TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a spacer sleeve for compensating for a distance between fastening portions of two components, comprising a basic body for contact against the fastening portion of the first component and a spacer piece, which is connected to the basic body via a thread, for contact against the fastening portion of the second component, wherein the spacer piece is adjustable by means of a rotational movement along the axis of rotation relative to the basic body.

BACKGROUND

[0002] With spacer sleeves of the above-mentioned type, two components can be connected to each other at fastening portions which do not he directly against each other.

At least in the region of the fastening portions, the components can be at a distance from each other which is compensated for by the spacer sleeve. The spacer sleeve here is arranged between the two spaced-apart fastening portions of the components, in particular is guided through a passage opening in the fastening portion of the first component.

Subsequently, a screw can be guided with its threaded portion through a passage opening in the fastening portion of the second component and introduced into the spacer piece of the spacer sleeve. When the screw is screwed into the spacer piece, the external thread of the screw interacts with an internal thread or an inner guide of the spacer piece and therefore leads to the rotational movement of the spacer piece relative to the basic body. This rotational movement of the spacer piece can also take place via a tool engaging in the spacer piece. By this means, a translatory movement of the spacer piece takes place away from the basic body along the axis of rotation of the spacer piece or of the screw or the tool. The spacer piece here is moved far away from the basic body until it passes into contact against the fastening portion of the second component. The two components can therefore be connected to each other in the region of the fastening portions while maintaining the distance between the fastening portions. In addition, from the opposite side, i.e. from the side of the basic body, a further nut can be placed onto a screw passing through the spacer sleeve.

[0003] When the spacer piece is unscrewed away from the basic body, a flat upper side of the spacer piece generally enters into contact with the fastening portion of the second component. Spacer sleeves of this type are also referred to as spacer nuts and are known, for example, from WO 2014/120 707 Al. Spacer sleeves are also known, the upper side of which has a plastics ring which, in the extended state of the spacer piece away from the basic body, enters into contact with the fastening portion of the second component. In the case of the known spacer sleeves, the rotational movement of the spacer piece and therefore also the translatory movement of the spacer piece out of the basic body is consequently restricted by an inner side of the fastening portion of the second component, said inner side applying a corresponding counter torque because of the friction of the upper side of the spacer piece or of the plastics ring. Owing to the planar contact of the upper side of the spacer piece or of the plastics ring of the spacer piece against the inner side of the fastening portion of the second component, even small errors in the surface composition of the fastening portion can impair the accuracy of the height adjustment by means of the spacer sleeve. This generally has resulted in extensive finishing work; for example, it can be necessary to grind down the inner surface of the fastening portion of the second component. In addition, because of the planar contact of the upper side of the spacer piece or of the plastics ring against the inner side of the fastening portion of the second component, said fastening portion may be deformed. Specifically because of tolerances in the torque to be applied and because of friction within the threads between the spacer piece and basic body, the planar contact mentioned may result in a possibly excessive force being exerted on the second component and therefore deformation may be the consequence. This is applicable in particular whenever the thread between the spacer piece and the basic body has a relatively low pitch since an even relatively low torque then leads to a relatively high translatory force on the spacer piece.

SUMMARY

[0004] Starting from the explained prior art, the invention is based on the object of providing a spacer sleeve which permits two components to be connected without the components being deformed.

[0005] The invention achieves the object by means of a spacer sleeve according to Claim 1. Advantageous refinements are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

[0006] In the case of the spacer sleeve according to the invention of the type mentioned at the beginning, the spacer piece has at least one engagement hook which is designed to engage in an engagement opening of the fastening portion of the second component in order to limit the rotational movement of the spacer piece.

[0007] The spacer sleeve permits two components to be fastened to each other at a distance, as explained at the beginning. The spacer sleeve serves in particular for use in a vehicle. The spacer sleeve can be arranged, for example, between a roof panel and a structural panel of a vehicle. In particular, the structural panel here can form the first component and the roof panel can form the second component. Roof rails can then be placed onto the roof panel and fastened, for example, via a screw projecting through the spacer sleeve and a nut placed onto the screw. The basic body and the spacer piece are connected via the thread in such a manner that the spacer piece is adjustable along the axis of rotation of the spacer piece by means of a rotational movement relative to the basic body, i.e. in a translatory manner away from the basic body or, when the direction of rotation is reversed, toward the basic body. For this purpose, the basic body can have an internal thread which interacts with an external thread of the spacer piece. Alternatively, the basic body can have an external thread which interacts with an internal thread of the spacer piece. The spacer sleeve and the basic body can be composed, for example, of a plastic or a metal. The at least one engagement hook can be composed, for example, of plastic.

[0008] The engagement hook provided according to the invention on the spacer piece limits the rotational movement of the spacer piece relative to the basic body and therefore also the translatory movement of the spacer piece relative to the basic body during a movement of the spacer piece away from the basic body. This is achieved in that, in the state arranged between the fastening portions of two components, the engagement hook engages in the engagement opening of the fastening portion of the second component in a sufficiently extended position of the spacer piece away from the basic body. By means of the adjustment of the spacer piece relative to the basic body, the spacer piece, and therefore also the engagement hook, approaches ever closer to the fastening portion of the second component. However, by contrast with the known prior art, this movement in the case of the spacer sleeve here is not stopped by the planar contact of a plastics ring or the upper side of the spacer piece against the inner side of the second component, but rather by the engagement of the engagement hook in the engagement opening of the fastening portion of the second component. In this case, in particular the edge bounding the engagement opening enters into a hook opening of the engagement hook. According to the invention, the rotational movement of the spacer piece is therefore not produced by a countering torque caused by friction on the inner side of the fastening portion of the second component, but rather directly by the engagement hook stopping in the engagement opening. The engagement hook therefore directly counters the applied torque without further force modifications occurring. The counterforce countering the torque applied in order to adjust the spacer piece relative to the basic body is produced by the edge of the engagement opening of the fastening portion and not by a contact surface of the fastening portion. By contrast to the prior art, the counterforce opposing the rotation of the spacer piece does not increase steadily with the friction, but rather increases abruptly to a maximum value with the engagement of the engagement hook in the engagement opening. The tolerances mentioned at the beginning in the torque to be applied and also because of friction within the threads between the spacer piece and basic body are also substantially without effect. The spacer sleeve according to the invention therefore results in no deformation or virtually no deformation of the fastening portions of the components. By contrast with the known spacer sleeves, the fastening portions of the two components are not pushed apart or are at least scarcely pushed apart by the spacer sleeve according to the invention. Planar contact between the spacer piece and the fastening portion of the second component does not result in the application of a translatory counterforce on the spacer piece, said counterforce then stopping the rotational movement of the spacer piece, but rather the rotational movement of the spacer piece is stopped directly, which also stops the translatory movement of the spacer piece relative to the basic body. The edge of the engagement opening entering into contact with the engagement hook and the upper side of the fastening portion of the second component, said upper side continuing away from the spacer piece, customarily have substantially fewer errors and irregularities than the inner side facing the spacer piece. This also simplifies the fastening.

[0009] According to one refinement, the at least one engagement hook is formed in an elastic manner. The at least one engagement hook can be composed, for example, of a relatively flexible plastic. The engagement hook can also be formed in an elastic manner by means of its geometrical design. For example, the engagement hook can be arranged on an elongate arm which can be in particular at an angle to the axis of rotation. During the adjustment of the spacer piece out of the basic body, with each rotation the spacer piece comes closer to the fastening portion of the second component, as explained above. The elastically designed engagement hook can be initially elastically deformed here by the edge bounding the engagement opening in the fastening portion of the second component in such a manner that said engagement hook is pressed away from the fastening portion. Only when the spacer piece has sufficiently approached the fastening portion of the second component does the engagement hook engage in the engagement opening. An elastic configuration of the engagement hook therefore permits an all the more precise approach of the spacer piece towards the fastening portion of the second component and therefore leads to a particularly precise compensation for the distance by means of the spacer sleeve. In particular, even in the event of possible tolerances in the thread, the spacer sleeve can thus apply a constant force at all times between the components.

[0010] According to one refinement, the spacer piece has a plurality of engagement hooks which are arranged distributed over the circumference of the spacer piece and are each designed to engage in an engagement opening of the second component in order to limit the rotational movement of the spacer piece. According to a refinement in this regard, the engagement hooks are formed on a ring held on the spacer piece in particular via latching means. The provision of a plurality of engagement hooks distributed over the

circumference of the spacer piece can lead to all the more precise compensation for tolerances. With just one engagement hook, said engagement hook can engage in the engagement opening only upon each full rotation of the spacer piece. However, depending on the pitch of the thread between the basic body and the spacer piece, the spacer piece can move relatively far away from the basic body within one full revolution. By means of the provision of further engagement hooks arranged distributed over the circumference of the spacer piece, there is the possibility of one of the engagement hooks coming into engagement with the engagement opening not only upon each full revolution, but also in the case of basically any desired partial rotations. The spacer sleeve can therefore also be used for a multiplicity of fastening portions spaced apart differently far from one another and at the same time can ensure as constant an application of force as possible. By means of the arrangement of the engagement hooks on a common ring, the production can take place particularly simply, in particular in a (plastics) injection moulding process. The ring can have latching elements for the latching connection of the ring to the spacer piece. This facilitates the connection of the engagement hooks to the spacer piece. The ring is preferably limited, in particular via the latching elements, in relation to a movement along the axis of rotation relative to the spacer piece and also in relation to a movement about the axis of rotation relative to the spacer piece.

[0011] According to one refinement, the thread is a multi-start thread. The thread connecting the basic body to the spacer piece can result in a greater axial stroke of the spacer piece per revolution if the thread is a multi-start thread. The amplification of the force is reduced in this case. The forces acting on the fastening portion of the second component can therefore be reduced further. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A refinement of the invention will be explained below with reference to figures, in which, schematically:

[0013] Figure 1 shows a spacer sleeve according to the invention in a perspective view,

[0014] Figure 2 shows the spacer sleeve from Figure 1 in a sectional view,

[0015] Figure 3 shows the spacer sleeve from Figure 1 arranged between fastening portions of two components,

[0016] Figure 4 shows a movement sequence a) to g) of an engagement hook of the spacer sleeve,

[0017] Figure 5 shows the spacer sleeve from Figure 3, wherein one of the engagement hooks is in engagement with the fastening portion of the second component, and

[0018] Figure 6 shows a top view of an upper side of the second component with engagement hooks projecting through the engagement opening.

[0019] Unless stated otherwise, the same reference signs refer below to the same objects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures of the spacer sleeve 10 according to the invention comprises a basic body 12 and a spacer piece 14, which is connected to the basic body 12 via a thread 16. As can be gathered in particular from Figure 2, in the present exemplary embodiment the thread 16 is formed by an internal thread of the basic body 12 and a corresponding external thread of the spacer piece 14. In addition, it can be seen in particular in Figure 2 that the spacer piece 14 comprises a threaded portion 18 and a head portion 22 which is connected to the threaded portion 18 via latching elements 20. However, the spacer piece 14 can also be formed integrally. A ring 24 bearing a plurality of engagement hooks 26 is arranged on the spacer piece 14 in the region of the head portion 22. The ring 24 is latched to the spacer piece 14 via latching elements 28. In the present case, the spacer piece comprises 6 engagement hooks which, for clarity reasons, are not all provided with reference signs. Of course, more or fewer engagement hooks can also be provided. The engagement hooks 26 are formed in an elastic manner. They each have an elongate arm 25 with which they are arranged on the ring 24. The arms 25 are at an angle to an axis of rotation D. The ring 24 and therefore the engagement hooks 26 can be composed in particular of plastic, for example can be manufactured in a plastics injection moulding process.

[0021] The spacer piece 14 is in engagement with the basic body 12 via the thread in such a manner that, by means of a rotational movement of the spacer piece 14 about the axis of rotation D relative to the basic body 12, the spacer piece 14 is also moved in a translatory manner in relation to the basic body 12. In a corresponding direction of rotation, the spacer piece 14 is therefore rotated out of the basic body 12 and is therefore moved away from the basic body 12. In the exemplary embodiment here, this can be achieved by a tool which engages in a passage opening 15 of the spacer piece 14 and interacts with a hexagonal tool holder 19 formed in the passage opening 15. By rotation of the tool, the spacer piece 14 can therefore be moved out of the basic body 12.

[0022] To compensate for the distance between two components, the spacer sleeve is arranged between the fastening portions of said components, as can be seen in particular in Figure 3. The basic body 12 is in contact here against the fastening portion 30 of a first component. In the state shown in Figure 3, the spacer piece 14 is not yet in contact with a fastening portion 32 of a second component. To compensate for the distance between the fastening portions 30, 32, the spacer piece 14 is rotated out of the basic body 12 in the manner explained above. The spacer piece 14 and therefore the engagement hooks 26 which are connected to the spacer piece 14 are moved here toward the fastening portion 32 of the second component. Such a movement sequence is illustrated in Figure 4. It is in particular apparent there that the engagement hooks 26 are configured in an elastic manner because of the elongate arms 25.

[0023] In step a), the spacer piece 14 has already been rotated out of the basic body 12 to such an extent that one of the engagement hooks 26, at least with its upper end, has reached an engagement opening 34 of the fastening portion 32 of the second component. If the spacer piece 14 is now rotated further out of the basic body 12, the engagement hook 26 moves along the further steps b) to d) illustrated in Figure 4. As can be seen, a projection 27 of the engagement hook 26 enters into contact here with an edge 36 bounding the engagement opening 34, as a result of which the engagement hook 26 is pushed out of the engagement opening 34 under the fastening portion 32 by elastic deformation of the arm 25. One of the following engagement hooks 26 is illustrated in steps e) to g). The spacer piece 14 has now been extended further out of the basic body 12 and the engagement hook 26 is no longer elastically deformed downwards by the edge 36 of the engagement opening 34, but rather engages in the engagement opening 34. The projection 27 slides here over the edge 36 on the upper side of the fastening portion 32 of the second component while the edge 36 is received in a hook receptacle 40. For clarity reasons, the reference signs only for step a) are illustrated in Figure 4. The spacer sleeve has therefore reached its final installation state, as is apparent in Figures 5 and 6. In this case, one of the engagement hooks 26 reaches through the engagement opening 34 of the second component 32. [0024] In addition, at least in the present exemplary embodiment, the head portion 22 of the spacer piece 14 also projects through a passage opening of the fastening portion 32, as can likewise be seen in Figures 5 and 6. During the attachment of a further component, for example roof rails, on the upper side of the second component, which can be in particular a roof panel, the distance between the roof rails and the second component can be set via the distance of the surface of the head portion 22 from the surface of the second component.

[0025] By means of the engagement hook according to the invention, a rotational movement of the spacer piece relative to the basic body can be directly stopped.

Undesirably strong forces which deform the fastening portions therefore do not occur. Secure fastening of the components without deformation of same can therefore be achieved.

List of reference signs

10 Spacer sleeve

12 Basic body

14 Spacer piece

15 Passage opening

16 Thread

18 Threaded portion

19 Tool holder

20 Latching element

22 Head portion

24 Ring

25 Arm

26 Engagement hook

27 Projection

28 Latching elements

30 Fastening portion

32 Fastening portion

34 Engagement opening 36 Edge

40 Hook receptacle

D Axis of rotation