GB2421556A

GB2421556A - Method of anchoring a plug element in a building board

Info

Publication number: GB2421556A
Application number: GB0525696A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helmut Fitz
Original assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
Current assignee: Julius Blum GmbH
Priority date: 2004-12-27
Filing date: 2005-12-16
Publication date: 2006-06-28
Also published as: DE102005060528A1; GB0525696D0

Abstract

A plug element (1) is anchored in a building board (2), having upper and lower outer layers (2a, 2b) and padding material (2c) such as a honey comb structure, by providing a blind recess in the upper outer layer (2a) and inserting the plug element (1) in the recess. The plug element is bonded with an inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) and an inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).

Description

* 1 2421556 Method for anchoring a plug element in a lightweight building

board The present invention relates to a method for anchoring a preferably sleeve-shaped and/or slit plug element into a lightweight building board which has an upper and a lower outer layer between which padding material, for example a honeycomb structure, is disposed.

The invention further concerns a lightweight building board of this type with a preferably sleeve-shaped and/or slit plug element and a furniture part with a lightweight building board of the aforementioned type.

In modern furniture construction, traditional materials such as for example particle board or solid wood boards are increasingly being replaced by light construction materials, in order to cope with increasing demands with respect to design and/or flexibility of use.

These light construction materials also include lightweight building boards which also represent a cheap alternative to traditional materials.

For the mounting of fittings, such as e.g. hinges, pull-out guide rails for drawers, or for fitting mountings for front panels, therefore, innovative anchoring techniques have become known in the art. The problem with lightweight building boards of the aforementioned type lies in the risk that the mechanical components of the furniture fittings can easily be ripped out of the lightweight building board. One way of solving this problem lies in the use of plug elements in lightweight building boards.

Mechanical mountings in lightweight building boards, which essentially function as expansion anchors, have for example been disclosed by US 3, 651,583.

The problem of the present invention is therefore to improve the method of the aforementioned genre to the effect that a plug element can be better prevented from distorting and from being ripped out of a lightweight building board of the aforementioned type.

According to the problem of the invention, this is achieved in an advantageous embodiment by the following steps: - Provision of an essentially blind hole-shaped recess in the upper outer layer and the padding material whereby the lower outer layer remains intact, - Insertion of the plug element into the recess, - Bonding of the plug element with the inner side of the upper outer layer and the inner side of the lower outer layer.

Advantageously, provision is made that the plug element consists at least partly of thermoplastic synthetic material, which by the addition of heat and partial melting thereof is bonded to the upper outer layer and/or with the inner side of the lower outer layer. By melting the thermoplastic material of the plug element, in particular, both at the points of contact of the upper and with the lower outer layer of the lightweight building board, a solid and stable connection is enabled.

The thermoplastic material can thereby partially penetrate into the lightweight building board and effects an anchoring of the plug element in the lightweight building board. In this connection it may be advantageous if the plug element has a base which essentially is fully bonded with the inner side of the lower outer layer.

The terms "inner side of the upper I lower outer layer" in connection with the present invention refer to that side of each outer layer which faces towards the inner padding material.

One advantageous embodiment of the invention is created by the fact that by the addition of heat to the plug element at least one projection preferably at a pre-defined point - is formed, which co-operates at least in part with the inner side of the upper outer layer and/or with the inner side of the lower outer layer. In the initial condition the projection is advantageously not yet formed, as the result of which the plug element can be inserted unhindered into the blind hole-shaped recess. Only by partial melting is a projection of the type described above formed.

It is advantageous for the addition of heat to occur by ultrasound, preferably via a sonotrode. This type of ultrasound welding is known in the art per se and is characterised by very short welding times and by low thermal loading of the joining parts, which keeps distortion of the latter within reasonable limits. Nor are any additional or consumable materials (for example solvents, adhesives) necessary, which means that this type of welding is environmentally-friendly and low- maintenance. The resulting connection is similar in solidity to the initial material. By this embedding of the plug element in the blind hole- shaped recess, high torsional and tear-out resistances are achieved.

Alternatively or in addition to ultrasound welding, the plug elements can also be anchored by gluing in, by means of friction welding by rotation and/or laser welding.

Advantageously, provision is made that the addition of heat occurs while the plug element is being pressed into the lightweight building board. During the pressing-in, the plug element is simultaneously positioned and partially melted, as the result of which the risk of any dislocation can be largely prevented.

It is advantageous if provision is made that a fifing of an item of furniture is anchored onto the plug element, in particular a hinge, a drawer guide or a front panel of a drawer. The plug element can in principle be designed such that it is able to accept screws, pins, nuts, bolts or similar.

The insertion or pressing-in of the plug element into the lightweight building board can occur in various ways. It can thereby be advantageous if an upper die to push the plug element into the lightweight building board extends into the plug element. Provision can also be made that the upper die presses on the base of the plug element. Alternatively or in addition, it can be advantageous if the upper die presses against the side wall of the plug element. One advantageous embodiment of the invention is produced by the fact that the device for addition of heat and the upper die are formed by one and the same device. Advantageously, provision is made that the addition of heat, preferably by means of ultrasound, is provided by a device which dips from above into the plug element, whereby it can be advantageous if the upper die consists of a device for addition of heat, preferably of an ultrasound source. Since the sonotrode or upper die is permanently exposed to (ultrasound) vibrations, the demands on the material are very high. Carbide-coated titanium can advantageously be used for the sonotrode.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is produced by the fact that the plug element, after insertion in the lightweight building board, is radially expanded and thereby its upper edge at least partly abuts beneath the inner side of the upper outer layer of the lightweight building board. A slit plug element can be used here, which is made to be compressible and can thus be inserted into the recess. After insertion the element expands radially and thereby forms a catch projection, which increases resistance to tearing out. Alternatively, a plug element with spring-loaded catch elements can be used, which can be pressed in against spring force and automatically radially expand in the recess.

The inventive lightweight building board, which has an upper and a lower outer layer between which padding material, for example a honeycomb structure, is disposed, is characterised in that it has at least one plug element which is fixed to the lightweight building board according to the method described above.

It is advantageous if provision is made that the plug element is anchored to the inner side of the upper outer layer and/or to the inner side of the lower outer layer. The design hereby can be such that material of the plug element which has been melted and then re- hardened is disposed on the inner side of the upper outer layer and/or on the inner side of the lower outer layer. It can thereby be advantageous if at least one projection made from material melted and then re-hardened is provided on the inner side of the upper outer layer for fixing purposes.

The inventive furniture part is characterised in that it has at least one lightweight building board in which at least one plug element of the type described above is inserted.

Advantageously, provision is made that a hinge is anchored on at least one plug element. Alternatively, provision can also be made that a front panel of a drawer or mountings for a front panel of a drawer is anchored on at least one plug element. Equally, it can be advantageous if a pull- out guide for drawers is anchored on at least one plug element.

Further details and advantages of the present invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawings, which show: Fig. I A schematic cross-section in a first step of the inventive method, Fig. 2 the cross-sectional view from Fig. 1 with fully inserted or welded plug element, Fig. 3 the plug element with a hold-down clamp for insertion of same whereby the heat is supplied from the underside, Fig. 4 two lightweight building boards which are linked to each other by a hinge, Fig. 5 the application for connection of a drawer frame member with a front panel, whereby the front panel is in the form of a lightweight building board, Fig. 6 a further possible application for anchoring of a pull-out rail on a side wall of furniture which is in the form of a lightweight building board, Fig. 7 a lightweight building board with a Vshaped insert, which is pushed from above by an upper die into the recess, Fig. 8 the lightweight building board with a plug element which is designed as a slit sleeve, Fig. 9 the lightweight building board with a plug element which has catch projections on its side areas which can be pressed in, Fig. 10 the lightweight building board with a plug element in a further embodiment.

Fig. I shows a schematic cross-section through a lightweight building board 2 in a first step of the inventive method. A plug element generally designated by the number 1 made from thermoplastic synthetic material is inserted into an essentially blind hole-shaped recess in the lightweight building board 2. The lightweight building board 2 has an upper outer layer 2a and a lower outer layer 2b and padding material 2c in between the two, for example a honeycomb construction. In such lightweight building boards, there is the problem of anchoring mechanical components such as fittings for furniture in the lightweight building board without these being ripped out of the lightweight building board 2. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, thus a plug element 1 is inserted into a lightweight building board 2. This can occur by the fact that an ultrasound sonotrode 3 presses from above onto the forepart la of the plug element 1 and displaces this in the direction of the arrow 4. Via the sonotrode 3 there simultaneously occurs a mechanical displacement of the sleeve-shaped plug element 1 into the lightweight building board 2 and secondly a melting of the thermoplastic material thereof, especially at the point of contact with the upper outer layer 2 and the lower outer layer 2b of the lightweight building board 2. The thermoplastic synthetic material melts under the effect of the ultrasound by local heat generation and bonds with the upper outer layer 2a and the lower outer layer 2b of the lIghtweight building board 2, which are preFerably made from wood. The material can thereby partly penetrate Into the lightweight building board 2.

These bonding points, which immediately harden again and are solId after cooling, are indicated by reference number 5. In the embodiment shown, the connection is made both on the Inner side 2W of the upper outer layer 2a and on the inner side 2b' of the lower outer layer 2b, hence the plug element I is held stably and solidly In the lightweight bulkffng board 2. One can then, for example via a thread Ib, screw In a screw, not shown, in order for example to anchor fittings for fumiture onto the plug element 1.

Fig. 2 shows the cross-section vIew from Fig. I with fully inserted or welded piug element 1. By addition of heat and partial melting of the thermoplastic synthetic material, the bonding points 5 are formed which co-operate at least partly with the inner side 2W of the upper outer layer 2a and/or with the inner side 2b' of the lower outer layer 2b. The bonding point 5 also refers to the base area which Is essentially completely connected with the inner side 2b' of the lower outer layer 2b.

Fig. 3 shows a vertical section through a lightweight building board 2, ills not necessary In thle case for the mechanical displacement of the sleeve-shaped plug element I into the blind hole shaped recess In the lightweight building board 2 to be brought about by the sonotrode 3 itselt in the embodiment shown the addition of heat by the sonotrode 3 is executed from the underside, whereby the plug element I le melted In the designated places and bonds with the upper outer layer 2a and/or with the lower outer layer 2b of the lightweight building board 2.

Fig. 4 shows a preferred appiicatlon for anchoring of a hinge, whereby both the hinge cup 7 as well as the hinge arm 8 are each bonded via the base plate 9 with a lightweight building board 2, each having at least one plug element 1 to this end.

Fig. 5 shows the application for connecting a drawer frame member 10 with a front panel 11, whereby the front panel 11 is in the form of a lightweight building board. It has plug elements 1 for this, in order to secure the fitting 12 which serves as the connector with the drawer frame member 10.

Fig. 6 shows a further possible application for anchoring a pull-out rail 13 to a furniture side wall 2: Here, too, plug elements 1 are- provided to take screws 14, which are anchored in the furniture side wall made from lightweight building board.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, an upper die 15 presses from above onto the plug element 1, here V-shaped, in order to press this into the recess in the lightweight building board 2. Any contact with the forepart la of the plug element 1 can thereby be avoided. The upper die 15 can be used, not only to insert or to press in the plug element 1 into the lightweight building board 2, but also to supply the heat, especially if it is made as an ultrasound sonotrode. As shown in the figure, the upper die 15 presses on both the base ic and on the side walls id of the plug element 1.

Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of the invention where the plug element 1 is designed as a slit sleeve. This sleeve is compressed in a first step, then inserted into the boring in the lightweight building board 2, in which it pops open radially. This radial expansion causes the upper edge Ia of the sleeve to pass under the inner side 2a' of the upper outer layer 2a of the lightweight building board 2. It is thus locked into place against later tearing out. Additionally, this sleeve, if for example it is made from thermoplastic synthetic material, can be welded at the contact points of the lightweight building board 2 using a dip sonotrode 15. It is, however, also possible that this insert sleeve is only held mechanically or is additionally glued.

Fig. 9 shows a further embodiment of the invention, in which the plug element I has a mechanical snap connector which co-operates with the upper outer layer 2a and/or the lower outer layer 2b. In the figure shown the plug element has catch projections 16. When the plug element I is pressed into the lightweight building board 2 these catch projections 16 automatically snap in beneath the upper outer layer 2a thus presenting a locking hold. In this embodiment the upper part of the plug element 1, for example, can be made of metal or else from a different type of synthetic than a thermoplastic. The base side ic preferably consists of a thermoplastic, which by the supply of heat, for example via a dip sonotrode 15, can be bonded with the lower outer layer 2b of the lightweight building board 2.

Fig. 10 shows a somewhat simpler version of the plug element I for the lightweight building board 2. The plug element 1 is designed to be at least partly compressible, so that it can be inserted into a recess provide in the lightweight building board 2. Once the plug element 1 is essentially completely inserted in the recess, it expands radially due to its sprung design, so that it abuts at least partly on the inner side 2a' of the upper outer layer 2a of the lightweight building board 2.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown, but includes or extends to all variants and technical equivalents which can be derived from the inventive teaching. Also, the position details selected in the description such as e.g. top, bottom, side, etc. relate to the figure directly described and shown, and if the position changes they should be transferred accordingly to the new position.

Claims

Claims 1. A method for anchoring a preferably sleeve-shaped and/or slit

plug element into a lightweight building board which has an upper and a lower outer layer between which padding material, for example a honeycomb structure, is disposed, characterjsed by the following steps: - providing an essentially blind hole-shaped recess in the upper outer layer (2a) and the padding material (2c) whereby the lower outer layer (2b) remains intact, - inserting the plug element (1) into the recess, and - bonding the plug element (1) with the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) and the inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).
2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the plug element (1) consists at least in part of thermoplastic synthetic material, which by the addition of heat and partial melting thereof is bonded with the upper outer layer (2a) and/or with the inner side (2a') of the lower outer layer (2b).
3. The method according to claim I or 2, characterised in that the plug element (1) has a base (ic) which is essentially completely bonded with the inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).
4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that by the addition of heat to the plug element (1), at least one projection (5) is formed, which co-operates at least in part with the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) and/or with the inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).
5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the addition of heat occurs by ultrasound, preferably via a sonotrode (3).
6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterjsed in that the addition of heat occurs while the plug element (1) is being pressed into the lightweight building board (2).
7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a fitting (7, 8, 12, 13) of an item of furniture is anchored onto the plug element (1), in particular a hinge, a drawer guide or a front panel of a drawer.
8. The method according any to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that an upper die (15) to push the plug element (1) into the lightweight building board (2) extends into the plug element (1).
9. The method according to claim 8, characterised in that the upper die (15) presses on the base (lc) of the plug element (1).
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the upper die (15) presses against the side wall (id) of the plug element (1).
11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the device for addition of heat (3) and the upper die (15) are formed by one and the same device.
12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the addition of heat, preferably by means of ultrasound, is provided by a device (3, 15) which dips from above into the plug element (1).
13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that the upper die (15) consists of a device for addition of heat, preferably of an ultrasound source.
14. The method according to any one of claims I to 13, characterised in that the plug element (1), after insertion in the lightweight building board (2), is radially expanded and thereby its upper edge at least partly abuts beneath the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) of the lightweight building board (2).
15. A lightweight building board, which has an upper and a lower outer layer, between which padding material, for example a honeycomb structure, is disposed and with a sleeve-shaped and/or slit plug element, especially produced using a method according to one of claims ito 14.
16. The lightweight building board according to claim 15, characterised by a mechanical catch connection of the plug element (1) with the upper outer layer (2a).
17. The lightweight building board according to claim 15 or 16, characterised in that the plug element (1) is designed so as to be at least partially compressible, so that it can be inserted into a recess in the lightweight building board (2) and in this is again automatically radially expanded, so that the plug element (1) at least partially abuts on the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) of the lightweight building board (2).
18. The lightweight building board according to claim 17, characterised in that the plug element (1) is at least partially slit.
19. The lightweight building board (2) according to claim 17 or 18, characterised in that the plug element (1) has at least one catch projection (16) which can be pressed in.
20. The lightweight building board according to any one of claims 15 to 19, characterjsed in that the plug element (1) consists at least in part of meltable material.
21. The lightweight building board according to any one of claims 15 to 20, characterised by a metal-plastic construction of the plug element (1).
22. A lightweight building board which has an upper and a lower outer layer, between which padding material, for example a honeycomb structure, is disposed, and with a preferably sleeve-shaped and/or slit plug element, whereby the plug element is disposed in an essentially blind hole shaped recess in the upper outer layer and in the padding material and the lower outer layer is intact, especially produced according to one of claims 1 to 14, and especially according to one of claims 15 to 21, characterised in that the plug element (1) is fixed to the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) and to the inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).
23. A lightweight building board according to claim 22, characterised in that material of the plug element (1) which has been melted and then rehardened is disposed on the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) and/or on the inner side (2b') of the lower outer layer (2b).
24. A lightweight building board according to claim 22 or 23, characterjsed in that at least one projection (5) made from material melted and then re-hardened is provided on the inner side (2a') of the upper outer layer (2a) for fixing purposes.
25. A furniture part with a lightweight building board according to any one of claims 15 to 24.
26. The furniture part according to claim 25, characterised in that on at least one plug element (I) a hinge is anchored.
27. The furniture part according to claim 25, characterised in that on at least one plug element (1), a front panel (11) of a drawer or mountings (12) for a front panel (11) of a drawer is/are anchored.
28. The furniture part according to claim 25, characterised in that on at least one plug element (1) a pull-out guide (13) for drawers is anchored.
29. The method for anchoring a plug element into a lightweight building board, lightweight building board or furniture part substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 6.