Depth control of seal line penetration for rotary ultrasonic horn/anvil welding without mechanical stop

An apparatus for joining a first film portion and a second film portion together along a seal line using ultrasonic energy, the apparatus comprising:

• a horn configured to receive ultrasonic energy;
• and
• an anvil positionable in close proximity to the horn that is advanced toward the anvil, wherein at least one of the horn or the anvil has a face with a width dimension and a circumference and is rotatable about a rotation axis,
• the face having a raised profile relative to the face, the raised profile having a tapered side, the tapered side having a radius between 0.5 and 5 degrees relative to a topmost surface of the raised profile, the face being positioned such that the raised profile extends along the circumference, and continuous running contact is provided between the raised profile and the other of the one of the horn or the anvil when rotated about the rotation axis, to form the seal line without any external structure to control a distance between the horn and the anvil,
• wherein the thickness of the first film portion and the second film portion is between 10 μm and 150 μm.

An apparatus for joining a first film portion and a second film portion together along a seal line using ultrasonic energy, the apparatus comprising:

• a horn configured to receive ultrasonic energy;
• and
• an anvil positionable in close proximity to the horn that is advanced toward the anvil, wherein at least one of the horn or the anvil has a face with a width dimension and a circumference and is rotatable about a rotation axis,
• the face having a raised profile relative to the face, the raised profile having a tapered side, the tapered side having a radius between 0.5 and 5 degrees relative to a topmost surface of the raised profile, the face being positioned such that the raised profile extends along the circumference, and continuous running contact is provided between the raised profile and the other of the one of the horn or the anvil when rotated about the rotation axis, to form the seal line without any external structure to control a distance between the horn and the anvil,
• wherein the first film portion and the second film portion are composed of a plastic.