US4090897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic welding of thermoplastic fabrics
Assignee: Sinclair Co
•
Filing: 1977-04-22
•
Granted: 1978-05-23
•
Expires: 1997-04-22
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for patching or seaming thermoplastic mesh fabrics, such as used in the papermaking industry by means of an ultrasonic welding tool. The tool is provided with one or more tips having raised surface portions or projections adapted for contacting the plastic mesh at a plurality of spaced points whereby ultrasonic welding is accomplished without substantial disruption or dimunition of the generally uniform porosity inherent to the mesh fabric. The method modifications involve the use of templates for guiding the positioning and movement of the ultrasonic welding tips for both butt seaming and overlap seaming of the opposed edges of thermoplastic mesh fabric. In the butt seaming technique, the outermost weft filaments of the opposed edges of the plastic fabric are replaced by one heat stabilized filament and the picket ends of the fabric are interdigitated about this stable filament preparatory to the welding step.
Inventors
- 👤 David G. Minick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 16:50
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; A; A41; A41D; A41D27/00; A41D27/24; A41D27/245; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/432; B29C66/4322; B29C66/47; B29C66/472; B29C66/69; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/729; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81433; B29C73/00; B29C73/04; B29C73/10; D; D21; D21F; D21F1/00; D21F1/0027; D21F1/0054; D21F1/10; D21F1/12; D21F1/14; B29C66/812; B29C66/8126; B29C66/81266; B29C66/81267; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; B29K; B29K2313/00; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/733; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/2481
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic filaments comprising the step of juxtapositioning in overlapping relation free edge portions of said fabric with the filaments constituting one edge being superimposed with the filaments constituting the other edge, selectively compressing said superimposed filaments between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool, said anvil being in the form of a metal plate with a transparent template carried thereby, said template being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures extending thereacross in an undulating pattern, and applying ultrasonic energy to said superimposed filaments at spaced points defined by the apertures in said template, the tip of said tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic filaments comprising the step of juxtapositioning in overlapping relation free edge portions of said fabric with the filaments constituting one edge being superimposed with the filaments constituting the other edge, selectively compressing said superimposed filaments between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool, said anvil being in the form of a metal plate with a transparent template carried thereby, said template being provided with a plurality of spaced apertures extending thereacross in an undulating pattern, and applying ultrasonic energy to said superimposed filaments at spaced points defined by the apertures in said template, the tip of said tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic warp and weft filaments comprising the steps of removing the outermost weft filament from the free edge portions of said fabric, substituting a preshrunk thermoplastic filament for one of the web filaments which was removed, juxtapositioning the free edge portions of said fabric by interdigitating the outer ends of said warp filaments of said fabric in embracing relation about the upper and lower surfaces of said preshrunk filament, selectively compressing said juxtapositioned edges between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool by clamping together said juxtapositioned edges and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy using said welding tip to the interdigitated filaments for softening and fusing together the interdigitated ends of said warp filaments and said preshrunk weft filament, the tip of said tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
145 words
A method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic warp and weft filaments comprising the steps of removing the outermost weft filament from the free edge portions of said fabric, substituting a preshrunk thermoplastic filament for one of the web filaments which was removed, juxtapositioning the free edge portions of said fabric by interdigitating the outer ends of said warp filaments of said fabric in embracing relation about the upper and lower surfaces of said preshrunk filament, selectively compressing said juxtapositioned edges between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool by clamping together said juxtapositioned edges and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy using said welding tip to the interdigitated filaments for softening and fusing together the interdigitated ends of said warp filaments and said preshrunk weft filament, the tip of said tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
133 words
Method of bonding together the thermoplastic mesh fabric as set forth in claim 2 in which the outer edges of said fabric are heated by a hot air blower whereby the outer edges of said warp filaments open outwardly enabling removal of a weft filament from each of the free edge portions of said thermoplastic fabric, substituting a preshrunk thermoplastic filament for one of the weft filaments so removed, welding said warp filaments to said preshrunk weft filaments by using an ultrasonic welding tool vibrating at about 20,000 Hertz, said welding tool being vertically movably supported by a base fixture for selective spot welding contact with said fabric, said tool including a pressure sensitive switch for actuating the ultrasonic vibratory energy when the tip of said tool is pressed against said thermoplastic fabric.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
153 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic warp and weft filaments comprising the steps of juxtapositioning a thermoplastic patch formed of warp and weft thermoplastic filaments over a hole in the thermoplastic mesh fabric, the warp and weft filaments of the patch being disposed at an oblique angle to the warp and weft filaments of the mesh fabric, welding the edges of said patch to said mesh fabric by the use of an ultrasonic tool having a relief tip with a plurality of spaced nodes engaged with the filaments about the marginal edge of said patch, compressing the marginal edges of said patch and said underlying portions of the mesh fabric between said spaced nodes and a metallic anvil disposed under said mesh fabric, the spacing of the nodes being approximately the same as the filaments of said patch, said tool being actuated by a pressure switch to emit vibratory energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic warp and weft filaments comprising the steps of juxtapositioning a thermoplastic patch formed of warp and weft thermoplastic filaments over a hole in the thermoplastic mesh fabric, the warp and weft filaments of the patch being disposed at an oblique angle to the warp and weft filaments of the mesh fabric, welding the edges of said patch to said mesh fabric by the use of an ultrasonic tool having a relief tip with a plurality of spaced nodes engaged with the filaments about the marginal edge of said patch, compressing the marginal edges of said patch and said underlying portions of the mesh fabric between said spaced nodes and a metallic anvil disposed under said mesh fabric, the spacing of the nodes being approximately the same as the filaments of said patch, said tool being actuated by a pressure switch to emit vibratory energy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
Method of bonding together the thermoplastic mesh fabric as set forth in claim 1 in which said apertures are arranged in two adjacent parallel rows each following a saw tooth pattern extending across said template, adjacent apertures in said rows being aligned transversely of said template.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic filaments comprising the step of juxtapositioning free edge portions of said fabric with the filaments constituting one edge being superimposed with the filaments constituting the other edge, selectively compressing said superimposed filaments between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy at spaced points of said superimposed filaments to soften and fuse said thermoplastic filaments without substantial penetration by said tip of the thermoplastic filaments.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
Method of bonding together mesh fabric composed of thermoplastic filaments comprising the step of juxtapositioning free edge portions of said fabric with the filaments constituting one edge being superimposed with the filaments constituting the other edge, selectively compressing said superimposed filaments between a metallic anvil and the tip of an ultrasonic welding tool having a relief surface for engagement with said filaments and applying ultrasonic vibratory energy at spaced points of said superimposed filaments to soften and fuse said thermoplastic filaments without substantial penetration by said tip of the thermoplastic filaments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-22 | 1981-11-21 | 1982-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-22 | 1985-11-21 | 1986-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-22 | 1989-11-21 | 1990-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |