Adjustable-gap rotary ultrasonic horn mounting apparatus and method for mounting
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJohn R. Mlinar, Donald S. Oblak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is an apparatus comprising an ultrasonic horn. The horn is mounted to a support structure and includes a first mounting surface. An anvil is mounted to the support structure and spaced from the ultrasonic horn. The anvil has a first bearer surface. A bearer assembly supportably links the first mounting surface to the first bearer surface.
Claims24
An apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- an ultrasonic horn including a first mounting surface, the ultrasonic horn mounted to the support structure;
- an anvil spaced from the ultrasonic horn, the anvil including a first bearer surface;
- and
- a first bearer assembly supportably linking the first mounting surface to the first bearer surface, the first bearer assembly configured to adjustably establish a fixed minimum gap between the horn and the anvil during rotation of one of the horn and anvil relative to the other of the horn and anvil.
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first bearer assembly isolates ultrasonic energy from the second bearer surface.
An ultrasonic welding apparatus comprising:
- a support structure;
- an annular rotatable ultrasonic horn including a welding surface and a mounting surface, wherein the ultrasonic horn is mounted to the support structure;
- an annular rotatable anvil spaced from the ultrasonic horn, the anvil including a pressing surface and an annular bearer ring having a bearer surface;
- a force generating apparatus disposed so as to bias the welding surface towards the axially extending pressing surface;
- an isolating device disposed annularly about and in supportive engagement with the mounting surface;
- a horn bearing disposed annularly about and in supportive engagement with the isolating device;
- a cam follower bearing including a follower surface disposed proximate the bearer surface, wherein the follower surface is engagable with the bearer surface;
- and
- a shaft supportably linking the annular horn bearing and the cam follower bearing.
A method for mounting an ultrasonic welding horn comprising:
- securing the ultrasonic horn, having a welding surface and a first mounting surface, to a support structure;
- disposing an anvil having a pressing surface and a first bearing surface such that the pressing surface is proximate to the welding surface;
- biasing the welding surface and the pressing surface towards each other;
- linking the first bearing surface to the first mounting surface with a linkage structure so as to prevent the pressing surface and the welding surface from coming into contact, forming a predetermined separation distance.
A method for ultrasonic welding comprising:
- rotating an ultrasonic horn having a welding surface and a first mounting surface;
- rotating an anvil having a pressing surface and a first bearer surface such that the pressing surface is proximate and substantially parallel to the welding surface;
- biasing the welding surface and the pressing surface towards each other;
- utilizing a first linkage structure between the first mounting surface and the first bearer surface to prevent the welding surface from contacting the pressing surface;
- and
- passing a workpiece between the welding surface and the pressing surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.