# US 2018/0021879 A1 · V-Cut Tooling For Ultrasonic Tube Sealer And Method Of Cutting And Sealing A Tube Using The V-Cut Tooling

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- Number: US 2018/0021879 A1
- Document ID: US20180021879A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/647,517
- Filed: 2017-07-12
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20
- Assignees: Branson Ultrasonics Corporation
- Applicants: Branson Ultrasonics Corporation
- Inventors: Guillermo COTO; Michael DAVIS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021879A1

## CPC

- B23K 20/10: making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding
- B23K 20/106: {Features related to sonotrodes}
- B29C 65/7443: {by means of ultrasonic vibrations}
- B29C 66/2442: {in the form of a single arc of circle}
- B29C 66/43121: {Closing the ends of tubular or hollow single articles, e.g. closing the ends of bags (closing tube ends B29C57/10)}
- B29C 65/7441: {for making welds and cuts of other than simple rectilinear form}
- B29C 66/8167: {Quick change joining tools or surfaces}
- B29L 2023/20: Flexible squeeze tubes, e.g. for cosmetics
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- 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)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A copper or aluminum tube is cut and sealed in an ultrasonic tube sealer. A section of the tube is placed laterally in a V-shaped recess of a center member of a forming tool of an anvil of the ultrasonic tube sealer. The anvil and a horn tip are brought together with the center member received in a channel of a forming tool of the horn tip to cut the tube with the cut tube having cut ends on opposed sides of the center member. At least one of the cut ends is pinched together between the forming tool of the anvil and the forming tool of the ultrasonic horn tip and the ultrasonic horn is ultrasonically vibrated to ultrasonically weld the at least one cut end together to seal that cut end.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of cutting and sealing a copper or aluminum tube, comprising:
placing a section of the tube laterally in a V-shaped recess of a center member of a forming tool of an anvil of an ultrasonic tube sealer; and
having the ultrasonic tube sealer bring the anvil and a horn tip together with the center member received in a channel of a forming tool of the horn tip to cut the tube with the cut tube having cut ends on opposed sides of the center member and pinching at least one of the cut ends together between the forming tool of the anvil and the forming tool of the ultrasonic horn tip and having the ultrasonic tube sealer ultrasonically vibrate the ultrasonic horn tip to ultrasonically weld the at least one cut end together to seal that cut end.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 including pinching both cut ends together and ultrasonically welding both cut ends together to seal both cut ends.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 including having the ultrasonic tube sealer bring the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil together with a cutting force to an interim pre-set distance apart with an ultrasonic transducer of the ultrasonic tube sealer de-energized to cut the tube at least ninety percent the way through with the ultrasonic transducer of the ultrasonic tube sealer de-energized, having the ultrasonic tube sealer energize the ultrasonic transducer when the anvil and horn tip are at the interim pre-set distance apart and bringing the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil together with the ultrasonic transducer energized to a final pre-set distance apart and once the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil are at the final pre-set distance apart , having the ultrasonic tube sealer hold the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil together at a welding force until the ultrasonic welding is complete.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 including having the ultrasonic tube sealer bring the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil together with a cutting force to a final pre-set distance apart with an ultrasonic transducer of the ultrasonic tube sealer de-energized to cut the tube one-hundred percent of the way through with the ultrasonic transducer de-energized, having the ultrasonic tube sealer energize the ultrasonic transducer when the anvil and horn tip are at the final pre-set distance apart and also having the ultrasonic tube sealer hold the ultrasonic horn tip and anvil together at a welding force until the ultrasonic welding is complete.

### Claim 5

An anvil for an ultrasonic tube sealer, comprising:
at least one forming tool that includes a center member that projects upwardly from a base of the forming tool and extends longitudinally along the base of the forming tool;
the base of the forming tool including sealing members that extend longitudinally along each side of the center member; and
the center member having at least one V-shaped recess therein having sides that angle outwardly away from each other from an apex of the V-shaped recess at an acute angle with respect to each other.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The anvil of claim 5 wherein the center member includes a plurality of V-shaped recesses therein disposed longitudinally along the center member with respect to each other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The anvil of claim 6 including a pair of upwardly extending guide post removably attached to opposite sides of the anvil adjacent one of the V-shaped recesses.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The anvil of claim 6 including a plurality of the forming tools.

### Claim 9

An ultrasonic horn tip for an ultrasonic horn of an ultrasonic tube sealer, comprising:
at least one forming tool that is a U-shaped channel member that extends longitudinally along the ultrasonic horn tip having opposed sides with a channel therebetween.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The ultrasonic horn tip of claim 9 including a plurality of the forming tools.

### Claim 11

A tooling kit for an ultrasonic tube sealer, comprising:
an ultrasonic horn tip and an anvil;
the ultrasonic horn tip including at least one horn tip forming tool that is a U-shaped channel member that extends longitudinally along the ultrasonic horn tip having opposed sides with a channel therebetween; and
the anvil including an anvil forming tool that includes a center member that projects upwardly from a base of the anvil forming tool and extends longitudinally along the base of the anvil forming tool, the base of the anvil forming tool including sealing members that extend longitudinally along each side of the center member, the center member having at least one V-shaped recess therein having sides that angle outwardly away from each other from an apex of the V-shaped recess at an acute angle with respect to each other.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The tooling kit of claim 11 wherein the wherein the center member of the anvil forming tool includes a plurality of V-shaped recesses therein disposed longitudinally along the center member with respect to each other.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The tooling kit of claim 12 wherein the anvil includes a pair of upwardly extending guide post removably attached to opposite sides of the anvil adjacent one of the V-shaped recesses.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The tooling kit of claim 12 wherein the anvil includes a plurality of the anvil forming tools.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The tooling kit of claim 10 wherein the horn tip includes a plurality of the horn tip forming tools.