The invention relates to an anchor for arrangement in lightweight building boards, wherein a lightweight building board has a first covering layer and a second covering layer made from compact material that is stiff in compression, and a core layer, which is arranged between the covering layers and is made from material with a low density in comparison with the covering layers, in particular paper honeycomb, foam or solid wood of low density, having a first anchor part and a second anchor part, wherein the first and the second anchor part are designed to be movable relative to one another, in which a travel between a first end position and a second end position is limited, wherein the first end position is defined by means of first stop means on the first and the second anchor part, and the second end position is defined by means of second stop means on the first and the second anchor part.

Two workpieces 30, 40 are joined by means of ultrasound. First, a workpiece 30 with at least one energy direction sensor 31 and a second workpiece 40 are provided. The workpieces are brought into contact with each other in such a way that the energy direction sensor 31 comes into contact with a first surface 41 of the second workpiece 40. Ultrasonic vibrations are then introduced into one of the workpieces 40 via a working surface 11 of a sonotrode 10. A sonotrode 10 is used, which has a contour with contact lines 12 on the working surface 11. The sonotrode 10 is positioned with respect to the first workpiece 30 in such a way that the contact lines 12 run transversely to the energy direction generator 31.

The invention provides a sonotrode (100) for welding a material, the sonotrode (100) comprising a welding section (110) configured for contacting the material, wherein the welding section (110) defines a rounded shape (111) in a cross-section parallel to a longitudinal axis (A) of the sonotrode (100), wherein the rounded shape (111) approximates a circular sector (20), wherein the circular sector (20) has a central angle α.sub.c selected from the range of 25°-300°, and wherein the circular sector (20) has a central radius r.sub.c selected from the range of 5-30 mm, and wherein the sonotrode (100) has a width W perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) [and to the cross-section], wherein W is selected from the range of 10-100 mm.

A method of anchoring a connector element (10) in a receiving object (66) comprises inserting a distal end of the connector element (10) into a mounting hole in an insertion direction along an insertion axis; inserting a sleeve (36) comprising a thermoplastic material into the mounting hole, the sleeve (36) enclosing the connector element (10); and transferring energy to liquefy at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve (36). A machine (500) configured for carrying out the method and a connector element anchoring kit comprising a connector element (10) and a sleeve (36) comprising thermoplastic material.

A method of bonding a first object to a second object includes the steps of: providing the first object including thermoplastic material in a solid state, providing the second object including a proximal surface, applying a mechanical pressing force and a mechanical excitation capable to liquefy the thermoplastic material until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is flowable and penetrates into structures of the second object, and stopping the mechanical excitation and letting the thermoplastic material resolidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and the second object. The second object has a region of low density, wherein the protrusion penetrates the region of low density at least partly before the thermoplastic material is made flowable, and wherein the first object includes a protruding portion after the step of letting the thermoplastic material resolidify, the protruding portion at least partly penetrates the region of low density.

The method of bonding a first object (1) to a second object (2) uses a connector, the connector having a first sheet portion and a second sheet portion (32). The first sheet portion has at least one outwardly protruding first attachment portion (33), and the second sheet portion has at least one outwardly protruding second attachment portion (34). The connector (3) further has a spacer between the first and second sheet portions. For bonding, the first and second objects (1, 2) and the connector (3) are positioned relative to each other so that the connector is placed between the first and second objects. Then the first and second objects (1, 2) are pressed against each other while mechanical vibration energy impinges on the first and/or second object until a first flow portion of thermoplastic material of the first object in contact with the first attachment portion(s) and a second flow portion of thermoplastic material in contact with the second attachment portion(s) become flowable allowing the respective attachment portions (33, 34) to be pressed into material of the first and second object, respectively. After re-solidification of the flow portions, a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects via the connector results. The spacer defines a width (w) of a gap between the first and second objects (1, 2) after bonding.

A method of anchoring a connector element (10) in a receiving object (66) comprises inserting a distal end of the connector element (10) into a mounting hole in an insertion direction along an insertion axis; inserting a sleeve (36) comprising a thermoplastic material into the mounting hole, the sleeve (36) enclosing the connector element (10); and transferring energy to liquefy at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve (36). A machine (500) configured for carrying out the method and a connector element anchoring kit comprising a connector element (10) and a sleeve (36) comprising thermoplastic material.

The present invention relates to a method for ultrasonic treatment of a plastic material, comprising the steps of: positioning the plastic material between a sonotrode and a counter-tool, bringing the sonotrode excited by means of an ultrasonic oscillation into contact with the plastic material during a welding phase, moving the sonotrode and the counter-tool towards each other during a holding phase, in which neither the sonotrode nor the counter-tool are excited with an ultrasonic oscillation so that a force F is applied onto the plastic material. In order to reduce treatment times, wherein at the same time the quality of the welding process is not impaired but is even to be improved, it is proposed according to the invention that the force F is varied during the holding phase.

An attachment part for connecting to a structural part. The attachment part has an attachment part longitudinal axis, and a weld portion to be welded to the structural part by torsional ultrasonic welding. The weld portion has a contact surface for contact with a torsion sonotrode, and a weld surface for connecting to the structural part. The weld portion is delimited, at least portionally, by an inner vibration decoupling zone. The inner vibration decoupling zone, at least portionally, surrounds an inner portion of the attachment part.

Parts (10) for connection to at least one further part (30, 30′). The part (10) has at least two weld sections (11, 11′) to be welded individually to at least one of the further parts (30, 30′) by vibration welding. Each weld section (11, 11′) has at least one weld surface (13, 13′), for connection to the corresponding further part (30, 30′), and is spatially separated from each other weld section (11, 11′) by at least one vibration decoupling zone (14, 14′,23, 26). The part (10) has a particular arrangement of the weld section (11, 11′) with respect to the center of gravity (S) or has a particular mass distribution with respect to the weld section (11, 11′). Methods for connecting a part to at least one further part (30, 30′) and a composite part (90) containing a part (10) and a further part (30, 30′) are also disclosed.