Device for connecting two components

1. A device for connecting two components, in particular a linkage of bars ( 38 ) and an engine hood ( 40 ), comprising

a fastening element ( 10 ) and a securing element ( 24 ) insertable into the fastening element ( 10 ) in a linear insertion direction (A), the fastening element ( 10 ) including a fastening section ( 18 ) having a plurality of latching members ( 20 ) for connecting the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and a receiving section ( 12 ) for mounting the second component,

wherein the securing element ( 24 ) includes first and second securing sections ( 26 , 28 ) and is transferable along the insertion direction (A) from a preassembly position, in which the fastening element ( 10 ) and the securing element ( 24 ) are captively held together while the first securing section ( 26 ) is spaced from the latching members ( 20 ) along the insertion direction (A) to allow for inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) into an interior space of the fastening element ( 10 ), to a final assembly position, in which the first securing section ( 26 ) extends into the interior space and prevents inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) to hold the receiving section ( 12 ) in a position such that the receiving section cannot be moved against a pretensioning direction to secure the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and at the same time the second securing section ( 28 ) is configured to secure the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the securing element ( 24 ) is transferable from the preassembly position to the final assembly position, and from the final assembly position back to the preassembly position again in a nondestructive fashion.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein one of the securing element ( 24 ) and the fastening element ( 10 ) includes a latching section ( 30 ) and the other of the securing element ( 24 ) and the fastening element ( 10 ) includes two counter-latching sections ( 34 , 36 ), the latching section ( 30 ) producing a latching connection with the first counter-latching section ( 34 ) in the preassembly position and with the second counter-latching section ( 36 ) in the final assembly position.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element ( 10 ) includes an opening ( 44 ) leading to a channel through which, in the final assembly position, one of the latching section ( 30 ) and the second counter-latching section ( 36 ) is accessible with a tool ( 42 ), the channel extending perpendicular to the insertion direction (A).

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving section ( 12 ) includes a plurality of flexurally resilient holding sections ( 14 ) which are engaged in the final assembly position by the second securing section ( 28 ) in such a manner that the holding sections ( 14 ) cannot be moved against a pretensioning direction.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving section ( 12 ) includes a plurality of resilient holding sections ( 14 ) for mounting the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the second securing section ( 28 ) prevents outward movement of the holding sections ( 14 ) when the first securing section ( 26 ) is in the final assembly position.

8. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the first securing section ( 26 ) is positioned radially inward of the latching members ( 20 ) relative to a longitudinal centerline of the fastening element ( 10 ) and the second securing section ( 28 ) is positioned radially outward of the holding sections ( 14 ) relative to the longitudinal centerline when the first securing section ( 26 ) is in the final assembly position.

9. A method of connecting two components, in particular a linkage of bars ( 38 ) and an engine hood ( 40 ), by means of a device according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

fastening the fastening section ( 18 ) of the fastening element ( 10 ) to the first component;

mounting the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ) of the fastening element ( 10 ); and

transferring the securing element ( 24 ) to the final assembly position for simultaneously securing the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the securing element ( 24 ) latches in the final assembly position and preferably also in the preassembly position.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein both the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ) are unlocked by releasing the latching connection by a tool ( 42 ) in the final assembly position.

12. The method according to claim 9 further comprising providing the receiving section ( 12 ) with a plurality of resilient holding sections ( 14 ) for mounting the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein transferring the securing element ( 24 ) to the final assembly position causes the first securing section ( 26 ) to prevent inward movement of latching members ( 20 ) and causes the second securing section ( 28 ) to prevent outward movement of the holding sections ( 14 ).

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein transferring the securing element ( 24 ) to the final assembly position comprises placing the first securing section ( 26 ) radially inward of the latching members ( 20 ) relative to a longitudinal centerline of the fastening element ( 10 ) and placing the second securing section ( 28 ) radially outward of the holding sections ( 14 ) relative to the longitudinal centerline.

15. A connecting assembly comprising:

a first component, in particular a linkage of bars ( 38 ),

a second component, in particular an engine hood ( 40 ), and

a device for connecting the first and second components including

a fastening element ( 10 ) having a fastening section ( 18 ) and a receiving section ( 12 ), and

a securing element ( 24 ) insertable into the fastening element ( 10 ) in a linear insertion direction (A) and including first and second securing sections ( 26 , 28 ), the fastening element ( 10 ) being mounted to the first component by a plurality of latching members ( 20 ) of the fastening section ( 18 ), the fastening element ( 10 ) being mounted to the second component by the receiving section ( 12 ),

wherein the securing element ( 24 ) is transferable along the insertion direction (A) from a preassembly position, in which the fastening element ( 10 ) and the securing element ( 24 ) are captively held together while the first securing section ( 26 ) is spaced from the latching members ( 20 ) along the insertion direction (A) to allow for inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) into an interior space of the fastening element ( 10 ), to a final assembly position in which the first securing section ( 26 ) extends into the interior space and prevents inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) to secure the mounting of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and at the same time the second securing section ( 28 ) holds the receiving section ( 12 ) in a position such that the receiving section cannot be moved against a pretensioning direction to secure the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

16. A device for connecting two components, in particular a linkage of bars ( 38 ) and an engine hood ( 40 ), comprising:

a fastening element ( 10 ) and a securing element ( 24 ) insertable into the fastening element ( 10 ) in a linear insertion direction (A),

the fastening element ( 10 ) including a fastening section ( 18 ) having a plurality of latching members ( 20 ) for connecting the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and a receiving section ( 12 ) for mounting the second component,

the securing element ( 24 ) including first and second securing sections ( 26 , 28 ),

the securing element ( 24 ) being transferable along the insertion direction (A) from a preassembly position to a final assembly position, and from the final assembly position back to the preassembly position again, in a nondestructive fashion,

the fastening element ( 10 ) and the securing element ( 24 ) being captively held together in the preassembly position while the first securing section ( 26 ) is spaced from the latching members ( 20 ) along the insertion direction (A) to allow for inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) into an interior space of the fastening element ( 10 ),

the first securing section ( 26 ) being moveable along the insertion direction (A) into the interior space to prevent inward movement of the latching members ( 20 ) to secure the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component in the final assembly position, and

the second securing section ( 28 ) being configured to hold the receiving section ( 12 ) in a position such that the receiving section cannot be moved against a pretensioning direction to secure the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ) in the final assembly position at the same time.

17. The device according to claim 16 , wherein the receiving section ( 12 ) includes a plurality of flexurally resilient holding sections ( 14 ) which are engaged in the final assembly position by the second securing section ( 28 ) in such a manner that the holding sections ( 14 ) cannot be moved against a pretensioning direction, one of the securing element ( 24 ) and the fastening element ( 10 ) includes a latching section ( 30 ) and the other of the securing element ( 24 ) and the fastening element ( 10 ) includes two counter-latching sections ( 34 , 36 ), the latching section ( 30 ) producing a latching connection with the first counter-latching section ( 34 ) in the preassembly position and with the second counter-latching section ( 36 ) in the final assembly position, and the securing element ( 24 ) neither impairs mobility of the holding sections ( 14 ) nor of the latching members ( 20 ) of the fastening element ( 10 ) in the preassembly position.

18. A method of connecting two components, in particular a linkage of bars ( 38 ) and an engine hood ( 40 ), comprising the steps of:

providing a device according to claim 17 with the securing element ( 24 ) being in the preassembly position, so that the fastening element ( 10 ) and the securing element ( 24 ) are captively held together;

fastening the fastening section ( 18 ) of the fastening element ( 10 ) to the first component while the securing element ( 24 ) is in the preassembly position;

mounting the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ) of the fastening element ( 10 ) while the securing element ( 24 ) is in the preassembly position; and

transferring the securing element ( 24 ) to the final assembly position for simultaneously securing the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ).

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the securing element ( 24 ) latches in the final assembly position and also in the preassembly position.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein both the connection of the fastening element ( 10 ) with the first component and the mounting of the second component in the receiving section ( 12 ) are unlocked by releasing the latching connection in the final assembly position with a tool ( 42 ) being inserted into an opening ( 44 ) leading to a channel of the fastening element ( 10 ) extending perpendicular to the insertion direction (A).