Granted Patent B2

US 12,221,997 · App. 17/685,509 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Inventors: Martin Kluge (Röttingen, DE); Bruno Da Rocha (Altena, DE); Stefan Helbert (Witten, DE)

Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.

F16B41/002

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A tubular sleeve, for use as a force-absorbing sleeve, having a casing wall and a through-opening, wherein the sleeve is formed from plastic, and the plastic has a modulus of elasticity between 15000 MPa and 25000 MPa;

wherein the sleeve is formed in two parts from two identical sleeve elements;

wherein each of the sleeve elements comprises an annular disc-shaped base wall and diametrically opposed anti-rotation elements extending axially from the annular disc-shaped base wall, wherein the annular disc-shaped base wall includes diametrically opposed connecting recesses, wherein each anti-rotation element includes a free end from which a connecting pin axially extends such that two connecting pins are provided on each sleeve element;

wherein the sleeve elements are connected together by engagement of the connecting pins into the connecting recesses.

2. The tubular sleeve according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the sleeve is resistant to heat deformation in a temperature range of −40° C. to 125° C.

3. The tubular sleeve according to claim 1 ,

wherein

the plastic is a semi-aromatic polyamide.

4. A fastening system comprising the sleeve according to claim 1 and a screw having a screw size between M5 and M8, the screw engaged in the through-opening.

5. The fastening system according to claim 4 ,

wherein

a portion having a diameter enlarged opposite the screw shank is configured on a screw shank of the screw as an anti-loss feature, wherein the portion comprises a knurling or a ring element or a thread.

6. A method for assembling a component in an engine compartment of a motor vehicle, wherein a sleeve according to claim 1 is used for assembling the component.

7. A method for producing a component in a 2-component injection-molding process, wherein firstly a sleeve according to claim 1 is injection-molded with ribs extending in the axial direction of the sleeve on an outer side of the casing wall, and thereafter the sleeve is over-molded in the region of the ribs, in order to position the sleeve securely on a component.

8. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the connecting pins connect into the connecting recesses via an interference fit.

9. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 , wherein the connecting pins are located radially outward of the through-opening, wherein the connecting recesses are located radially outward of the through-opening.

10. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 , wherein, for each sleeve element, the free end of each anti-rotation element engages against an axially facing surface of the annular disc-shaped base wall of the other sleeve element, wherein the axially facing surfaces of the annular disc-shaped base walls face toward each other.

11. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 , wherein, for each sleeve element, each anti-rotation element includes a radially outwardly extending rib portion extending along a full axial length of the anti-rotation element.

12. A tubular sleeve, for use as a force-absorbing sleeve, having a casing wall and a through-opening, wherein the sleeve is formed from plastic;

wherein the sleeve is formed in two parts from two identical sleeve elements;

wherein each of the sleeve elements comprises an annular disc-shaped base wall and diametrically opposed anti-rotation elements extending axially from the annular disc-shaped base wall;

wherein, for each sleeve element, the free end of each anti-rotation element engages against an axially facing surface of the annular disc-shaped base wall of the other sleeve element, wherein the axially facing surfaces of the annular disc-shaped base walls face toward each other;

wherein, for each sleeve element, the annular disc-shaped base wall includes at least one connecting recess and the free end of at least one of the anti-rotation elements includes an axially extending pin,

wherein the sleeve elements are connected together by engagement of the connecting pins into the connecting recesses.

13. The tubular sleeve of claim 12 , wherein the connecting pins are located radially outward of the through-opening, wherein the connecting recesses are located radially outward of the through-opening.

14. The tubular sleeve of claim 13 , wherein the connecting pins connect into the connecting recesses via interference fit.

15. A tubular sleeve, for use as a force-absorbing sleeve, having a casing wall and a through-opening, wherein the sleeve is formed from plastic;

wherein the sleeve is formed in two parts from two identical sleeve elements;

wherein each of the sleeve elements comprises an annular disc-shaped base wall and diametrically opposed anti-rotation elements extending axially from the annular disc-shaped base wall,

wherein, for each sleeve element, each anti-rotation element includes a radially outwardly extending rib portion extending along a full axial length of the anti-rotation element.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (29)