Adaptor for securing objects to each other

Abstract

An adaptor for securing a second object includes an anchoring part and an adjustment part, wherein the anchoring part includes a distally facing anchoring surface and a proximally facing first control surface. The adjustment part has a distally facing second control surface positioned to abut against the first control surface. The anchoring part and the adjustment part define a common axis that is not perpendicular to the z direction, wherein the first control surface and possibly also the second control surface is/are helical with respect to the axis. Thereby a relative z position of the adjustment part with respect to the anchoring part is defined by the relative orientation of the adjustment part with respect to the common axis while the second control surface abuts against the first control surface.

Claims

1. An adaptor for securing a second object to a first object, the adaptor comprising an anchoring part and an adjustment part, wherein the anchoring part comprises a distally facing anchoring surface and a proximally facing first control surface, wherein the adjustment part has a distally facing second control surface positioned to abut against the first control surface, wherein the anchoring part and the adjustment part define a common axis, wherein at least the first control surface is helical with respect to the axis, whereby a relative z position of the adjustment part with respect to the anchoring part is defined by the relative orientation of the adjustment part with respect to the common axis while the second control surface abuts against the first control surface, and wherein the first control surface is formed by a proximally facing lane running on a helical path along the periphery of the anchoring part, wherein the adjustment part is shaped to be brought into contact with the anchoring part by an essentially axial movement to bring the first and second control surfaces into physical contact with each other, wherein the lane has a plurality of discrete lane portions with interruptions between them, wherein a radial extension of the anchoring part at the locations of the interruptions is smaller than a radial extension of the anchoring part at the locations of the lane portions, wherein the lane portions have an equal average axial position, wherein the second control surface is helical with respect to the axis, with a same helix angle as the first control surface and with a same distance to the axis as the first control surface, and wherein the anchoring part comprises thermoplastic material at least at the anchoring surface.

2. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the control surface lane portions are of equal length.

3. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the control surface lane portions are equally distributed around the periphery.

4. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring surface is structured.

5. The adaptor according to claim 4, wherein the anchoring surface comprises a pattern of ridges and grooves.

6. The adaptor according to claim 5 wherein the ridges and grooves run radially.

7. The adaptor according to claim 6, wherein the ridges and grooves extend to a periphery of the anchoring part.

8. The adaptor according to claim 5, wherein the anchoring surface comprises a central flat section.

9. The adaptor according to claim 1, wherein: the adjustment part includes a main body and a control surface protrusion extending axially from a distal end of the main body; and a distal surface of the control surface protrusion defines the second control surface.

10. The adaptor according to claim 8, wherein the anchoring part includes a through opening extending axially from the central flat section to the first control surface.

11. A method of securing a second object to a first object, wherein the first object comprises an edge, the method comprising: providing an adaptor, the adaptor comprising an anchoring part and an adjustment part wherein the anchoring part comprises a distally facing anchoring surface with thermoplastic material at least at the anchoring surface, and a proximally facing first control surface, wherein the adjustment part has a distally facing second control surface positioned to abut against the first control surface, wherein the anchoring part and the adjustment part define a common axis, wherein at least the first control surface is helical with respect to the axis, whereby a relative z position of the adjustment part with respect to the anchoring part is defined by the relative orientation of the adjustment part with respect to the common axis while the second control surface abuts against the first control surface, wherein the first control surface is formed by a proximally facing lane running on a helical path along the periphery of the anchoring part, wherein the lane has a plurality of discrete lane portions with interruptions between them, wherein a radial extension of the anchoring part at the locations of the interruptions is smaller than a radial extension of the anchoring part at the locations of the lane portions, bringing the edge in contact with the anchoring surface, while the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material, coupling mechanical vibration energy into the anchoring part until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material, stopping the mechanical vibration and causing the thermoplastic material to re-solidify, whereby the re-solidified thermoplastic material at least partially embedding the edge anchors the anchoring part in the first object, and securing the adjustment part to the anchoring part, wherein the method comprises the further step of securing the second object to the adjustment part or wherein the second object is contained in the adjustment part or integral with the adjustment part.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: the adjustment part is shaped to be brought into contact with the anchoring part by an essentially axial movement to bring the first and second control surfaces into physical contact with each other, the second control surface is helical with respect to the axis, with a same helix angle as the first control surface and with a same distance to the axis as the first control surface, and wherein the control surface lane portions have an equal average axial position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, ways to carry out the invention and embodiments are described referring to drawings. The drawings are all schematical in nature. In the drawings, same reference numerals refer to same or analogous elements. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically, in vertical section, an arrangement of an anchoring part, a first object and a sonotrode;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically, the anchoring part of FIG. 1 anchored with respect to the first object and together with the adjustment part;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 are views of an embodiment of an anchoring part and an adjustment part, respectively; and

(5) FIG. 5 a view of an embodiment of an anchoring part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates, in section, an anchoring part 10 with a metal sheet being an example of a first object 1. The metal sheet includes an opening 20, for example made by a punching tool, and around the opening the metal sheet is deformed to be bent away from a metal sheet plane towards proximally (upwardly in FIG. 1). The deformed section thus in the embodiment of FIG. 1 forms a collar around the perforation. Around the perforation, the metal sheet moreover forms an edge that in the anchoring step has the function of an energy director.

(7) The anchoring part 10 includes thermoplastic material. In the depicted embodiment, the anchoring part is illustrated to consist of the thermoplastic material. It defines a distally facing anchoring surface 11 that for anchoring is brought into contact with the deformed section of the first object 1.

(8) The method of anchoring the anchoring part relative to the first object corresponds to the method taught in PCT/EP2016/073422. For anchoring the anchoring part 10 with respect to the first object 1, a vibrating sonotrode 6 presses the anchoring part 10 against the first object 1 in a vicinity of the opening. Mechanical vibration energy thereby coupled into the anchoring part 10 propagates via the anchoring part 10 and is absorbed at the places where the anchoring part is in contact with the edge that thereby serves as an energy director. As a consequence, the thermoplastic material around the edge is heated and becomes flowable, allowing the deformed section of the sheet material to be pressed into the body of the anchoring part.

(9) After re-solidification, this leads to an anchoring of the anchoring part with respect to the first object and thereby to a mechanical positive-fit connection between the anchoring part and the second object.

(10) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the assembly with the first object 1 and the anchoring part 10 after the anchoring process. Parts of a flow portion 8 of the thermoplastic material have flown to underneath the first object and thereby cause the mentioned anchoring.

(11) FIG. 2 also illustrates the adjustment part 20. The adjustment part 20 can be brought into different angular positions relative to the anchoring part with respect to the common axis 5 of the anchoring part and the adjustment part, whereby a z position is adjustable.

(12) The adjustment part may be equipped to fasten a second object relative to the first object 1. To this end, it may include a suitable engagement structure for mechanically securing a second object to the adjustment part. Alternatively, it may contain the second object 2 or be integral with it, as schematically shown in FIG. 2.

(13) FIG. 3 schematically shows an embodiment of an anchoring part, again consisting of thermoplastic material. The anchoring part has an anchoring part body 12 and a plurality of control surface protrusions 15 protruding radially therefrom. The proximal surface of these control surface protrusions 15 form the control surface 14. The control surface runs helical, i.e. it forms a plurality of discrete lanes having a constant radial position and a monotonous linear dependency of the axial (z-) position on the azimuthal angle.

(14) The control surface is accessible from proximally, it forms part of the proximal-most surface.

(15) The control surface protrusions are discrete and interrupted by interruptions 19 where the radial extension of the anchoring part 10 is less than the radius of the control surface. A minimum axial extension m of the control surface protrusion 15 is substantial and corresponds for example to at least 20% of the axial extension a of the anchoring part 10.

(16) Also the extension in circumferential direction of the interruptions is substantial, the interruptions may for example extend along at least 20% of the periphery of the anchoring part body.

(17) The adjustment part 20 as shown in FIG. 4 includes second control surface protrusions 23 the distal end surface of which forms the second control surface 24. Also the second control surface runs helically, and the corresponding lanes have the same radial position and the same helix angle as the first control surface protrusions. Thereby, the adjustment part 20 may be brought into engagement by an axial movement with the adjustment part (it may be slipped onto the adjustment part from above (from proximally) without any rotation being necessary) in different relative orientations, leading to different z positions.

(18) The anchoring part and the adjustment part may include means for being secured to each other when engaging with each other (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4).

(19) FIG. 5 shows an anchoring part 10. The distal surface (anchoring surface 11) is structured to form a pattern of protrusions and indentations. In the depicted embodiment, the structure of the anchoring surface is such as to form a pattern of radial ridges and grooves. Thereby, two effects may be achieved: in addition to the material saving by the interruptions 19, further material is taken away. The flow portion of the thermoplastic material that flows relative to the first object during the process has a space to flow to. The shape with the grooves and ridges has turned out to be beneficial during manufacturing by molding, especially injection molding.

(20) The depth of the grooves may, for example, correspond to between 10% and 50% of the penetration depth of the first deformed section into the thermoplastic material of the anchoring part.

(21) The grooves preferably extend to the periphery, i.e. are open towards laterally.

(22) In a central region, in the depicted embodiment the anchoring surface has an optional full section 93 that during the anchoring process is always within the opening 20. Thus, the maximal tolerance in the x-y-plane is less than the difference between the radius of the opening and the radius of the full section 93.

(23) The anchoring portion 10 in the example shown in FIG. 5 also has a central through opening 94 with an inner thread, for example for a screw to engage, which screw could serve as means for securing the anchoring part and the adjustment part to each other.

(24) A further, optional, feature of the embodiment of FIG. 5, which feature is independent of the other features of this embodiment, is that the axial extension of the control surface protrusions 15 (the embodiment of FIG. 5 has four such protrusions equally distributed around the periphery) at the end where it is at a maximum corresponds to the axial extension of the whole anchoring part 10, i.e. the anchoring part body does not necessarily proximally protrude above the control surface protrusions. The thickness of the anchoring part may thereby be minimized.