Newfrey

A joining element (10) having a head (12) and a shaft (20) extending from the head (12), wherein an end of the shaft (20) is formed so as to define a shaft slide portion (26) and a shaft ring portion (28), wherein the shaft ring portion (28) is connected to the shaft slide portion (26) in such a manner that the connection (34) between the shaft ring portion (28) and the shaft slide portion (26) is broken and the shaft ring portion (28) is slid onto the shaft slide portion (26) when an axial breaking force (F) is applied to the shaft ring portion

A coupling device (6) for connection to a feeding unit (3) designed to transport fasteners (1) from a first element (2) to a second element (4) is described. The device (6) comprises a coupling body (8) with a feed channel (11) that passes through the coupling body (8) in its longitudinal direction and extends between a first end (9) and a second end (10) of the coupling body (8). The device (6) further comprises a locking element (17) that is mounted in the coupling device (6) with a bearing element (18) so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis, wherein said locking element (17) is movable between a locking position and an open position. It also comprises an elastic element (21) that biases the locking element (17) into the locking position. The locking element (17) comprises a first and a second lever arm (19, 20), wherein the first lever arm (19) comprises an abutment surface (24) at its free end. The elastic element (21) is in operative contact with the first lever arm (19) of the locking element (17), so that the abutment surface (24) of the first lever arm (19) projects into the feed channel (11).

A fastening tool for joining workpieces with a fastener is disclosed, comprising a support, a punch being movable along a channel of a support, the punch is configured to be moved along an axial direction to; an onset position in a distal portion of the channel to abut a workpiece surface, an extended position in which the punch extends beyond the support to punch a hole through the workpieces, a retracted position in which the punch is removed from the distal portion so that the channel forms a receiving space for the fastener, wherein, upon placing the fastener in the receiving space, the punch is configured to push the fastener through the hole for joining of the workpieces. A method for joining workpieces with a fastener is disclosed.

A clip for a mounting assembly of a solar panel includes an elongated body and a flexible tab. The flexible tab extends from the elongated body. The flexible tab is configured to elastically deform from a relaxed position to a flexed position in response to a force. The flexible tab is configured to automatically return to the relaxed position absent the force.

A joining element (20) for a self-piercing joining method, the joining element (20) having a head (22) and a shaft (24), the shaft (24) being configured to be driven into a stack of joining partners (12, 14), wherein the head (22) has a head outer diameter (HOD) and a head height (HH), wherein the shaft (24) has a shaft outer diameter (SOD), wherein an outer diameter ratio is a ratio of the head outer diameter (HOD) to the shaft outer diameter (SOD), and wherein a target ratio of the head height (HH) to the outer diameter ratio is equal to or larger than 0.95 [1/mm]. (Fig. 1)

A self-piercing rivet (1) for producing a joint has a rectangular or trapezoidal basic shape and comprises a rivet head (2) and a rivet shaft (3). The rivet shaft (3) consists of two shaft legs (4) which are spaced apart and project vertically from the rivet head (2) in one direction. The rivet head (2) and the shaft legs (4) delimit a recess (7), the opening (8) of which opens into the side opposite the rivet head (2). The shaft legs (4) taper in width from the rivet head (2) towards their shaft leg bases (9), but remain constant in height, wherein the shaft leg bases (9) each have a wedge-shaped end (23) arranged on the outside near the side surfaces (5) or near the recess. The shaft legs (4) are adapted to spread inwards or outwards during joining.

A fastener element (10) for the attachment of a clip (40) in relation to a component (C) to which the fastener element (10) is joined, comprising a shaft (12) that extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and has a first shaft end (14) and a second shaft end (16) in the longitudinal direction, the first shaft end (14) being designed to be joined to the component (C), a head (18) having, in the longitudinal direction (L), a first head end (20) and a second head end (22), the first head end (20) being connected to the second shaft end (16) and having a lower face (24) projecting with respect to the shaft (12) transversely to the longitudinal direction (L), the head (18) being designed to be engaged by an elastic retaining arrangement (46) of a clip (40) in a fixing position, and an axial projection (30) which projects in the longitudinal direction (L) with respect to the second head end (22) by a projection height (LP) greater than zero.

A pressure equalization device (1) for attachment to an opening of a housing is provided, comprising a base body (2) that includes an inlet (3) and an outlet (4), wherein the inlet (3) is designed to be fluidically connected to an interior of the housing and the outlet (4) is designed to be fluidically connected to an environment of the housing. The inlet and outlet (3, 4) are fluidically connected via a plurality of fluid channels (10, 12) extending in the base body (2). In addition, the pressure equalization device (1) comprises a gas-permeable and oil-repellent filter element (13) provided in the outlet (4), wherein a cap (17) is attached to the inlet (3), which cap (17) comprises at least one aperture (21) for the flow of a fluid.

A separating device (1) for separating joining elements (33) is provided, comprising a housing (2) having an opening (7) and an outlet (9), and the housing (2) including a first and a second sliding element (14, 15) adapted to be in a start position and an end position. The first sliding element (14) comprises a recess (17) into which a clamping element (20) of the second sliding element (14) projects. A channel-forming side wall (23) of the clamping element (20) and a channel-forming side wall (22) of the recess (17) form a channel (24), of which at least the upper part, in the start position of the sliding elements (14, 15), is accessible for joining elements (33) via the opening (7) in the housing (2). The sliding elements (14, 15) can be operatively connected to an actuator, such as a linear drive (12), so that the sliding elements (14, 15) can be moved by a linear movement of the linear drive (12) in a relative movement to the housing (2) from their start position into their end positions, in which the channel (24) is positioned above the outlet (9), wherein a joining element (33) is movable through the channel (24) into the outlet (9).

An adapter device (16) for attaching a joining head (14) or a component holder (H) to an industrial robot (12), comprising: a first part (50) which is configured to be fixedly attached to a joining head (14) which defines a joining axis (44) or to a component holder (H) for a component (26) which defines a joining axis (44); and a second part (52) which is configured to be fixedly attached to a robot arm (18), wherein the first part (50) and the second part (52) are connected to each other by means of a linear guide (54) so that the first and second parts (50, 52) can be moved relative to each other in a displacement direction (D) which is parallel to the joining axis (44), wherein the first part (50) and the second part (52) are elastically prestressed into a zero-displacement position (Z), and wherein the second part (52), when being moved in the displacement direction (D), is elastically displaced against the first part (50) if the first part (50) is held against movements in the displacement direction (D). (Fig. 1)