot section between the foot base and the shaft section.