Anchoring a joining element in an object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10427359-B2
Application number	US-201515517005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A joining element has an anchoring portion for in-depth anchoring in the object and a head portion arranged proximally of the anchoring portion with respect to an insertion axis. The head portion has a lateral outer surface that has a structure that is well-defined, especially within tight tolerances. The joining element is positioned relative to an object of a non-liquefiable material such that the anchoring portion reaches into an opening of the object or is placed adjacent a mouth thereof. Then, the joining element is pressed towards a distal direction, to press the anchoring portion into the opening, while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the joining element by a tool, in an amount and for a time sufficient for liquefaction of a portion of the thermoplastic material to cause interpenetration of the thermoplastic material into structures of the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of anchoring a joining element in an object, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a joining element, the joining element comprising an anchoring portion for in-depth anchoring in the object, and a head portion proximally of the anchoring portion, the head portion having a lateral outer surface with a well-defined structure, the lateral outer surface comprising at least one ridge or at least one groove or both, at least one ridge and at least one groove, the joining element comprising a thermoplastic material at least on a surface of the anchoring portion;
positioning the joining element relative to the object in a manner that the anchoring portion reaches into an opening of the object or is placed adjacent a mouth thereof; and
pressing the joining element towards a distal direction and at the same time coupling mechanical vibration energy into the joining element by a tool in an amount and for a time sufficient for liquefaction of a portion of the thermoplastic material to cause interpenetration of the thermoplastic material into structures of the object,
wherein the method comprises leaving the lateral outer surface of the head portion intact.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an insertion axis is defined to be a proximodistal axis along which the pressing force is applied, wherein a surface of the object, in which the opening has a mouth, is plane, wherein a head portion axis is defined to be perpendicular to the plane surface of the object after anchoring, and wherein the head portion axis coincides with the insertion axis.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an insertion axis is defined to be a proximodistal axis along which the pressing force is applied, wherein a surface of the object, in which the opening has a mouth, is plane, wherein a head portion axis is defined to be perpendicular to the plane surface of the object after anchoring, and wherein the head portion axis is at a nonzero angle to the insertion axis.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the head portion is symmetrical about rotations around a head portion axis.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure and the mechanical vibration are applied by pressing the tool against a proximal end face of the head portion.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein in the step of pressing, a coupling-out face of the tool is pressed against the proximal end face of the joining element, a tool-joining-element-interface being formed between the coupling-out face and the proximal end face, wherein the interface has a smaller radial extension than a radial extension of the head portion.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the head portion comprises a proximal protrusion a radial extension of which is smaller than the radial extension of the head portion.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the proximal protrusion is ring-shaped or disc-shaped.

9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the coupling-out face of the tool has a radial extension which is smaller than the radial extension of the head portion.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the head portion comprises a recess open to the proximal side, and wherein the pressure and the mechanical vibration are applied by the tool to a coupling face within the recess.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anchoring portion comprises a proximally-facing coupling face in a vicinity of the head portion, and wherein the step of pressing and coupling vibration energy into the joining element comprises pressing the tool against the coupling face of the anchoring portion.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the anchoring portion comprises an anchoring portion body and at least one protrusion facing distally away from the anchoring portion body.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the opening comprises an opening lateral wall and an opening ground terminating the opening distally, and wherein during the step of pressing and coupling the vibration energy into the joining element the at least one protrusion is pressed through a surface of the opening ground.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one protrusion is arranged essentially at lateral positions of the coupling face.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of pressing and coupling vibration energy into the joining element is carried out until the coupling face is flush with a surface of the object or is below this surface.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the joining element is one-piece and consists of the thermoplastic material.

17. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing, in the step of providing the joining element, the joining element comprising a liquefiable part that comprises the thermoplastic material, and a non-liquefiable part.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein at least a part of the head portion that comprises at least a portion of the structured lateral outer surface is formed by the non-liquefiable part.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the structured lateral outer surface of the head portion is made of the thermoplastic material, and wherein the non-liquefiable part is an insert element integrated in the liquefiable part.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the non-liquefiable part comprises a proximally facing coupling surface, wherein in the step of pressing the joining element towards a distal direction and coupling mechanical vibration energy into the joining element the tool is pressed against the coupling surface while it is subject to vibrations.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the coupling face is offset with respect to a proximal end face of the joining element.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the head portion comprises a recess in the proximal end face, and the coupling face is arranged at the bottom of the recess.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the recess has an aspect ratio of at least 0.5.

24. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the non-liquefiable part comprises a coupling plate and a spike portion extending distally therefrom.

25. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the liquefiable part and the non-liquefiable part are coupled or couplable together by at least one of:
a press fit;
an adhesive bond;
interpenetration of structures the non-liquefiable part by material of the liquefiable part so that a positive-fit connection results.

26. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising providing the joining element as an integral, pre-manufactured element that comprises the liquefiable part and the non-liquefiable part.

27. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising providing the liquefiable part and the non-liquefiable part of the joining element as separate parts and further comprising assembling the liquefiable part and the non-liquefiable part during the step of pressing and coupling vibration energy into the joining element and/or after this step.

28. The method according to claim 27 , comprising causing a further portion of the material of the liquefiable part, by the effect of the vibration energy and the pressing that cause the interpenetration of the thermoplastic material into structures of the object, to be liquefied and to penetrate into stru

Assignees

• Woodwelding Ag
• Inter Ikea Sys Bv

Inventors

• Dizdar Nihat
• Käll Håkan
• Håkansson Pontus
• Sankaran Muthumariappan
• Lehmann Mario
• Mayer Jörg
• Torriani Laurent
• Aeschlimann Marcel

Classifications

• B29C66/7487

  Wood · CPC title

• B29C66/474

  said single elements being substantially non-flat · CPC title

• B29C66/73161

  Roughness or rugosity · CPC title

• B29C66/30325

  making use of cavities belonging to at least one of the parts to be joined · CPC title

• B29C65/645

  using friction or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title