High stiffness booster with compliant support tabs at node or antinode positions and ultrasonic welding apparatus including same

Abstract

An ultrasonic for performing a cut-and-seal operation, wherein the system includes an ultrasonic stack assembly and one or more controllers operatively coupled thereto. The ultrasonic stack assembly includes at least a one ultrasonic module and at least one transducer arranged to impart ultrasonic energy into the at least one ultrasonic module. the controllers are operatively configured to apply the ultrasonic energy via the at least one transducer through the at least one ultrasonic module to cause a first part-interfacing surface to move back and forth along its length as the ultrasonic energy is applied by the transducer to the at least one ultrasonic module. The ultrasonic module can include a horn having an ultrasonic booster with a support tab including an ultrasonic energy input portion located at a first nodal location of the horn and an ultrasonic energy output portion located at a second nodal location of the horn, the first nodal location and the second nodal location having either a pair of respective nodes or a pair of respective antinodes of the horn.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.