Operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine

Abstract

An operating station (1) for an article manufacturing machine is described, which is configured to perform the ultrasonic welding of two components (C1, C2) of the articles with at least one welding unit (7) comprising a sonotrode (8) configured to transmit energy in the form of vibrations to the two components (C1, C2) to be welded; wherein the sonotrode (8) is movable in a vertical direction along a first axis (H) between a lifted position and a lowered welding position; and an anvil (9), which cooperates with the sonotrode (8) for welding the two components (C1, C2) and is movable in a vertical direction along the first axis (H) between a lifted welding position and a lowered rest position; and a transport conveyor (2) for the components (C1, C2) to be welded, which develops along a welding path (P); wherein the transport conveyor (2) comprises a plurality of support devices (4), each provided with a respective pocket (12) configured to accommodate a pair of components (C1, C2) to be welded and having a profile designed to surround and at least partially come into contact with the components (C1, C2) to be welded; wherein the welding unit (7) is arranged along the welding path and each pocket (12) is configured to be arranged, in use, in the area of the welding unit (7) between the sonotrode (8) and the anvil (9) so that, in its movement towards the lifted welding position, the anvil (9) exclusively intercepts the pocket (12) and comes into contact with a bottom surface of the pocket (12).

Description

[0001] "Operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine”

[0002] Cross-Reference To Related Applications

[0003] This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102024000000408 filed on January 11, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Technical Field

[0005] The present invention relates to an operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine.

[0006] Prior Art

[0007] As is known, a manufacturing machine for the production and / or assembly of articles, for example in the field of electronic cigarettes, generally comprises an advancing system that develops along a processing path and comprises a plurality of processing stations that are arranged in succession along the advancing system and are designed to feed components of the article or to perform processing operations on semi-finished articles. Advancing systems having a linear transport conveyor that in turn comprises a number of trolleys (or trays) that are independent of one another and intended to receive and hold the components of the article are becoming more and more common. In particular, the linear transport conveyor supports the trolleys and moves them cyclically through the operating stations where processing operations are performed on the semi-finished articles or components are fed to the semi-finished articles.

[0008] In some cases, a processing station is provided that is configured to perform an ultrasonic welding of components made preferably of a plastic or thermoplastic material or even of a metal material.

[0009] Processing stations of a known type for performing an ultrasonic welding of components are described, for example, in US2021323241, JPS63249635 and US2010024360.

[0010] In this regard, there is an increasing need for technical solutions that allow improving the operation of such ultrasonic welding stations, in particular when the components to be welded have small dimensions.

[0011] Description of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide an operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine that is free from the drawbacks of the state of the art and that is easy and economical to manufacture.

[0012] According to the present invention, an operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine is provided as set out in the appended claims.

[0013] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example embodiment thereof, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an operating station for the ultrasonic welding of components in an article manufacturing machine provided in accordance with the present invention; and

[0016] Figure 2 is a side view of a welding unit of the operating station of Figure 1 with parts removed for clarity;

[0017] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a transport conveyor of the operating station of Figure 1 with parts removed for clarity;

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the transport conveyor of Figure 3 with parts removed for clarity;

[0019] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of Figure 4 with parts removed for clarity; and

[0020] Figure 6 is a sectional view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the station of Figure 1 in a welding configuration;

[0021] Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

[0022] A manufacturing machine for the production of articles comprises an advancing system that develops along a processing path and a plurality of operating (or processing) stations that are arranged in succession along the advancing system and that are designed to feed different components of the semi-finished article or to perform processing operations on the semi-finished articles. Advantageously, the articles are employed in the electronic cigarette sector.

[0023] The manufacturing machine also comprises, among other things, a station 1 for performing the welding of two components Ci, C2 of the article. More specifically, welding station 1 performs an ultrasonic welding.

[0024] Advantageously, the two components Ci, C2 of the article to be welded together are made of a plastic or thermoplastic material or of a metal material.

[0025] The welding station 1 comprises a transport conveyor 2 for the components Ci, C2 to be welded. According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the transport conveyor 2 for the components Ci, C2 to be welded comprises a drum 3 capable of rotating around an axis Y.

[0026] Alternatively, the transport conveyor 2 for the components Ci, C2 to be welded comprises a linear conveyor, for example a belt or chain conveyor, or a conveyor with a linear electric motor.

[0027] The drum 3 supports a plurality of support devices 4, each of which is configured to house a number of pairs of components Ci, C2 to be welded together. The support devices 4 are evenly distributed around the axis Y and arranged along the periphery of the drum 3.

[0028] More specifically, the support devices 4 are divided into two groups or arrays. One group R1 of support devices 4 arranged on the outside (that is to say, toward the outside of the transport conveyor 2) and one group R2 of support devices 4 arranged on the inside (that is to say, toward the center of the transport conveyor 2).

[0029] The components Ci, C2 to be welded move along a welding path P, which develops along an arc of the drum 3 from an input station 5 for the components to be welded to an output station 6 for the welded components.

[0030] The welding station 1 comprises a feed device (not illustrated) for feeding the components Ci, C2 to be welded into the support devices 4 arranged at (in the area of) the input station 5 and a collecting device (not illustrated) for collecting the welded components Ci, C2 in order to remove them from the support devices 4 and transfer them downstream of the welding station 1.

[0031] The welding station 1 additionally comprises a number of welding units 7 arranged along the welding path P. Advantageously, the welding station 1 comprises two welding units 7 arranged along the welding path P in order to improve the productivity of the welding station 1. The two welding units 7 are arranged so as to form a 90° angle. The two welding units 7 are essentially identical to each other, are independent of each other, and only one of the welding units 7 will be described in detail in the following discussion. Advantageously, the pairs of components Ci, C2, to be welded of a group (or array) Rl, R2 of support devices 4 are all welded by the same welding unit 7. In other words, the components Ci, C2, accommodated in the support devices 4 of the group (or array) Rl are all welded by means of the same welding unit 7 and the components Ci, C2, accommodated in the support devices 4 of the group (or array) R2 are all welded by means of the other welding unit 7.

[0032] The welding unit 7 comprises a single ultrasonic generator which delivers a high- frequency sinusoidal electrical pulse to a vibrating assembly that comprises a converter designed to transform the electrical pulse into a mechanical vibrational movement in order to transfer it to a sonotrode 8, which transmits the energy in the form of vibrations directly to the pairs of components Ci, C2 that are to be fixed to each other and applies a welding pressure.

[0033] In particular, the sonotrode 8 comprises a body that extends longitudinally and is provided with a first end that can be connected to the ultrasonic generator, and a second end or weld head, opposite the first end, which defines an opening in communication with the outside of the sonotrode 8 and configured to at least partially receive within it the components Ci, C2 to be welded. In particular, at (in the area of) its second end, the sonotrode 8 has a profile designed to at least partially come into contact with the components Ci, C2 to be welded.

[0034] Advantageously, the sonotrode 8 is movable in a vertical direction along an axis H, substantially parallel to the axis Y, between a lifted position and a lowered welding position.

[0035] The welding unit 7 comprises an anvil 9 (or fixture or contrast element) which cooperates with the sonotrode 8 to weld the components Ci, C2.

[0036] The anvil 9 cooperates with the sonotrode 8 to lift the components Ci, C2 to be welded toward the weld head of the sonotrode 8. The anvil 9 is in fact movable in a vertical direction along the axis H between a lifted welding position and a lowered rest position. The movement of the anvil 9 is controlled by operating means 14. Advantageously, operating means 14 comprise a connecting rod-crank system to move the anvil 9 from the lifted welding position to the lowered rest position, and vice versa from the lowered rest position to the lifted welding position. Alternatively, the operating means 14 comprise a number of pneumatically or electrically operated pistons (of a known type and not described in detail) configured to move the anvil 9 from the lifted welding position to the lowered rest position, and vice versa from the lowered rest position to the lifted welding position.

[0037] Each support device 4 comprises a connecting arm 10, which is connected in the area of a first (inner) end to the drum 3 and is provided in the area of a second (outer) end with a support element 11 for supporting a number of respective pairs of components Ci, C2; the support element 11 defines a number of pockets (or seats) 12 for the components Ci, C2 to be welded. Preferably, support element 11 defines a pocket 12 for a pair of components Ci, C2 to be welded. Advantageously, the pocket 12 can have a variable shape in plan; for example, the pocket 12 has a substantially oval shape in plan.

[0038] The support devices 4 of the group R1 have shapes complementary to the support devices 4 of the group R2 so as to optimize the overall dimensions. More specifically, the connecting arms 10 of the group R1 have shapes complementary to the connecting arms 10 of the group R2 so as to optimize the overall dimensions. Basically, the connecting arms of the group R1 and the connecting arms 10 of the group R2 have opposite and alternating concavities so as to characterize pairs of support devices 4, one such pair being illustrated in Figure 4, wherein the two support devices 4 are arranged so as to face each other and each pair comprises a support device 4 of the group R1 and a support device 4 of the group R2. The support devices 4 of the groups R1 and R2 are arranged so that the support elements 11 of the group R1 are arranged side by side, one after the other and facing the support elements 11 of the group R2, which are arranged side by side, one after the other. In addition, the connecting arms 10 of the group R1 all have the same shape complementary to the shape of the connecting arms 10 of the group R2.

[0039] Pockets 12, on the other hand, are identical between the two groups Rl, R2 of support devices 4.

[0040] In particular, as illustrated in Figure 6, pocket 12 has a profile designed to surround and at least partially come into contact with the components Ci, C2 to be welded. Pocket 12 has a substantially C-shaped profile. It is important to note that the components Ci, C2 and the walls of the pocket 12 remain in contact throughout the welding process; more specifically, the components Ci, C2 and the walls of the pocket 12 remain in contact over the entire welding path P, i.e. from the input station 5 for the components Ci, C2 to be welded to the output station 6. It is also important to note that the anvil 9, on the other hand, never comes into contact with the components Ci, C2.

[0041] Pocket 12 is also movable in a vertical direction along the axis H between a lifted welding position and a lowered rest position.

[0042] The movement of each pocket 12 is controlled by operating means 13. Advantageously, the operating means 13 comprise elastic means to support the axial movement of the pocket 12 from the lifted welding position to the lowered rest position, and vice versa from the lowered rest position to the lifted welding position.

[0043] In use, pocket 12 is arranged at (in the area of) the welding unit 7; more specifically, the pocket 12 is interposed between the anvil 9 and the sonotrode 8.

[0044] Finally, each sonotrode 8 and anvil 9 are connected to respective sensors (not illustrated), such as linear encoders, configured to read the linear displacement of the sonotrode 8 and the anvil 9, respectively, along the axis H.

[0045] The method for performing the ultrasonic welding of the components Cl, C2 by means of the welding station 1 described in the preceding discussion is described in the following. In particular, the following steps take place in succession: each pair of components Ci, C2 is transferred inside a respective pocket 12 in the area of the input station 5; the pocket 12 can alternately belong either to the group R1 or to the group R2 of support arms 4; pocket 12 moves along the welding path P from the input station 5 until it reaches the corresponding welding unit 7 ; in the area of the welding unit 7, the support arm 4 (in particular the pocket 12 thereof) is positioned between the anvil 9 and the sonotrode 8; more specifically, the pair of components Ci, C2 to be welded are arranged inside the pocket 12, in contact only with the walls of the pocket 12 and facing the sonotrode 8; the operating means 14 move the anvil 9 along the axis H from the retracted rest position to the lifted welding position; in the course of its upward movement to the lifted welding position, the anvil 9 exclusively intercepts the pocket 12 and comes into contact with a bottom surface of the pocket 12 (in other words, the anvil 9 does not come into contact with the components Ci, C2 to be welded); at the same time, the operating means 13 move the pocket 12 along the axis H from the retracted rest position to the lifted welding position; at the same time, the sonotrode 8 moves along the axis H from the lifted rest position to the welding position; - a command for the vibrating assembly to be turned on for a specified time is issued so that the mechanical vibrational movement generates a heat that allows the components Ci, C2 to be welded at the desired points; upon completion of the welding (and potential cooling) step with the components Ci, C2, the sonotrode 8 is moved along the axis H to return to the lifted rest position and, at the same time, the anvil 9 and the pocket 12 are moved along the axis H to return to the retracted rest position; pocket 12 travels along the welding path P until it reaches the output station 6 where the pair of welded components Ci, C2 is removed from the pocket 12 and transferred downstream of the welding station 1 for the welding.

[0046] LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0047] 1 welding station

[0048] 2 transport conveyor

[0049] 3 drum

[0050] 4 support device

[0051] 5 input station

[0052] 6 output station

[0053] 7 welding units

[0054] 8 sonotrode

[0055] 9 anvil

[0056] 10 connecting arm

[0057] 11 support element

[0058] 12 pocket

[0059] 13 operating means

[0060] 14 operating means

[0061] Ci, C2 components

[0062] Y axis

[0063] R1 group / array R2 group / array P welding path H axis

Claims

C L A I M S1. An operating station (1) for an article manufacturing machine configured to perform the ultrasonic welding of two components (Ci, C2) of the articles comprising:- at least one welding unit (7) comprising a sonotrode (8) configured to transmit energy in the form of vibrations to the two components (Ci, C2) to be welded; wherein the sonotrode (8) is movable in a vertical direction along a first axis (H) between a lifted position and a lowered welding position; and an anvil (9), which cooperates with the sonotrode (8) for welding the two components (Ci, C2); and- a transport conveyor (2) for the components (Ci, C2) to be welded, which develops along a welding path (P); wherein the transport conveyor (2) is connected to a plurality of support devices (4), each provided with a respective pocket (12) configured to accommodate at least a pair of components (Ci, C2) to be welded and having a profile designed to surround and at least partially come into contact with the components (Ci, C2) to be welded; wherein the welding unit (7) is arranged along the welding path (P); the station is characterized in that the anvil (9) is movable in a vertical direction along the first axis (H) between a lifted welding position and a lowered rest position and in that each pocket (12) is configured to be arranged, in use, in the area of the welding unit (7) between the sonotrode (8) and the anvil (9) so that, in its movement towards the lifted welding position, the anvil (9) exclusively intercepts the pocket (12) and comes into contact with a bottom surface of the pocket (12).

2. The operating station according to claim 1, wherein the components (Ci, C2) to be welded and the walls of the pocket (12) remain in contact along the entire welding path (P) and wherein the anvil (9) never comes into contact with the components (Ci, C2) to be welded.

3. The operating station according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each pocket (12) is provided with operating means (13) to support the axial movement of the pocket (12) from the lifted welding position to the lowered rest position and vice versa from the lowered rest position to the lifted welding position.

4. The operating station according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each support device (4) comprises a connecting arm (10), which is connected, in the area of a first end, to the transport conveyor (2) and is provided, in the area of a second end, with the pocket (12); wherein the connecting arms (10) of pairs of adjacent support devices (4) have substantially complementary shapes in order to optimize the overall dimensions.

5. The operating station according to any one of the preceding claims and comprising at least two welding units (7), wherein the support devices (4) are divided into two arrays (Rl, R2); and wherein the pairs of components (Ci, C2) to be welded of an array (Rl, R2) of support devices (4) are all welded by the same welding unit (7).

6. The operating station according to claim 4 and 5, wherein the connecting arms (10) of the first array (Rl) all have the same shape complementary to the shape of the connecting arms (10) of the second array (R2).

7. The operating station according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the anvil (9) is controlled by means of operating means (14); preferably, the operating means (14) comprise a connecting rod-crank system to move the anvil (9) from the lifted welding position to the lowered rest position and vice versa.

8. The operating station according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport conveyor (2) for the components (Ci, C2) to be welded comprises a drum (3) capable of rotating around a second axis (Y).

9. The operating station according to claim 8, wherein the support devices (4) are evenly distributed around the second axis (Y) and are arranged along the periphery of the drum (3).

10. The operating station according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the components (Ci,C2) to be welded move along the welding path (P), which develops along an arc of the drum (3) from an input station (5) for the components (Ci, C2) to be welded to an output station (6) for the welded components.

11. The operating station according to any one of the claims from 1 to 7, wherein the transport conveyor (2) for the components (Ci, C2) to be welded comprises a linear conveyor, in particular a belt or chain conveyor.

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