Ultrasonic Welding Head Geometry for Repeatable Material Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ultrasound welding devices face challenges in ensuring reproducible welding positions due to the lack of consistent contact between the welding material and the stop device, especially when the operator does not apply manual force, leading to inconsistent welding processes.

Innovation Solution

The counter surface is arranged at an angle of inclination relative to the sonotrode longitudinal axis, ensuring a continuous increase or constant distance between the work surface and the counter surface during vibration nodes, facilitating a translation movement that maintains the welding material against the stop device, even without operator force, thus ensuring reproducible welding positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the operator does not apply manual force to press the welding material against the stop device, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision of the welding position deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidwelding position precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The welding material itself generates the necessary contact force through its own ultrasonic vibrations during the welding process. The vibrational energy causes the material to press against the stop device automatically, eliminating the need for manual force application while maintaining precise positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes ultrasonic vibrations of the welding material to create a self-pressing effect against the stop device. The vibrational motion generates sufficient contact force to ensure reproducible positioning without requiring additional manual pressure from the operator

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

2Manufacturing precision

If the counter surface is arranged with an angle of inclination, then the manufacturing precision of welding position is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding position precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The counter surface is designed with a specific angle of inclination rather than being parallel to the sonotrode longitudinal axis. This asymmetric arrangement creates a geometric relationship that converts vibrational motion into consistent contact force against the stop device, improving positioning precision through simple geometric design rather than complex mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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

This design ensures consistent contact between the welding material and the stop device throughout the process, enhancing the reproducibility of the welding position and maintaining precise alignment, even without manual force application.

Implementation Method 1

a sonotrode, which is carried out in the direction of a longitudinal vibrations with a work surface trained on a sonotroden head

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP3706950B1Ultrasonic welding device
Publication Date: 2023.02.15 SCHUNK SONOSYST GMBH
  • EP3706950B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3706950B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3706950B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an ultrasonic welding device (10) having a sonotrode (14, 28), executing longitudinal oscillations in the direction of a sonotrode longitudinal axis (26), with a working face (17) formed at a sonotrode head (15, 29), and an anvil (16), wherein a welding-material receptacle (19) for receiving welding material (20) is formed between the working face (17) and an opposing face (18), located opposite the working face (17), of the anvil (16), and having a stop device (21) for defining the welding position P of the welding material (20) with respect to the working face (17) in the direction (22) of the sonotrode longitudinal axis (26), wherein the opposing face (18) is arranged at an inclination angle α to the sonotrode longitudinal axis (26), such that in the case of an arrangement of the opposing face (18) that drops towards an oscillation node, adjacent to the working face (17), of the sonotrode (14, 28), the distance a between the working face (17) and the opposing face (18) increases continuously towards the oscillation node SK, and in the case of an arrangement of the opposing face (18) rising towards an oscillation node SK adjacent to the working face (17), the distance a between the working face (17) and the opposing face (18) is substantially constant. Furthermore, according to the invention, a coupling apparatus, or docking apparatus, is provided, comprising the docking receptacle and the correspondingly formed docking insert.