Valve application system and method
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorChristopher Ludwig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve application system includes a rotary cutter configured to cut individual valves from a valve string. The valve string is configured to be fed between the rotary cutter and a vacuum transfer tool where the rotary cutter is configured to cut the individual valves from the valve string. The valves are configured to be transferred from the vacuum transfer tool to the ultrasonic anvil. A web is configured to be fed between the ultrasonic anvil and the ultrasonic horn where the valves are ultrasonically sealed to the web.
Claims20
A valve application system, comprising:
- a rotary cutter configured to cut individual valves from a valve string;
- a vacuum transfer tool, wherein the valve string is configured to be fed between the rotary cutter and the vacuum transfer tool where the rotary cutter is configured to cut the individual valves from the valve string;
- an ultrasonic anvil, wherein the valves are configured to be transferred from the vacuum transfer tool to the ultrasonic anvil;
- and
- an ultrasonic horn, wherein a web is configured to be fed between the ultrasonic anvil and the ultrasonic horn where the valves are ultrasonically sealed to the web.
A valve application method, comprising:
- feeding a valve string between a rotary cutter and a vacuum transfer tool;
- cutting, by the rotary cutter, individual valves from the valve string;
- transferring the valves from the vacuum transfer tool to an ultrasonic anvil;
- feeding a web between the ultrasonic anvil and an ultrasonic horn;
- and
- ultrasonically sealing the valves to the web between the ultrasonic horn and the ultrasonic anvil.
A valve application system, comprising:
- a rotary cutter configured to cut individual valves from a valve string, wherein the valves in the valve strings are arranged in a side-by-side configuration, and wherein the rotary cutter comprises a first drum configured to rotate in a first direction;
- a vacuum transfer tool, wherein the valve string is configured to be fed between the rotary cutter and the vacuum transfer tool where the rotary cutter is configured to cut the individual valves from the valve string, wherein the vacuum transfer tool comprises a second drum configured to rotate in a second direction in opposition to the first direction;
- an ultrasonic anvil, wherein the valves are configured to be transferred from the vacuum transfer tool to the ultrasonic anvil, wherein the ultrasonic anvil comprises a third drum configured to rotate in a third direction in opposition to the second direction;
- and
- an ultrasonic horn, wherein a web is configured to be fed between the ultrasonic anvil and the ultrasonic horn where the valves are ultrasonically sealed to the web, wherein the ultrasonic horn comprises a fourth drum configured to rotate in a fourth direction in opposition to the third direction,
- wherein the rotary cutter, the vacuum transfer tool, the ultrasonic anvil, and the ultrasonic horn are configured to continually rotate during operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.