EP2612041A1

EP2612041A1 - Cage nut

Info

Publication number: EP2612041A1
Application number: EP11782539.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Thorsten Schraer
Original assignee: Ruia Global Fasteners AG
Current assignee: Ruia Global Fasteners AG
Priority date: 2010-08-31
Filing date: 2011-08-31
Publication date: 2013-07-10
Also published as: US9121431B2; US20150345536A1; DE202010012019U1; DE112011104226A5; CA2883732A1; BR112013002470A2; AU2011316249A1; JP2013536384A; WO2012048686A1; CA2806627A1; US20130156526A1; CN103080570A; MX2013002346A; KR20130057456A

Abstract

The invention relates to a cage nut (10) for installing in an elongated, preferably rectangular opening (12) accessible only from one side, comprising a nut body (16) having a cylindrical female-thread carrier (20) having a female thread (22) and a counter-bearing part (24) attached thereto and a cage (18) that encompasses the nut body (16), wherein: the counter-bearing part (24) is adapted to the shape of the opening (12) and has a somewhat smaller width and a somewhat smaller length than the opening (12), wherein, however, the length of the counter-bearing part (24) is significantly larger than the width of the opening (12); the cage (18) is resilient and adapted to the shape of the opening (12) in such a way that the cage can be clipped into the opening (12); and the cage (18) bears stop elements (38), which permit only a rotation of the counter-bearing part (24) relative to the cage (18) in the screw-in direction of the female thread (22) from an installation position parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cage (18) into a retaining position approximately perpendicular thereto.

Description

Käfigmutter

Technisches GebietTechnical area

The present invention relates to a cage nut for mounting in an accessible only from one side, elongated, preferably rectangular opening with a nut body with a cylindrical internal thread carrier with an internal thread and an attached abutment part and a nut body enclosing the cage.

Stand der TechnikState of the art

For so-called "blind applications", ie applications in which the mounting point is accessible only from one side, such as large sheets, profile tubes, body parts or similar sheet metal parts, so-called "blind rivet nuts" have been used to such a part in a nut thread contribute. These blind rivet nuts (also referred to as BNM) are set with a special processing tool by creating a so-called "locking head" by crimping the blind rivet nuts, which fixes the nut. Since the corresponding blind rivet nuts per se and in particular the formed closing head are relatively soft, blind rivet nuts could in the past only be used to fasten light or subordinate components. The "high-strength blind rivet nut" developed by Avdel was the first blind rivet nut which, due to its higher thread strength, also allowed structural connections with higher preload forces.
Even with these high-strength blind rivet nuts, the problem relatively quickly arose that screws with a strength of 10.9 or higher, which are to be screwed into the yield point, generate such high prestressing forces that the closing head begins to settle or in the course of screw assembly to deform. In the worst case, this led to shearing of the closing head, so the destruction of the blind rivet nut, which then had to be replaced. In any case, the subsequent setting / deformation led to a significantly lower preload force, in comparison to the specifications by the defined torque and Drehwinkelverschraubung. Namely, the additional rotation angle caused the BNM to be set / deformed rather than the desired increase in the biasing force. Due to this setting or deformation, the industry regularly has problems, even with high-strength rivet nuts to achieve the defined Verschraubungskurven and so for example to monitor the proper installation of tie rods on vehicles.
Another known from the prior art way to provide sheet metal parts with internal threads are called cage nuts. For the installation of cage nuts but it was required in the prior art that either the back of the part is accessible, or that additional auxiliary holes for lateral insertion of the cage nut are required, as in the so-called "C-clips" of the prior Technology is needed. Such a cage nut designed as a clip is known, for example, from EP 703 021 B1, which should form the closest prior art to the present invention.

Darstellung der ErfindungPresentation of the invention

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a way to introduce an internal thread in a single-sided accessible opening of a sheet metal component without additional auxiliary openings (as in the C-clips) are necessary, and without the biasing force limitations of blind rivet nuts of the prior art ,
The object of the present invention is achieved by a cage nut, which is suitable for mounting in only one side accessible from the elongated opening by this cage nut has an abutment part which is adapted to the shape of the opening, and a slightly smaller width and However, the length of the abutment part is significantly greater than the width of the opening, the cage is resilient and adapted to the shape of the opening in such a way that it can be clipped into the opening, and the Cage carries stop elements which allow only a rotation of the abutment member relative to the cage in the screwing of the internal thread from a mounting position parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cage in a holding position approximately perpendicular thereto.
Preferably, the stop elements are designed so that they hold the nut body floating in the mounting position in the cage. In this way it is ensured that the nut body is also held during transport and during processing and when clipping in the mounting position.
Further, it is preferable to provide the internal thread in the remote from the Einschraubseite area with a thread lock (clamp). This ensures that the nut body is rotated in any case in good time before the conclusion of the screwing from the mounting position to the holding position, as is enforced by the clamping sufficient torque transmission between the screw and the nut body, which causes the rotation of the nut body by 90 ° ,
It is further preferred that the cage is designed so that it exerts a spring force on the nut body in the direction of the opening. In this way, the nut body is held even more secure in the mounting position, so that accidental premature twisting during transport or Einclipsens can be excluded.
A particularly preferred construction results when on the nut body an annular abutment surface for spring elements of the cage is arranged, and this abutment surface is provided in such a form with cams or a wave profile, that the cams or the raised portions of the wave profile with the spring elements of the cage Intervention come when the nut body leaves its floating mounting position in the cage. In this way it can be ensured that the nut body securely engages from the mounting position into the holding position.
A further particularly preferred construction results when the stop elements rest on an annular abutment, which is arranged in the nut body coaxial with the internal thread on the side facing the opening, and this abutment has recesses for receiving the stop elements, which are arranged so that the stop elements are received in the holding position therein. In this way, it is excluded that the nut body can be rotated during assembly beyond the holding position out again into a new mounting position.
It is particularly preferred in this case if the transition from the abutment into the recesses in the direction of twisting is designed as a bevel. By this way, a smooth transition is ensured in the holding position and it can be compensated for different sheet thicknesses.
It is further preferred that the transition from the recesses into the abutment is designed as a stop surface running parallel to the axis of rotation of the internal thread. In this way, a "over-turning" of the nut body in a new mounting position can be safely excluded.
Another particularly easy to manufacture embodiment of the present invention results when the blind side of the cage a plastic part is placed with a central opening on the cylindrical internal thread carrier, which has resilient arms extending beyond a blind side surface of the cage on the level of the Extend the abutment parts and hold this floating in the mounting position.
It is particularly preferred if the plastic part is provided with a collar which extends in the direction of the blind side and concentrically surrounds the cylindrical inner thread carrier.
Finally, it is particularly preferred if the blind-side surface of the cage and the plastic part have similar dimensions as the abutment part and the arms are each arranged in the screwing of the internal thread diagonally in the vicinity of the corners of the plastic part, while the stop members are respectively arranged opposite the arms ,
The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings. It shows:

Kurze Beschreibung der Abbildungen der ZeichnungenBrief description of the drawings

1 shows a cage nut according to the invention introduced into an opening in a sheet and already in the holding position;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the cage nut according to the invention of Figure 1 cut parallel in the mounting position to the axis of rotation of the internal thread;
3 shows the cage nut according to the invention of Figure 1 in the assembled position.
Figure 4 shows various modified embodiments of the cage nut according to the invention;
Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional representation of an embodiment of a nut body according to the invention;
Figure 6 shows a section through the axis of rotation of the internal thread and parallel to the long edges of the nut body of Figure 5;
Figure 7 shows the embodiment of Figure 5 from above;
Figure 8 shows a sectional view of the embodiment of Figure 5 cut through the axis of rotation of the internal thread and parallel to the short edges of the nut body;
Figure 9 is a three-dimensional view of the cage associated with the nut body shown in Figure 5;
Figure 10 shows a sectional view through the cage of Figure 9 seen from the long side;
Figure 11 shows the cage of Figure 9 seen from the short side;
FIG. 12 shows the cage of FIG. 9 from above;
FIG. 13 shows the cage nut assembled from the parts according to FIG. 9 and FIG. 5 as a three-dimensional representation obliquely from above into the assembly position;
FIG. 14 shows the assembled cage nut of FIG. 13 seen from the long side;
FIG. 15 shows the assembled cage nut of FIG. 13 from above;
FIG. 16 shows the assembled cage nut of FIG. 13 seen from the short side
Figure 17 shows a further particularly preferred embodiment of the cage nut according to the invention in the assembled position in a three-dimensional view;
Figure 18 is a exploded perspective view of the cage nut of Figure 17 from below;
Figure 19 is a perspective exploded view of the cage nut of Figure 17 obliquely from above;
FIG. 20 shows the cage nut of FIG. 17 in the assembly position from below;
FIG. 21 shows the cage nut of FIG. 17 in the assembled position from the side, partly along the axis of rotation of the internal thread;
FIG. 22 shows the cage nut of FIG. 17 in the assembly position from above;
FIG. 23 shows the cage nut of FIG. 17 mounted in a suitable opening from the side; and
FIG. 24 shows the cage nut of FIG. 17 mounted in a suitable opening, seen in the assembly position from the blind side.

Weg(e) zur Ausführung der ErfindungWay (s) for carrying out the invention

Figure 1 shows a cage nut 10 according to the invention, which is already used here in an opening 12 in a plate 14, and is already in the holding position. The corresponding screw, which is screwed into the nut, is not shown for clarity.
The illustrated cage nut 10 according to the invention comprises a nut body 16, which is enclosed by a cage 18. The nut body 16 includes a cylindrical internal thread carrier 20 having an internal thread 22 and an abutment portion 24, which has the shape of an obliquely beveled at the corners elongated rectangle, and developed from the sheet-side end of the internal thread carrier 20. The cage 18 consists of a thin sheet of spring steel and has an elongated rectangular base plate 26, wherein the shape of the base plate 26 corresponds approximately to the shape of the abutment portion 24 and wherein the dimensions of the opening 12 are selected to be slightly larger than the dimensions of Abutment parts 24 and the base plate 26th
In each case in the middle of the two short sides of the base plate 26, two bent resilient arms 28 close. The arms 28 are first obliquely outward away from the plate 14 and then slightly inclined inwardly away from the plate 14 away. At the height of the end facing away from the sheet 14 of the internal thread carrier 20, the arms 28 engage over the internal thread carrier 20 partially.
At its end facing away from the plate 14, the internal thread carrier 20 has an annular abutment surface 30 which are respectively provided at the locations where it comes closest to one side of the abutment part 24, with cams 32 which are bulged upward. The arms 28 of the cage 18 are provided with corresponding bulges 34, so that they can lock with the cam 32. The cams 32 are therefore arranged at a distance of 90 °. Both in the assembly and in the holding position, in each case two opposing cams 32 are covered by the arms 28.
Figure 2 shows the cage nut according to the invention 10 of Figure 1 in the assembled position and along the axis of rotation of the internal thread 22 cut seen from the sheet side. Here, the opening 36 for the passage of a mounting screw is clearly visible, which is arranged in the base plate 26 of the cage 18. Opposite the starting points of the arms 28 36 stop members 38 are formed at the edge of the opening, which are bent starting from the base plate 26 of the cage 18 of the sheet side away vertically upwards. In the assembly position shown here, that is, when the longitudinal directions of the base plate 26 of the cage 18 and the abutment member 24 of the nut body 16 match, run the stop elements 38 on an annular guide rail 40 which coaxially around the internal thread 22 around at the sheet-side end of the internal thread 22nd extends. Opposite the sheet-side surface 42 of the abutment part 24, this guideway is offset from the plane of the sheet 14 away. The guideway 40 is provided with two recesses 44 which receive the stop members 38 when the cage nut 10 is in the holding position. Because of the sectional view, only one recess 44 is shown here. The further recess, not shown, is formed point-symmetrically to the axis of rotation of the internal thread 22.
The transition from the guideway 40 into the recess 44 is formed as a slope 46, so that a sliding transition from the mounting in the holding position of the nut 10 is possible. The transition from the recess 44 back into the guideway 40 is designed as a parallel to the axis of rotation of the internal thread 22 extending stop surface 48. In this way, a "over-turning" of the nut body 16 is reliably prevented from the holding position back to the mounting position. Furthermore, the stop surface 48 may be formed so that it interrupts the entire guideway, and extends to the sheet-side surface 42 of the abutment portion 24. This can prevent that the cage nut 10 according to the invention is rotated against the screwing from the mounting position to the holding position during the transport or assembly before it has ever been mounted.
FIG. 3 shows the cage nut 10 according to the invention again from the viewing direction of FIG. 1, but in the assembled position. The comparison of Figures 1 and 3 therefore allows the description of the assembly and Verschraubungsvorgangs in detail.
The cage nut 10 is delivered in the assembled state shown in FIG. In this state, the longitudinal sides of abutment part 24 and base plate 26 of the cage 18 are arranged parallel to each other. As a result, the nut body is held by the stop members 38 floating over the base plate 26. The illustrated in Figure 1 small cam 32 on the annular abutment surface 30 are located under the corresponding recesses 34 of the spring arms 28. As a result, the nut body 16 is held in this position reasonably rotationally fixed, so that unintentional rotation of the nut body 16 against the cage 18 during transport or the mounting is largely avoided.
In Figure 2 it can be clearly seen how in this position, the nut body 16 by the stop members 38 which are supported on the guideway 40, suspended against the spring force of the spring arms 28 of the cage 18, that is, there is a defined distance between the base plate 26 of the cage 18 and the sheet-side surface 42 of the abutment part 24 of the nut body 16th
In this state, the cage nut 10 according to the invention is clipped into a suitable opening 12, for example in a metal sheet 14. By the spring force of the cage 18, the cage nut 10 is held in the opening 12.
Then, a screw can be screwed into the internal thread 22. In order to ensure a safe transition from the mounting to the holding position of the nut, the internal thread 22 is provided in the remote from the Einschraubseite area with a thread lock (clamping).
In order to ensure that the nut body 16 is also held in the holding position, the enlarged retaining cams 32 ', which are clearly visible in FIG. 3, are additionally provided. These are designed so that they also ensure a sufficient spring preload by the spring arms 28 of the cage 18 on the nut body 16 when it has been moved to sink the stop members 38 into the recesses 44 on the plate 14. By this enlarged cam 32 'is also ensured that the nut body 16 can not be rotated beyond the holding position out again in a new mounting position, as has been ensured by the tracking of the spring bias that the stop elements 38 abut against the stop surface 48 safe.
Figure 4 shows further embodiments for embodiments of the invention the spring arms 28 of the cage 18. These can either, as already shown in Figures 1-3, attack at the end remote from the sheet 14 end of the internal thread carrier 20, wherein the respective engagement surfaces 30b, 30c either smooth or may be formed with an undercut 50 for securing the spring arms 28.
An alternative construction shows the support of the spring arms 28 on the holding part 24 of the nut body 16. Again, an undercut 52 may be provided for better support of the spring arms 28.
In the following figures 5 to 16, an embodiment of a cage nut according to the invention is shown in detailed workshop drawings.
The same reference numerals refer to the same elements as described above.
Figure 5 shows a three-dimensional spatial representation of the corresponding nut body 16, in which case the crosswise arrangement of the cams 32 and 32 'and their different size is very clearly visible.
FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the nut body of FIG. 5 cut parallel to the long side of the nut body 16 through the axis of rotation of the internal thread 22.
In this case, the recess 44 for locking the stop elements 38 in the holding position can be seen particularly clearly.
FIG. 7 shows the nut body 16 of FIG. 5 from above. Again, the crosswise arrangement and the different size of the cams 32 and 32 'again very clearly visible.
FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the nut body 16 of FIG. 5 cut parallel to the short side of the nut body 16 through the axis of rotation of the internal thread 22.
Figure 9 shows a matching to the embodiment of the nut body according to Figure 5 cage 18 in three-dimensional representation. Particularly well here is the formation of the spring arms 28 with the recesses 34 for locking the retaining cams 32, 32 'and the formation of the stop elements 38 to recognize.
Figure 10 shows the cage of Figure 9 seen from the long side.
Figure 11 shows the cage 18 of Figure 5 seen from the short side.
FIG. 12 shows the cage 18 of FIG. 9 from above.
Figure 13 shows the assembly of the nut body 16 with the cage 18 to the cage nut 10 of the invention in a three-dimensional view obliquely from above and in the assembled position, ie in the form of how the cage nut 10 according to the invention is supplied and inserted into a corresponding recess in a sheet.
FIG. 14 shows the cage nut 10 according to the invention in the assembled state seen from the long side, it can be seen particularly clearly how the nut body 16 "floats" between the stop elements 38 and the smaller cams 32 latched in the recesses 34 of the spring arms 28 is held. Here is also very nice to recognize the much larger version of the enlarged cam 32 '.
Figure 15 shows the cage nut 10 according to the invention in the assembled state and mounting position seen from above. Again, education and arrangement of the cams 32, 32 'can be seen well again.
Figure 16 shows the assembled cage nut 10 according to the invention seen from the short side also in the assembled position.
According to the invention, a cage nut is created for the first time especially for one-sided access. In contrast to cage nuts according to the prior art, the cage nut according to the invention can be inserted directly into a rectangular hole in a metal sheet or a tube profile. No auxiliary holes are required for lateral insertion of the cage, as is necessary with the so-called C-clips of the prior art. According to the invention, the cage 18 itself is first clipped directly into the hole and automatically fixed in the cage via an undercut. The nut body 16 rests on two stopper members 38, which develop from the base plate 26 of the cage 18. The two spring arms 28 have two tasks: on the one hand the generation of a spring action / bias to allow the Einclipsen of the cage 18 in the rectangular hole 12 in the plate 14, on the other hand, the hold down / depression of the nut body 16 with a spring force, so that this rests on the stop elements 38, even if a corresponding counterforce is generated by the insertion / depression of a screw for screwing.
The internal thread 22 of the nut body 16 is advantageously provided with a thread lock (clamping) in the area facing away from the sheet, to which the screw can be screwed without much resistance from the bottom. As soon as the screw runs against the clamp, the nut body 16 rotates against the cage 18 and the sheet metal 14. Since the nut body 16 sits only on the two stop elements 38 of the cage 18 designed as sheet metal tabs, the nut body can easily be turned. After being rotated by 90 °, the two stop elements 38 engage in the rectangular recess 44 below the internal thread 22. As soon as the stop elements 38 engage in the recess 44, the spring force of the spring arms 28 presses the nut body 16 down to the plate 14. At the same time a further rotation of the nut body 16 is stopped, since the stop elements 38 run in the recess 44 against the edge 48 and lock there or by this edge 48 further rotation is blocked. To ensure that even when lowering the nut body 16 still enough spring force of the spring arms 28 of the cage 18 acts on the nut body 16, the nut body 16 in the upper part of a kind cam 32 ', which compensate for the difference in height when descending on the plate. After blocking the nut body 16 on the stop elements 38, the screw can now be screwed against the clamp / fuse until the set tightening torque is reached. Since the abutment portion 24 has a support surface which is so large that the maximum surface pressure of the sheet 14, which may for example consist of aluminum, is not exceeded, the cage nut according to the invention operates as a normal screw-nut connection, but with the advantage of a simple Clip-in assembly even with only one-sided access.
FIGS. 17 to 24 show a particularly economical embodiment of the cage nut 110 according to the invention.
Figure 17 shows this cage nut 110 obliquely from above, that is seen from the blind side. This embodiment of the cage nut has a nut body 116 which is enclosed by a cage 118. Again, the nut body 116 includes a cylindrical internal thread carrier 120 having an internal thread 122 and an abutment portion 124, which has the shape of an elongated rectangle rounded at the corners, and which develops from the workpiece side end of the internal thread carrier 120. The cage 118 consists of a thin sheet of spring steel and has an elongated rectangular base plate 126, wherein the shape of the base plate 126 corresponds approximately to the shape of the abutment portion 124. The two narrow sides of the rectangular base plate 126 are followed by curved spring elements 127, which extend in the direction away from the blind side, have a slight recess 129 and an end stop 131 with which the cage 118 is clipped into a suitable opening of corresponding size in a workpiece can be.
Furthermore, a stop element 138 is attached to the longitudinal sides of the base plate 126, which also extends away from the blind side. The two stop elements 138 are diagonally opposite each other and mounted opposite to the diagonal, in which the nut body 116 would move when screwing a screw into the internal thread 122. In the present case, the embodiment is shown for a right-hand thread as internal thread 122, in a left-hand thread, the embodiment would be a mirror image.
The stop elements 138 serve both to prevent the nut body 116 from being rotated in the wrong direction, for example when a screw is to be unscrewed again, and as stop elements in the screwing-in direction, so that the nut body 116 when screwing in a screw is approximately 90 ° relative to the assembly position abuts against these stop elements 138 and so stops.
In this embodiment too, the designer sees himself confronted with the problem that the nut body must be held in the assembly position "floating" above the plane of the workpiece. This is effected in this embodiment by a likewise rectangular plastic part 160, which has approximately the dimensions of the abutment portion 124 and the base plate 126 of the cage 118, wherein the shorter in the longitudinal direction may be performed. This plastic part 160 is placed directly on the blind-side surface of the base plate 126. For this to be possible, it has a passage opening through which the internal thread carrier 120 passes. To improve the retention of the plastic part 160 on the internal thread carrier 120, a collar 164 arranged coaxially with the internal thread carrier 120 may extend on the plastic part 160 in the direction of the blind side, as shown here. The attachment of the plastic part 160 to the internal thread carrier 120 can be done either via a press fit (mediated by the elasticity of the plastic of the plastic part 160) of the internal thread at the passage opening 162 or additionally on the collar 164.
Shown here is a reinforced attachment by pressing, recognizable are the corresponding deformations 166 on the internal thread carrier 120, by which slipping of the plastic part 160 is excluded from the internal thread carrier 120. In order to hold the nut body 116, the plastic part 160 is provided with arms 168, which are formed elastically and the base plate 126 completely and the abutment part 124 partially embrace. In order to improve the elastic deformability of the arms 168, they may be partially separated from the plastic part 160 by means of a wedge-shaped cut 170. Further, in the base plate 126, a recess 172 may be provided for each of the arms 168.
The spring elements 127 on each of the longitudinal sides of the base plate 126 may, as shown here, be formed only near the corners of the base plate 126 and separated by a recess 133, however, depending on the size of the corresponding cage nut and the desired spring force for clipping Also, a continuous sheet can be used, which extends over the entire narrow side without recess.
The execution of the individual components plastic part 160, cage 118 and nut body 116 is even better apparent in the exploded views of Figures 18 and 19. Figure 18 shows the exploded view obliquely from below, that is seen from the Einschraubseite ago. From bottom to top of the nut body 116 with the internal thread 122 and the internal thread carrier 120 can be clearly seen. From the page shown here, a suitable screw can be screwed into the internal thread 122 after installation. Very nice here is recognizable, as in the embodiment shown here, not only the edges of the base plate 124 are executed rounded, but, as here to achieve a better space utilization in the cage 118, the narrow sides of the rectangular abutment portion 124 are circular arc rounded. At the top, the cage 118 is shown next, in this figure, the recesses 172 for the arms 168 and the passage opening 174 through the base plate 126 of the cage 118 are outstandingly recognizable. Through the circular opening 174 extends in the mounted state of the internal thread carrier 120 with a corresponding game.
Still further above, the plastic part 160 is shown, in which case the opening 162 for receiving the internal thread carrier 120 and the arms 168 with the wedge-shaped recesses 170 arranged next to it are particularly clearly visible.
Figure 19 represents the same exploded view, but this time obliquely from above, that is seen obliquely from the blind side. Again, from bottom to top nut body 116, cage 118 and plastic part 160 are shown. Particularly well here is also the opening 174 in the base plate 126 of the cage 118 to the passage of the internal thread carrier 120 and the recess 172 for the arms 168 of the plastic part 160 to recognize. In the illustration of the plastic part 160, only one of the arms 168 with the wedge-shaped recess 170 and the collar 164 can be seen in this case. Again, the circular arc-shaped rounding of the narrow sides of the abutment portion 124 of the nut body 116 is clearly visible.
Figure 20 shows the preferred embodiment of the cage nut 110 seen from the Einschraubseite. Here also the circular arc-shaped rounding of the narrow sides of the abutment portion 124 of the nut body 116 is clearly visible.
Figure 21 shows the further embodiment of the cage nut 110 according to the invention from the side and partially cut along the axis of rotation of the internal thread 122. Here is particularly well seen how the base plate 126 of the cage 118 is received between the plastic part 160 and the abutment part 124 of the nut body 116, while the collar 164 of the plastic part 160 forms a press fit with the internal thread carrier 120.
FIG. 22 shows the further embodiment of the cage nut 110 according to the invention from the blind side. Here are the arms 168 and their recesses 170 are particularly well recognized.
Finally, FIG. 23 shows how the further embodiment of the cage nut 110 is inserted into a corresponding opening 112 in a workpiece 114. Here it is particularly easy to see how the stop ends 131 of the clips 127 come to rest on the workpiece, while the undercut 129 of the clips 127 hold the cage nut 110 in a defined position. It can also be clearly seen how here the abutment part 124 is held in a floating manner above the plane of the workpiece 114 by the arms 168 and the stops 138.
FIG. 24 shows the illustration of FIG. 23 from the blind side. Here, the opening 112 to be provided for mounting the cage nut 110 can be seen particularly well in the workpiece 114.
Starting from the mounting state shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, when screwing a screw into the internal thread 122, the following happens:
By screwing the nut body 116 is on the one hand drawn to the plane of the workpiece 114, and on the other hand exposed to torque. As a result, the arms 168 deviate, the nut body is rotated by 90 ° in the screwing-in direction until it comes into contact with its longitudinal side against the narrow edge of the stop elements 138. Thus, the nut body 116 is then in the holding position in which it rests with a large part of its base on the workpiece 114 outside the opening 112, and thus forms a reliable abutment for the screw, in which an excessively high load on the workpiece 114 is avoided, since a sufficient area for deriving the forces is available.
A loosening of the screw is again easily possible, since then the nut body, as soon as the Verschraubungskräfte subside, is rotated back into the mounting position until it comes back into abutment with the broad sides of the stop elements 138, whereby the cage nut is back in the mounting position. The arms 168 may snap in again and the nut could even be removed again by squeezing the clip 127 out of the opening.
The present invention therefore has the following advantages:
The cage nut 10, 110 according to the invention can be clipped directly into a punched, rectangular hole. For this assembly, no tools or tools are needed and the assembly is also easily possible with just one hand. The cage nut according to the invention can not fall like a "C-clip" nut when inserted through the auxiliary hole on the blind side and thus "disappear".
The cage nut 10, 110 according to the invention can be used for various sheet thicknesses by appropriate design of the cage 18, 118. Furthermore, there is a smooth bearing surface for the component to be mounted, and not a curved surface as in the "C-clip" nut. This results in a lower setting of the connection.
The locking of the cage nut 10, 110 according to the invention is advantageously carried out automatically by the insertion and screwing of the screw.
Finally, in the present invention, the support surface of the abutment part 24, 124 are made so large, so that sheets of light metal (for example, aluminum) bear the surface pressure in over-elastic screw assembly.

Claims

A cage nut (10; 110) for mounting in an elongated preferably rectangular opening (12; 112) accessible only from one side, comprising a nut body (16; 116) with a cylindrical internal thread carrier (20; 120) with an internal thread (22; 122) and attached thereto, the abutment member (24; 124) and the nut body (16; 116) surrounds the cage (18; 118), d a d u r c hg e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a s s - the abutment member (24; 124) to the shape of the opening (12 112) and has a slightly smaller width and a slightly shorter length than the opening (12; 112), but the length of the abutment part (24; 124) is significantly greater than the width of the opening (12; ); - The cage (18; 118) is resilient, and in such a manner adapted to the shape of the opening (12; 112) that it can be clipped into the opening (12; 112) and - the cage (18; 118) stop elements (38; 138) which merely rotates the abutment part (24; 124) relative to the cage (18; 118) in the screwing-in direction of the internal thread (22; 122) from an assembly position parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cage (18; 118) Allow hold approximately perpendicular to it.
Cage nut (10) according to claim 1, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c e t, d a s s the stop elements (38) are integrally formed so hn, that they hold the nut body (16) in the assembly position in the cage (18) floating.
Cage nut (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the internal thread (22) is provided with a thread lock (clamping) in the region remote from the screw-in side.
The cage nut (10) of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said cage (18) is configured to exert a spring force on said nut body (16) toward said opening (12).
Cage nut (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that on the nut body (16) an annular abutment surface (30) for spring elements (28) of the cage (18) is arranged, and this abutment surface with cams (32 ') or a wave profile is provided, that the cams (32) or the raised portions of the corrugated profile engage the spring elements (28) of the cage at exactly the same time as the nut body (16) leaves its floating mounting position in the cage (18).
Cage nut according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the stop elements (38) rest on an annular abutment (40) which in the nut body (16) coaxial with the internal thread (22) on the opening (12) facing Side (42) is arranged, and this abutment (40) has recesses (44) for receiving the stop elements (38) which are arranged so that the stop elements (38) are received in the holding position therein.
Cage nut according to claim 6, characterized in that the transition from the abutment (40) in the recesses (44) in the direction of rotation as a bevel (46) is formed.
Cage nut according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the transition from the recesses (44) into the abutment (40) is designed as a stop face (48) running parallel to the axis of rotation of the internal thread (22).
Caged nut (110) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the blind side of the cage (118) a plastic part (160) having a central opening (162) on the cylindrical internal thread carrier (120) is mounted, which has resilient arms (168) extending extend beyond a blind side surface of the cage (118) out to the height of the abutment portion (124) and keep it floating in the assembled position.
Cage nut (110) according to claim 9, characterized in that the plastic part (160) is provided with a collar (164) which extends in the direction of the blind side and concentrically surrounds the cylindrical inner thread carrier (120).
A cage nut (110) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the blind side surface of the cage (118) and the plastic part (160) have similar dimensions as the abutment part (124), and the arms (168) respectively in the screwing of the Internal thread (122) are arranged diagonally in the vicinity of the corners of the plastic part (160), while the stop members (138) are respectively arranged opposite the arms (168).