Abstract: A hollow element such as a hollow rivet or a nut element for attachment to a component consisting of a composite material such as a fiber reinforced plastic part or a fabric reinforced plastic part is presented. The element has a flange part and a shaft part extending away from the flange part and/or a rivet section, wherein the rivet section, is present, can also be formed at the free end of the shaft part, with the a hollow element furthermore having a central passage, which is optionally provided with a thread cylinder. The hollow element is used in combination with an auxiliary tip which is either inserted from the flange side of the element through the passage, or from the side of the free end of the shaft part of the rivet section into the passage, such that a conically converging region of the auxiliary tip projects from the free end of the shaft part or of the rivet section.

Abstract: A functional element in the form of a press-in element for attachment to a sheet metal part is disclosed which has a head part and a shaft part, the head part has a ring-like sheet metal contact surface within which is a ring-like axial recess which surrounds the shaft part at the transition of the head part into the shaft part. The shaft part has a plurality of peripherally distributed radial recesses extending in the axial direction between which are axially extending and radially projecting noses having raised material portions which form undercuts with the head part in the region of the ring-like recess, the undercuts being present at the positions of the radial recesses at their axial ends adjacent to the head part. Radially extending ribs providing security against rotation, or other anti-rotation security features, are provided in the base region of the ring-like recess.

Abstract: Described is a press-in element for pressing into a non-pierced or pre-pierced component. The press-in element has a head part having a ring surface confronting the component and a neck part which projects away from the ring surface, i.e. from the component contact side. The head part further has a ring-like projection surrounding the neck part with a radial spacing and projecting away from the ring surface. The neck part has a radially outwardly projecting ring bead, which can be formed as a continuous ring bead or as a ring bead interrupted at points. The apex of the ring bead has an axial spacing from the ring surface which is larger than the axial spacing of the apex of the ring-like projection from the ring surface, which lies radially within this projection and together with it and the ring bead forms a pocket which receives material of the component.

Abstract: A functional element of metal having a flange of larger diameter from an attachment surface and a centering section arranged inside the attachment surface and extending away from the flange, characterized in that an adhesive is arranged around the cylindrical section and adjacent to the attachment surface.

Abstract: A functional element (10), for fixing to a piece of sheet metal (40), such as for example, a nut element or a bolt element with a body section or head section, comprising an annular flange (14) which transforms into a cylindrical rivet section, is characterized in that the transformation from annular flange into the rivet section is formed by an at least essentially conical surface, forming a contact surface for a corresponding conical region of a piece of sheet metal, which, on fixing the functional element to a piece of sheet metal, is clamped between the side of the annular flange facing the rivet section and an annular bead (50) formed from the rivet section. An assembled component and a method for the fixing of a functional element are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates, amongst other things, to a punch-in element having a hollow head part of larger transverse dimension and a hollow shaft part of smaller transverse dimension which projects away from one side of the head part, wherein a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is formed at the said side of the head part and surrounds the shaft part, with a plurality of ribs at the outer periphery of the shaft part which extend in the axial direction along the shaft part from the sheet metal contact surface to close to the free end of the shaft part. A pre-installation component, a component assembly and a method is also claimed.

Abstract: A hollow element such as a hollow rivet or a nut element for attachment to a component consisting of a composite material such as a fiber reinforced plastic part or a fabric reinforced plastic part is presented. The element has a flange part and a shaft part extending away from the flange part and/or a rivet section, wherein the rivet section, is present, can also be formed at the free end of the shaft part, with the a hollow element furthermore having a central passage, which is optionally provided with a thread cylinder. The hollow element is used in combination with an auxiliary tip which is either inserted from the flange side of the element through the passage, or from the side of the free end of the shaft part of the rivet section into the passage, such that a conically converging region of the auxiliary tip projects from the free end of the shaft part or of the rivet section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a functional element in the form of a press-in element for attachment to a sheet metal part, wherein the functional element has a head part and a shaft part, the head part has a ring-shaped sheet metal contact surface at the side adjacent the shaft part and a ring-shaped axial recess inside this ring-shaped sheet metal contact surface and surrounding the shaft part at the transition from the head part into the shaft part. In accordance with the invention the shaft part has a plurality of circumferentially distributed radial recesses extending in the axial direction and between these noses which likewise extend axially and project radially, wherein raised material portions are present at the positions of the radial recesses at their axial ends adjacent the head part and form undercuts with the head part in the region of the ring-shaped recess.

Abstract: A method for providing an electrically conductive connection between an electric terminal device having a cavity and a sheet metal part. A hollow fixing element is riveted to the sheet metal part to prevent torsion producing an electrically conductive connection between the fixing element and the sheet metal part. The assembled component is then provided with an electrically non-conductive or poorly conductive protective coating. A receptacle for the electric terminal device is configured near the front face of the fixing element, to which the electrical terminal device is attached. The receptacle prevents the torsion of the terminal device in relation to the fixing element. The sheet metal part and a thread forming or cutting screw is screwed through the cavity of the electric terminal device into the hollow fixing element to form or cut a thread. The invention also relates to a corresponding fixing element and an assembled component.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rivet nut (10) with a base part (12) and a cylindrical rivet section (14), the base part having a central threaded cylinder (16), an annular contact surface (18) that is coaxial to the threaded cylinder in a plane (20) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (22) of the threaded cylinder, and that has an axially aligned annular groove (24), said groove being arranged radially inside the annular contact surface and radially outside the cylindrical rivet section and said groove blending on the radially inner side, into the outer surface of the cylindrical rivet section, and anti-rotation ribs (42) being provided in the area of the annular groove.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow body elements (200), for example, nut elements which are applied to components which are normally made of steel (280), in particular, for producing hollow body elements having an essentially quadratic or rectangular external profile (202). Said method consists of cutting individual elements of a profile in the form of a profile rod (1) or a winding after holes (204) have previously been stamped in the profile, a threaded cylinder (206) is subsequently, optionally, formed using a follow-on composite tool (10) which consists of several working stations. The invention is characterized in that a penetrating process and a punching process are carried out in the working station. The invention also relates to hollow body elements (200), components, follow-on composite tools (10) and rolling mills (600, 602).

Abstract: A self-piercing hollow press-in element, in particular a nut element for attachment to a sheet metal part, wherein the press-in element has a flange part of a larger diameter and a shaft part of a smaller diameter. The shaft part extends away from the flange part and has a circular piercing edge at its end face remote from the flange part. The side of the flange part facing the shaft part forms a sheet metal contact surface in ring shape and features providing security against rotation are provided at the shaft part which extend approximately from the level of the sheet metal contact surface over a part of the length of the shaft part along the latter. A ring-like recess is provided radially within the ring-shaped sheet metal contact surface in the flange part and excess material for the shaft part which arises during manufacture of the ribs providing security against rotation is located within the ring recess.

Abstract: A functional element, in particular a bolt element consists of a shaft part and a head part designed for a rivet connection with a panel element, in particular a sheet metal part, with the head part being made hollow and having an outer diameter larger than that of the shaft part, is characterized in that the shaft part merges into the head part by a ring shoulder formed by a convexly rounded and in particular spherical surface such that the convexly rounded surface extends from the shaft part to the at least substantially cylindrical jacket surface of the head part.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a component assembly comprising a sheet metal part and a functional element attached to it by a riveting process or by a riveting and piercing process or by a press-in process, wherein the sheet metal part is provided with an imprint, is wherein the imprint is produced prior to attachment of the functional element and consists of a sequence of regions which are raised and recessed relative to one another and wherein, during the attachment of the functional element this is pressed against the sheet metal part in such a way that the imprint of the sheet metal part leads to a complementary shaping of the functional element in the region of the functional element which comes into contact with the imprint. A sheet metal part and a functional element are also claimed.

Abstract: An element attachable to a sheet metal part by riveting, having a shaft part and a head part. The head part has at its side con-fronting the sheet metal part a ring recess which merges at the radially inner side into a cylinder section of the head part which merges into the shaft part and into a tubular rivet section which surrounds the shaft part in the region of the head part. The head part is disposed within a contact surface arranged radially outside of the ring recess and merges at the radially outer side via an at least approximately conical wall into the ring-like contact surface. At least one local recess and preferably a plurality of in particular uniformly distributed local recesses is or are provided in the conical wall of the ring recess and/or in an optionally present base surface of the ring recess.

Abstract: A spacer element which is designed at both ends for the attachment to a sheet metal part or to a hollow section for the formation of a component assembly and which optionally has a fastener section with an internal thread or external thread for the attachment of a component to the component assembly by means of a screw or a nut, is characterized in that the spacer element is not deformable or at least substantially not deformable on attachment to the sheet metal part or to the hollow section and in that the spacer element is provided at both end faces with respective undercuts for the form-fitted reception of sheet metal material or of the wall material, whereby the spacer element is secured to the sheet metal part or to the hollow section and preferably also secured against, rotation. Various variants, component assemblies and methods are likewise described and claimed.

Abstract: A functional element having a functional portion, a generally tubular rivet portion and a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is characterised in that features of shape are provided at the rivet portion for co-movement of the sheet metal part during the formation of the rivet bead, in particular at the free end of the rivet portion and/or at the radially outer side of the rivet portion, at least in the region adjacent the free end of the rivet portion. A component assembly comprising a functional element and a sheet metal part as well as a method for the attachment of a functional element to the sheet metal part are also claimed.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for the attachment of a fastener element to a component, for example a sheet metal part, wherein the fastener element is a nut element and has an axis of symmetry, a head part having a contact surface which enters into contact with the component, a threaded bore and also at least one undercut which receives the material of the component, and wherein the material of the component is pressed against the contact surface and into the undercut by means of a first tool having a die button shape matching the design of the nut element. A local force is exerted on the head part of the nut element or onto the tool to the side of the axis of symmetry and is moved circularly around the axis of symmetry while simultaneously carrying out a relative feed movement between the tool and the nut element between which the component is arranged in order to press the material of the component into the undercut.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing hollow body elements (200), for example, nut elements which are applied to components which are normally made of steel (280), in particular, for producing hollow body elements having an essentially quadratic or rectangular external profile (202). Said method consists of cutting individual elements of a profile in the form of a profile rod (1) or a winding after holes (204) have previously been stamped in the profile, a threaded cylinder (206) is subsequently, optionally, formed using a follow-on composite tool (10) which consists of several working stations. The invention is characterized in that a penetrating process and a punching process are carried out in the working station. The invention also relates to hollow body elements (200), components, follow-on composite tools (10) and rolling mills (600, 602).

Abstract: The present invention relates, amongst other things, to a punch-in element having a hollow head part of larger transverse dimension and a hollow shaft part of smaller transverse dimension which projects away from one side of the head part, wherein a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is formed at the said side of the head part and surrounds the shaft part, with a plurality of ribs at the outer periphery of the shaft part which extend in the axial direction along the shaft part from the sheet metal contact surface to close to the free end of the shaft part. A pre-installation component, a component assembly and a method is also claimed.