Suppose we have k embeddings of one single smooth manifold into one other, such that the intersections are manifolds,too. What are sufficient conditions, such that the union of those embeddings is a smooth submanifold in the image manifold?

To be more precise: Suppose we have a manifold M and a manifold N (both smooth). Moreover we have k-many embeddings $f_1: M \rightarrow N$ , $\ldots$, $f_k: M \rightarrow N$ such that the intersections of $f_j(M) \cap f_i(M) \neq \emptyset$ are in general not empty but it is required that $f_j(M) \cap f_i(M)$ is itself a submanifold of $N$. Is it possible at all that the union $\cup f_j(M)$ for all $1 \leq j \leq k$ is a submanifold of N?

Of course it is if all $f_j$'s are equal, but suppose some of them are not. Then in general the union is not a submanifold as we can see for example if we embedded the real line into $\mathbb{R}^2$ by $f_1(x):=(0,x)$ and $f_2(x):=(x,0)$.

The question is: Are there conditions under which the union is a submanifold or not?