TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a device for fastening a line on a carrier component, in particular on a vehicle body, comprising a retaining element for retaining the line and also a fastening element for fastening the device on the carrier component, wherein the retaining element has first guide means and the fastening element has second guide means, wherein, in a use position, the guide means are in engagement with one another such that the retaining element is guided on the fastening element in a displaceable manner along a longitudinal axis.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A fastening device for fastening a line, such as a fluid-carrying line, for example, of an electrical cable or cable tree, on a carrier component such as a vehicle body, for example, is known from DE 10 2012 111 886 B3. The fastening clip described there is integrally formed with a retaining element connected to the fastening element in a non- releasable manner. The fastening element has an elongate bolt holder for holding a bolt of a carrier component, wherein the bolt holder extends along a longitudinal axis L - along which a line L to be connected to the retaining element also runs - over a multiple of the diameter of the retaining bolt. Consequently, the retaining bolt can be held in the bolt holder of the fastening device at a different longitudinal position and tolerance

compensation can therefore be created. This is particularly appropriate since fastening devices of this kind are frequently initially connected to the line and then fitted to the bolt. If multiple consecutive fastening devices are not precisely attached to the line in the spacings defined by the bolts of the carrier component, inaccuracies in fit can result when connecting the line to the carrier component. However, guaranteeing a tolerance compensation of this kind via the bolt holder has the disadvantage that the fastening element of the device usually sits on the bolt less securely. In particular, the fastening device can usually only withstand small pulling forces.

[0003] Fastening devices in which the fastening element has a latching pin for connecting to the carrier component are known from EP 1 873 882 A1 and also from EP 1 722 454 A2, said latching pin being introduced into an opening in the carrier component. With these fastening devices, tolerance compensation is achieved through the connection between the retaining element and the fastening element. The retaining element and the fastening element in this case are transfer means mounted alongside one another in a displaceable manner along a longitudinal axis. This is achieved by joint production of a retaining element and fastening element in a single-cycle injection- moulding operation, wherein through correspondingly configured slides of the injection moulding tool, the retaining element and fastening element are formed in the already interconnected state such that they cannot be separated from one another. This production is, however, very expensive, particularly on account of the complex injection moulding die.

SUMMARY

[0004] Based on the prior art as explained, the problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a device for fastening a line on a carrier component which is easily manufactured and facilitates a reliable tolerance compensation with simultaneously secure fastening to the carrier component.

[0005] The invention solves the problem by means of a device according to Claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

[0006] In the case of the inventive device of the kind referred to above, the retaining element can be moved from the production position in which the guide means are not in engagement with one another into the use position.

[0007] By means of the displaceable mounting of the retaining element on the fastening element, the fastening device allows the tolerance compensation explained above via the guide means. Hence, when the fastening device is in an assembled state, i.e. in a state where the fastening element is connected to the carrier component, the retaining element is displaced relative to the fastening element along the longitudinal axis L along with the line held on the retaining element. The longitudinal axis L extends in particular along the extension direction of the line held on the retaining element. Particularly if the fastening device is already connected to the line via the retaining element before the fastening element is attached to the carrier component, a reliable fitting of multiple fastening devices arranged consecutively on the line can be achieved on or in the carrier component. Possible deviations between the spacings of fastening devices attached consecutively to the line and the corresponding bolts or receiving openings of the carrier component can thereby be compensated for. The carrier component may comprise the aforementioned bolts or receiving openings, wherein the fastening element of the fastening device according to the invention may correspondingly exhibit a bolt holder or a latching pin engaging with the opening of the carrier component. The line may be a fluid-carrying line, in particular a hydraulic line, an electric cable or a cable tree, for example.

[0008] The retaining element and fastening element may be produced separately from one another using an injection-moulding operation, for example, in particular using a plastics injection-moulding operation. The retaining element and the fastening element are then located in a production position in which the guide means are not engaged with one another. The retaining element and fastening element may also be produced jointly, for example using a single injection-moulding operation, in particular using a plastics injection-moulding operation. However, the guide means are not in engagement with one another in this case either. The retaining element and the fastening element may, on the other hand, be connected to one another in the production position via breakable injection bridges. According to the invention, the retaining element and fastening element of the fastening device are not therefore produced in a state connected to one another via the guide means, they are in particular unconnected. Instead of this, it is provided that the retaining element can be moved from this production position into the use position in which the guide means are in engagement with one another, so that the retaining element can be displaced relative to the fastening element. With separate production, the retaining element and the fastening element can be connected to one another via the guide means and the tolerance compensation can thereby be guaranteed by the relative displaceability. With the joint production of the retaining element and the fastening element, as explained, it is possible to guarantee the tolerance compensation by means of the connection following production via the guide means, wherein beforehand, in particular, an injection bridge that may have formed between the fastening element and the retaining element can be broken. Through the production according to the invention of the retaining element and the fastening element in an unconnected state relative to the guide means, production can be made substantially easier. In particular, no complicated slides are required for production by injection moulding. [0009] According to one embodiment, the guide means form a groove/tongue connection. One of the guide means may therefore exhibit a groove and the other of the guide means a spring, wherein through the engagement of the tongue with the groove, displaceability of the retaining element on the fastening element along the longitudinal axis can be achieved. The groove and tongue may, in particular, extend along the longitudinal axis. Multiple grooves and tongues may of course also be provided which each mesh with one another. For example, the first guide means may comprise a groove and a tongue arranged offset running parallel to the groove. Accordingly, the second guide means may exhibit a tongue corresponding to the groove in the first guide means and a groove arranged offset extending parallel thereto and corresponding to the tongue of the first guide means. Via the groove/tongue connection, the retaining element may be mounted on the fastening element as if on rails. The groove and tongue in this case preferably mesh with one another but do not pass through. A groove/tongue connection of this kind allows displaceability in a particularly simple manner.

[0010] According to one embodiment, latching means are provided for the latching connection of the retaining element and fastening element in the use position. In particular, the retaining element may comprise first latching means and the fastening element second latching means interacting with the first latching means. The latching means may, in particular, comprise a latching holder and a latching projection engaging with the latching holder in the use position. When the retaining element moves from the production position into the use position, the latching means engage with one another, wherein the particularly elastically configured latching projection may be elastically deformed through bearing against an abutment delimiting the latching holder and elastically reformed following entry into the latching holder. Consequently, the retaining element may be locked in the use position on the fastening element, wherein, however, through corresponding formation of the latching holder the displaceability of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis on the fastening element is furthermore guaranteed. The latching holder may extend along the longitudinal axis L. In particular, the latching holder may have a stop at each of the ends opposite one another in order to restrict the movement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis in the use position. In this case, the latching projection may come to rest in the final positions of the latching projection in each case in the latching holder at one of the stops in each case. Consequently, the retaining element may be connected to the fastening element in a captive manner.

[0011] According to one embodiment, at least one stop is provided for restricting the movement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis in the use position. As previously explained, a stop of this kind may be formed by the latching means. A stop of this kind, or multiple stops of this kind, may prevent the retaining element from being released from the fastening element in an unwanted fashion in conjunction with the latching projection as explained, for example. In particular, two stops may be provided in order to restrict the movement of the retaining element along the longitudinal axis in both directions.

[0012] According to one embodiment, centering means are provided for releasably centering the retaining element on the fastening element in the use position. The retaining element may be retained centrally on the fastening element via the centering means. This involves the retaining element being retained by the centering means on the fastening element in such a manner that a displacement of the retaining element relative to the fastening element along the longitudinal axis is opposed by a defined counter-force. Only when this counter-force is overcome is the centering released and the retaining element can then be displaced on the fastening element without this kind of application of force. The latching projection already mentioned may be provided as the centering means, for example, and as the counterpart a latching holder corresponding to the latching projection. The latching projection may be engaged with the latching holder, or released therefrom, through elastic deformation in particular. Via centering means of this kind, the retaining element may therefore be initially moved into a particular preassembly position on the fastening element which is free of play.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the fastening element has a bolt holder for accommodating a bolt of the carrier component. The fastening device may therefore be placed on the bolt of the carrier component. The bolt holder preferably encloses the bolt in a play-free manner for this purpose.

[0014] The invention further relates to a method for producing a fastening device as explained above, wherein the retaining element and the fastening element are initially formed and subsequently connected via their guide means. The method therefore envisages the retaining element and fastening element being initially formed in the production position and then moved into the use position. According to an embodiment in this respect, the retaining element and fastening element are formed separately from one another.

Separate production of the retaining element and fastening element, in particular in separate injection-moulding operations, may therefore take place. According to an alternative embodiment, the retaining element and fastening element are jointly formed.

The retaining element and fastening element may therefore be jointly produced, particularly in a joint injection-moulding operation. In both cases, as has already been explained above, in the production position in which the retaining element and the fastening element are located following production, the retaining element and fastening element are not in engagement via their guide means. The retaining element and fastening element may, however, be connected to one another via injection bridges, for example. The retaining element is then moved from the production position into the use position, wherein the guide means are then brought into engagement with one another. Any injection bridges can be broken for this purpose

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Embodiments of the invention are explained below with the help of figures. The figures show schematically:

[0016] Figure 1 shows an inventive fastening device according to a first embodiment,

[0017] Figure 2 shows the retaining element from Figure 1 in side view,

[0018] Figure 3 shows the fastening element from Figure 1 in side view,

[0019] Figure 4 showsthe entire fastening device from Figure 1 in the use position in side view,

[0020] Figure 5 shows a view from below of the fastening element and

[0021] Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of the fastening device according to the invention. [0022] Unless otherwise specified below, the same reference numbers are used to denote the same objects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the device according to the invention for fastening a line on a carrier component. The fastening device comprises a retaining element 10 for retaining a line which is not shown and a fastening element 20 for fastening the fastening device to a carrier component which is not shown.

[0024] The retaining element 10 has a line support 12 on which a line to be attached on the device is placed and can be retained via retaining devices which are not shown. A line may be retained on the line support, for example via straps enclosing the line about its circumference, for example cable ties or adhesive tapes. The line support 12 in this case extends along a longitudinal axis L, along which a received line would also run. In addition, the retaining element 10 has a carrier portion 14 connected to the line holder 12 on which the first guide means are arranged on a side facing away from the line support 12. The first guide means comprise a tongue 15 and a groove 16 which each extend over the entire width of the carrier portion 14 along the longitudinal axis L and are offset perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L.

[0025] The fastening element 20 has a bolt holder 22 for accommodating a bolt of the carrier component which is not shown. The bolt holder 22 in the present exemplary embodiment extends from an entry opening 24 formed on an underside of the fastening element 20 to an upper side of the fastening element 20 opposite the underside. The bolt holder 22 particularly receives a bolt in a play-free manner in this case. On an outer side of the fastening element 20 are configured second guide means which comprise a groove 25 and a tongue 26 in the present case. The groove 25 and tongue 26 likewise extend (at least in the use position) along the longitudinal axis L and are offset relative to one another perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L. The tongue 15 of the first guide means of the retaining element 10 is formed in a manner corresponding to the groove 25 in the second guide means of the fastening element 20. The groove 16 in the first guide means of the retaining element 10 is formed in a manner corresponding to the tongue 26 of the second guide means of the fastening element 20. [0026] In Figure 1 the retaining element 10 and fastening element 20 are shown in a production position in which the guide means are not in engagement with one another. In the present embodiment, the retaining element 10 and fastening element 20 are each produced separately from one another in an injection-moulding operation. Starting from the production position shown in Figure 1, the retaining element 10 can be moved into a use position connected to the fastening element 20, in which position the guide means are in engagement with one another. This can be seen in Figure 4. The retaining element 10 may be pushed on the fastening element 20 through a movement along the longitudinal axis L for this purpose, in such a manner that the tongue 15 enters the groove 25 and the tongue 26 enters the groove 16. In the use position, the retaining element 10 is therefore in engagement with the fastening element 20 via the guide means in such a manner that the retaining element 10 can be displaced along the longitudinal axis L on the fastening element 20. Consequently, the retaining element 10 can be displaced along with a line arranged on the line support along the longitudinal axis L relative to the fastening element. In this way, tolerance compensation can be achieved.

[0027] In the use position, the retaining element 10 is securely retained via latching means on the fastening element 20. The latching means comprise a latching projection 18 formed on an upper side of the carrier portion 14 of the retaining element 10 and a latching holder 28 arranged above the second guide means on the fastening element 20 corresponding to the latching projection 18. The latching holder 28 is delimited by two end stops 29 and has a latching holder 30 in its middle. When the retaining element 10 is moved on the fastening element 20 from the production position into the use position, the latching projection 18 slides over an outwardly lying oblique surface of one of the stops 29 and is thereby elastically deformed. Once the respective stop 29 has been overcome, the latching projection 18 reforms and thereby comes into engagement with the latching holder 28. During a displacement of the retaining element 10 relative to the fastening element 20 along the longitudinal axis L, the latching projection 18 moves in the latching holder 28 along the longitudinal axis L. The latching projection 18 in this case may come into engagement with the latching holder 30 due to renewed elastic deformation, as a result of which the retaining element 10 can be retained on the fastening element 20 in a play -free manner. The latching holder 30 and the latching projection 18 may therefore form centering means. The relative displaceability of the retaining element 10 in respect of the fastening element 20 is furthermore possible in this case, but a sufficient force must be applied to the mounting element 10 along the longitudinal axis L for this purpose, so that the latching projection 18 moves out of the retaining holder 30 with elastic deformation. Particularly in a preassembly position, the retaining element 10 can be arranged on the fastening element 20 in such a manner that the latching projection 18 engages with the retaining holder 30.

[0028] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the fastening device according to the invention. This embodiment differs from the one previously explained simply in that the retaining element 10 and fastening element 20 are produced using a joint injection-moulding operation. The retaining element 10 is therefore connected laterally to the fastening element 20 via injection bridges that cannot be seen in the production position shown in Figure 6. In order to move the retaining element 10 into the use position, these injection bridges are initially broken.

[0029] The fastening devices explained can be produced particularly easily since the guide means are not in engagement with one another immediately following production, but are only in engagement with one another following production of the retaining element and fastening element.

List of reference numbers

10 Retaining element

12 Line support

14 Carrier portion

15 Tongue

16 Groove

18 Latching proj ection

20 Fastening element

22 Bolt holder

24 Inlet opening

25 Groove

26 Tongue

28 Latching holder

29 End stops

30 Latching holder

L Longitudinal axis