Connecting element for plates or plate-shaped components, such as cardboard plates, plastic plates or plastic multi-wall plates or the like

A connecting element (1) for sheets or components (6, 6a) configured in sheet shape, such as cardboard sheets, plastic sheets, or plastic panels or the like, comprising a center section (2) preferably configured in tubular shape, a handle area (3), as well as a locking region (4), wherein the handle area (3) and the locking region (4) are mutually spaced at a distance A forming a receiving region, the handle area (3) projects in part, preferably fully, radially over the cross section Q of the center section (2) forming a radial projection, and the locking region (4) comprises a tab (9) which projects at least radially over the cross section Q of the center section (2), and the radial projection has at least one latching element preferably configured in wedge shape (8) on its side facing the locking region (4), and the connecting element (1) can be rotated from its insertion position into its locking position to make a connection between at least two sheets to be connected or at least two components (6, 6a) configured in sheet shape which are to be connected by means of a rotation around the center section (2) in locking direction (14) and can be rotated out of its locking position into its insertion position to release a connection between at least two connected sheets or at least two connected components (6, 6a) configured in sheet shape by means of a rotation in release direction (10) around the center section (2), wherein at least the tab (9) has an edge (20) facing in locking direction (14) and the section of the tab (9) adjacent to the edge (20) is configured as an insertion surface (22) aligned opposite, preferably transversely, to the handle area (3) that forms an insertion region of the height H with the corresponding part of the handle area (3), wherein the height H is greater than the distance A between the handle area (3) and the locking region (4) in the receiving region and the height H of the insertion region decreases from the edge (20) toward the receiving region.