Ultrasonic Welding with Upstream Defect Detection and Weld Skipping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ultrasonic welding devices face defects and operational issues when encountering abnormalities in the work piece, such as foreign substances, leading to excessive power supply and potential oscillator failure due to hindered vibration and feedback control.

Innovation Solution

An ultrasonic welding device equipped with a detector to identify abnormalities upstream and a protective mechanism to prevent welding, including stopping the oscillator and moving the horn or anvil away to avoid excessive power and vibration hindrance, allowing for continuous operation with multiple welding machines to maintain conveyance speed and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the horn vibration is hindered by foreign substances, then feedback control increases power supply to maintain constant vibration, but excessive power causes oscillator stoppage and potential breakdown

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration amplitude stabilityVSAvoidpower supply to oscillator
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The detector identifies foreign substances or abnormalities upstream before they reach the welding position. When an abnormality is detected, the control device can preemptively reduce or cut off power supply to the oscillator, or instruct the welding machine to skip welding at that position, thereby preventing the harmful cycle of increased power demand and excessive power supply that leads to oscillator failure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If welding is performed on abnormal parts, then processing continues without interruption, but defects occur in the welded parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing continuityVSAvoidwelding quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The detector positioned upstream identifies abnormalities in the work piece before welding occurs. The control device receives this detection information and generates appropriate control signals to skip welding operations at defective positions or adjust welding parameters, thereby preventing defect formation while maintaining overall processing continuity by selectively treating only the abnormal portions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

Prevents defects by avoiding welding of abnormal parts, preventing excessive power supply, and ensuring continuous operation by switching to other welding machines, thus enhancing processing efficiency and conveyance speed.

Implementation Method 1

a transducer (8) for converting the high-frequency electric signal to a mechanical vibration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

the mechanical vibration being imparted via the horn (9) to the part to be welded

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical vibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP3482915B1Ultrasonic welding device and ultrasonic welding method
Publication Date: 2022.06.29 ZUIKO CORP
  • EP3482915B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3482915B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3482915B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided are an ultrasonic welding device and an ultrasonic welding method, whereby it is possible to avoid a defect resulting from welding a part to be welded of work piece in which there is an abnormality. The present invention is provided with: (a) a support device (35) configured so as to support a work piece (W) along a predetermined conveyance surface; (b) a welding machine including an oscillator (7) for generating a high-frequency electric signal, a transducer (8) for converting the high-frequency electric signal to a mechanical vibration, and a horn (9) to which the mechanical vibration is transmitted, the horn (9) being disposed so as to face a part to be welded of a work piece (W) supported along the conveyance surface, and the mechanical vibration being imparted via the horn (9) to the part to be welded, whereby the part to be welded is welded; (c) a detector (60) for detecting an abnormality in the part to be welded, the detector (60) being disposed further upstream in the conveyance direction of the work piece (W) than the support device (35); and (d) a protective device (70) for prohibiting the welding machine (36) from welding the part to be welded in which an abnormality is detected by the detector (60) .