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US4529473A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ultrasonic welding apparatus

Assignee: Branson Ultrasonics Corp
•
Filing: 1983-06-20
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Granted: 1985-07-16
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Expires: 2003-06-20
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Abstract

Abstract An ultrasonic welding apparatus for providing a closure on plastic film bags wherein the end of the film bags is gathered, twisted or not twisted, and then welded to provide a hermetic seal, includes an anvil having a recess into which the gathered plastic material is placed for welding. The side of the recess is lined with low friction material, such as nylon or Teflon, to accomodate a sliding fit between the resonator and the anvil recess. Absent a close fit between the anvil side surface and the resonator side surface, bag material will escape into such space, thereby preventing a hermetic seal. The low friction material prevents destruction of the opposing surfaces subjected to high intensity vibrational forces.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bruce L. Mims

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 20:31
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B51/00; B65B51/10; B65B51/22; B65B51/225; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/40; B29C66/41; B29C66/43; B29C66/431; B29C66/4312; B29C66/43121; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81411; B29C66/81421; B29C66/81422; B29C66/81423; B29C66/816; B29C66/8167; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; B29C66/84; B29C66/849; B29C66/90; B29C66/95; B29C66/951; B29C66/9513; B29C66/9517; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/712; B29L2031/7128

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 187 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus adapted to operate at a predetermined frequency of at least 20 kHz including an elongated solid resonator dimensioned to be resonant as a half wavelength resonator for ultrasonic energy of said predetermined frequency transmitted longitudinally therethrough from an input surface to an oppositely disposed output surface, such energy being applied by said resonator to a thermoplastic workpiece in forced contact with said output surface of said resonator, and an anvil having a recess into which said output surface and the adjacent output portion of said resonator are adapted to enter for welding when resonant a workpiece disposed in said anvil recess, the improvement comprising: said output portion of said resonator and said recess being dimensioned to exhibit substantially a sliding fit between the side surface of said recess and the side surface of said output portion of said resonator for preventing the accumulation of workpiece material between the side surfaces of said recess and said output portion of said resonator during the welding of the thermoplastic workpiece, and said side surface of said recess being made of (low friction) thermoplastic synthetic resin material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 187 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus adapted to operate at a predetermined frequency of at least 20 kHz including an elongated solid resonator dimensioned to be resonant as a half wavelength resonator for ultrasonic energy of said predetermined frequency transmitted longitudinally therethrough from an input surface to an oppositely disposed output surface, such energy being applied by said resonator to a thermoplastic workpiece in forced contact with said output surface of said resonator, and an anvil having a recess into which said output surface and the adjacent output portion of said resonator are adapted to enter for welding when resonant a workpiece disposed in said anvil recess, the improvement comprising: said output portion of said resonator and said recess being dimensioned to exhibit substantially a sliding fit between the side surface of said recess and the side surface of said output portion of said resonator for preventing the accumulation of workpiece material between the side surfaces of said recess and said output portion of said resonator during the welding of the thermoplastic workpiece, and said side surface of said recess being made of (low friction) thermoplastic synthetic resin material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said synthetic resin material being Teflon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said synthetic resin material being nylon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 19 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said recess being in the shape of a slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said side surface being removably disposed in said anvil.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
An ultrasonic welding apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said recess having a bottom surface made of metallic material.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2675276A Cited
US3008779A Cited
US3184354A Cited
US3386870A Cited
US3518920A Cited
US3763769A Cited
US4075046A Cited
US4190690A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-07-15 1989-01-14 1989-07-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-07-15 1993-01-14 1993-07-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-07-15 1997-01-14 1997-07-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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