Patents by Inventor Richard Humpert

Richard Humpert has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9222502
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO., KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Christian Sowa, Richard Humpert, Michael Vieth
  • Patent number: 9188148
    Abstract: A functional element of metal having a flange of larger diameter forming an attachment surface and having a centering section arranged inside the attachment surface and extending away from the flange, is characterized in that an adhesive which hardens under pressure is arranged around the centering section and adjacent to the attachment surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 9175716
    Abstract: A functional element having a functional portion, a generally tubular rivet portion and a ring-like sheet metal contact surface is characterized 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 9157464
    Abstract: A functional element having a head part with a flange and a section projecting away from a first side of the flange which is punching into a sheet metal part without piercing the sheet metal part and also having a shaft part with a longitudinal axis which satisfies a function and which projects away from the side from the flange opposite to the first side. The flange and the section are arranged at least substantially coaxial to the shaft part, with the section, which is formed as a hollow cylinder having ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal direction at its outer jacket surface. At the inner side the section has a diverging truncated cone shape which substantially runs out at the free end, with the truncated cone shape serving for the dilation of the section during punching into the sheet metal part. A component assembly and a method of manufacturing it are also claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO., KG.
    Inventors: Adrian Ellis, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 9151312
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combination of a functional element having a flange section and a connection section, in particular a rivet element, and a pressure plate, in particular a pressure plate having an opening, for attachment to a component, in particular to a panel of composite material or sheet metal, wherein the functional element and the pressure plate are formed to be arranged on opposite sides of a hole of the component and are to be connected together via the connection section which extends through the hole, in particular by riveting, in order to clamp a region of the component surrounding the hole between the flange section and the pressure plate and wherein the pressure side of the pressure plate confronting the component in the attached state is provided with a means providing security against rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach, Christian Sowa
  • Patent number: 9080589
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: PROFIL VERBINDUNGSTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach, Christian Sowa
  • Publication number: 20150121667
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fastener element for attachment to a component, wherein the fastener element has a contact surface which contacts the component in the installed state. Furthermore, the fastener element has a mounting recess which faces the component in the dismantled state. The mounting recess is bounded by at least one sidewall and by a base section. The sidewall is, at least regionally, provided with at least one undercut which is effective in the axial direction of the fastener element. The base section is formed free of any aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Richard Humpert
  • Publication number: 20150082607
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach
  • Publication number: 20150059156
    Abstract: A method for the attachment of the fastener element to a workpiece with the aid of a washer and also a die button are described. The fastener element has a flange of larger diameter, a rivet section of smaller diameter which extends away from the flange and a workpiece contact surface at the side of the flange adjacent the rivet section. The die button is provided to receive a washer and has a central post the end face of which lies at least substantially flush with the side of the washer adjacent to the workpiece. The non-pre-pierced workpiece is pierced by the said end face of the central post and the free end of the rivet section and the rivet section of the fastener element is subsequently deformed to form a rivet bead. Moreover, a die button and a combination of a die button with a washer are claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach
  • Publication number: 20150059153
    Abstract: A punch rivet for fastening individual components to one another of which at least one component is formed by a workpiece of composite material, 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 preferably extend up to the free end face of the rivet section. In addition, a method is claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach
  • Publication number: 20150059152
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Publication number: 20150037114
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Oliver DIEHL, Richard HUMPERT
  • Patent number: 8888426
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 8839486
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: PROFIL Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert
  • Publication number: 20140241831
    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 rein-forced 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Oliver DIEHL, Richard HUMPERT, Andreas LEMBACH, Christian SOWA
  • Patent number: 8753054
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Oliver Diehl, Richard Humpert, Andreas Lembach, Christian Sowa
  • Patent number: 8701285
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 8696278
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 8690693
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Profil Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert
  • Patent number: 8646166
    Abstract: A component assembly comprises a sheet metal and a fastener element. A flange has a larger diameter and a shaft of smaller diameter extends away from the flange and merges at its end remote from the flange into a cylindrical rivet section. The fastener element is used with sheet metals with thicknesses in the range of 3 mm and larger. With thin sheet metal parts the sheet metal has a smooth pierced cylindrical opening with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the shaft. The cylindrical rivet section is reshaped to a rivet bead contacting the sheet metal underside. Medium thickness sheet metal parts have a stepped hole with the hole region of larger diameter receiving the rivet bead. For thick sheet metal parts the sheet metal has a conical pierced hole and the cylindrical rivet section is reshaped to a conical rivet bead wedged in the conically diverging hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Profil—Verbindungstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jiri Babej, Richard Humpert, Christian Sowa, Michael Vieth