Ultrasonic Welding Alignment for Upright Power Module Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic welding systems face issues with horn deflection leading to non-uniform bonding and connection members being misaligned or falling during the welding process, resulting in defects and reduced productivity.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic welding system with a centering aligning unit, picker, and deflection prevention block to align and secure connection members on a substrate, ensuring they are stood straight and bonded uniformly, using a waffle pack, centering jaws, and a deflection prevention block to prevent horn deflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a general ultrasonic welding unit pressurizes the horn in a downward direction, then the connection member can be pressurized at constant pressure, but the horn deflects upward causing non-uniform bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a deflection prevention block that applies an upward counter-force to compensate for the downward deflection of the horn during ultrasonic welding. This counterweight mechanism ensures the horn maintains its original position and achieves uniform bonding across the entire connection member surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical state of the horn by introducing a constraint mechanism that changes the boundary conditions. The deflection prevention block restricts the horn's movement in the downward direction, effectively changing the system's mechanical parameters to eliminate deflection while maintaining pressurization capability.
2Ease of operation
If vacuum is formed in an engraved hole to pick up the connection member, then the connection member can be transferred, but tolerance between hole size and member size causes separation or falling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transfer mechanism into multiple functional components: a picker with multiple fingers for gripping, a centering aligning unit with centering jaws for positioning, and a vacuum hole for securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, ensuring reliable transfer and positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary centering and alignment actions before the final bonding operation. The centering aligning unit pre-positions the connection member using centering jaws that guide it to the correct location, eliminating the need for tight tolerances in the vacuum hole and ensuring accurate positioning.
3Strength
If soldering is used to bond connection members, then bonding can be achieved, but the substrate is vulnerable to physical vibration or crack and productivity is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional soldering process (thermal-chemical bonding) with ultrasonic welding (mechanical-vibrational bonding). This substitution eliminates the need for flux and high-temperature heating, enabling faster bonding cycles and improved productivity while maintaining or enhancing bonding strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes mechanical vibration at ultrasonic frequencies to create friction and heat at the bonding interface, facilitating rapid joining of the connection member to the substrate. This vibrational mechanism enables quick bonding without the lengthy heating and cooling cycles required by soldering, significantly improving production efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures proper alignment and uniform bonding of connection members on a substrate, preventing defects and improving productivity by maintaining the horn's stability during the welding process.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum-formed hole which is formed at the middle of the centering zone to provide a negative pressure and to fix the connection member
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic welding unit which ultrasonic welds the connection members placed on the substrate fixed by the clamp unit
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an ultrasonic welding system and a power module package for a power converting apparatus to which a substrate where connection members are ultrasonic welded by using the system is applied, wherein the ultrasonic welding system includes a waffle pack 110 on which connection members 10 to be ultrasonic welded onto a substrate 20 are arranged in a specific form, a centering aligning unit 120 which aligns and centers the connection members 10 transferred from the waffle pack 110, an ultrasonic welding part 130 which fixes the substrate 20 and ultrasonic welds the connection members 10 aligned by the centering aligning unit 120 onto the substrate 20, and a picker 140 which separately picks the connection members 10 from the waffle pack 110 to be transferred to the centering aligning unit 120 and re-picks the aligned connection members 10 from the centering aligning unit 120 to be transferred to ultrasonic welding positions on the substrate 20 fixed to the ultrasonic welding part 130, wherein the connection members 10 are aligned on a right position on the substrate 20 and are stood straight.