# US 2018/0021883 A1 · Connecting element for producing a friction-welding connection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021883 A1 - Document ID: US20180021883A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/549,138 - Filed: 2016-02-03 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-05 - Assignees: EJOT GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Ejot GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: MARCO WERKMEISTER; MARIO MAIWALD; GERHARD DUBIEL; DANIEL SPINDLER; MARCO MIELISCH - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021883A1 ## CPC - B23K 20/1255: {Tools therefor, e.g. characterised by the shape of the probe} - B23K 20/127: {Friction stir welding involving a mechanical connection} - B23K 35/0255: {for use in welding (B23K35/0205 takes precedence)} - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract The invention relates to a connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) for producing a component connection (70) of two components (72, 74; 92) lying against each other by means of the connecting element (IO, 20, 30, 50), which is welded to the lower layer (74)—the base layer—by friction, wherein the connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) has a shaft (18), which has a shaft segment (14) and a head (12) having a flat surface (20) lying on the top side of the head for transmitting the axial force, wherein a drive cutout (22, 32) is introduced into the flat surface (20) in order to transmit a torque. The invention is characterized in that a continuous diameter increase starting at an ascent level (A) on the shaft segment (18) to the bottom side of the head results, wherein the distance from the ascent level (A) to a head bottom-side level (K), which has the greatest distance from the shaft end, is less than half the difference between the head outside diameter and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−Ds)/2 (D2) and greater than a quarter of the difference between the head outside diameter and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−Ds)/4 (D1). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-19. (canceled) ### Claim 20 Connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) for producing a component connection (70), comprising: two components (72, 73; 92) lying against each other by means of the connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) which is welded to the lower layer (74)—the base layer—by friction; wherein said connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) has a shaft (16) which has a shaft segment (14) and a head (12) having a flat surface (20) on the top side of the head for transmitting an axial force; wherein a drive cutout (22, 32) has been formed in the flat surface (20) in order to transmit a torque; a continuous diameter increase starting at an ascent level (A) on the shaft segment (16) to the bottom side of the head results; wherein the distance of the ascent level (A) from a head underside level (K) is at a maximum distance from the shaft end, is less than half the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/2 (D2) and greater than a quarter of the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/4 (D1). ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the slope (M1) at the ascent level (A) forms an angle (α1) of less than 80° with the normal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the first shaft segment (14) is cylindrical. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the depth (t) of the drive cutout (22, 32) is less than 30% of the radial extension (a) of the drive cut-out (22, 32). ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the edge region of the head (12) tapers off at an angle of between 85° and 95°, in particular 90°, relative to the axis of rotation of the connecting element (10, 30). ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the diameter increases according to a function, which—in the axial direction of the head—has a first slope (M1, α1) and a second slope (M2, α2) with respect to the normal relative to the axis of rotation (R), said second slope (M2, α2) being smaller than said first slope (M1, α1). ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) Connecting element according to claim 25 characterized in that the diameter increases according to a function, which—in the axial direction of the head (12)—has a first slope (M1, α1) and a second slope (M2, α2) and a third slope (M3, α3) with respect to the normal relative to the axis of rotation (R), said second slope (M2, α2) being smaller than said first slope (M1, α1) and said third slope (M3, α3) being smaller than said second slope (M2, α2). ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) Connecting element according to claim 26 characterized in that such increase occurs along a curvature whose radius is in particular larger than the distance of the point from the underside of the head. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) Connecting element according to claim 20 characterized in that the connecting element tapers conically at the end of the shaft, in particular at a taper angle of between 60° and 80°. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) Connecting element according to claim 28 characterized in that at the end of the shaft, a cylindrical segment (19) follows after the cone (18). ### Claim 30 Component connection (70), comprising: a base layer (74) and at least one top layer (72, 92, 46); connecting element (76) comprising a head (12) and a shaft (16); said connecting element (76) cohesively connects to said base layer (48, 74) via its front face; material from said top layer (72, 92, 46) at least partially surrounds the head (12) laterally above the level of said top layer (72, 92, 46). ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) Component connection (70) according to claim 30, characterized in that: said connecting element (76) comprises: two components (72, 73; 92) lying against each other by means of the connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) which is welded to the lower layer (74)—the base layer—by friction; wherein said connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) has a shaft (16) and a head (12), said shaft has a shaft segment (14) and said head (12) has a flat surface (20) on said top side for transmitting an axial force; a drive cutout (22, 32) formed in said flat surface (20) of said head in order to transmit a torque; a continuous diameter increase starting at an ascent level (A) on said shaft segment (16) to said bottom side of said head; and, wherein the distance of the ascent level (A) from a head underside level (K), which is at a maximum distance from the shaft end, is less than half the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/2 (D2) and greater than a quarter of the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/4 (D1). ### Claim 32 Setting tool (40) for producing a component connection (70), comprising: said component connection comprises: a base layer (74) and at least one top layer (72, 92, 46); connecting element (76) comprising a head (12) and a shaft (16); said connecting element (76) cohesively connects to said base layer (48, 74) via its front face; and, material from said top layer (72, 92, 46) at least partially surrounds the head (12) laterally above the level of said top layer (72, 92, 46); said setting tool (40) comprises a hold-down device (42, 80, 96) and a drive bit (44, 82), said drive bit (44, 82) has a flat base (54) on its front face, with raised drive structures (56) being provided on said base (54); and, said base (54) is surrounded by a raised border (60) which defines a cavity together with the internal diameter (D1) of the border. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) Setting tool according to claim 32 characterized in that said hold-down device (96) has a taper (98) on its front face. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) Setting tool according to claim 32 above characterized in that at least two suction bores (58) are provided in the base (54). ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) Setting tool according to claim 34 characterized in that said suction bores (58) are tangent to a radius (U) whose distance from the border (60) is at least 5% of the internal diameter (D1) of the border. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) Setting tool according to claim 34 characterized in that the border (60) has a taper on its front face. ### Claim 37 Connecting system, comprising: a setting tool, said setting tool comprises: a hold-down device (42, 80, 96) and a drive bit (44, 82), said drive bit (44, 82) has a flat base (54) on its front face, with raised drive structures (56) being provided on said base (54); and, said base (54) is surrounded by a raised border (60) which defines a cavity together with the internal diameter (D1) of the border; and, a connecting element, said connecting element comprises two components (72, 73; 92) lying against each other by means of the connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) which is welded to the lower layer (74)—the base layer—by friction; wherein the connecting element (10, 20, 30, 50) has a shaft (16) and a head; said shaft has a shaft segment (14); said head (12) having a flat surface (20) on the top side of said head for transmitting an axial force; a drive cutout (22, 32) formed in said flat surface (20) in order to transmit a torque, a continuous diameter increase starting at an ascent level (A) on said shaft segment (16) to the bottom side of said head; and wherein the distance of the ascent level (A) from a head underside level (K), which is at a maximum distance from the shaft end, is less than half the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/2 (D2) and greater than a quarter of the difference between the outside diameter of the head and the shaft diameter at the ascent level (DA−DS)/4 (D1), the internal diameter (D1) of the border is at least 10% larger than the diameter (DA) of the head of the connecting element. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) Connecting system according to claim 37 characterized in that the height (HU) of the border is larger than or equal to the maximum extension of the head in an axial direction.