Abstract: A functional element having a section that has a flange, that projects away from a side of the flange, and is adapted for an aperture-free punching into a sheet metal part and having a shaft part that projects away from a side of the flange opposite the first side, that satisfies a function and that is provided with a longitudinal axis. The flange and the section are arranged at least substantially coaxially to the shaft part. The section is formed as a hollow cylinder that has notches extending in parallel with the longitudinal direction at at least one of its outer jacket surface and its inner jacket surface. The section has a diverging frustoconical shape that runs out at least substantially at the free end at the inner side of the section in the region of its free end and that serves for the widening of the section on the punching in the sheet metal part. A component assembly and a method of producing the latter is also claimed.

Abstract: A rivet element having a central longitudinal direction having a head part that has a sheet metal contact surface and having a cylindrical rivet section that has features providing security against rotation is characterized in that the features providing security against rotation are formed by notches at the outer jacket surface of the cylindrical rivet section that extend in parallel with the central longitudinal direction and that extend over substantially the total length of the rivet section. A surprisingly higher security against rotation resistance is hereby achieved by the corresponding component assembly comprising a sheet metal part to which the rivet element is riveted.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for attaching functional elements, e.g. composed of metal, to a component, in particular to a component comprising fiber-reinforced plastic, while using a setting head, wherein the functional element has a contact surface provided with adhesive and wherein the adhesive can be supplied to the setting head in individual depots adapted to the functional elements on a carrier band is characterized in that the functional elements are taken over by a guide device and are each pressable to an adhesive depot and are subsequently guidable with the adhering adhesive depots and separately from the carrier band in the setting head to the setting position in front of a setting die.

Abstract: A punch rivet for the attachment of individual components to one another of which at least one component is formed by a workpiece of composite material, the punch rivet having a flange of larger diameter, a rivet section of smaller diameter and a ring-like component contact surface at the side of the flange adjacent to the rivet section and surrounding the rivet section, wherein the rivet section has a ring surface at its free end for the piercing of the two workpieces, with the punch rivet having a central passage which extends over the full length of the punch rivet and wherein the punch rivet has an inwardly directed projection in the region of the rivet section 14.

Abstract: A method for the attachment of a hollow element such as a hollow rivet or a nut element to a component consisting of a composite material, with the element having a flange part and a shaft part or rivet section extending away from the flange part, wherein a rivet section can also be formed at the free end of a shaft part. The hollow element has a central passage which is optionally provided with a thread cylinder. In the method an auxiliary tip is either passed from the flange side of the element remote from the shaft part and/or the rivet section through the passage or is introduced from the side of the free end of the shaft part and/or 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 hollow punch rivet is described having a flange and a rivet section. Furthermore, a method for the attachment of individual components to one another using a punch rivet is described, with at least one of the components being formed by a material of the composite material.

Abstract: A die button for the punching in and fastening of a fastener element having a piercing section to a planar workpiece, in particular a sheet metal part. The die button includes a jacket. Also included is a die plunger movably arranged in the jacket. Further included is a biasing device for pressing the plunger against the workpiece when the workpiece is supported on the jacket with a pressing force made available by the biasing device and selected such that the die plunger first moves when a slug has been detached from the workpiece by the piercing section of the fastener element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the punching in and attachment of the fastener element to a planar workpiece, in particular to a sheet metal part. During the punching in of the fastener element in the workpiece a movably arranged die plunger of the die button is pressed with a predetermined pressing force against the workpiece. The pressing force is adapted such that the die plunger first moves once a slug has been cut out of the workpiece by a piercing section of the fastener element.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for attaching functional elements of metal to a component, in particular to a component comprising fiber reinforced plastic, using a setting head, wherein the functional element has a contact surface (12) provided with adhesive. In this respect, the adhesive within the setting head is applied to the functional element before the attachment of the functional element to the component.

Abstract: A punch rivet for fastening individual components to one another of which at least one component is formed by a workpiece, with the punch rivet having a flange of larger diameter, a rivet section of smaller diameter and a ring-like component contact surface at the side of the flange adjacent the rivet section and surrounding the rivet section, with the rivet section having at its free end a ring surface for the piercing of the two workpieces which stands at least substantially perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the punch rivet and an inner concave ring surface which forms the transition from the end of the punch rivet into the hollow internal space of the rivet section. Ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal axis are provided at the generally cylindrical outer surface of the rivet section and extend up to the free end face of the rivet section.

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: The invention relates to a method of fastening a rivet element to a workpiece, in particular to a sheet metal part, which has a preshaped hole provided for the reception of a rivet section of the rivet element and which is made planar at least in the region around the preshaped hole. Prior to the fastening process, the workpiece is positioned at a well-defined spacing from a contact surface of a die by means of at least one movably and/or elastically configured spacer of the die for the reshaping of the rivet section, so that a gap is formed between a wall of the hole and a punch of the die, which is provided for the reshaping of the rivet section. The rivet section is introduced into the gap in the course of the fastening process and is reshaped by the punch in order to engage behind the workpiece in the region of the hole.

Abstract: A finished component assembly includes a sheet metal part, a sheet metal element and a rivet element. The rivet element is provided with a head part of larger diameter, which serves as a thread carrier and which forms a sheet metal contact surface, as well as with a hollow cylindrical rivet section of smaller diameter. The rivet section projects from the head part at the side of the sheet metal contact surface and extends through an aperture and a collar of the sheet metal part as well as through a hole of the sheet metal element and is shaped into an at least L-shaped, preferably U-shaped, rivet bead at the side of the sheet metal element remote from the sheet metal part, with the sheet metal contact surface contacting the side of the sheet metal part remote from the sheet metal element. The invention further relates to a sheet metal element, to a first component assembly including a sheet metal part and a sheet metal element as well as to a manufacturing method.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a hole in a component consisting of a composite material, such as a fiber reinforced plastic part or a fabric reinforced plastic part, which is characterized in that the component having first and second oppositely disposed sides is placed with its first side on a support having an iris diaphragm, in that a tip which diverges in the axial direction is pressed coming from the second side of the component through the component, which optionally has a pre-piercing, for the formation of the hole or for the enlargement of the pre-piercing and in that the iris diaphragm has a smaller starting opening which receives a narrower region of the tip and opens into a larger opening with increasing penetration of the component by the tip, whereby the component is supported during the hole formation over an as large as possible area from the first side. A piercing aid in the form of an iris diaphragm or a corresponding die button is likewise claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rivet element for attachment to a component, in particular to a component of a fiber composite material. The rivet element has a flange section which in the installed state contacts the component and a rivet section. The rivet section has a tip which converges in a direction away from the flange section with a dilated end portion being provided at the end of the tip remote from the flange section.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a hole in a component consisting of a composite material, such as a fiber reinforced plastic part or a fabric reinforced plastic part, which is characterized in that the component having first and second oppositely disposed sides is placed with its first side on a support having an iris diaphragm, in that a tip which diverges in the axial direction is pressed coming from the second side of the component through the component, which optionally has a pre-piercing, for the formation of the hole or for the enlargement of the pre-piercing and in that the iris diaphragm has a smaller starting opening which receives a narrower region of the tip and opens into a larger opening with increasing penetration of the component by the tip, whereby the component is supported during the hole formation over an as large as possible area from the first side. A piercing aid in the form of an iris diaphragm or a corresponding die button is likewise claimed.

Abstract: A piercing nut element having a strength in the range between 700 and 900 MPa which is designed to be pressed into the sheet metal part. The nut element is characterized in that the self-piercing attachment of the nut element into a sheet metal part of higher strength, or into a sheet metal part with a thickness greater than 3.5 mm, the nut element is designed in such a way that the piercing section has a peripheral extending groove below the sheet metal contact surface and in that the piercing section has a piercing edge at its free end face with the piercing edge being spaced from the boundary of the groove adjacent to the piercing section by a peripheral surface having an axial height which corresponds to at least 30% and preferably to at least 50% of the sheet metal thickness, wherein the 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 thread corresponds to a thickness between 1.2 to 1.

Abstract: A method for the attachment of a bolt element to a component is described. The bolt element has a head part having a contact surface and a shaft part extending away from the head part, the shaft part having a tip provided at its end remote from the head part, the tip merging into a thread cylinder, optionally via a cylindrical region. The bolt element is pressed with the tip to the fore against the component and the tip is pressed through the component until the side of the component adjacent the head part of the bolt element enters to contact the thread cylinder and the tip thereby generates a hole in the component. The bolt element is subsequently turned so that the thread of the thread cylinder forms an internal thread in the wall of the hole. A bolt element is also claimed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rivet element, in particular for attachment to components of fiber composite materials, having a rivet section which is formed at least regionally as a spike which tapers in the direction towards a tip and which can be dilated by means of a die button.

Abstract: A piercing nut element having a strength in the range between 700 and 900 MPa which is designed to be pressed into the sheet metal part. The nut element is characterized in that the self-piercing attachment of the nut element into a sheet metal part of higher strength, or into a sheet metal part with a thickness greater than 3.5 mm, the nut element is designed in such a way that the piercing section has a peripheral extending groove below the sheet metal contact surface and in that the piercing section has a piercing edge at its free end face with the piercing edge being spaced from the boundary of the groove adjacent to the piercing section by a peripheral surface having an axial height which corresponds to at least 30% and preferably to at least 50% of the sheet metal thickness, wherein the 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 thread corresponds to a thickness between 1.2 to 1.