US 11,754,102 B2
Method for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material
Alexei Vichniakov, Hamburg (DE); and Nico Pahmeyer, Hamburg (DE)
Assigned to Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed by Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed on Jan. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/749,051.
Claims priority of application No. 102019102469.2 (DE), filed on Jan. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0248732 A1, Aug. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. F16B 5/00 (2006.01); F16B 13/08 (2006.01); F16B 19/10 (2006.01)
CPC F16B 5/0096 (2013.01) [F16B 13/0841 (2013.01); F16B 2019/1009 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material, comprising the steps:
providing a first component made of a plastically deformable material, the first component having a first opening, a first sidewall around the first opening, and a thickness at the first opening defined in an axial direction at the first sidewall,
providing a second component having a second opening, a second sidewall around the second opening, and a thickness at the second opening defined in the axial direction at the second sidewall,
assembling the first component and the second component so that the first opening and the second opening lie on one another,
enclosing the first component and the second component between a first restricting body and a second restricting body in an edge region around the respective opening,
softening the material at least of the edge region of the first component,
heating a mandrel,
introducing the mandrel into the first and second openings so that softened material moves between the two edge regions and surrounds the mandrel in order to provide a common connecting opening, and
setting the material,
the mandrel having an outer diameter which corresponds to a target diameter of the common connecting opening,
wherein the first opening has a first opening radius,
wherein the second opening has a second opening radius,
wherein the mandrel has a mandrel outer radius, and
wherein the first opening radius, the second opening radius and the mandrel outer radius are dimensioned in such a way that, when the mandrel is introduced and extends through the first opening and the second opening, the first component, the second component and the mandrel are in flush surface contact with one another, and a sum of the thickness at the first opening of the first component and the thickness at the second opening of the second component is unchanged.