Cooling device for ultrasonic horns

Claim 1

A cooling apparatus adapted to being operatively associated with an ultrasonic bonding system of the type including a plurality of bonding horns in juxtaposition with and disposed across the width of a moveable web of textile material, means for imparting ultrasonic vibratory movement to said bonding horns so as to effect bonding of said web at points where individual fibers thereof contact one another, and means for moving said web into bonding position with said bonding horns, said cooling apparatus comprising: cooling means having an inlet and an outlet for directing a cooling fluid to impinge upon exterior side surfaces of said plurality of bonding horns, whereby said outlet is positioned in close relationship to each of said bonding horns so as to deliver a stream of cooling fluid at or above the nodal area thereof, said cooling fluid thereby counteracting the tendancy of said bonding horns to experience deleterious temperature elevation due to heat naturally generated at the nodal area in addition to heat radiated through the horn at the bonding surface and conducted therethrough.

Claim 11

An apparatus for bonding a movable web of textile material by ultrasonic bonding techniques comprising in combination: means for moving said web in a predetermined direction; a plurality of ultrasonic bonding horns disposed transverse to said predetermined direction substantially across the entire width of said web; means for imparting vibratory movement to said housing horns toward and away from said moving web, said vibratory movement being in the ultrasonic frequency range thereby generating sufficient heat energy to bond said web at points where individual fibers thereof contact one another, said heat tending to be conducted to said horn and thereby elevate the temperature thereof; at least one cooling means for cooling a predetermined exterior side surface of said horn thereby counteracting said tendancy thereof to experience an elevation of temperature, said cooling means directing a stream of cooling fluid so as to impinge upon a surface of said horn substantially at or above the nodal area thereof, said cooling fluid thereby counteracting the heat naturally generated at said nodal area due to vibratory movement thereof and also counteracting heat radiated to said horn and conducted therethrough by virtue of the ultrasonic bonding of said web.

Claim 12

An apparatus for bonding a movable web of textile material by ultrasonic bonding techniques comprising in combination: means for moving said web in a predetermined direction; a plurality of ultrasonic bonding horns disposed transverse to said predetermined direction substantially across the entire width of said web; means for imparting vibratory movement to said housing horns toward and away from said moving web, said vibratory movement being in the ultrasonic frequency range thereby generating sufficient heat energy to bond said web at points where individual fibers thereof contact one another, said heat tending to be conducted to said horn and thereby elevate the temperature thereof; at least one cooling means for cooling a predetermined exterior side surface of said horn thereby counteracting said tendancy thereof to experience an elevation of temperature, said cooling means directing a stream of cooling fluid so as to impinge upon a surface of said horn substantially at or above the nodal area thereof, said cooling fluid thereby counteracting the heat naturally generated at said nodal area due to vibratory movement thereof and also counteracting heat radiated to said horn and conducted therethrough by virtue of the ultrasonic bonding of said web.