Ultrasonic welding device comprising air cooling

Abstract

The invention relates to an ultrasonic welding device (1) which comprises an oscillator arrangement (3), which has an ultrasonic oscillation generator (7) and a sonotrode (9) coupled to the ultrasonic oscillation generator (7), and a cooling device (5), which is individually associated with the oscillator arrangement (3). The cooling device (5) comprises at least one fan (27) for generating an air flow (35; 37). The cooling device (5) is connected, by means of a fluid communication connection (25), to the oscillator arrangement (3) in a region adjacent to the ultrasonic oscillation generator (7) in order to use the fan (27) to generate an air flow (35, 37) around and / or through the ultrasonic oscillation generator (7).

Description

[0001] ULTRASONIC WELDING DEVICE WITH AIR COOLING

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic welding device. In particular, the invention relates to an ultrasonic welding device with a specially configured cooling device.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Ultrasonic welding was developed to join at least two weld metals together in a mechanically resilient manner. If the joining partners are made of electrically conductive material, a highly electrically conductive connection should be created between the joining partners. For example, ultrasonic welding can be used to weld one strand of a cable to one or more strands of other cables and / or to other components such as a connector. Alternatively, ultrasonic welding can also be used to compact a single strand or to shape it into a desired form by welding individual wires within the strand. An ultrasonic welding device suitable for this purpose comprises at least one oscillator arrangement in which an ultrasonic vibration generator is coupled to a sonotrode.The ultrasonic vibration generator is designed to generate ultrasonic vibrations with a frequency of typically 20 kHz to 100 kHz, preferably between 20 kHz and 35 kHz, and transmit them to the sonotrode. For this purpose, the ultrasonic vibration generator generally comprises a converter in which an electrical signal varying within the ultrasonic frequency range is converted into mechanical ultrasonic vibrations, for example, by controlling piezo actuators using the electrical signal. The ultrasonic vibration generator usually also includes a booster, with the aid of which the ultrasonic vibrations generated in the converter are modified or amplified and can then be transmitted to the sonotrode. The sonotrode is then designed to transmit the ultrasonic vibrations to the weld metal.For this purpose, the joining partners are held in a weld metal receiving chamber adjacent to the sonotrode, and the oscillating sonotrode is then applied to the weld metal. The ultrasonic welding system typically includes additional components, particularly components adjacent to the weld metal receiving chamber, such as an anvil, a side shifter, and / or a spotting plate.

[0006] During an ultrasonic welding process, considerable heat is generated both in the weld metal and in the components of the ultrasonic welding system. The heat input depends on various factors. In particular, the heat input typically increases with the welding speed or cycle time of the welds, as well as with the size of the parts to be welded.

[0007] Excessive heating of components of the ultrasonic welding device and / or the weld material can have adverse effects.

[0008] In particular, if components of the ultrasonic welding device become very hot, there is a risk of functional impairment. For example, if the converter is too hot, it may have problems converting the electrical ultrasonic signal into mechanical vibrations. If the welding tools connected to the ultrasonic vibration generator are too high, such as the sonotrode, anvil, side shifter and / or spotting plate, the function of these tools may be impaired. For example, thermal expansion may cause the tools to jam, as gaps, for example, decrease. In particular, tool components that have to be moved relative to one another during a welding process may come into direct contact, which can lead to friction losses, jamming or even welding between the tool components.

[0009] Furthermore, excessively high temperatures can negatively affect the properties of the tool components themselves. For example, the material of the tool components may be subject to increased wear or premature fatigue. Furthermore, microcracks can develop on the surface of tool components, into which welding material can potentially become embedded. This can lead to the cracks becoming larger during subsequent welding processes and, in the worst case, result in larger particles flaking off from the tool component.

[0010] In addition, the quality of a welded joint between joining partners can also suffer if excessively high temperatures are applied to the joining partners during the welding process.

[0011] Finally, high temperatures, which are transferred from the tool components of the ultrasonic welding device, for example to its housing, can pose hazards such as the risk of burns for an operator of the ultrasonic welding device.

[0012] To avoid excessive heating within the ultrasonic welding device, welding parameters such as the applied welding energy, welding speed or cycle time, etc., have previously been kept sufficiently low. Cooling measures have been implemented alternatively or additionally. For example, compressed air, which is usually available in an industrial production environment, was conventionally introduced into areas of the ultrasonic welding device in order to cool them. As a further possibility, the applicant of the present patent application described in an earlier patent application WO 2021 / 089155 A1 a sonotrode arrangement that can be cooled using a cooling device. The cooling device has a mounted heat sink that can be moved towards or away from a contact surface of an oscillator arrangement as needed and reversibly.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGEOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0014] There may be a need for an alternative ultrasonic welding device in which areas of an oscillator arrangement can be cooled efficiently and / or in a technically simple manner.

[0015] Such a need can be met by the subject matter of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims and the following description or illustrated in the accompanying figures.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, an ultrasonic welding device is described, which comprises an oscillator assembly with an ultrasonic oscillator and a sonotrode coupled to the ultrasonic oscillator, as well as a cooling device individually assigned to the oscillator assembly. The cooling device has at least one fan for generating an airflow. The cooling device is connected to the oscillator assembly via a fluid communication connection in a region adjacent to the ultrasonic oscillator in order to generate an airflow around and / or through the ultrasonic oscillator with the fan.

[0017] By way of introduction, a basic idea for embodiments of the invention described herein will be briefly explained, whereby this explanation is to be interpreted as merely a rough summary and not as limiting the invention:

[0018] As already mentioned in the introduction, the oscillator assembly of an ultrasonic welding device should be operated and / or cooled in such a way that excessively high temperatures during an ultrasonic welding process and the resulting negative influences on tool components and / or a welded joint between the joining partners are avoided. Various approaches have been proposed to ensure cooling. For example, tool components can be cooled by at least temporarily applying a heat sink of a cooling device to them. However, this requires a relatively complex structure with a bearing and possibly an actuator. Furthermore, it is known to extract air from a weld metal receiving volume adjacent to the sonotrode in order to remove gases and / or particles generated during welding, which should also have a certain cooling effect on the sonotrode.Another approach considered was introducing compressed air into the ultrasonic welding device to cool the tool components located therein. The compressed air usually originates from a compressed air reservoir regularly available in industrial production facilities. Such a compressed air reservoir usually has a central compressor and is then made available to a variety of different machines and for different purposes. However, it has been observed that compressed air provided in this way is often contaminated, at least to a small extent, with contaminants, particularly oil droplets, which can originate from the compressor. Such contaminants can build up in the oscillator assembly, particularly in its converter, and can lead to malfunctions.In contrast to all the approaches mentioned above, the approach described here involves cooling the oscillator assembly using a specially configured cooling device. The cooling device is individually assigned to the oscillator assembly, i.e., each ultrasonic welding device or each oscillator assembly provided therein has a cooling device assigned solely to it. In other words, the cooling device of an ultrasonic welding device is configured to cool exclusively the oscillator assembly of this ultrasonic welding device, but not other machines. For this purpose, the cooling device has a simple fan to generate an air flow that can then flow through areas of the oscillator assembly and provide cooling there. The air flow generated by the fan can simply be diverted from the environment, i.e.It does not require active cooling, assuming that the ambient air is generally cooler than a currently operating ultrasonic vibration generator and can therefore be used for cooling. Alternatively or additionally, the air flow used for cooling can be actively cooled, for example, by extracting heat from it via a heat exchanger.

[0019] The cooling device is connected to the oscillator assembly in fluid communication, so that the air flow generated by the cooling device can circulate into or out of a volume in or adjacent to the oscillator assembly via the fluid communication connection. A fluid communication connection is understood here to be a connection between the cooling device and the oscillator assembly, via or through which a fluid such as a gas (in particular air) can be circulated between the two components. The fluid communication connection can be designed, for example, in the form of a connecting pipe. Alternatively, the fluid communication connection can be configured as a flange, by means of which the cooling device is flange-mounted to a housing surrounding the oscillator assembly.Specifically, the fluid communication connection is connected to a region of the oscillator assembly adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator. In other words, the fluid communication connection is intended to connect a region of the oscillator assembly to the cooling device that is located closer to the ultrasonic vibration generator, in particular closer to the converter, than to the sonotrode.

[0020] An air flow generated by the cooling device with the aid of its fan can thus be directed directly at the ultrasonic vibration generator and flow around and / or through it before the flowing air then leaves, for example, a housing surrounding the ultrasonic vibration generator through an outlet or flows to other tool components accommodated therein.

[0021] This distinguishes the cooling device from the approach described above of using compressed air provided centrally for a variety of machines and applications. By individually assigning a cooling device to a single oscillator arrangement, it can be ensured, among other things, that no contaminants from a compressed air source or other machines connected to this compressed air source are introduced into the oscillator arrangement of the ultrasonic welding device. Furthermore, the cooling device can be operated completely independently of other devices. Accordingly, the cooling capacity provided by the cooling device can be individually adapted to the ultrasonic welding device and its current operation. This makes it possible, among other things, to achieve more consistent converter properties, which can then lead to more consistent welding results.In contrast, cooling achieved with compressed air can result in significant fluctuations in cooling performance, for example, if other machines vary significantly in their compressed air requirements over time. Furthermore, since the ultrasonic welding device is cooled by its individually assigned cooling device rather than a central compressed air supply, energy consumption in the compressed air supply can be reduced. Furthermore, since the cooling device of the ultrasonic welding device itself does not necessarily require a compressed air supply, the overall reduction in compressed air consumption can reduce pressure fluctuations in the compressed air supply of an entire industrial plant, thus reducing negative effects on other systems in a compressed air system.Overall, the approach presented here can provide effective and cost-effective cooling for an ultrasonic welding system. Due to the cooling system's low energy consumption, the ultrasonic welding system can thus be operated in an environmentally friendly manner with low emissions and / or has low maintenance requirements. Advantageously, existing ultrasonic welding systems can also be retrofitted with a cooling system as proposed here, if necessary.

[0022] Possible configurations and advantages of embodiments of the ultrasonic welding device are described in more detail below.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the fan comprises a motor and a propeller driven by the motor.

[0024] The fan can therefore be technically very simple in design and can be made available at low cost as well as operated reliably. The fan can be a standard product, as is frequently used in a wide variety of applications, such as for cooling components in computers. Such a fan can generate a sufficient air flow to cool the oscillator arrangement with a very low power consumption of, for example, less than 500 W, preferably less than 300 W, less than 100 W or even less than 30 W. The motor can be an electric motor, for example. However, other types of motor, such as a compressed air motor, can also be used. The motor is designed to set the propeller in rotation. The propeller has blades, with the help of which the desired air flow is generated due to the movement of the propeller. According to one embodiment, the oscillator arrangement orwhose ultrasonic vibration generator comprises a converter and a booster, wherein the cooling device is functionally and locally connected to the vibration arrangement in a special manner in order to primarily generate an air flow around and / or through the converter with the fan.

[0025] In other words, the cooling device and the fluid communication connection are specifically designed and connected to the oscillator assembly in such a way that the generated air flow initially flows exclusively or at least predominantly around and / or through the converter before then leaving the oscillator assembly, for example, through an outlet or impinging on other components therein. Accordingly, the cooling device can ensure very efficient cooling, particularly for the converter.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the fan is configured to generate a pressure difference of less than 2000 hPa, preferably less than 1000 hPa, less than 300 hPa, less than 100 hPa or even less than 50 hPa, to generate the air flow.

[0027] In other words, the fan can be designed to create only relatively small pressure differences to generate the airflow used for cooling. The pressure differences refer to differences in air pressure in the areas from which the fan draws air in relation to the areas into which the fan blows air. Relative pressure differences can also be understood in relation to the ambient air pressure. Due to the relatively small pressure difference created by the fan, the cooling device described here differs significantly from an approach in which cooling is to be achieved using compressed air, where the compressed air is usually provided with significantly higher pressure differences.Due to the low air pressures, requirements for mechanical strength and / or tightness, for example, can be kept relatively low both within the cooling device and within the fluid communication connection and its connection to the ultrasonic vibration generator, particularly in comparison to approaches in which cooling is achieved by means of compressed air. In order to ensure sufficient cooling performance within the vibrator arrangement, the fan and the fluid communication connection can be configured to cause a high air flow of, for example, more than 5 l / min, preferably more than 15 l / min, more than 30 l / min or even more than 100 l / min or more than 500 l / min, despite the relatively small pressure difference. For this purpose, the fan and / or the fluid communication connection can be provided with a large cross-sectional area, i.e. with an area through which the air flow must flow, of, for example, more than 2 cm. 2or more than 5 cm 2 , preferably more than 10 cm 2 or even more than 25 cm 2 be designed.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the cooling device is configured to generate the air flow as an injection in a direction from the fan towards the oscillator arrangement.

[0029] In other words, the cooling device with its fan can be designed and operated in such a way that the air flow generated therein can flow through the fluid communication connection toward the oscillator assembly and is thus blown into the oscillator assembly at an overpressure. This can create a very precisely defined air flow in the oscillator assembly. Furthermore, it can be ensured that essentially the entire air flow flowing around and / or through the oscillator assembly was generated by the fan and passed through the fluid communication connection before entering the oscillator assembly. This air flow can optionally be filtered and / or cooled.

[0030] According to a further specific embodiment, the cooling device can further comprise an air filter which is arranged within the air flow, upstream of the fan with respect to the air flow generated by the fan, or which is arranged within the air flow between the fan and the oscillator arrangement.

[0031] Such an air filter can be used, for example, to filter out particles and / or other contaminants from the airflow used for cooling. This prevents such particles or contaminants from reaching the ultrasonic vibration generator and potentially impairing its function. Furthermore, it can prevent particles from being carried along with the airflow toward an operator of the ultrasonic welding system, where they could disturb or even harm them.

[0032] According to an alternative embodiment, the cooling device is configured to generate the air flow as suction in a direction from the oscillator arrangement towards the fan.

[0033] In other words, the cooling device with its fan can be designed and operated in such a way that the air flow generated therein flows through the fluid communication connection from the oscillator assembly and is thus sucked out of the oscillator assembly at a negative pressure. This can, for example, create an air flow in the oscillator assembly that can enter the oscillator assembly through one or more inlet openings, then flow around and / or through areas of the oscillator assembly, in particular its ultrasonic vibration generator, and then be sucked out via the fluid communication connection connected to the oscillator assembly. The air can, for example, be ambient air.This ambient air may have a lower temperature and thus have a better cooling effect than air that, as in the example of the previously described embodiment, first flows through the fan and is possibly heated by it before reaching the ultrasonic vibration generator to be cooled. An air filter may be provided at the inlet opening of the vibration generator to prevent impurities from being sucked in or to remove impurities from the ambient air that is sucked in.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the cooling device is further connected in fluid communication to the oscillator assembly in a region adjacent to the sonotrode in order to generate, with the fan, an air flow around and / or through the sonotrode or a weld metal receiving volume adjacent to the sonotrode. In other words, the cooling device can not only be connected in fluid communication to the region of the oscillator assembly adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator, but additionally also in fluid communication to a region adjacent to the sonotrode. The fan of the cooling device can thus ensure an air flow both around and / or through the ultrasonic vibration generator and an air flow around and / or through the sonotrode or a weld metal receiving volume adjacent to the sonotrode.Thus, effective cooling of both the ultrasonic vibration generator and the sonotrode can be achieved with a single cooling device.

[0035] According to a specific embodiment, the cooling device can be configured to generate the air flow on the one hand as suction in a direction from the ultrasonic vibration generator towards the fan and on the other hand as suction in a direction from the sonotrode and / or the weld metal receiving volume towards the fan.

[0036] In other words, the cooling device can be configured and connected to the oscillator arrangement via the respective fluid communication connections in such a way that air is extracted from both the area adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator and the area adjacent to the sonotrode, i.e. an air flow is generated from each respective area towards the fan. The air is thus extracted in parallel by the fan from both the area of ​​the ultrasonic vibration generator and the area of ​​the sonotrode. A single fan in the cooling device can be sufficient for this. The cooling device can ensure cooling of the ultrasonic vibration generator as well as the sonotrode and, if applicable, adjacent tool components, whereby at the same time gases or particles, such as those often generated in the area adjacent to the sonotrode during ultrasonic welding, are also extracted.Accordingly, the apparatus design can be simple and cost-effective. Air can be drawn into the respective region to be cooled, for example, in the form of ambient air, for example through a corresponding through-opening in a housing surrounding the respective region. In particular, according to a specific embodiment, the ultrasonic vibration generator and / or the sonotrode can be enclosed by a housing, wherein the housing has an air inlet near the region adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator and / or an air inlet near the region adjacent to the sonotrode, and wherein the air inlet has a filter for filtering air flowing through the air inlet.

[0037] With the help of such an air filter, it can be reliably prevented that particles or contaminants due to the air flow caused in the oscillator arrangement reach the ultrasonic vibration generator and / or the sonotrode and impair their functionality.

[0038] According to an alternative embodiment, the cooling device can be configured to generate the air flow on the one hand as an injection in a direction from the fan towards the ultrasonic vibration generator and on the other hand as an extraction in a direction from the sonotrode and / or the weld metal receiving volume towards the fan.

[0039] In other words, the cooling device can be configured and connected to the oscillator arrangement via the respective fluid communication connections in such a way that, on the one hand, air is sucked out from the area adjacent to the sonotrode, i.e., an air flow is generated from the area adjacent to the sonotrode towards the fan, and, on the other hand, air is blown into the area adjacent to the ultrasonic oscillator, i.e., an air flow is generated from the fan in the cooling device towards the area adjacent to the ultrasonic oscillator in the oscillator arrangement. The air can thus be sucked out by the fan from the area around the sonotrode and then blown into the area around the ultrasonic oscillator. This can form a type of circuit.The circuit can be closed or partially open. In the latter case, ambient air is first drawn into the area around the sonotrode, for example, through a ventilation opening and then extracted by the cooling device. The same air is then blown into the area around the ultrasonic vibration generator and from there released back into the environment through another ventilation opening. An air filter can be provided at least at the ventilation opening through which air is drawn into the area around the sonotrode. Alternatively or additionally, a fan can be arranged upstream of the fan in the extraction area.Similar to the previously described embodiment, a single fan in the cooling device may also be sufficient in this case, whereby the cooling device can again cool both the ultrasonic vibration generator and the sonotrode and at the same time ensure the extraction of gases and particles from the area adjacent to the sonotrode.

[0040] According to a further specific embodiment, the cooling device can have a filter for filtering air flowing through, which is sucked from the sonotrode and / or the weld metal receiving volume towards the fan.

[0041] With the help of such an air filter, the air extracted from the area around the sonotrode, which may be contaminated with particles and / or gases, such as those commonly produced during ultrasonic welding, can be filtered and thus purified before being redirected and blown into the area around the ultrasonic vibration generator. This protects the ultrasonic vibration generator from contamination.

[0042] According to a further embodiment, the ultrasonic welding device can further comprise a further cooling device individually assigned to the oscillator assembly, which cooling device has at least one fan for generating an air flow. The further cooling device is connected in fluid communication to the oscillator assembly in a region adjacent to the sonotrode in order to generate an air flow around and / or through the sonotrode or a weld metal receiving volume adjacent to the sonotrode with the fan.

[0043] In other words, the ultrasonic welding device can have two separate cooling devices, each of which is individually assigned to its oscillator arrangement. One cooling device is configured to use its fan to generate an air flow around and / or through the sonotrode or an air flow through the weld metal receiving volume adjacent to the sonotrode using its fan. The two cooling devices can be operated and controlled independently of one another, so that the cooling performance of the ultrasonic oscillation generator on the one hand and the sonotrode on the other hand can be individually adjusted. The cooling devices can be configured for injection or extraction operation as required. The two cooling devices orTheir fans can be designed identically, eliminating the need to maintain different cooling units or fans for the same ultrasonic welding device. However, the cooling units or their fans can also be designed differently, for example, to adapt their airflow capacity to the different conditions at the ultrasonic vibration generator on the one hand and the sonotrode on the other.

[0044] According to a further specific embodiment, the further cooling device can be configured to generate the air flow as suction in a direction from the sonotrode and / or the weld metal receiving volume towards the fan.

[0045] In other words, for cooling the sonotrode, an extraction operation of the cooling device associated with it may be preferred in order to be able to extract gases or particles generated there.

[0046] It should be noted that possible features and advantages of various embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to an ultrasonic welding device designed according to the invention. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the features described for individual embodiments can be suitably transferred, adapted, and / or exchanged in an analogous manner to other embodiments in order to achieve further embodiments of the invention and possibly synergistic effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein neither the drawings nor the explanations are to be interpreted as limiting the invention in any way.

[0048] Fig. 1 shows an ultrasonic welding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention with a cooling device for generating an air flow in a region of the ultrasonic welding device.

[0049] Fig. 2 shows an ultrasonic welding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention with a cooling device in the form of a double suction for sucking an air flow from two areas of the ultrasonic welding device.

[0050] Fig. 3 shows an ultrasonic welding device according to a third embodiment of the present invention with a cooling device for effecting a circulating air flow between two areas of the ultrasonic welding device.

[0051] Fig. 4 shows an ultrasonic welding device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention with two separate cooling devices for causing air flows at two areas of the ultrasonic welding device.

[0052] The figures are merely highly schematic and not to scale. The same reference numerals designate the same or equivalent features in the various drawings. DESCRIPTION OF ADVANTAGEOUS EMBODIMENTS

[0053] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of an ultrasonic welding device 1. The ultrasonic welding device 1 comprises an oscillator arrangement 3 and a cooling device 5.

[0054] The oscillator assembly 3 comprises at least one ultrasonic oscillation generator 7 and a sonotrode 9 coupled to the ultrasonic oscillation generator 7. In the example shown, the ultrasonic oscillation generator 7 comprises a converter 11 and a booster 13. The sonotrode 9, with a sonotrode head 15, borders a weld metal receiving volume 17. An anvil 19 is provided on a side of the weld metal receiving volume 17 opposite the sonotrode 9. Furthermore, other components such as a side shifter and / or a spotting plate (neither shown) can laterally delimit the weld metal receiving volume 17. The oscillator assembly 3 is accommodated in a housing 21 and can be supported on the housing 21, among other things, by a zero-point bearing 23.

[0055] The cooling device 5 has a fan 27, by means of which an air flow 35, 37 can be generated. The fan 27 has a motor 29 and a propeller 31 driven by the motor 29. Depending on the direction of rotation of the propeller 31, the propeller 31 can generate an inlet air flow 35 (illustrated by an arrow) flowing in one direction toward the oscillator assembly 3, or an outlet air flow 37 (illustrated by a dashed arrow) flowing in an opposite direction, with the respective air flow 35, 37 following a pressure difference caused by the propeller 31.

[0056] The cooling device 5 is connected to the oscillator assembly 3 via a fluid communication connection 25. The fluid communication connection 25 is connected to the oscillator assembly 3 in an area adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator 7, in particular to the converter 11. The fluid communication connection 25 can be implemented, for example, by means of piping 26, a hose, or the like. As shown in the figure, the fluid communication connection 25 can be coupled at one end to a housing 33 of the cooling device 5 and at its opposite end to the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3, so that the air flow 35, 37 can be effected between an internal volume of the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3 and an internal volume of the housing 33 of the cooling device 5 via the fluid communication connection 25.Depending on the operating mode of the fan 27, this can generate an incoming air flow 35 or an outgoing air flow 37. Such an air flow 35, 37 can then flow around the ultrasonic vibration generator 7, thereby cooling it.

[0057] Alternatively or additionally, the fluid communication connection 25, as indicated by dashed lines in the figure, can be flanged directly, for example with a flange 39, to a housing 41 of the converter 11 in order to be able to effect an air flow 35, 37 between an internal volume of the converter 11 and the fluid communication connection 25 and thus to be able to specifically cool components located in the interior of the converter 11.

[0058] An air filter 43 is arranged within the air flow 35, 37 upstream of the fan 27 and / or between the fan 27 and the oscillator assembly 3. This air filter 43 can be used, in particular, to remove particles or contaminants from the incoming air flow 35 to prevent them from being blown into the oscillator assembly 3. Alternatively or additionally, an air filter 45 can be provided at an opening serving as an air inlet 47 within the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3.

[0059] In the embodiment shown in the figure, the cooling device 5 is shown as a separate component spaced apart from the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3 and connected thereto via the fluid communication connection 25. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), however, the cooling device 5 can also be attached directly to or in the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3. For example, the housing 33 of the cooling assembly 5 can be flanged to the housing 21 of the oscillator assembly 3. In this case, the fluid communication connection 25 may be established without a separate piping 26 or the like.Instead, a fluid communication connection 25, through which an air flow 35, 37 can be generated by the fan 27 and / or by the ultrasonic vibration generator 7, is effected by a flow opening between the housing 21 of the vibrator arrangement 3 and the flanged housing 33 of the cooling arrangement 5, through which the air flow 35, 37 generated by the fan 27 can flow in towards the ultrasonic vibration generator 7 or can be sucked off in the opposite direction.

[0060] Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of an ultrasonic welding device 1. In this case, the cooling device 5, in addition to the fluid communication connection 25, is connected via a further fluid communication connection 49 to the oscillator arrangement 3 in an area adjacent to the sonotrode 9 in such a way that, with the aid of the fan 27, an air flow 51 can also be generated around and / or through the sonotrode 9 or the weld metal receiving volume 17 adjacent to the sonotrode 9. The air flow 51 is generated here as an extraction system in order to extract particles and / or gases, in particular from the weld metal receiving volume 17, wherein at the same time a cooling effect is also effected on the sonotrode 9 and / or other adjacent tool components. In this case, the fan 27 can produce an extraction air flow 37 which, in parallel with the extraction of air from the area of ​​the ultrasonic vibration generator 7, also extracts air from the area of ​​the sonotrode 9.

[0061] On the housing 21 of the oscillator arrangement 3, a further air inlet 55 can be provided in an area near the sonotrode 9, at which incoming air can optionally be filtered by means of an air filter 53.

[0062] Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment of an ultrasonic welding device 1. The cooling device 5 is again connected via a further fluid communication connection 57 to the oscillator assembly 3 in an area adjacent to the sonotrode 9 in such a way that, with the aid of the fan 27, an air flow 51 can also be generated around and / or through the sonotrode 9 or the weld metal receiving volume 17 adjacent to the sonotrode 9. The air flow 51 is generated as an extraction system, similar to the previously described embodiment. However, in this case, the fluid communication connection 57 leading to the sonotrode 9 is not coupled to the same side of the cooling device 5 as the fluid communication connection 25 leading to the ultrasonic oscillation generator 7, as in the previously described embodiment, but rather to an opposite side of the cooling device 5.

[0063] As a result, a type of circuit can be established with the aid of the fan 27 of the cooling device 5, in which the air flow 51 is sucked out of the area adjacent to the sonotrode 9 via the fluid communication connection 57 and is then blown in as air flow 35 via the fluid communication connection 25 into the area adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator 7.

[0064] In order to free the air flow 51, which is sucked from the sonotrode 9 and / or the weld metal receiving volume 17 to the fan 27, from particles and / or gases, a further air filter 59 is provided, which can be arranged, for example, in the piping of the fluid communication connection 57.

[0065] Fig. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of an ultrasonic welding device 1. In addition to the cooling device 5, as described above with reference to the other embodiments, a further cooling device 61 is provided in the ultrasonic welding device 1. This further cooling device 61 is designed similarly to the other cooling device 5 and has a fan 27 for generating its own air flow 51. The further cooling device 61 is connected via a separate fluid communication connection 63 to the oscillator arrangement 3 in an area adjacent to the sonotrode 9 and can thus, with the aid of its fan 27, generate the air flow 51 around and / or through the sonotrode 9 or the weld metal receiving volume 17 adjacent to the sonotrode 9. The air flow 51 is again preferably implemented as an extraction system.The two separate cooling devices 5, 61 can be operated independently of each other, so that, for example, the different air flows 35, 37, 51 can be adjusted independently of each other with regard to their flow and / or direction.

[0066] Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having," "comprising," etc., do not exclude other elements or steps, and terms such as "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it should be noted that features or steps described with reference to one of the above embodiments may also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

[0067] List of reference symbols

[0068] I Ultrasonic welding device

[0069] 3 oscillator arrangement

[0070] 5 Cooling device

[0071] 7 Ultrasonic vibration generators

[0072] 9 Sonotrode

[0073] II Converter

[0074] 13 boosters

[0075] 15 Sonotrode head

[0076] 17 Weld metal holding volume

[0077] 19 Anvil

[0078] 21 Housing of the oscillator assembly

[0079] 23 zero point bearings

[0080] 25 Fluid communication connection

[0081] 26 Piping

[0082] 27 fans

[0083] 29 Engine

[0084] 31 propellers

[0085] 33 Cooling device housing

[0086] 35 incoming air flow

[0087] 37 sucking air flow

[0088] 39 flange

[0089] 41 Converter housing

[0090] 43 air filters

[0091] 45 air filters

[0092] 47 Air intake

[0093] 49 additional fluid communication connections

[0094] 51 sucking air flow

[0095] 53 air filters

[0096] 55 Air intake

[0097] 57 additional fluid communication connection air filter additional cooling device separate fluid communication connection

Claims

Claims 1. Ultrasonic welding device (1) comprising: an oscillator arrangement (3) with an ultrasonic oscillation generator (7) and a sonotrode (9) coupled to the ultrasonic oscillation generator (7); a cooling device (5) individually assigned to the oscillator arrangement (3); wherein the cooling device (5) has at least one fan (27) for generating an air flow (35; 37), wherein the cooling device (5) is connected to the oscillator arrangement (3) by a fluid communication connection (25) in a region adjacent to the Ultrasonic vibration generator (7) is connected in order to generate an air flow (35, 37) around and / or through the ultrasonic vibration generator (7) with the fan (27).

2. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fan (27) has a motor (29) and a propeller (31) driven by the motor (29).

3. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the oscillator arrangement (3) comprises a converter (11) and, optionally, a booster (13) and wherein the cooling device (5) is connected to the oscillator arrangement (3) in such a way as to generate, with the fan (27), primarily an air flow (35, 37) around and / or through the converter (11).

4. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fan (27) is configured to generate a pressure difference of less than 2000 hPa to generate the air flow (35; 37).

5. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling device (5) is configured to generate the air flow (35) as an injection in a direction from the fan (27) towards the oscillator arrangement (3).

6. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the cooling device (5) further comprises an air filter (43) which is arranged within the air flow (35), upstream of the fan (27) with respect to the air flow (35) generated by the fan (27), and / or which is arranged within the air flow (35) between the fan (27) and the oscillator arrangement (3).

7. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cooling device (5) is configured to generate the air flow (37) as suction in a direction from the oscillator arrangement (3) towards the fan (27).

8. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling device (5) is further connected to the oscillator arrangement (3) in a region adjacent to the sonotrode (9) by means of a fluid communication connection (49) in order to generate, with the fan (27), an air flow (51) around and / or through the sonotrode (9) or a weld metal receiving volume (17) adjacent to the sonotrode (9).

9. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the cooling device (5) is configured to generate the air flow (51) on the one hand as suction in a direction from the ultrasonic vibration generator (7) towards the fan (27) and on the other hand as suction in a direction from the sonotrode (9) and / or the weld metal receiving volume (17) towards the fan (27).

10. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of claims 8 and 9, wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator (7) and / or the sonotrode (9) are surrounded by a housing (33), wherein the housing (33) has an air inlet (47) near the area adjacent to the ultrasonic vibration generator (7) and / or an air inlet (55) near the area adjacent to the sonotrode (9), and wherein the air inlet (47, 55) has an air filter (45, 53) for filtering air flowing through the air inlet (47, 55).

11. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the cooling device (5) is configured to blow the air flow (35) in a direction from the fan (27) towards the Ultrasonic vibration generator (7) to generate and on the other hand to generate as suction in a direction from the sonotrode (9) and / or the weld metal receiving volume (17) towards the fan (27).

12. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 11, wherein the cooling device (5) has an air filter (59) for filtering air flowing through, which is sucked from the sonotrode (9) and / or the weld material receiving volume (17) towards the fan (27).

13. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a further cooling device (61) individually assigned to the oscillator arrangement (3), which has at least one fan (27) for generating an air flow (51), wherein the further cooling device (61) is connected to the oscillator arrangement (3) in an area adjacent to the sonotrode (9) by means of a fluid communication connection (63) in order to generate the air flow (51) around and / or through the sonotrode (9) or a weld metal receiving volume (17) adjacent to the sonotrode (9) with the fan (27).

14. Ultrasonic welding device (1) according to claim 13, wherein the further cooling device (61) is configured to generate the air flow (51) as suction in a direction from the sonotrode (9) and / or the weld material receiving volume (17) towards the fan (27).

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