U.S. patent application number 14/635652 was filed with the patent office on 2015-09-10 for fastening element.
The applicant listed for this patent is RMG- Rieder Management Ges.m.b.H. Invention is credited to Martin BAUER, Guido BERGER.
Application Number | 20150252572 14/635652 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50230933 |
Filed Date | 2015-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150252572 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BAUER; Martin ; et
al. |
September 10, 2015 |
Fastening Element
Abstract
A fastening element comprising two legs, the two legs being
interconnected via a web, wherein at least one leg has at least one
recess, wherein a disk is provided which is mounted rotatably
around an axis of rotation in the web by means of a rotary element,
the disk being designed such that, when rotating around the axis of
rotation in a first position, it is arranged between the two legs
and, in a second position, it protrudes in sections through the
recess, the disk furthermore comprising at least one appendage
which, when the disk rotates around the axis of rotation from the
first position into the second position, is contacted with a leg
prior to reaching the second position.
Inventors: |
BAUER; Martin; (Vogtareuth,
DE) ; BERGER; Guido; (Rheda-Wiedenbrueck,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
RMG- Rieder Management Ges.m.b.H |
Maishofen |
|
AT |
|
|
Family ID: |
50230933 |
Appl. No.: |
14/635652 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
403/348 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04C 2003/0417 20130101;
E04F 13/0846 20130101; E04F 13/0835 20130101; Y10T 403/7005
20150115; E04F 13/24 20130101; F16B 2/18 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E04F 13/08 20060101
E04F013/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 4, 2014 |
EP |
EP14157720.5 |
Claims
1. A fastening element comprising two legs, the two legs being
interconnected via a web, wherein at least one leg has at least one
recess, wherein a disk is provided which is mounted rotatably
around an axis of rotation in the web by means of a rotary element,
the disk being designed such that, when rotating around the axis of
rotation in a first position, it is arranged between the two legs
and, in a second position, it protrudes in sections through the
recess, the disk furthermore comprising at least one appendage
which, when the disk rotates around the axis of rotation from the
first position into the second position, is contacted with a leg
prior to reaching the second position.
2. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the two legs
each have at least one recess.
3. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein in the second
position, the disk protrudes in sections through recesses of both
legs.
4. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the disk
comprises two appendages, each of which is contacted with one of
the two legs prior to reaching the second position.
5. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the disk is
designed in an oval shape.
6. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the rotary
element comprises a cheese-head screw.
7. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein two legs are
arranged essentially in parallel.
8. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the web is
arranged essentially at right angles to the two legs.
9. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the rotary
element is arranged in a guide rail.
10. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the two legs
project beyond the web and comprise a bearing section on the side
opposite to the disk.
11. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the two legs
form an essentially H-shaped section with the web.
12. A fastening element according to claim 1, wherein the fastening
element comprises a coupling section.
13. A fastening element according to claim 12, wherein the coupling
section is arranged on the rotary element.
14. An assembly comprising a fastening element and a component with
an essentially U-shaped channel, into which the fastening element
can be inserted non-positively in the second position.
15. An assembly according to claim 14, wherein, in the first
position, the fastening element can be inserted essentially
positively into the essentially U-shaped channel.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a fastening element for a
structural element. Furthermore, the invention relates to an
assembly made up of a fastening element and a structural
element.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] This application claims priority to European Application
Number EP14157720.5, filed on Mar. 4, 2014, the entirety of which
is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the prior art, numerous possibilities of attaching
large-area structural elements such as, e.g., cladding panels to a
subsurface are known. Adhesive joints enable easy and quick
fastening, but are inadequate for long-term stresses caused, for
example, by wind. Conventional screw connections allow, in turn, a
fastening between the structural elements and the subsurface which
is very stable; however, the attachment of numerous screw
connections is associated with a high expenditure of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention has as its object to provide a
fastening element which enables a very stable fastening with a
structural element and allows quick fastening.
[0005] This object is accomplished by a fastening element
comprising two legs, the two legs being interconnected via a web,
wherein at least one leg has at least one recess, wherein a disk is
provided which is mounted rotatably around an axis of rotation in
the web by means of a rotary element, the disk being designed such
that, when rotating around the axis of rotation in a first
position, it is arranged between the two legs and, when rotating
around the axis of rotation in a second position, it protrudes in
sections through the recess, the disk furthermore comprising at
least one appendage which, when the disk rotates around the axis of
rotation from the first position into the second position, is
contacted with a leg prior to reaching the second position.
[0006] In said fastening element, the two legs serve as bearing
surfaces on the structural element. The structural element
comprises a channel into which the fastening element is inserted
with the two legs. By rotating the rotary element around the axis
of rotation, the disk is brought from the first position into the
second position. In doing so, the disk rotates around the axis of
rotation and moves from the position between the legs into a
position in which the disk protrudes at least into a recess and
then protrudes with one section through the recess. Via the
appendage in the disk, the former is made to abut on one of the
legs when the disk rotates around the axis of rotation. If the
rotary element is rotated further, the appendage gets braced with
the leg, pushing it away from the axis of rotation. In this way, a
frictional connection between the channel of the structural element
and the fastening element is produced.
[0007] If the channel of the structural element is essentially
form-fit with the two legs, the disk can either press a notch into
the channel of the structural element if the material combination
is appropriate (e.g., the channel is from a material which is
softer than that of the disk). However, a notch may be provided in
the channel of the structural element itself, into which notch the
disk engages so that a displacement of the fastening element is
thus additionally prevented. The inserted appendages in the disk
prevent the disk from slipping in case the grooves in the legs are
deeper due to higher tolerances during the manufacturing process
and fail to provide an appropriate resistance against the slipping
of the disk.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment variant, it is envisaged that the
two legs each have at least one recess. In this way, it is possible
that the disk is positionable in the first position between the two
legs. By being twisted into the second position, the disk fills the
recesses in sections and projects beyond the recess on both sides
of the two legs.
[0009] Particularly preferably, it is envisaged that the disk
comprises two appendages, each of which is contacted with one of
the two legs prior to reaching the second position. A symmetrical
force transmission from the fastening element to the structural
element is thereby effected.
[0010] In one embodiment variant, it is envisaged that the disk is
designed in an oval shape. For example, it may be designed in an
elliptical shape. This is a simple and cost-efficient solution in
order to design the disk such that, in the first position, it will
remain between the legs and, in the second position, it will
protrude through at least one recess.
[0011] The rotary element preferably comprises a cheese-head screw.
Said screw preferably comprises a screw head drive in order to be
able to perform a rotation around the axis of rotation, for
example, with a screw driver or a wrench. It has proved to be
practical if the rotary element is arranged in a guide rail.
[0012] In a simple and preferred embodiment variant, it is
envisaged that the two legs are arranged essentially in
parallel.
[0013] Furthermore, it may be envisaged that the web is arranged
essentially at right angles to the two legs.
[0014] It may be envisaged that the two legs project beyond the web
and each comprise a bearing section on the side opposite to the
disk.
[0015] The fastening element may be coupled directly to the element
to be installed. However, it may also be envisaged that the
fastening element comprises a coupling section for the element to
be installed. In this case, it may be envisaged that the coupling
section is arranged on the rotary element. For example, the rotary
element may comprise a cheese-head screw having a threaded section
with which the element to be installed is attachable.
[0016] Furthermore, an assembly comprising a fastening element and
a component with an essentially U-shaped channel, into which the
fastening element can be inserted non-positively in the second
position, is provided according to the invention.
[0017] In this assembly, it may be envisaged that, in the first
position, the fastening element can be inserted essentially
positively into the essentially U-shaped channel.
[0018] Hereinafter, the invention is explained in further detail by
way of an example on the basis of figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a fastening element.
[0020] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the fastening element.
[0021] FIGS. 3a to 3f show a top view (FIG. 3a) and two side views
(FIG. 3b, 3c) of the disk as well as the legs and the web of the
fastening element in three views (3d to 3f).
[0022] FIGS. 4 to 9 show the gradual insertion of the fastening
element into the channel of a structural element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIGS. 1 to 9 describe the individual elements as well as the
individual steps for latching the fastening element within the
channel of a structural element on the basis of a concrete example.
Thus, all figures are described jointly, and it is self-evident
that components having the same reference numerals in one figure
will be the same components in another figure. For reasons of
clarity, the indication of reference numerals has been omitted in
some figures. All figures refer to the same example.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows the fastening element 2 comprising two legs 4,
6, which are interconnected via a web 8. The two legs 4, 6 have one
recess 10, 12 each. Furthermore, a disk 14 is provided which is
mounted rotatably around an axis of rotation 16 in the web 8 by
means of a rotary element 22. The disk 14 is designed such that,
when rotating around the axis of rotation 16 in a first position,
it is arranged between the two legs 4, 6 (see in particular FIGS. 4
and 5) and, in a second position, it protrudes in sections through
each of the two recesses 10, 12 (see in particular FIG. 7).
Furthermore, the disk 14 comprises two appendages 18, 20 which,
when the disk 14 rotates around the axis of rotation 16 from the
first position into the second position, are contacted with the
respective leg 4, 6 prior to reaching the second position (see FIG.
6). If the rotation continues, the appendages 18, 20 get braced
with the legs 4, 6, pushing them outwards against the structural
element 30. The structural element 30 comprises, on the one hand, a
U-shaped channel 32, into which the fastening element 2 is
insertable, and, on the other hand, notches 34, 36 for the disk
14.
[0025] The two legs 4, 6 are arranged essentially in parallel. The
web 8 is arranged essentially at right angles to the two legs 4, 6.
The two legs 4, 6 project beyond the web 8. Furthermore, the legs
4, 6 each comprise a bearing section 24, 26 on the side opposite to
the disk 14. The two legs 4, 6 form an essentially H-shaped section
with the web 8.
[0026] The disk 14 is designed in an oval, namely elliptical shape.
The two appendages 18, 20 are designed as right circular cylinders.
The height of those circular cylinders is arranged in parallel to
the axis of rotation 16.
[0027] As can be seen particularly clearly in FIG. 9, the rotary
element 22 comprises a cheese-head screw. The rotary element 22 is
arranged partly in a guide rail.
[0028] The fastening element 2 comprises a coupling section 28
which is arranged on the rotary element 22.
[0029] FIGS. 4 to 9 demonstrate as to how an assembly according to
the invention is provided in that the fastening element 2 is
inserted into the structural element 30 with a U-shaped channel 32.
By rotating the rotary element 22, the disk 14 is braced with the
legs via the appendages 18, 20 so that the legs will move away from
the axis of rotation and will form a positive fit and a frictional
connection with the channel 32.
[0030] The fastening element can be formed from materials which are
adapted to the respective requirement. For example, it may comprise
metal such as aluminum, in which case the web and the legs will
preferably be extruded. The rotary element 22 may likewise consist
of metal, for example, steel or aluminum. The structural element
may, for example, be an ornamental element made, e.g., of concrete,
or a functional element such as, for example, a solar
collector.
* * * * *