Joints and connections – With fluid pressure responsive component
Patent
1998-08-05
2000-09-05
Melius, Terry Lee
Joints and connections
With fluid pressure responsive component
403 5, 403337, 296 29, F16B 204
Patent
active
061133000
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a modular unit with two components, a method for joining said components and an assembly device for said purpose.
2. Description of Prior Art
A prior art modular unit as shown, for example, in EP 0 405 889 A2has two wall panels of a railway freight car body which have joint surfaces which correspond to one another in pairs. For connection of the joint surfaces which fit together on the two components, there is a separate connecting element which is inserted between the components and has connection brackets which are adapted to the surfaces to be connected. The joint surfaces which correspond to one another thereby each lie in a common flat or curved plane, and are located at some distance from one another, which distance is then bridged by the connecting piece. The use of a separate connecting piece entails a corresponding effort and expense, whereby, on the connecting piece two independent joint connections are required for each pair of joint surfaces to be connected. The connecting piece is therefore defined so that it has a cross section in the shape of an H and is engaged with the free ends of its legs between parallel wall segments of the wall panels. The distance between the legs, which are to be inserted into a panel, must therefore be exactly adapted to the distance between the outside walls of the panel, which entails additional effort and expense. In addition, when gaps do occur between the joint surfaces, external clamping means must be used to bring the outer walls of the panel closer to the joint brackets on the connecting piece.
The object of the invention is to create a modular unit which has integrated joining accessories and can be assembled in a simple manner, and in which an assembly device which has a simple construction can be used to make the connection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention teaches that this object can be achieved by the features of the invention.
In one configuration of a modular unit, one component is engaged with a molded extension which is provided for joining purposes with at least one joint surface in a mating receptacle on the second component. The mating receptacle thereby has a joint surface which is flat and parallel to the joint surface of the extension inserted into it and, as a rule, initially faces it with some distance between them.
Corresponding to the joint surfaces, on the respective components, there are bearing surfaces which face one another when the components are inserted one into the other. The bearing surface on the component to be inserted is thereby on a wall of the component facing away from the corresponding joint surface, while the joint surface of the component provided with the mating receptacle is defined in the form of a component wall which faces the corresponding joint surface. The distance between the joint surface and the bearing surface on the component with the mating receptacle is greater than the distance between the joint surface and the bearing surface of the component which is provided with the extension. This distance varies, depending on the manufacturing tolerances of the components, between 1/2mm and several millimeters. A component constructed in this manner makes it possible to insert a pressure element between the bearing surfaces which causes a relative displacement of the components such that any gap which exists between the joint surfaces which are to be brought into contact with one another is eliminated altogether, or at least so that mechanical joint elements, e.g. BOM blind rivets, can be used for clamping purposes in the vicinity of the joint surfaces. The bearing force to be introduced between the bearing surfaces accordingly has a force component which is directed perpendicular to the joint surface. Such blind rivets can only be used if there are relatively narrow joint gaps of less than 1-2 mm between the joint surfaces. These blind rivets have the advantage, however, that they can be inserted blind, i.e. from one side.
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"Starre und gelenkige Verbindungen", Fugetechnik am Strangpressprofil:, A. Koewius--Teil 2, Jul. 1990, F+K p. 18, Jun. 1990, F+K p. 40.
Carstensen Hartmut
Klein Lothar
Bochna David E.
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Melius Terry Lee
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