Bonding objects together

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325318-B2
Application number	US-201816500525-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Apr 6, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

The relates to a method of mechanically securing a first object to a second object and includes the steps of: providing the first object including thermoplastic material in a solid state, providing the second object with a generally flat sheet portion having an edge, positioning the first object relative to the second object and bringing the first object and the second object to a relative movement to each other. The relative movement includes a rotational movement, such that a melting zone including flowable thermoplastic material is formed and such that thermoplastic material of the melting zone flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material. The invention further concerns a connector that is suitable for being used in a method according to the invention.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mechanically securing a first object to a second object, the method comprising the steps of:
providing the first object, wherein the first object comprises thermoplastic material in a solid state,
providing the second object with a generally flat sheet portion having an edge, wherein the sheet portion defines a sheet plane and has a projecting section projecting away from the sheet plane, the projecting section comprising the edge,
positioning the first object relative to the second object to provide an assembly comprising the first and second object, in which assembly the projecting section projects towards the first object and the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material,
while the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material, bringing the first object and the second object to a relative movement to each other such that a melting zone comprising flowable thermoplastic material is formed due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material and such that thermoplastic material of the melting zone flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material,
stopping the relative movement and letting the thermoplastic material resolidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and the second object,
wherein the relative movement comprises a rotational movement;
wherein in the step of providing the second object, the second object comprises a perforation, with the edge running along the perforation;
wherein in the step of providing the first object, the first object extends along a first object axis between a proximal surface and a distal surface and comprises a protrusion protruding distally from the distal surface of the first object; and
wherein the method comprises a step of pushing at least a portion of the protrusion into the perforation such that the edge is in contact with at least one of a portion of a surface of the protrusion that is arranged parallel to the first object axis and a portion of the distal surface of the first object.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement comprises a rotational movement around a rotation axis, wherein the rotational movement has a constant direction of rotation.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement comprises a rotational movement around a rotation axis, wherein the rotational movement is a back and forth oscillating rotation around the rotation axis.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rotational movement comprises an orbital movement.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein a cross-section of the perforation normal to a rotation axis of the first or second object or normal to a longitudinal axis of the perforation has a non-circular shape.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first object and the second object comprises a coupling-in face, wherein the method comprises the step of providing a tool comprising a coupling-out face, wherein the coupling-out face is arranged to engage with the coupling-in face, and wherein the tool is equipped to generate an excitation capable to set an object engaged to the tool by the coupling-out face in the rotational movement.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of expanding radially the portion of the protrusion that is pushed or has been pushed into the perforation in the step of pushing the protrusion into the perforation such that the radially expanded protrusion expands beyond the edge of the perforation.

8. The method according to claim 7 , comprising at least one of:
a step of spinning the first object such that flowable thermoplastic material expands radially due to centrifugal force;
in the step of providing the second object, the second object comprises a distal surface and wherein the method comprises a step of bringing a distal portion of the first object in contact with a rear side of the distal surface of the second object and a step of deforming said distal portion of the first object;
a step of providing a tool, comprising
a counterelement arranged or arrangable distally of the first object, wherein the counterelement can be moved along the first object axis in a proximal direction by applying a pushing force to the counterelement, and comprising
a coupling-out face arranged or arrangable at the proximal surface of the first object, wherein a pressing force can be applied to the first object via the coupling-out face,

wherein the counterelement and the coupling-out face are arranged such that a compression force can be applied to the first object, and wherein the first object is compressed during the step of bringing the first object and the second object to a relative movement to each other.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a region around the edge is pretensioned such that the edge penetrates into the flowable thermoplastic material formed during the step of bringing the first object to a relative movement to the second object.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
a diameter of the protrusion is larger than a diameter of the perforation, and
the step of pushing the protrusion into the perforation is carried out prior to the step of bringing the first object and the second object to a relative movement to each other,
such that the pretension is generated in the region around the edge during the step of pushing.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the distal surface of the first object is flat, and wherein in the step of positioning, the flat distal surface of the first object is brought into physical contact with the edge.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein in the step of positioning, the flat distal surface of the first object is caused to lie parallel to the sheet plane and in the step of bringing the first object and the second object to a relative movement to each other, the flat distal surface of the first object is caused to approach the sheet plane.

Assignees

• Woodwelding Ag

Inventors

• Mayer Jörg
• Torriani Laurent
• Kvist Joakim
• Mooser Patrick

Classifications

• B29C65/069

  the welding tool cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined, e.g. cooperating with holes or ribs of at least one of the parts to be joined · CPC title

• B29C66/742

  to metals or their alloys · CPC title

• B29C66/72525

  comprising honeycomb cores · CPC title

• B29C65/0672 Primary

  Spin welding · CPC title

• B29C66/30321

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