Self-piercing nut element and component assembly comprising the nut element and a sheet metal part

摘要

A self-piercing nut element having a strength in the range between 700 and 900 MPa is designed for press fitting into a sheet metal part, for the self-piercing attachment of the nut element into a higher strength sheet metal part, such that the piercing section merges directly into the sheet metal contact surface and such that the piercing section has a piercing edge at its free end face, with the piercing edge being spaced apart from the sheet metal contact surface by a peripheral surface having an axial height which corresponds to at least 30%, and preferably at least 50%, of the sheet metal thickness. The radial wall thickness of the piercing section in the region of its free end face from the outer side up to the nominal diameter of the thread corresponds to a thickness between 1.2 times, to 1.8 times, the provided sheet metal thickness.

主权项

1. A component assembly comprising a sheet metal part (40) and a self-piercing nut element (10) which is designed for press fitting into the sheet metal part (40), wherein the nut element prior to press fitting into the metal sheet (40) has the following features:
a head part (14) forming a flange (12), a central bore (16) in the head part which is designed for receiving a bolt element and a central longitudinal axis (18), a sheet metal contact surface (20) formed at the flange (12) in a plane standing at least substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis as well as a piercing section (22) extending away from the head part in the direction of the longitudinal axis on the side of the sheet metal contact surface, wherein the nut element is designed for the self-piercing attachment of the nut element into a higher strength sheet metal part (40), such that the piercing section (22) merges directly into the sheet metal contact surface (20) wherein piercing section (22) has a flat/planar end face and such that the piercing section (22) has a piercing edge (28) at its free end face wherein the piercing edge (28) of piercing section (22) defines free end face (30), with the piercing edge (28) being spaced apart from the sheet metal contact surface (20) by a peripheral surface (34) having before the attachment to the sheet metal part either an axial-parallel extent or an angle included with the longitudinal axis of larger than 0° to 5° in any desired radial planes, which include the longitudinal axis, with the peripheral surface (34) having a divergent extent going from the sheet metal contact surface (20) up to the piercing edge (28), the peripheral surface (34) further having an axial height which corresponds to not more than 100% of the sheet metal thickness, with a radial wall thickness of the piercing section in the region of its free end face from the outer side of the piercing section up to the nominal diameter of the a thread corresponding to a thickness between 1.2 times, to 1.8 times of the sheet metal part; wherein the sheet metal part (40) has a pierced hole having a shape in accordance with the shape of the piercing section (22); wherein the material of the sheet metal part (40) after pressing has a recess (62) surrounding the piercing section (22) on the side (68) of the sheet metal part remote from the sheet metal contact surface (20) and adjacent to the piercing section; and wherein the material of a hole rim extends into the nut element (10) due to the formation of the recess (62) and is located in a groove (26) which extends radially into the piercing section (22) and axially into the head part (14) in the region of the transition from the peripheral surface (34) into the sheet metal contact surface (20).