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EP0054815A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of joining an object to an article

Assignee: Ford-Werke GmbH
•
Filing: 1981-12-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-12-05
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Abstract

Abstract A method of joining an object (12) to an article (10) is disclosed. In the method, a force accepting shoulder (14) is formed on the object so as to have both a first surface (16) for engaging a surface formed on the article and a second surface (18) spaced away from the first surface (16). A force applying structure is formed on the article so as to have both a first surface for engaging the first surface (16) of the force accepting shoulder of the object and a plurality of deformable tabs (24) extending away from the first surface of the article. The tabs have a length dimension greater than the distance between the first and second surfaces (16, 18) of the object. The tabs (24) also have small deformed areas on at least some of them. The first surfaces of the object and the article are brought into contact with one another and through this action at least an upper portion of the deformable tabs (24) of the article are located in proximity to the second surface (18) of the object. The deformations in some of the plurality of tabs (24) extend out of the plane of the tabs in a direction away from the surface of the article in proximity to which the tabs are located. The upper portion of the deformable tabs are bent into engagement with the second surface (18) of the object. In this manner, the article and the object are joined and the tabs of the article which have the small deformed areas therein provide an added degree of rigidity to the joining of the article and the object.

Inventors

  • 👤 Eugene E. Rhodes
  • 👤 Gary N. Benninger

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 15:04
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F9/00; F28F9/02; F28F9/0219; F28F9/0224; F28F9/0226; F28F2275/00; F28F2275/12; F28F2275/122

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 375 words
A method of joining an object to an article, characterized by the following steps : (a) forming on the object a force accepting shoulder (14), said force accepting shoulder (14) being formed so as to have both a first surface (16) for engaging a surface (22) formed on the article and a second surface (18) spaced from said first surface (16) thereof; (b) forming on the article a force applying structure, said force applying structure being formed so as to have both a first surface (22) for engaging said first surface (16) of said force accepting shoulder (14) of the object and a plurality of deformable tabs (24) extending away from said first surface (16) of the article, said deformable tabs (24) being longer in dimension from said first surface (22) of the article to a free end of each of said tabs (24) than the dimension between said first and said second surfaces (16/18) of the object ; (c) deforming small areas of at least some of said plurality of said tabs (24) of the article out of the plane of said tabs (24) in a direction which when the article and object are assembled will be away from said second surface (18) of the object in proximity to which said tabs (24) are to be located ; (d) bringing said first surface (16) of the object in contact with the first surface (22) of the article whereby the second surface (18) of the object is spaced away from the contacting said first surfaces (22) of the object and the article and whereby at least an upper portion of said deformable tabs (24) of the article are located in proximity to said second surface (18) of the object ; and (e) bending said upper portion of said deformable tabs (24) of the article into engagement with said second surface of the object (18) whereby said first and said second surfaces (16/18) of the object are caught between said first surface and said deformable tabs (24) of the article to thereby join the article and the object and whereby said tabs (24) of the article having small deformed areas therein provide an added degree of rigidity to the joining of the article and the object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 375 words
A method of joining an object to an article, characterized by the following steps : (a) forming on the object a force accepting shoulder (14), said force accepting shoulder (14) being formed so as to have both a first surface (16) for engaging a surface (22) formed on the article and a second surface (18) spaced from said first surface (16) thereof; (b) forming on the article a force applying structure, said force applying structure being formed so as to have both a first surface (22) for engaging said first surface (16) of said force accepting shoulder (14) of the object and a plurality of deformable tabs (24) extending away from said first surface (16) of the article, said deformable tabs (24) being longer in dimension from said first surface (22) of the article to a free end of each of said tabs (24) than the dimension between said first and said second surfaces (16/18) of the object ; (c) deforming small areas of at least some of said plurality of said tabs (24) of the article out of the plane of said tabs (24) in a direction which when the article and object are assembled will be away from said second surface (18) of the object in proximity to which said tabs (24) are to be located ; (d) bringing said first surface (16) of the object in contact with the first surface (22) of the article whereby the second surface (18) of the object is spaced away from the contacting said first surfaces (22) of the object and the article and whereby at least an upper portion of said deformable tabs (24) of the article are located in proximity to said second surface (18) of the object ; and (e) bending said upper portion of said deformable tabs (24) of the article into engagement with said second surface of the object (18) whereby said first and said second surfaces (16/18) of the object are caught between said first surface and said deformable tabs (24) of the article to thereby join the article and the object and whereby said tabs (24) of the article having small deformed areas therein provide an added degree of rigidity to the joining of the article and the object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
A method of joining an object to an article according to Claim 1, characterized by that the deformable tabs (24) are upstanding extending upwardly from the first surface (22) of the article an extend over the second surface (18) of the article.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of Claim 1 or 2, characterized by that, the object is made from plastic and said force applying structure of the article is formed from metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 55 words
The method of Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the small deformed areas of some of said plurality of tabs (24) is a linear deformation running from about a location near said first surface (22) of said force applying structure to a location at or near the free end of sai d tabs (24).

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE1967052A1 Cited
DE2238493A1 Cited
FR2175672A2 Cited
FR2216470A1 Cited
GB1434677A Cited
FR2247692A1 Cited
DE2357992A1 Cited
FR2251794A1 Cited
FR2349813A1 Cited

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