Rotary ultrasonic bonder or processor capable of fixed gap operation

An ultrasonic processing apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable, ultrasonic horn member having a first axial side and a second axial side;
• a first, rotatable axle member which is operatively joined to said first axial side of said horn member, said first axle member capable of providing a first node plane;
• a first isolation member which is operatively joined to said first axle member, and has a location that is operatively proximate said first node plane of the first axle member, said first isolation member having a first, radial isolation component and a first, axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said first, radial isolation component is joined to said first axle member, is configured to extend at least radially from said first axle member, and is configured to bend under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said first axial isolation component is joined to an operative portion of said first radial isolation component, is configured to extend axially from said first radial isolation component, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• a second, rotatable axle member which is operatively joined to said second axial side of said horn member, said second axle member capable of providing a second node plane;
• a second isolation member which is operatively joined to said second axle member and has a location that is operatively proximate said second node plane of the second axle member, said second isolation member having a second, radial isolation component and a second, axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said second, radial isolation component is joined to said second axle member, is configured to extend at least radially from said second axle member, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said second, axial isolation component is joined to an operative portion of said second, radial isolation component, is configured to extend axially from said second radial isolation component, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• a first coupler which connects between said first isolation member and a first rotational bearing, said first coupler providing a first coupler opening into which said first isolation member is operatively positioned and secured;
• and
• a second coupler which connects between said second isolation member and a second rotational bearing, said second coupler providing a second coupler opening into which said second isolation member is operatively positioned and secured.

An ultrasonic processing apparatus, comprising:

• a rotatable, ultrasonic horn member;
• a rotatable first axle member which is operatively joined to a first axial side of said horn member, said first axle member capable of providing a first node plane;
• a first isolation member which is operatively joined to said first axle member and is located operatively proximate said first node plane of the first axle member, said first isolation member having a first radial isolation component and a first axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said first radial isolation component is joined to said first axle member, is configured to extend at least radially from said first axle member, has a substantially annular-shape, and is configured to bend under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said first axial isolation component is joined to an operative portion of said first radial isolation component, is configured to extend axially from said first radial isolation component, has a substantially cylinder-shape, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• a rotatable second axle member which is operatively joined to a second axial side of said horn member, said second axle member capable of providing a second node plane;
• a second isolation member which is operatively joined to said second axle member and is located operatively proximate said second node plane of the second axle member, said second isolation member having a second radial isolation component and a second axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said second radial isolation component is operatively joined to said second axle member, is configured to extend at least radially from said second axle member, has a substantially annular-shape, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said second axial isolation component is joined to an operative portion of said second radial isolation component, is configured to extend axially from said second radial isolation component, has a substantially cylinder-shape, and is configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• a first coupler which connects between said first isolation member and a first rotational bearing, said first coupler providing a first, substantially cylinder-shape, coupler opening into which said first axial isolation component is operatively positioned and secured;
• a second coupler which connects between said second isolation member and a second rotational bearing, said second coupler providing a second, substantially cylinder-shape, coupler opening into which said second axial isolation component is operatively positioned and secured;
• a first mount for supporting said first rotational bearing, said first mount axially spaced from said first axial side of said horn member;
• a second mount for supporting said second rotational bearing, said second mount axially spaced from said second axial side of said horn member;
• a rotatable anvil member which is cooperatively positioned at a selected spaced distance from said horn member;
• an anvil drive which can rotate said anvil member to provide an anvil, peripheral speed of at least about 5 m/min;
• a horn drive which can rotate said horn member to provide a horn, peripheral speed which substantially equals said anvil peripheral speed;
• and
• at least a first ultrasonic exciter which is operatively connected to said horn member and can provide an operative amount of ultrasonic energy at a frequency within the range of about 15-60 KHz;
• wherein
• said horn member is configured to exhibit a static deflection of not more than about 0.004 mm at a load of 445 Newtons;
• and
• said horn member and anvil member are configured to provide a substantially constant horn-anvil gap which is at least about 0.01 mm.

An ultrasonic processing method, comprising:

• a rotating of an ultrasonic horn member;
• said horn member having been operatively joined to a rotatable first axle member, and to a rotatable second axle member;
• said first axle member having been operatively joined to a first isolation member, said first isolation member capable of dynamically bending and flexing under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies to provide an operative component of motion along a radial direction of the first isolation member and an operative component of motion along an axial direction of the first isolation member;
• and
• said second axle member having been operatively joined to a second isolation member, said second isolation member capable of dynamically bending and flexing under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies to provide an operative component of motion along a radial direction of the second isolation member and an operative component of motion along an axial direction of the second isolation member.

A bonding method, comprising:

• a rotating of an ultrasonic horn member having a first axial side and a second axial side;
• said first axial side of said horn member having been operatively joined to a first, rotatable axle member which can provide a first node plane;
• said first axle member having been operatively joined to a first isolation member;
• said first isolation member having been located operatively proximate said first node plane of the first axle member, with said first isolation member having a first radial isolation component and a first axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said first radial isolation component has been joined to said first axle member, has been configured to extend at least radially from said first axle member, and has been configured to bend under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies without excessive fatigue;
• said first axial isolation component has been joined to an operative portion of said first radial isolation component, has been configured to extend axially from said first radial isolation component, and has been configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies without excessive fatigue;
• said second axial side of said horn member having been operatively joined to a second, rotatable axle member which can provide a second node plane;
• said second axle member having been operatively joined to a second isolation member;
• said second isolation member having been located operatively proximate said second node plane of the second axle member, with said second isolation member having a second radial isolation component and a second axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said second radial isolation component has been joined to said second axle member, has been configured to extend at least radially from said second axle member, and has been configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said second axial isolation component has been joined to an operative portion of said second radial isolation component, has been configured to extend axially from said second radial isolation component, and has been configured to bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said first isolation member having been connected to a first rotational bearing with a first coupler which provides a first coupler opening into which said first axial isolation component has been operatively positioned and secured;
• and
• said second isolation member having been connected to a second rotational bearing with a second coupler which provides a second coupler opening into which said second axial isolation component has been operatively positioned and secured.

A processing method, comprising:

• a rotating of an ultrasonic horn member which has a first axial side and a second axial side;
• said first axial side of said horn member having been operatively joined to a rotatable first axle member which can provide a first node plane;
• said first axle member having been operatively joined to a first isolation member which is located operatively proximate said first node plane of the first axle member, said first isolation member having a first radial isolation component and a first axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said first radial isolation component has been joined to said first axle member, has been configured to extend at least radially from said first axle member, has a substantially annular-shape, and has been configured to dynamically bend under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said first axial isolation component has been joined to an operative portion of said first radial isolation component, has been configured to extend axially from said first radial isolation component, has a substantially cylinder-shape, and has been configured to dynamically bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said second axial side of said horn member having been operatively joined to a rotatable second axle member which can provide a second node plane;
• said second axle member having been operatively joined to a second isolation member which has been located operatively proximate said second node plane of the second axle member, with said second isolation member having a second radial isolation component and a second axial isolation component;
• wherein
• said second radial isolation component has been operatively joined to said second axle member, has been configured to extend at least radially from said second axle member, has a substantially annular-shape, and has been configured to dynamically bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• said second axial isolation component has been joined to an operative portion of said second radial isolation component, has been configured to extend axially from said second radial isolation component, has a substantially cylinder-shape, and has been configured to dynamically bend under said horn-life range of sonic frequencies;
• a first coupler having been connected between said first isolation member and a first rotational bearing, said first coupler providing a first, substantially cylinder-shape, coupler opening into which said first axial isolation component has been operatively positioned and secured;
• a second coupler having been connected between said second isolation member and a second rotational bearing, said second coupler providing a second, substantially cylinder-shape, coupler opening into which said second axial isolation component has been operatively positioned and secured;
• said first rotational bearing having been supported by a first mount, said first mount axially having been spaced from said first axial side of said horn member;
• said second rotational bearing having been supported by a second mount, said second mount axially having been spaced from said second axial side of said horn member;
• a rotatable anvil member having been cooperatively positioned at a selected spaced distance from said horn member;
• said anvil member having been rotated by an anvil drive to provide an anvil, peripheral speed of at least about 5 m/sec;
• said horn member having been rotated by a horn drive to provide a horn, peripheral speed which substantially equals said anvil peripheral speed;
• said horn member having been operatively connected to at least a first an ultrasonic exciter which can provide an operative amount of ultrasonic energy at a frequency within the range of about 15-60 KHz;
• said horn member having been configured to exhibit a static deflection of not more than about 0.004 mm at a load of 445 Newtons;
• and
• said horn member and anvil member having been configured to provide a substantially constant horn-anvil gap which is at least about 0.01 mm.