权利要求：
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a part of a device including a first part and a second part which
are inter-engageable with one another, the first part having a first longitudinal axis and a
connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the first longitudinal axis and
includes an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part
having a second longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially
transversely to the second longitudinal axis and includes a receiving formation which
extends substantially axially and in which the engagement formation of the first part is
receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is
annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially
around the longitudinal axis of the respective part of the device, such that rotation of the
two parts relative to one another about the longitudinal axes, when the two parts are
substantially co-axially aligned, such that the connecting faces of the two parts face one
another in a substantially axial direction, causes engagement of the engagement formation
of the first part with the corresponding receiving formation of the second part, the method
including the steps of’
(A) providing a mould of said connecting face of said second part of the device, (B) contacting the connecting face of the mould with a mouldable material, to produce said
connecting face of said second part on a face of the mouldable material so as to form the
second part of the device, and
(C) separating the connecting face of said second part from the mould to remove the moulded
second part of the device from the mould,
wherein said method of manufacturing also comprises one of (1) in step (A) providing a
rigid tool body, and (11) said separating in step (C) comprises one of (a) by rotation of the
mould and the moulded second part relative to one another and (b) by peeling distortion. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first part of said device comprises a plurality
of engagement formations, wherein each of said plurality of engagement formations
comprises a first end and a second end and is annular and concentric about said first
longitudinal axis.
3. A method according to claim 1, or claim 2, wherein said step (1)(A) providing a rigid tool
body also comprises inserting said mould into said rigid tool body resulting in a mould tool
cavity, and in step (B) first inserting said mouldable material into said mould tool cavity
before contacting the connecting face of the mould with said mouldable material. 4, A method according to claim 3, wherein step (A) further comprises said mould and said
mould tool body being interconnected by a substantially helicoidal thread. 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said rotation in step (C) (ii) causes disengagement
of said substantially helicoidal thread and helicoidal separation of said mould from said
moulded second part.
6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein step (B) further comprises the
curing, drying or hardening of said mouldable material to form moulded second part of
cured, dried or hardened material.
7. A method of connecting a first part of a device on a first item and a second part of the
device on a second item, the first part of the device including a longitudinal axis, and a
connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis and has an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part including a longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends in substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the second part, and has a receiving formation which extends substantially axially, and in which the engagement formation of the first part is receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the respective part, the method including;
substantially aligning the longitudinal axes of the two parts of the device, such that the
connecting faces of the two parts of the device face one another substantially axially,
and rotating the two parts of the device relative to one another about the longitudinal
axes, such that the engagement formation of the first part is received in the receiving
formation of the second part, the method further comprising using a tool to rotationally
drive one of said two parts.
A method of connecting as claimed in claim 7, wherein prior to said alignment and rotation of the two parts, using said tool to rotationally drive the first part into an object, wherein the tool comprises a driving face that is complimentary to the connecting face of the first part such that mating of the connecting face of the first part and the driving face of the tool enables rotational force to be transferred from the tool to the first part,
wherein, when the connecting face of the first part and the driving face of the tool mate, the tool is still axially separable from the first part without requiring rotation of the tool relative to the first part.
9. A method of manufacturing a part of a device including a first part and a second part which
are inter-engageable with one another, the first part having a first longitudinal axis and a
connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the first longitudinal axis and
includes an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part
having a second longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially
transversely to the second longitudinal axis and includes a receiving formation which
extends substantially axially and in which the engagement formation of the first part is
receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is
annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially
around the longitudinal axis of the respective part of the device, such that rotation of the
two parts relative to one another about the longitudinal axes, when the two parts are
substantially co-axially aligned, such that the connecting faces of the two parts face one
another 1n a substantially axial direction, causes engagement of the engagement formation
of the first part with the corresponding receiving formation of the second part, the method
including performing an additive manufacturing process to build up the engagement
formation(s) of the part.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the additive manufacturing process is one of
selective laser melting, photopolymer curing, atomic layer deposition and material jetting. 11. A method according to claim 9, or claim 10, wherein said first part comprises resin and
said second part comprises resin.
12. A device including a first part and a second part which are inter-engageable with one
another, the first part having a first longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends
substantially transversely to the first longitudinal axis and includes an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part having a second longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the second longitudinal axis and includes a receiving formation which extends substantially axially and in which the engagement formation of the first part is receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the respective part of the device, such that rotation of the two parts relative to one another about the longitudinal axes, when the two parts are substantially co-axially aligned, such that the connecting faces of the two parts face one another in a substantially axial direction, causes engagement of the engagement formation of the first part with the corresponding receiving formation of the second part, wherein said first part comprises resin and said second part comprises resin.
A device including a first part and a second part which are inter-engageable with one another, the first part having a first longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the first longitudinal axis and includes an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part having a second longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the second longitudinal axis and includes a receiving formation which extends substantially axially and in which the engagement formation of the first part is receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially around the longitudinal axis of the respective part of the device, such that rotation of the two parts relative to one
another about the longitudinal axes, when the two parts are substantially co-axially aligned,
such that the connecting faces of the two parts face one another in a substantially axial
direction, causes engagement of the engagement formation of the first part with the
corresponding receiving formation of the second part, wherein one of said first part and
said second part comprises another type of connector, and wherein said another type of
connector 1s one of (1) a type that is one of (1) a threaded bolt, and (11) a coach bolt, and
(111) a screw, and (iv) a universal joint, and (v) a ball joint, and (vi) a suction device, and
(vi1) an adhesive, and (viii) an adhesive pad, and (ix) a hook and loop fastener, and (x) a
magnet, and (x1) a hook, and (x11) a hinge and (x11) a clip, and (x1v) a karabiner, and (xv) a
cable fastener, and (xvi) a retractable spool comprising an appended cable, and (xvii) a
button, and (xvii1) a machine tool connector, and (xix) an induction charging post, and (xx)
an induction coil, and (xxi) a towing hitch, and (xxii) a freely rotating connector, and
(xxi111) a flange connector, and (xx1v) a gooseneck joint comprising a highly flexible
material, and (xxv) a fused connection, and (xxv1) a battery terminal connector, and (xxvii)
a clutch, and (xxviii) a roller, and (xxvix) a key fob, and (xxx) a conventional helical screw
thread and (2) one of (a) integral with, and (b) bonded to one of said first part and said
second part.
14. A device according to claim 13, wherein said threaded bolt comprises a head, said head
comprising said first part, and a shaft comprising a helicoidal thread disposed along part of
said shaft.
15. A device according to claim 13, wherein said coach bolt comprises a head, said head
comprising said first part, and a tapered shaft comprising a substantially helicoidal thread
disposed along part of said shaft.
16. A device according to claim 13, wherein said screw comprises a head, said head
comprising said first part, and a tapered shaft comprising a substantially helicoidal thread
disposed along part of said shaft.
17. A device according to any of claims 14-16, wherein said head 1s capable of being rotated
by a driver tool applying a torsional force.
18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said driver tool comprises an interlocking part
which is capable of interlocking with said first part.
19. A device according to claim 17, wherein said driver tool comprises a rotationally engaging
but non-interlocking part capable of being pushed into said head, said non-interlocking part
comprising reacting ends capable of applying a torsional force to said head. 20. A device according to any of claims 17 — 19, wherein said driver tool is one of a screw
driver, a levering device or a spanner.
21. A device according to claim 14, wherein said bolt is part of a wall anchor fixing apparatus. 22. A device according to claim 21, wherein said apparatus comprises a sleeve. 23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said sleeve is expandable.
24. A device according to claim 21, wherein said apparatus comprises an expandable wedge,
and wherein said wedge 1s expandable by the end of said bolt.
25. A device according to claim 13, wherein said ball joint is capable of being fixed by a
clamping screw thread.
26. A device according to claim 13, wherein said induction coil provides a primary electrical
supply located in said first part, and wherein a secondary induction coil is located in said
second part.
27. A device according to claim 13, wherein said freely rotating connector is a race of ball
bearings.
28. A device according to claim 13, wherein said gooseneck joint comprises one of natural
rubber and synthetic rubber.
29. A device according to claim 13, wherein said fused connection 1s achieved by friction.
30. A device according to claim 13, wherein said conventional helical screw thread extends
over at least a portion of the external perimeter surface of one of said first part and said
second part.
31. A device according to claim 30, wherein said conventional helical screw thread extends
over a portion of the other of said first part and said second part, and wherein said device
comprises a sleeve, wherein said sleeve is substantially annular and comprises an internally
threaded portion which is engageable with the threaded portions of each of the first part
and the second part.
32. A device according to claim 31, wherein said sleeve 1s a locking member which holds the
first and second parts in an inter-engaged condition.
33. A device according to any of claims 13-32, wherein said another type of connector is one
of (a) integral with, and (b) bonded to one of said first part and said second part.
34. A method according to any of claims 1-6, wherein said moulded second part is
subsequently used as a mould for said first part of said device.
35. Any method of manufacturing a device including a first part and a second part which are
inter-engageable with one another, the first part having a first longitudinal axis and a
connecting face which extends substantially transversely to the first longitudinal axis and
includes an engagement formation which extends substantially axially, and the second part
having a second longitudinal axis and a connecting face which extends substantially
transversely to the second longitudinal axis and includes a receiving formation which
extends substantially axially and in which the engagement formation of the first part is
receivable, wherein each of the engagement formation and the receiving formation is
annular and includes a substantially helicoidal surface which extends at least partially
around the longitudinal axis of the respective part of the device, such that rotation of the
two parts relative to one another about the longitudinal axes, when the two parts are
substantially co-axially aligned, such that the connecting faces of the two parts face one
another in a substantially axial direction, causes engagement of the engagement formation
of the first part with the corresponding receiving formation of the second part, substantially
as described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
36. A method of connecting a first part of a device on a first item and a second part of the
device on a second item, substantially as described herein and/or as shown in the
accompanying drawings.
37. Any novel feature or novel combination of features substantially as described herein and/or
as shown in the accompanying drawings.