JP2000240631A - Floating nut assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a floating nut installable by a simple tool at a place out of reach of hand to the back side. SOLUTION: This floating nut 10 is formed by a cylindrical nut holding member 12 and a nut 14 freely fitted thereto. The nut holding member 12 has a lower flange 24 and a barrel part 28, and the barrel part 28 is provided with a circumferential weakened part 30. When a tool 38 is screw-engaged with the nut 14 and the tool 38 is turned to strongly pull the nut 14, the weakened part 30 is broken. A skirt 44 separated by breaking is caulked to a panel 34 by plastic deformation, and the separated head part 22 is firmly fixed to the skirt 44 by press-in and adhesion.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a floating nut used to fasten two members, which are difficult to position a screw hole, to each other with screws or bolts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when two members such as housings of various devices and their covers or panels are fastened to each other using screws, when it is difficult to align the screw holes of the two members, a floating nut is used. Is used.
An example of a floating nut of the prior art is
No. 77807. As shown in FIG. 3 of the present application, a conventional floating nut includes a square nut 1 having a female thread cut in the center and a nut holding member 2 for accommodating the square nut 1, and the nut holding member 2 has a neck portion. Is pressed into the mounting hole of the housing 3 of the device to be firmly fixed to the housing. Since the square nut 1 is accommodated in the nut holding member 2 so as to be able to slightly move in the three-dimensional direction with respect to the nut holding member 2, the mounting hole of the housing 3 and the screw hole of the cover 4 are formed. Even when the positioning is difficult, the screw 5 can be screwed to the nut 1 by turning the fastening screw 5 while searching for the female screw of the nut 1.

[0003]

The problem with this type of press-fit type floating nut is that large-sized equipment such as a press is required to mount the nut holding member on the mounting target panel 3 such as a housing. is there. The reason is that a pressure of 1000 kg or more must be applied to press-fit the nut holding member of the floating nut into the mounting hole of the panel to be mounted. Also, in order to press-fit the nut holding member of the floating nut into the mounting hole, the housing must be sandwiched from both sides with a press machine. Cannot be installed. Another problem with conventional floating nuts is that they cannot be used in housings that require waterproofing. The reason is that since the nut holding member 2 is provided with a through hole, water that has entered through a gap between the head of the screw and the housing enters the housing through the inside of the nut holding member. is there.

An object of the present invention is to provide a floating nut that can be mounted on a panel to be mounted using a simple tool. Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating nut that can be mounted by operation from only one side of a panel to be mounted. Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating nut that can be mounted even when one side of a panel to be mounted is not open or when the mounting place is narrow. Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating nut having a waterproof structure.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a floating nut assembly comprising a nut and a cylindrical nut holding member for accommodating the nut with play without substantially rotating relative to the nut. In one aspect of the invention, the floating nut assembly comprises:
In addition to providing an enlarged flange at the base of the nut holding member,
A circumferential weakening portion is provided on the body of the nut holding member adjacent to the base. With such a configuration, when the nut holding member incorporating the nut is inserted into the mounting hole of the panel to be mounted and the nut is pulled toward the panel using an appropriate tool, the weakened portion of the nut holding member is broken. At the same time, the nut holding member is fixed to the panel.

In another aspect of the present invention, a floating nut assembly is provided with an enlarged flange at a base of a nut holding member and a thin wall extending circumferentially on a body of the nut holding member adjacent to the base. It is characterized by having a section. In this case, insert the nut holding member incorporating the nut into the mounting hole of the panel to be mounted, and pull the nut toward the panel using a suitable tool, the thin portion of the nut holding member will buckle, thereby holding the nut The member is fixed to the panel.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the head of the nut holding member is closed in a cap nut shape so that water does not enter the inside of the device.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a floating nut assembly according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the floating nut assembly 10 includes:
A nut holding member 12 having a substantially cylindrical shape, and a nut 1 housed in a floating state inside the nut holding member 12
And 4. A female screw 16 is formed at the center of the nut 14.

The nut 14 is accommodated inside the nut holding member 12 with some play, but not to rotate relative to the nut holding member 12. For this reason, as can be clearly understood from FIG. 1C, in this embodiment, the nut 14 is provided with a rotation preventing projection 18 arranged in a cross shape. However, the rotation may be prevented by forming the nut 14 into a hexagon, a square, or another non-circular shape.

The nut holding member 12 can be formed of a metal such as aluminum. Nut holding member 12
Includes a head 22 having a nut accommodating space 20 for accommodating the nut 14 and closed at the upper end in a bag shape, a base 26 having a flange 24, and a body 28 located between the two. As shown in FIG. 1D, the inner contour of the nut receiving space 20 matches the outer contour of the nut
With some play against the nut 14
Can slightly move in the three-dimensional direction within the nut holding member 12, but does not substantially rotate with respect to the nut holding member 12.

The nut holding member 12 is, for example,
It can be formed from two upper and lower members divided along the line AA of (A). The nut 14 is arranged in a nut accommodating space 20 formed by these two members.
The nut 14 can be incorporated into the nut holding member 12 by joining the two members by welding or the like.

The body 28 of the nut holding member 12 is formed to be thin, and a weakened portion 30 which is easily broken is formed by forming a part of the wall in a zigzag cross section. The outer peripheral surface 32 of the body portion 28 located above the weakened portion 30 is tapered downward.

As shown in FIG. 1B, fine irregularities 33 are formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the body 28 and the flange 24 by diamond knurling. A pressure-responsive adhesive (for example, MEC) of a type that develops an adhesive force in response to pressure application is applied to these outer peripheral surfaces in advance.

Next, referring to FIG. 1 (E), a mode of use of the floating nut assembly 10 will be described. A mounting hole 36 approximately equal to the outer diameter of the body 28 of the holding member 12 is previously formed. Floating nut
To mount the assembly 10, first, the nut holding member 12 with the nut 14 incorporated therein is inserted into the mounting hole 36 until the flange 24 is seated on the panel 34.

Next, the nut 14 is forcibly pushed toward the panel 34. This may use a rotating tool 40 with external threads 38 as conventionally used to install caulking nuts. The external thread 38 of the rotary tool 40 is engaged with the threaded hole of the nut 14, and the external thread is turned to rotate the nut 14 and the nut holding member 12.
When the head 22 is pulled toward the panel 34, the weakened portion 30 of the body 28 of the nut holding member 12 breaks as shown in FIG.

A portion 4 of the body 28 above the weakened portion 30
2 is tapered, so that the nut 14
As the skirt portion 44 is further attracted, the skirt portion 44 divided by the breakage of the weakened portion 30 is plastically deformed radially outward as shown in the figure, and the skirt portion 44 and the flange 24 are connected to the panel 3.
4 crimped. The divided upper portion 42 is press-fitted into the skirt portion 44, and the diamond knurl processed on the outer peripheral surface 32 bites into the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 44 and the pressure-responsive adhesive applied to the outer peripheral surface 32. Develops an adhesive force due to the pressure, so that the upper portion 42 and the skirt portion 44 are firmly joined.

When the floating nut assembly 10 is fixed to the panel 34 in this manner, FIG.
By screwing screws or bolts to the nut 14 in the same manner as in the conventional method shown in FIG.
Can be screwed on. The end of the head 22 of the nut holding member 12 is closed in a cap nut shape, and the joint between the skirt portion 44 and the head 22 of the nut holding member 12 is bonded with an adhesive, so that the water is not flooded. Can be prevented.

FIG. 2 shows a floating nut of the present invention.
5 shows a second embodiment of the assembly. Components common to those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. To explain only the differences, in the second embodiment,
As shown in FIG. 2, the body 28 of the nut holding member 12 is formed to be thin and bulged in a barrel shape.

Since the body 28 has such a structure, when the nut 14 is pulled toward the panel 34 by using a tool 38 or the like as in the first embodiment, the body 28 of the nut holding member 12 becomes As shown in FIG. 2B, the buckling occurs, and the nut holding member 12 is firmly caulked to the panel 34 by the buckled body 28 and the flange 24.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and changes can be made. For example, instead of applying an adhesive to the outer peripheral surface 32 of the body portion 28, a resin material is coated,
It is possible to improve the bite to the housing panel and the waterproof performance.

[0021]

According to the floating nut assembly of the present invention, the nut holding member is fixed to the panel by forcibly pulling the nut to break or buckle the body, so that the floating nut assembly is large like a press machine. Without using equipment, it can be attached to the panel to be attached using a simple tool such as a rotary tool for attaching a caulking nut. Further, since the floating nut assembly of the present invention can be mounted by operating only one side of the panel to be mounted, it can be used even when one side of the panel is not open or the mounting place is narrow. In the embodiment in which the head of the nut holding member is closed in a cap nut shape, or in the embodiment in which an adhesive or resin is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the trunk portion, it is possible to prevent inundation and improve waterproof performance. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a first embodiment of a floating nut assembly according to the present invention, in which (A) is a longitudinal sectional view, (B) is a side view, (C) is a perspective view of a nut, and (D) is a view. 1 (A)
(E) is a cross-sectional view showing a state where it is attached to a panel.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views of a second embodiment of the floating nut assembly of the present invention, wherein FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view, and FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where two panels are screwed using a conventional floating nut.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10: Floating nut assembly 12: Nut holding member 14: Nut 22: Nut holding member head 24: Nut holding member flange 28: Nut holding member trunk 30: Weakened portion 33: Micro unevenness (diamond knurl) 34 : Mounting target panel (housing) 36: Mounting hole of mounting target panel

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A floating nut assembly comprising: a nut; and a cylindrical nut holding member for accommodating the nut with play so as to be substantially non-rotatable. A circumferential weakening portion was provided on the body of the nut holding member adjacent to the base, and the nut holding member incorporating the nut was inserted into a mounting hole of a panel to be mounted, and then the nut was pulled toward the panel. A floating nut assembly wherein the weakened portion of the nut holding member is sometimes broken and plastically deformed, so that the nut holding member is fixed to the panel. 2. A floating nut assembly comprising: a nut; and a cylindrical nut holding member for accommodating the nut with play so as to be substantially non-rotatable. A thin portion extending in the circumferential direction is provided on the body of the nut holding member adjacent to the base, and the nut holding member incorporating the nut is inserted into the mounting hole of the mounting target panel, and then the nut is faced toward the panel. A thin nut portion of the nut holding member buckles when the nut is attracted, thereby fixing the nut holding member to the panel. 3. The floating nut assembly according to claim 1, wherein a head of the nut holding member is closed in a cap nut shape. 4. A floating nut assembly according to claim 1, wherein minute irregularities are provided on an outer peripheral surface of a body of said nut holding member. 5. The floating nut assembly according to claim 1, wherein an adhesive or a resin is applied to an outer peripheral surface of a body of the nut holding member.