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US 7,401,394 B1Granted
Method of attaching a fastener element to a metal panel
AssigneeProfil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
InventorRudolf Müller
Life of this patent
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AssigneeProfil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
InventorRudolf Müller
Estimating the term…
In a method for inserting a bolt element (10) having a head portion (12) and a shaft portion (16) into a sheet metal component (52) the bolt element is passed through the sheet metal component by means of a setting head (38), with its end (100) remote from the head portion at the front, and is riveted to the sheet metal component (52) in the region of its head portion (12) by the cooperation of the setting head with a die (54) arranged at the side of the sheet metal component remote from the setting head (38). The sheet metal component (52) is pierced either by a hole punch or by the specially shaped bolt element (10), by the end of the shaft portion (16) remote from the head portion (12) under the action of the setting head (38), to form a ring collar which is subsequently deformed radially into contact with a groove in the shaft portion. In this arrangement the end (100) of the bolt element (10) which performs the punching work is preferably executed in accordance with the Ka shape of DIN 78.
Method of joining a in the form of a bolt element, fastener element (10), having a head portion (12), a recess (20) under said head portion, a shaft portion (16) and at least one radial groove formed as a thread around the shaft portion, to a sheet metal component (52) by forming a hole in said sheet metal component in such a way that a collar (120) of material is formed at the side of the sheet metal component remote from the head portion of said fastener element, with the material of said collar (120) being subsequently deformed radially inwardly into said radial groove (28) by a die button, wherein a die button is used having a ring-shaped projection provided at its end face surrounding a tapered recess (112) and having sloping flanks (222,226) for pressing said sheet metal component upwardly into said recess (20) provided under said head portion (12) of said fastener element (10) and radially inwardly towards said shaft portion (16) into said radial groove (28) in the transition from said head portion (12) to said shaft portion (16).
A method of attaching a fastener element in the form of a bolt element to a plastically deformable metal panel, said fastener element including a shank portion and an integral head portion extending radially from one end of said shank portion, and said shank portion including a radial groove formed as a thread around the shank portion generally adjacent said head portion, said method comprising the following steps:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.