Expansion dowel

An expansion dowel, comprising:

• an expansion sleeve (2, 22) formed as a single piece and radially expandable upon application of an axial force thereto, the expansion sleeve (2, 22) having a slot (5), extending through a sleeve wall only at one location along an entire axial length of the expansion sleeve (2, 22) at an acute angle (.alpha.) (8, 1) to an axis (A) of the expansion sleeve (2, 22), and the expansion sleeve (2, 22) extending in an axial direction in an unexpanded condition thereof so that a respective edge region (6, 7) of the slot extends beyond an end surface (8, 9) of the expansion sleeve (2, 22);
• and
• means (2, 52, 53;
• 51;
• 23, 24, 25, 26) for retaining the expansion sleeve (2, 22) in an axially compressed and radially expanded condition thereof,
• wherein the angle (.alpha.) is smaller than or equal to a critical angle at which self-locking takes place, wherein the critical angle is defined by an expression .alpha.=arctan (.mu. slide), where (.mu. slide) is a friction coefficient of sliding friction, and wherein the retaining means are formed by edge surfaces (52, 53) of the slot (5) sliding relative each other.