Ultrasonic horn with coating entry
By designing a convex, curved inlet and outlet section and applying a coating to the ultrasonic welding head, the problem of material damage is solved, efficient material handling is achieved, and the welding head life is extended.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HERRMANN ULTRACHALLTECHNIK GMBH & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2022-03-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
Smart Images
Figure CN117177860B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic welding head for ultrasonic treatment of materials, comprising a sealing surface for contacting the material to be treated, a rear surface opposite to the sealing surface, and a circumferential side surface connecting the sealing surface and the rear surface, the side surface having two side faces arranged substantially parallel to each other and two end faces arranged substantially parallel to each other.
[0002] Typically, the sides and end faces are arranged parallel to each other. However, there are some applications, particularly when multiple ultrasonic welding heads are arranged adjacent to each other such that their end faces are opposite each other, where the end faces are not perfectly parallel.
[0003] Furthermore, the present invention relates to an apparatus for ultrasonic treatment of materials, comprising an ultrasonic welding head of the type described above, an accessory tool having a sealing surface, and a material feeder. The accessory tool is arranged opposite the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head such that, during treatment, the material to be treated can be guided through the gap formed by the two opposing sealing surfaces with the assistance of the material feeder.
[0004] To process materials using ultrasound, the ultrasonic welding head of the equipment is configured for ultrasonic vibration. The propagation direction of the ultrasonic vibration extends between the rear surface of the ultrasonic welding head and the sealing surface. The ultrasonic vibration of the ultrasonic welding head causes localized heating of the material located in the gap between the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head and the sealing surface of the matching tool. This localized heating, in turn, causes the different material layers arranged in the gap to fuse together, thus forming a strong bond that cannot be separated without causing damage. Background Technology
[0005] Various processing methods using ultrasound are known in the prior art. For example, in one variation, material is continuously moved through a gap between an ultrasonic welding head and an accompanying tool and is processed continuously or at specific intervals by the ultrasonic welding head. Alternatively, systems in which the material is initially arranged in the gap and does not move during ultrasonic processing are also known.
[0006] Ultrasonic waves can also be used specifically to weld multiple layers of materials together. In this case, it is common practice to feed the material layers into the gap from different directions, as the supply rollers of the equipment require the necessary space to convey the material.
[0007] In the process of conserving resources, thinner and therefore more easily damaged materials are now being used, which are welded together. Typical products manufactured using ultrasonic processing include tubular packaging materials, as well as hygiene products, which are typically made of multiple layers of fibrous materials joined together.
[0008] During ultrasonic processing, special care must be taken to ensure that the feeding and handling of materials do not cause any unwanted damage to the materials, thereby compromising product quality.
[0009] Existing ultrasonic welding heads typically have geometries that cause damage to the material being processed (especially when dealing with special materials such as nonwovens) once it is fed into the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the accompanying tool. Furthermore, the known ultrasonic welding head geometry also leads to material damage if the material is fed into the ultrasonic processing apparatus at an angle to the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head. The result is material breakage during processing and a decrease in product quality.
[0010] These drawbacks are particularly noticeable when welding multiple layers of material together and feeding these materials into the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the accompanying tool from different directions. In such cases, some material may rub against the edges of the ultrasonic welding head or the accompanying tool and be damaged as a result.
[0011] Existing techniques are known to reduce these drawbacks by decreasing the force and speed used during ultrasonic processing. However, this results in fewer products being manufactured in the same amount of time. Some materials can only be ultrasonically processed if they remain stationary during the process. Summary of the Invention
[0012] Therefore, the problem upon which this invention is based is to provide an ultrasonic welding head or ultrasonic welding apparatus for processing materials, which at least reduces damage to the materials without reducing production speed.
[0013] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by an ultrasonic welding head of the type described above, wherein the sealing surface has a convex, curved inlet adjacent to the side surface, and wherein the sealing surface has a coating in at least a portion.
[0014] The convex, curved inlet of the sealing surface means that material introduced into the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the matching tool experiences less friction and therefore suffers less damage on the outer surface of the ultrasonic welding head. The coating applied to a portion of the sealing surface further reduces friction between the material to be treated and the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head. The coating is therefore preferably applied to the area of the ultrasonic welding head that contacts the material.
[0015] In one embodiment, the inlet has a radius of curvature R e Bending, preferably, the radius of curvature R e The thickness is at least 3mm, preferably at least 5mm, and more preferably at least 7mm.
[0016] From a manufacturing engineering perspective, the design of a convex bend with a constant radius of curvature is advantageous. Furthermore, the radius of curvature required to be protected offers the advantage that friction between the material to be processed and the ultrasonic welding head is reduced particularly effectively in this case. Simultaneously, the vibration behavior of the ultrasonic welding head, and therefore the ultrasonic processing results of the ultrasonic welding apparatus, are not significantly impaired by the chosen radius of curvature.
[0017] In another embodiment, the end face is smaller than the side face, and the convex, curved entrance portion abuts one of the two side faces. The ultrasonic welding head with the corresponding geometry offers the advantage of being able to process material over a wide area, preferably corresponding to the extension of the side face.
[0018] If the feed direction is defined as the direction in which the material is guided in the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the matching tool, then in one embodiment, in particular, the sides are arranged one after another perpendicular to the feed direction and the end face of the ultrasonic welding head is arranged parallel to the feed direction.
[0019] In another embodiment, the sealing surface has a convexly curved outlet portion adjacent to another of the two sides, wherein preferably the outlet portion has a radius of curvature R. a Bending, wherein the radius of curvature R is particularly preferred a With the radius of curvature R e The difference should not exceed 50%, preferably not exceed 10%, and the most preferred radius of curvature R is... e and R a Equal. The advantages offered by this implementation are, on the one hand, ease of manufacture in terms of production technology, and on the other hand, the material being treated can be guided out of the ultrasonic treatment device without subsequently suffering any further damage due to friction between the ultrasonic welding head and the material. Furthermore, it also has vibration-related advantages. Moreover, from a vibration engineering perspective, similar radii of the inlet and outlet are advantageous, and incorrect installation of the ultrasonic welding head can be avoided due to the symmetrical design.
[0020] In another embodiment, the ultrasonic welding head has a thickness d at its sealing surface side end, which is applicable to: 2R e ≤d≤20R e Preferably ≤10R e ≤5R is preferred e And particularly preferably ≤3R eIn other words, the ultrasonic welding head is designed at its sealing surface end such that, in one limited case, the entire sealing surface is convexly curved, and in another case, the sealing surface also has a substantially flat area, i.e., no curvature. However, the extension of this flat area is limited to 18 times, preferably 8 times, particularly preferably 3 times, and especially preferably 1 times, the radius of the inlet. The precise design of the sealing surface can therefore be adapted to different applications, depending, for example, on the size of the area being processed simultaneously by the ultrasonic welding head.
[0021] In another embodiment, the ultrasonic welding head has a recess extending at least in a portion of the sealing surface, wherein the coating is disposed in the recess, the coating preferably having a thickness corresponding to the depth of the recess, such that the coated surface of the ultrasonic welding head is flush with the uncoated surface of the ultrasonic welding head.
[0022] The recess provides the advantage that the coating is more stably anchored in the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head. This reduces loosening of the coating due to forces occurring during processing and extends the service life of the ultrasonic welding head according to the invention in the ultrasonic processing apparatus.
[0023] In another embodiment, the recess has a portion with a continuously varying depth at its edges, such that the thickness of the coating disposed in the recess decreases in the direction of the uncoated surface. This provides manufacturing advantages on the one hand, and on the other hand, the coating in this case can have higher quality because there are no corners in the recess that might not be completely filled by the coating. Such insufficiently coated areas would cause the coating to deteriorate more quickly, thus shortening the lifespan of the ultrasonic welding head.
[0024] In another embodiment, the recess extends into one side and preferably into both sides. This ensures that the coating also completely covers or extends beyond the inlet or outlet portion, thereby particularly effectively preventing friction between the material to be treated or processed and the ultrasonic welding head.
[0025] In another embodiment, the two end faces are spaced apart by a distance A. s Wherein, for the recess, the extension A in the direction extending from one end face to the other end face A Applicable to 0.5A s <A A ≤1A s That is, in this embodiment, under certain conditions, the recess extends completely through the sealing surface from one end face to the other end face, thereby facilitating the insertion of the recess and the coating.
[0026] In another embodiment, the recess does not extend entirely from one end face to the other, but rather retains at least one edge region of the end face, which restricts the coating. This also increases the stability of the coating on the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head, because the forces acting on the end face of the ultrasonic welding head cannot act directly on the coating.
[0027] In another embodiment, the coating is at least partially convexly curved. This convex curvature of the coating, like the convex curvature of the inlet or outlet, has the advantage of reducing friction with the material being treated.
[0028] In another embodiment, the coating is made of a hard metal, preferably a non-oxide ceramic. These materials are particularly stable and characterized by a long service life, which enables the ultrasonic welding head according to the invention to have a long service life. At the same time, they can significantly reduce friction with the material being treated.
[0029] In another embodiment, the sealing surface has at least one groove, preferably a plurality of grooves aligned parallel to each other, the grooves extending in a direction from one side to the other.
[0030] Such grooves are typically used to guide wires within the grooves, which are used to produce aggregated or clustered materials. For this purpose, one or more wires are arranged between two material webs and guided through the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the accompanying tool. By guiding the wires within the grooves of the ultrasonic welding head, the ultrasonic treatment of the material system occurs only in the area of the sealing surface where no grooves are formed. This typically results in welding of the two outer layers of material, but not welding of the wires. This can ultimately be used to cluster the material.
[0031] In one embodiment, the at least one groove is arranged only in the coating. This provides the advantage that ultrasonic welding heads with standard geometries can be manufactured, and only the coating must be adapted to the corresponding application. Forming grooves in the coating also provides the advantage that the surface of the grooves is also coated and therefore the material is not damaged even in the grooves or at the edges of the grooves.
[0032] In another embodiment, the groove is directly introduced into the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head and coated with a thin film coating to reduce wear on the material and the ultrasonic welding head.
[0033] Furthermore, the fundamental problem of the present invention is solved by an apparatus for ultrasonic treatment of materials, the apparatus comprising an ultrasonic welding head according to one embodiment of the above embodiments, an auxiliary tool, and a material feeder, the auxiliary tool having a sealing surface arranged opposite to the sealing surface of the ultrasonic welding head, such that the material to be treated can be guided through the gap formed by the two opposing sealing surfaces during the treatment process and the material feeder can guide the material through the gap.
[0034] In another embodiment, the material feeder is designed such that material, or at least a portion of material, is guided through the inlet. Specifically, this prevents damage to material fed through the inlet when ultrasonically processing multilayer material fed from different directions into the gap between the ultrasonic welding head and the accompanying tool. Attached Figure Description
[0035] Further advantages, features, and possible applications will become clear from the following description and accompanying drawings of the two implementation schemes.
[0036] Figure 1 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ultrasonic welding head according to the present invention is shown.
[0037] Figure 1a It shows Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the ultrasonic welding head according to the present invention.
[0038] Figure 1b It shows Figure 1 The diagram shows an enlarged view of the sealing surface end of the ultrasonic welding head.
[0039] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an ultrasonic welding head with a coating according to the present invention is shown.
[0040] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an ultrasonic welding head with a coating according to the present invention is shown.
[0041] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of the ultrasonic processing apparatus according to the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation
[0042] according to Figure 1 , Figure 1a and Figure 1bThe ultrasonic welding head 1 has a convexly curved inlet portion 7 and a convexly curved outlet portion 8 on its sealing surface 2. The convexly curved inlet portion 7 is adjacent to one side 3 of the ultrasonic welding head 1, while the convexly curved outlet portion 8 is adjacent to another side 4 of the ultrasonic welding head 1. The convexly curved inlet portion 7 and the convexly curved outlet portion 8 each have a constant radius of curvature R of 7.5 mm. e and R a Bending. In alternative embodiments, the inlet and outlet may also be bent with different radii of curvature.
[0043] Side surfaces 3 and 4 connect to the two end faces 5 and 6 of the ultrasonic welding head 1, and together with them form the side surface of the ultrasonic welding head 1, which in turn connects the rear surface of the ultrasonic welding head 1 to the sealing surface 2 of the ultrasonic welding head. For example... Figure 1 As shown, end faces 5 and 6 are smaller than side faces 3 and 4.
[0044] The ultrasonic welding head 1 has a radius of curvature R at its sealing surface side end 20 corresponding to the inlet portion 7. e Three times the thickness d.
[0045] The above structure also exists Figure 2 and Figure 3 The ultrasonic welding head implementation scheme is shown. Therefore, Figure 2 and Figure 3 Only the cross-section of the ultrasonic welding head is shown.
[0046] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment of the ultrasonic welding head 1 according to the present invention shown, the sealing surface 2 has a recess 21 in which a coating 9 is disposed. The coating 9 has a thickness corresponding to the depth of the recess 21, such that the coated surface 22 of the ultrasonic welding head 1 is flush with the uncoated surface 23 of the ultrasonic welding head 1.
[0047] Furthermore, the recess 21 has a portion with a continuously varying depth at its edge, such that the thickness of the coating 9 disposed in the recess 21 decreases in the direction toward the uncoated surface 23. Additionally, the coating 9 is also convexly curved and made of non-oxide ceramic.
[0048] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, however, the recess 21 extends into the two sides 3, 4 of the ultrasonic welding head 1.
[0049] exist Figure 4The schematic diagram of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus shows an ultrasonic welding head 1 and a counter tool 11 according to the present invention. The material system 10 to be treated is guided into a gap 15 formed between the sealing surface 2 of the ultrasonic treatment apparatus and the sealing surface of the counter tool 11. In this case, the material system 10 to be treated consists of two material layers 12 and 13 and a line 14 arranged between the two material layers 12 and 13. For guiding the line 14, the sealing surface 2 of the ultrasonic welding head 1 has a groove extending along a direction from one side 3 to the other side 4.
[0050] One material layer 12 is guided on the inlet 7 of the sealing surface 2 of the ultrasonic welding head 1. Another material layer 13 is guided on the sealing surface of the cylindrical matching tool 11. This prevents damage to the material system to be treated by the ultrasonic treatment device.
[0051] List of reference numerals
[0052] 1. Ultrasonic welding head
[0053] 2. Sealing surface of ultrasonic welding head
[0054] 3,4 side views
[0055] 5, 6 end faces
[0056] 7 Entrance Department
[0057] 8 Export Department
[0058] 9 coatings
[0059] 10 materials
[0060] 11 Supporting Tools
[0061] 12,13 material layers
[0062] 14 lines
[0063] 15 gap
[0064] 20 Sealing end of ultrasonic welding head
[0065] 21 recess
[0066] 22 Coated Surface
[0067] 23 Uncoated surfaces
Claims
1. An ultrasonic welding head (1) for ultrasonic treatment of a material (10), comprising a sealing surface (2) for contacting the material (10) to be treated, a rear surface opposite to the sealing surface (2), and a circumferential side surface connecting the sealing surface (2) and the rear surface, wherein the side surface has two side faces (3, 4) arranged substantially parallel to each other and two end faces (5, 6) arranged substantially parallel to each other, characterized in that, The sealing surface (2) has a convex, curved inlet (7) adjacent to the side surface, and the sealing surface (2) has a coating (9) in at least a portion, the sealing surface (2) including a recess (21) in at least a portion, wherein the coating (9) is arranged in the recess (21), the thickness of the coating (9) corresponding to the depth of the recess (21), such that the coated surface (22) of the ultrasonic welding head (1) is flush with the uncoated surface (23) of the ultrasonic welding head (1).
2. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The entrance (7) has a radius of curvature R e bending.
3. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R e It should be at least 3mm.
4. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R e It should be at least 5mm.
5. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R e It should be at least 7mm.
6. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The end face (5, 6) is smaller than the side face (3, 4), and the convex curved entrance (7) is adjacent to one of the two side faces (3, 4).
7. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sealing surface (2) has a convex curved outlet (8) adjacent to the other side (4) of the two sides (3, 4).
8. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outlet section (8) has a radius of curvature R a bending.
9. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R a With the radius of curvature R e The difference is no more than 50%.
10. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R a With the radius of curvature R e The difference is no more than 10%.
11. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R e and R a equal.
12. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that, The ultrasonic welding head (1) has a thickness d at its sealing surface side end (20), which is applicable to: 2R e ≤d≤20R e 。 13. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that, d≤10R e 。 14. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that, d≤5R e 。 15. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that, d≤3R e 。 16. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recess (21) has a portion with a continuously varying depth at its edge, such that the thickness of the coating (9) disposed in the recess (21) decreases in the direction of the uncoated surface (23).
17. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 1 or 16, characterized in that, The recess (21) extends into one side (3, 4).
18. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that, The recess (21) extends into the two sides (3, 4).
19. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two end faces (5, 6) are spaced apart by a distance A. S Among them, for the recess (21), the extension A in the direction from one end face (5) to the other end face (6) A Applicable to 0.5A S <A A ≤1A S .
20. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The coating (9) is convexly curved in at least part of its structure.
21. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The coating (9) is made of hard metal.
22. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The coating (9) is composed of non-oxide ceramic.
23. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The sealing surface (2) has at least one groove that extends in a direction from one side (3) to the other side (4).
24. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 23, characterized in that, The sealing surface (2) has a plurality of grooves that are aligned parallel to each other.
25. The ultrasonic welding head (1) according to claim 23, characterized in that, The at least one groove is arranged only in the coating (9).
26. An apparatus for ultrasonic treatment of a material, comprising an ultrasonic welding head (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 25, an accessory tool (11) and a material feeder, the accessory tool (11) having a sealing surface arranged opposite to the sealing surface (2) of the ultrasonic welding head (1), such that the material (10) to be treated can be guided through a gap (15) formed by the two opposing sealing surfaces during the treatment, and the material feeder can guide the material (10) through the gap (15).
27. The apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that, The material feeder is designed such that the material (10) is guided onto the inlet (7).