Joints and connections – Member deformed in situ – Deformation occurs simultaneously with assembly
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-07-24
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Member deformed in situ
Deformation occurs simultaneously with assembly
C411S048000, C411S041000, C411S371100, C024S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264393
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connection unit between a support and a plate element having an upper part, which is attachable to the plate element, and a lower part, which is connectable with a support. It finds particular application in conjunction with a connection unit between a body part of a motor vehicle and a face of a door or a wall of the vehicle and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other like applications.
Heretofore, a connection element such as one disclosed in European Patent EP 0 726 401 A1 includes two (2) flanges, having different elasticities, which are arranged above a circumferential elastic sealing lip. The two (2) flanges are inserted laterally into pockets of a contact region of the upper piece. When in a mounted position, a lower sealing lip acts upon the upper region of a support for establishing a substantially sealed connection.
A connection element such as one disclosed in German Patent DE 4 014 589 C1 includes an upper piece fastenable to a plate element, a middle piece, and a holding element. One drawback to this type of construction is that tolerance compensation, which is specifically required in the automotive industry, is only possible in the plane extending parallel to the support.
A connection element proposed in German Patent Application No. 197 53 678.6 includes an upper piece and a lower piece. A neck-shaped intermediate region, equipped with locking elements, is provided between the upper and lower pieces. The intermediate region penetrates into a support opening embeddable contact piece.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A connection unit, between a support, including a body part of a motor vehicle, and a plate element, including one of a door and a wall face, includes a connection element having an upper piece attachable to the plate element and a lower piece connectable with the support. A neck-shaped intermediate zone is included between the upper piece and the lower piece. Locking elements are located along the intermediate zone and penetrate into a support opening of an embeddable contact piece. A casing part surrounds the intermediate zone above the support. The casing part is lockable with the locking elements and the contact piece. A sealing element is included between the casing part and the embeddable contact piece for engaging a surface of the support.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the casing part includes a jacket region. An inside surface of the jacket region includes counter stops for engaging the locking elements of the intermediate zone.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a portion of the casing part below the jacket region includes a flange. The flange covers at least a portion of the sealing element.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, the contact piece includes at least two resilient stop strips, the stop strips extend through, and are secured behind, openings of the flange when the connection unit is in a mounted position.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, each of the stop strips is arranged across from another one of the stop strips.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the contact piece includes a disc region. An outside portion of the disc region is connected with the stop strips. An inside portion of the disc region includes a casing region extending through the support opening.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, at least a partial length of the intermediate zone extends through the casing region. The casing region is lockable with the intermediate zone.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, the casing region includes a plurality of resilient contact tongues. An inside portion of each of the tongues is embeddable in counter stops positioned axially along the intermediate region.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, each of the contact tongues includes a conically tapering shape.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the sealing element includes openings. The stop strips extend through the sealing element openings. The sealing element includes a circumferential bulge clamped between a convex terminal edge of the flange and an outside surface of the respective stop strip.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, an outer surface of the sealing element includes a sealing lip for engaging the support. An inner surface of the sealing element includes a sealing plate clamped between an underside of the flange and a surface of the disc region.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, a surface of the sealing plate includes a terminal ring. An exterior surface of the terminal ring engages an interior surface of the casing region.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, the terminal ring includes a funnel opening for accepting the intermediate region.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the locking elements are positioned along strips of the intermediate region.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the jacket region includes a plurality of external ribs.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, at least one surface of the terminal ring includes at least one rib.
One advantage of the present invention is that simple pre-mounting is possible with respect to inserting the connection unit into the support, whereby an improved seal is obtained after the installation is completed.
Another advantage of the present invention is that significant improvements with respect to the sealing effect of the entire connection unit is obtained by the casing component.
Another advantage of the present invention is that possible mechanical effects upon the sealing element are avoided after the installation of the connection unit is achieved.
Another advantage of the present invention is that locking elements provide a secure connection between the contact piece and the casing component.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
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Browne Lynne H.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
Walsh John B.
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