US3681627A — Sonically operated tool and sonic motor therefor

Claim 1

Independent Claim 237 words

A sonically operated, portable, hand-supported device comprising: a transducer for producing longitudinal vibrations, said transducer being sandwiched between a first assembly of parts forming a supporting portion for the device and a second assembly of parts, the outermost portion of said first assembly of parts forming a handle for the device, said second assembly of parts forming a readily vibratory work-performing portion of the device and including at the end thereof a workperforming element which is to engage and vibrate a material external to the device, said transducer being sandwiched between said first and second assembly of parts so the longitudinal axis of the assembly of parts coincides with the axis of vibration of the transducer, said first assembly of parts having a mass many times that of said second assembly of parts and said entire device comprising said first and second assembly of parts forming with the transducer therebetween a half-wave vibrator where the maximum particle velocity thereof is at or near the end of said workperforming element, said transducer and said first relatively heavy assembly of parts having aligned openings, and said workperforming element being exposed at the end of the device opposite to the side of the transducer engaged by the relatively light second assembly of parts, said work-performing element being connected to said second assembly of parts through said aligned openings by a connecting shank which is freely longitudinally vibratable in said openings.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 237 words

A sonically operated, portable, hand-supported device comprising: a transducer for producing longitudinal vibrations, said transducer being sandwiched between a first assembly of parts forming a supporting portion for the device and a second assembly of parts, the outermost portion of said first assembly of parts forming a handle for the device, said second assembly of parts forming a readily vibratory work-performing portion of the device and including at the end thereof a workperforming element which is to engage and vibrate a material external to the device, said transducer being sandwiched between said first and second assembly of parts so the longitudinal axis of the assembly of parts coincides with the axis of vibration of the transducer, said first assembly of parts having a mass many times that of said second assembly of parts and said entire device comprising said first and second assembly of parts forming with the transducer therebetween a half-wave vibrator where the maximum particle velocity thereof is at or near the end of said workperforming element, said transducer and said first relatively heavy assembly of parts having aligned openings, and said workperforming element being exposed at the end of the device opposite to the side of the transducer engaged by the relatively light second assembly of parts, said work-performing element being connected to said second assembly of parts through said aligned openings by a connecting shank which is freely longitudinally vibratable in said openings.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 240 words

A sonically operated device comprising: a transducer for producing longitudinal vibrations, said transducer being sandwiched between a first assembly of parts forming a supporting portion for the device and a second assembly of parts, forming a readily vibratory work-performing portion of the device and including at the end thereof a work-performing element which is to engage and vibrate a material external to the device, said transducer being sandwiched between said first and second assembly of parts so the longitudinal axis of the assembly of parts coincides with the axis of vibration of the transducer, said first assembly of parts having a mass many times that of said second assembly of parts and said entire device comprising said first and second assembly of parts forming with the transducer therebetween a half-wave vibrator where the maximum particle velocity thereof is at or near the end of said work-performing element, said relatively light second assembly of parts including a tapered velocity transformer having its wide end adjacent said transducer, and the velocity transformer having a longitudinal bore opening onto and extending from the wide end thereof and which bore communicates and is in alignment with said openings in said transducer and first assembly of parts, said connecting shank of said work-performing element passing freely through the end of said bore at the wide end of said velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the velocity transformer at the other end of the bore.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 240 words

A sonically operated device comprising: a transducer for producing longitudinal vibrations, said transducer being sandwiched between a first assembly of parts forming a supporting portion for the device and a second assembly of parts, forming a readily vibratory work-performing portion of the device and including at the end thereof a work-performing element which is to engage and vibrate a material external to the device, said transducer being sandwiched between said first and second assembly of parts so the longitudinal axis of the assembly of parts coincides with the axis of vibration of the transducer, said first assembly of parts having a mass many times that of said second assembly of parts and said entire device comprising said first and second assembly of parts forming with the transducer therebetween a half-wave vibrator where the maximum particle velocity thereof is at or near the end of said work-performing element, said relatively light second assembly of parts including a tapered velocity transformer having its wide end adjacent said transducer, and the velocity transformer having a longitudinal bore opening onto and extending from the wide end thereof and which bore communicates and is in alignment with said openings in said transducer and first assembly of parts, said connecting shank of said work-performing element passing freely through the end of said bore at the wide end of said velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the velocity transformer at the other end of the bore.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 166 words

A portable hand-supported sonically operated tool unit comprising: a housing having an opening therein through which extends a vibratable tool shank, and sonic motor-forming means within said housing and comprising a series of juxtaposed parts held together to form a compressed sandwich of parts including, in order from the front to the rear thereof, an annular member of a relatively dense metal anchored to said housing, annular transducer means which vibrates longitudinally on application of an alternating current thereto, and a rearwardly tapered velocity transformer made of a relatively less dense material than said annular member and having a longitudinal bore extending from the front face thereof to a rear portion thereof, said annular member and annular transducer means having aligned central openings through which said tool shank passes, the tool shank also freely passing into said longitudinal bore of said velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the rear end of said longitudinal bore at which point longitudinal vibrations are transmitted to the tool shank.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 166 words

A portable hand-supported sonically operated tool unit comprising: a housing having an opening therein through which extends a vibratable tool shank, and sonic motor-forming means within said housing and comprising a series of juxtaposed parts held together to form a compressed sandwich of parts including, in order from the front to the rear thereof, an annular member of a relatively dense metal anchored to said housing, annular transducer means which vibrates longitudinally on application of an alternating current thereto, and a rearwardly tapered velocity transformer made of a relatively less dense material than said annular member and having a longitudinal bore extending from the front face thereof to a rear portion thereof, said annular member and annular transducer means having aligned central openings through which said tool shank passes, the tool shank also freely passing into said longitudinal bore of said velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the rear end of said longitudinal bore at which point longitudinal vibrations are transmitted to the tool shank.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

The hand-supported sonically operated tool unit of claim 3 wherein said tool shank has on the outer end thereof an abrading tool for removing the oxide coating of a surface to be soldered, said tool shank and abrading tool forming a soldering iron which heats the abraded surface and solder applied thereto.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The tool unit of claim 4 wherein there is a conductor in said tool shank which carries heater current for heating the abrading tool and said conductor terminates in a projecting pin at the rear of said tool shank forming a terminal for the heater current, and a socket-forming member in said housing into which said projecting pin frictionally fits.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 42 words

The tool unit of claim 3 wherein the rear end of said tool shank is flat and abuts a flat end defining wall of said longitudinal bore to form a good vibration transmitting interface between the velocity transformer and the tool shank.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 135 words

The tool unit of claim 3 wherein said annular transducer means comprises at least one piezoelectric annular disc to the opposite annular facing sides of which are connected a source of high voltage at a relatively high frequency producing longitudinal vibrations thereof; and there is provided means for pre-stressing said piezoelectric discs comprising a hollow stud passing through said annular transducer means and threaded into said velocity transformer at the rear end thereof, a spring washer means encircling said tool shank in spaced relation thereto and positioned against the front side of said annular member, and a nut threaded around the forward end of said stud and tightened around said stud to apply pressure against said spring washer means to draw the parts of said sandwich together to apply compressive stress to said piezoelectric disc.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 178 words

An electromechanical transducer assembly comprising electromechanical transducer means sandwiched between two members of substantially different weight and constituting with said members a mechanical vibrating system which vibrates as a halfwave vibrator in the direction of a line extending through said members and said transducer means, the lighter of said members including a tapered velocity transformer having its longitudinal axis extending parallel to said line and its wide end nearer said transducer means than the narrow end thereof, the wide end of said velocity transformer being immediately contiguous to said transducer means, the heavier of said members and said transducer means having aligned openings extending completely therethrough and said velocity transformer has a longitudinal bore opening onto the wide end thereof and in alignment with said openings in the heavier member and said transducer means, and vibration coupling means passing freely through said aligned openings of said heavier member and said transducer means and the adjacent end of said bore of the velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the velocity transformer at the other end of said bore.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 178 words

An electromechanical transducer assembly comprising electromechanical transducer means sandwiched between two members of substantially different weight and constituting with said members a mechanical vibrating system which vibrates as a halfwave vibrator in the direction of a line extending through said members and said transducer means, the lighter of said members including a tapered velocity transformer having its longitudinal axis extending parallel to said line and its wide end nearer said transducer means than the narrow end thereof, the wide end of said velocity transformer being immediately contiguous to said transducer means, the heavier of said members and said transducer means having aligned openings extending completely therethrough and said velocity transformer has a longitudinal bore opening onto the wide end thereof and in alignment with said openings in the heavier member and said transducer means, and vibration coupling means passing freely through said aligned openings of said heavier member and said transducer means and the adjacent end of said bore of the velocity transformer and being rigidly secured to the velocity transformer at the other end of said bore.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 175 words

In a sonic motor including transducer means for providing longitudinal vibrations in a given direction, the improvement comprising a first tapered velocity transformer having an axis extending in the direction of said longitudinal vibrations and whose wide end is connecTed to said transducer means, said velocity transformer having a tapered bore therein whose axis is aligned with the axis of the velocity transformer and whose narrow end is nearest the wide end of the velocity transformer, said tapered bore of said first tapered velocity transformer having at the wide end thereof a shoulder facing in the direction of the wide end of the velocity transformer, a second tapered velocity transformer mounted within said tapered bore of said first tapered velocity transformer with the wide end of said second tapered velocity transformer rigidly engaging said shoulder of said first tapered velocity transformer and spaced from the other defining walls of the tapered bore therein whereby to be freely longitudinally vibratable within said bore, and means to be vibrated mechanically coupled to said second tapered velocity transformer.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 175 words

In a sonic motor including transducer means for providing longitudinal vibrations in a given direction, the improvement comprising a first tapered velocity transformer having an axis extending in the direction of said longitudinal vibrations and whose wide end is connecTed to said transducer means, said velocity transformer having a tapered bore therein whose axis is aligned with the axis of the velocity transformer and whose narrow end is nearest the wide end of the velocity transformer, said tapered bore of said first tapered velocity transformer having at the wide end thereof a shoulder facing in the direction of the wide end of the velocity transformer, a second tapered velocity transformer mounted within said tapered bore of said first tapered velocity transformer with the wide end of said second tapered velocity transformer rigidly engaging said shoulder of said first tapered velocity transformer and spaced from the other defining walls of the tapered bore therein whereby to be freely longitudinally vibratable within said bore, and means to be vibrated mechanically coupled to said second tapered velocity transformer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 123 words

The sonic motor of claim 9 wherein said means to be vibrated is a third tapered velocity transformer mounted in a tapered bore within said second tapered velocity transformer the axis of the latter bore being aligned with the axis of the second tapered velocity transformer, the narrow end of the latter bore being nearest the wide end of the second tapered velocity transformer, and the wide end thereof having a shoulder facing in the direction of the wide end of the second tapered velocity transformer, and said third tapered velocity transformer, and said third tapered velocity transformer being rigidly secured to the latter shoulder, the rest of the third tapered velocity transformer being free to vibrate longitudinally within the latter tapered bore.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 104 words

The sonic motor of claim 10 wherein said transducer means and said first, second and third tapered velocity transformers have aligned openings therein extending from the side of said transducer means remote from said velocity transformers to a point deeply within said third velocity transformer, and connecting shank means extending freely through the openings of said transducer means and said first and second tapered velocity transformers and through the end of the opening of said third tapered velocity transformer, and said connecting shank means being secured rigidly to the walls of said third velocity transformer at a point at the narrow end portion thereof.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-08-01	1976-01-31	1976-08-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-08-01	1980-01-31	1980-08-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-08-01	1984-01-31	1984-08-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sonically operated tool and sonic motor therefor

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