# US 2015/0274337 A1 · Ultrasonic welding device

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- Number: US 2015/0274337 A1
- Document ID: US20150274337A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/673,999
- Filed: 2015-03-31
- Published: 2015-10-01
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-01
- Assignees: Sonimat
- Applicants: Sonimat
- Inventors: Lionel Beauvy; Eric Violleau
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20150274337A1

## CPC

- B65B 51/225: {by ultrasonic welding}
- B29C 65/08: using ultrasonic vibrations {(non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645)}
- B29C 65/18: using heated tools
- B29C 65/26: Hot fluid
- B29C 65/305: {involving the use of cartridge heaters}
- B29C 65/72: by combined operations {or combined techniques}, e.g. welding and stitching
- B29C 65/7451: {the severing tool and the welding tool being movable with respect to one-another}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/4312: {for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 66/81415: {being bevelled}
- B29C 66/81431: {comprising a single cavity, e.g. a groove}
- B29C 66/8145: {characterised by the constructional aspects of the pressing elements, e.g. of the welding jaws or clamps (B29C66/816 and B29C66/818 take precedence; adaptable for making articles or joints of different dimensions B29C66/841)}
- B29C 66/81451: {being adaptable to the surface of the joint (B29C66/81453, B29C66/81455, B29C66/81457, B29C66/81459, B29C66/81461 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/81453: {being made of flexible slats, flexible fins, flexible bristles or springs, e.g. coiled springs}
- B29C 66/81465: {one placed behind the other in a single row in the feed direction}
- B29C 66/8161: {said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material}
- B29C 66/8163: {Self-aligning to the joining plane, e.g. mounted on a ball and socket}
- B29C 66/8167: {Quick change joining tools or surfaces}
- B29C 66/8225: {Crank mechanisms}
- B29C 66/83221: {cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis}
- B29C 66/8416: {of different thickness}
- B29C 66/849: {Packaging machines}
- B29C 66/92443: {following a pressure-time profile}
- B29C 66/92921: {in specific relation to time, e.g. pressure-time diagrams}
- B29C 66/93441: {the speed being non-constant over time}
- B29C 66/9392: {in explicit relation to another variable, e.g. speed diagrams}
- B65B 51/303: {reciprocating along only one axis}
- B29C 65/7891: {of discontinuously moving sheets or webs}
- B29C 66/4322: {by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/72321: {consisting of metals or their alloys}
- B29C 66/7234: {comprising a barrier layer}
- B29C 66/7352: {Thickness, e.g. very thin}
- B29C 66/81417: {being V-shaped}
- B29C 66/81811: {of the welding jaws}
- B29C 66/8222: {Pinion or rack mechanisms}
- B29C 66/8242: {Pneumatic or hydraulic drives (using fluid pressure directly acting on the parts to be joined B29C66/8266)}
- B29C 66/91421: {of the joining tools}
- B29C 66/91431: {the temperature being kept constant over time}
- B29C 66/919: {characterised by specific temperature, heat or thermal flux values or ranges (specific electrical resistance values B29C66/81262)}
- B29C 66/929: {characterized by specific pressure, force, mechanical power or displacement values or ranges}
- B29C 66/9513: {characterised by specific vibration frequency values or ranges}
- B29C 66/9517: {characterised by specific vibration amplitude values or ranges}
- B29K 2705/02: Aluminium
- B29L 2031/7128: {Bags, sacks, sachets (tea bags B29L2031/7122; medical bags B29L2031/7148)}
- B65B 9/06: Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
- B65B 25/04: Packaging fruit or vegetables
- Y10T 156/12: Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Device (10) for ultrasonic welding of a flexible, notably tubular, structure (F), to be conformed into sachets, this device including at least two airgaps each defined between a sonotrode (20) and an anvil (30,40) carried by respective support structures (28,54) the distance between which varies between a close together welding position and a spaced apart flexible structure movement position, in which airgaps the flexible structure to be welded is intended to be received to produce at least two weld lines, wherein for each airgap an anvil and/or a sonotrode both associated with this airgap is at least partially mobile relative to a support structure (54) of this anvil or sonotrode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Device for ultrasonic welding of a flexible structure, to be conformed into sachets, this device including at least two airgaps each defined between a sonotrode and an anvil carried by respective support structures the distance between which varies between a close together welding position and a spaced apart flexible structure movement position, in which airgaps the flexible structure to be welded is intended to be received to produce at least two weld lines, wherein for each airgap an anvil and/or a sonotrode both associated with this airgap is at least partially mobile relative to a support structure of this anvil or sonotrode, the two anvils being movable independently of each other.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, the sonotrode(s) and the anvil(s) being simultaneously and cyclically mobile in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the flexible structure within the device between a spaced-apart position allowing movement of the flexible structure and a close together welding position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, at least one of the anvils being fastened to a support structure, moved by a mechanism in translation in a direction moving it toward or away from the sonotrode and each of the anvils being fastened to a support structure moved by a mechanism in translation in a direction toward or away from the sonotrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, the two airgaps being defined by the same sonotrode and by respective anvils.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, the sonotrode having two advanced portions facing respective front edges of the sonotrodes and separated by a groove.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, an anvil and/or a sonotrode together defining an airgap, being free to pivot, in a plane perpendicular to a direction of movement of the flexible structure within the device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, the or each anvil and/or sonotrode being free to pivot in a plane perpendicular to a direction of movement of the flexible structure within the device, the pivoting being accompanied by the deformation of at least one elastic return member toward a rest position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

Device according to claim 6, the possibility of pivoting of the or each anvil and/or the or each sonotrode being obtained by virtue of play in the guidance of the or each anvil and/or the or each sonotrode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

Device according to claim 8, the possibility of pivoting being obtained by virtue of play between rails and recirculating-ball carriages moving on these rails.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, including at least one elastic return member for urging the anvil and the sonotrode associated with the same airgap toward each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

Device according to claim 10, at least one of the anvils, being spring-loaded in the direction of the same sonotrode by at least two return springs, disposed on either side of a median plane of the anvil.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

Device according to claim 10, including means for adjustment of a rest position into which the anvil or the sonotrode is urged by the elastic return member(s) when the sonotrode and the anvil are spaced apart between two welding operations.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, including at least part of a cutting device between the two anvils.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, each anvil being temperature-regulated, by circulation of a fluid in at least one passage internal to the anvil.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

Device according to claim 1, at least one of the anvils including a succession of slots conferring flexibility on it.

### Claim 16

Device for ultrasonic welding of a flexible structure, including:
a sonotrode,
two anvils carried by a support structure, this support structure being mobile relative to the sonotrode between a spaced-apart position and a close-together position, at least one of the anvils being mobile relative to the support structure and caused to move relative to the latter by a thrust exerted by the sonotrode when the support structure is in the close-together position, and each anvil is movable relative to the support structure by said thrust, the movement of the anvil(s) relative to the support structure occurring against the return action of at least one elastic return member, each anvil having one degree of freedom of movement in translation and one degree of freedom of movement in rotation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

Method for ultrasonic welding of a flexible structure by means of a device according to claim 1, wherein two parallel weld lines are effected simultaneously with the structure to be welded clamped in each airgap between the sonotrode and the corresponding anvil.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

Method according to claim 17, the flexible structure being formed of a thermoplastic material film, the thickness of the film being between 10 and 100 microns.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

Method according to claim 17, the sachet containing notably salad leaves or raw vegetables or a powder product.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

Method according to claim 17, each anvil, being moved relative to a support structure of these anvils by a thrust exerted by the sonotrode during the production of the weld lines.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

Method according to any one of claim 17, the temperature of the anvils being regulated.