Vibratory welding apparatus

Claim 2

A vibratory welding apparatus comprising: an elongate resonator dimensioned to be at least one wavelength long at a predetermined frequency of sound travelling therethrough, said resonator exhibiting when resonant three antinodal regions of longitudinal motion; a workpiece engaging tip adapted to engage a workpiece disposed at one of said antinodal regions of said resonator; a support; support means disposed for coupling said resonator at said other antinodal regions to said support, said support means being of a configuration to provide for limited yielding motion in the direction of sound travelling through said resonator to enable said resonator to be resonant but to substantially preclude motion of said resonator in the direction normal to that of said sound travel, and means providing a force for urging said workpiece into contact with said tip, such force being substantially in a direction normal to that of said sound travel.

Claim 3

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and means coupled to said resonator for generating vibration of said predetermined frequency.

Claim 4

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said support means for coupling said resonator to said support comprising at each of said other antinodal regions a substantially flat member engaging with one end thereof said resonator and the other end of each member engaging said support, each of said members adapted to flex responsive to the vibration exhibited by said resonator at said antinodal regions, but providing rigidity in the direction in which said force is applied.

Claim 5

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said members comprising a metallic strap.

Claim 6

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said members comprising a generally triangular sheet metal member.

Claim 7

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said workpiece engaging tip being removably attached to said resonator and extending from said resonator along an axis which is substantially normal to the major axis of said resonator.

Claim 8

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said means providing a force being mounted to said support and including a movable means adapted to engage one side of a workpiece for urging the other side of the workpiece against said tip.

Claim 9

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said other antinodal regions being proximate antinodal regions.

Claim 10

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said other antinodal regions straddling said one antinodal region.

Claim 11

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said support being stationary.

Claim 12

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 10, said means providing a force including a reciprocating force exerting member.

Claim 13

A vibratory welding apparatus comprising; an elongate metal member dimensioned to be at least one wavelength long at a predetermined frequency of sound travelling therethrough and thereby forming a longitudinal resonator; transducing means coupled to said member for causing said member to be resonant at said predetermined frequency in response to electrical energy applied to said transducing means and said member when resonant exhibiting three antinodal regions of longitudinal motion; a workpiece engaging tip adapted to engage a workpiece disposed on said member at one of said antinodal regions and extending therefrom substantially perpendicular to the axis of sound travelling through said member; a stationary support; A pair of support means, one disposed at each of said other antinodal regions for coupling said member to said support and retaining said member distanced from said support, each support means comprising a flat sheet metal leaf member secured with one end to said elongate member and with the other end to said support, and each leaf member being dimensioned to yield in the direction of the vibration of said elongate member but to substantially preclude motion of said elongate member in the direction perpendicular to such vibration, and means disposed for providing a force for urging said workpiece in contact with said tip.

Claim 14

A vibratory welding apparatus comprising; an elongate metal member dimensioned to be at least one wavelength long at a predetermined frequency of sound travelling therethrough and thereby forming a longitudinal resonator; transducing means coupled to said member for causing said member to be resonant at said predetermined frequency in response to electrical energy applied to said transducing means and said member when resonant exhibiting three antinodal regions of longitudinal motion; a workpiece engaging tip adapted to engage a workpiece disposed on said member at one of said antinodal regions and extending therefrom substantially perpendicular to the axis of sound travelling through said member; a stationary support; A pair of support means, one disposed at each of said other antinodal regions for coupling said member to said support and retaining said member distanced from said support, each support means comprising a flat sheet metal leaf member secured with one end to said elongate member and with the other end to said support, and each leaf member being dimensioned to yield in the direction of the vibration of said elongate member but to substantially preclude motion of said elongate member in the direction perpendicular to such vibration, and means disposed for providing a force for urging said workpiece in contact with said tip.

Claim 15

A vibratory welding apparatus as set forth in claim 12, each of said sheet metal leaf members having an aperture for receiving therein a screw means engaging said elongate member for causing said leaf members to be coupled to said elongate member by being clamped against a respective radial surface of said elongate member.

Claim 16

A vibratory welding apparatus comprising: an elongate member including as a part thereof electroacoustic converting means, said member dimensioned to be resonant at a predetermined frequency of sound travelling longitudinally therethrough in response to said converting means being energized with electrical energy of said frequency and when rendered resonant exhibiting three antinodal regions of longitudinal motion; a support; a pair of support means, each of said support means coupled with one of its ends to said member at a respective antinodal region thereof and coupled with its other end to said support, and each support means comprising a leaf spring member dimensioned to yield in the direction of vibration of said elongate member when the latter is resonant but to substantially preclude motion of said elongate member relative said support in the direction perpendicular to such vibration; a workpiece engaging tip adapted to engage a workpiece disposed on said elongate member at said remaining antinodal region and extending therefrom substantially perpendicular to the axis of sound travelling through said member, and means disposed for providing an engagement force between said tip and said workpiece.

Claim 17

A vibratory welding apparatus comprising: an elongate member including as a part thereof electroacoustic converting means, said member dimensioned to be resonant at a predetermined frequency of sound travelling longitudinally therethrough in response to said converting means being energized with electrical energy of said frequency and when rendered resonant exhibiting three antinodal regions of longitudinal motion; a support; a pair of support means, each of said support means coupled with one of its ends to said member at a respective antinodal region thereof and coupled with its other end to said support, and each support means comprising a leaf spring member dimensioned to yield in the direction of vibration of said elongate member when the latter is resonant but to substantially preclude motion of said elongate member relative said support in the direction perpendicular to such vibration; a workpiece engaging tip adapted to engage a workpiece disposed on said elongate member at said remaining antinodal region and extending therefrom substantially perpendicular to the axis of sound travelling through said member, and means disposed for providing an engagement force between said tip and said workpiece.