Snap Connection Fastening for Vehicle Panel Assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for processing and treating vehicle paneling parts and their attachments separately result in increased complexity and cost due to the need for additional securing aids, higher consumption of treatment mediums, and longer assembly times, particularly in maintaining color consistency during painting.
Innovation Solution
A snap connection fastening system with pre-locking and final locking stages integrated into the vehicle paneling part or add-on part, allowing for simultaneous processing and painting without additional securing aids, using extensions with ribs for easy insertion and locking, and adjustment ribs for precise positioning and final locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate processing and treatment of vehicle paneling parts and attachments are used, then assembly flexibility is maintained, but device complexity and treatment medium consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vehicle paneling part and attachment into a single processing unit using a snap connection system. The attachment can be pre-locked to the paneling part before painting, allowing both components to be treated simultaneously in the same painting process, thereby reducing device complexity and treatment medium consumption while maintaining assembly flexibility through the reversible snap connection mechanism
2Manufacturing precision
If separate processing of attachments and paneling parts is performed, then painting consistency is easier to maintain, but assembly time and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The snap connection system enables preliminary locking of the attachment to the paneling part before the painting process. This allows both components to be positioned and secured in advance, then painted together in a single operation, and finally assembled permanently after painting. This eliminates the need for multiple separate painting operations while maintaining color consistency, significantly reducing assembly time and production cost
3Reliability
If additional securing aids are used for pre-locking, then locking reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The snap connection system is integrated directly into the attachment and paneling part structures themselves. The attachment includes snap hooks that engage with corresponding features on the paneling part, creating a self-contained pre-locking mechanism. This eliminates the need for separate external securing aids while maintaining reliable temporary fixation during the painting process, reducing device complexity and cost
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement for processing and/or treating a vehicle body panel (1) together with an attachment (2), in which the parts (1, 2) are aligned with each other prior to processing and/or treatment and pre-locked at a distance from each other by means of fasteners, and can then be processed and/or treated together, and are locked together in their final position after processing and/or treatment. For easy and quick pre-locking and final locking, without the need for additional securing devices, it is proposed that the fasteners be designed as a snap connection with a pre-locking and a final locking mechanism and be integrally formed with the vehicle body panel (1) and/or the attachment (2).