Retrofit of form-fill-seal machine heat station with advanced ultrasonic welding kit

(Mutual reference to related applications) This application claims the priority of US Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 569,916 filed on December 13, 2011, and "Sonotrode and Anvil Energy Director Grids for Narrow / Complex Ultrasonic". US non-provisional patent application filed on December 13, 2012, which is also a partial continuation of US patent application 12 / 925,652 filed on November 26, 2010, entitled "Welds of Improved Durability" 13 / Claim priority of 713,237. Each disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to the improvement of bag making and filling machines, more specifically, using a kit containing an improved ultrasonic welding stack and anvil, using an older technology heat fusion element (heat). Related to a device that can be mounted and modified on a bag filling machine to improve the productivity of the bag filling machine through the replacement of the sealing element).

Packaging of food and other products with sheets of flexible plastic through an automated process using equipment is generally accomplished by contacting and sealing the plastic film to form sachets. There are many examples of such devices, which are referred to in the industry as bag-making filling machines and are further subdivided into either horizontal, vertical, or rotary bag-making filling machines. An example of a horizontal bag-making filling machine is shown in Patent Document 1 to Haley, an example of a vertical bag-making filling machine is shown in Patent Document 2 to Rossi, and an example of a rotary bag-making filling machine is Bielik. It is shown in Patent Document 3 against.

For quite some time, these bag-making and filling machines utilize heating elements such as the heated fin wheels of Haley's devices to seal the seams between the bottom of the package and the side panels to form the sachets. After filling with the product, the final heating element seals the open end at the top of the pouch to form the package. The principle of ultrasonic welding for sealing plastic films and the first harmony with packaging machines is shown by Patent Document 4 of 1981 to James entitled "Form-Fill-Seal Packaging Method and MFP". Is done. Ultrasonic welding has since been the preferred sealing method. This is because, among other things, because the ultrasonic welding time is less than 1 second , the process is not likely to damage the envelope or packaging from overheating, which is susceptible to conventional heating elements, and This is because the ultrasonic welding process is more suitable for sealing between contaminants and products (the heat sealing process, if possible, is of poor quality).

Our co-pending US patent application 12 / 925,652 "Sonotrode and Anvil Energy Director Grids for Narrow / Complex Ultrasonic Welds of Improved Durability" facilitates this difference. The techniques disclosed herein make the use of ultrasonic welding more and more advantageous than heating elements, as they reduce the amount of material required by allowing narrower welding, while at the same time, among other things, liquids and Simultaneously provides a highly desirable durability-improved weld for packaging semi-liquid products and for packaging solid or semi-solid products. Of course, the process can also be used, for example, to provide the desired wide weld for aesthetic purposes, rather than being required to provide a stronger and more durable seal.

However, while the patent-pending technology may be readily incorporated into newly designed pouch filling and packaging machines, consumers who recently or long ago purchased equipment that seals through direct heating. , I was stuck. Owners of such equipment do not want to bear the cost of the new packaging machine alongside the slurries, or simply cannot afford it and are immediately available to competitors through the use of equipment incorporating this new equipment. We cannot afford to produce such durable packaging. The problem has yet another dimension of complexity.

Different types of packaging machines may be instructed to form sachets at different stages and at different locations within the machine. In addition, it is common to have at least one or more heat fusion stations for sealing at the upper end of the final top of a pouch filled with many products. Therefore, it is highly desirable to incorporate our patent-pending ultrasonic welding technology into existing equipment, but due to space constraints on the volume allocated to the replacement unit, such modifications by the packaging machine operator. Attempts to achieve this have been unsuccessful. The present invention presents adaptive modification kits and methods for successful modification of heating stations for different types of bag making and filling machines.

<p><patcit num="1"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,403</text></patcit><patcit num="2"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,647</text></patcit><patcit num="3"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,859</text></patcit><patcit num="4"><text>U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,965</text></patcit></p>

<p> It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for mounting an improved ultrasonic welding device to modify a heating station of a bag-making filling machine.</p><p> Another object of the present invention is to provide a means of mounting a kit containing an improved ultrasonic welding machine to modify a space-constrained volume bag filling machine or a pre-made pouch-type machine. And.</p><p> The present invention provides a versatile modified kit for replacing a heating station with a kit containing improved ultrasonic welding for a horizontal or rotary bag filling machine or a pre-made pouch type machine. For further purposes.</p><p> Another object of the present invention is to provide a modified kit for simultaneously sealing two or more product sachets by improved ultrasonic welding.</p><p> Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and claims, as well as the accompanying drawings.</p>

<p> The improved ultrasonic welded parts of our simultaneous pending application 12 / 925,652 are easily incorporated into the design of new bag-making filling machines, but owners of older machines with heat-sealing stations are able to modify sealing equipment. Failed to devise suitable equipment and methods. Modifications to properly replace the old heat fusion station of a horizontal or rotary bag filling machine with the improved ultrasonic sonotrode and anvil of our simultaneous pending application include the following kits: housing, housing Straight rails fixed to, first and second bearing carriages that can slide on the rails, and first and second fluid muscles (fluidic) muscles) may be included. Each of the fluid muscles may be attached to a first end fixed to the respective housing wall and to a second end fixed to the respective bearing carriage. The attachment to each bearing carriage may be via attachment of each muscle to each attachment member which may be fixed to each attachment block which is later fixed to the bearing carriage. The modified anvil and sonot load may be fixed to their respective carriages.</p><p> The actuation of each carriage may be via pressurization of the fluid muscles, which in turn causes a periodic expansion of the chamber of each muscle, accompanied by a linear contraction along its length. The contraction of each fluid muscle causes the first and second attachments to translate simultaneously and intensively with respect to the straight rail, thereby engaging the surface of the anvil with the surface of the sonot load. Synchronizing the power to the stack to accommodate this engagement period allows for the sealing of the pouch, which is moved along the conveyor or rotary dial and is located between the anvil and the sonot load. Decompression of the fluid muscle reverses the translation, the anvil moves away from the sonot load, and then when the conveyor or rotary dial advances, the sealed pouch is removed from it and another unsealed pouch is removed from the anvil / sonot load. Position between the combinations of.</p><p> The specially constructed in-line arrangement of the anvil / sonot load, bearing carriage, first fluid muscle and second fluid muscle serves to result in very narrow welds, thereby horizontal. Allows the installation of kits for modifications that achieve single, double, or more pouch sealing on the machine.</p>

<figref num="1">In a perspective view of a first embodiment of a key component of an improved ultrasonic welding modification kit of the present invention, with the side panels of the housing removed to expose the fluid mechanical muscles inside. is there.</figref><figref num="2">It is a perspective view of the modified kit of FIG. 1 shown with the side panel of the housing installed to surround the fluid mechanical muscles.</figref><figref num="3">It is an enlarged side view of the 2nd Embodiment of the modification kit of this invention.</figref><figref num="3A">It is a further enlarged view of the modification kit of FIG.</figref><figref num="4">It is an end view of the modification kit of FIG.</figref><figref num="5">It is a perspective view of the modification kit of FIG.</figref><figref num="6">Reduced size, optional horizontal mechanical spacers and optional rotary machine column assembly consisting of a fixed fixed height or a height that can be adjusted in the vertical ("Z") direction. It is a perspective view of the modified kit of FIG. 5 drawn including.</figref><figref num="7">It is an exploded view of a part including a modification kit as seen in FIG.</figref><figref num="8">It is a front view of the rotary bag making filling machine which can be modified by attaching the improved ultrasonic welding modification kit of FIG.</figref><figref num="9">It is a top view of the rotary bag making filling machine of FIG.</figref><figref num="10A">It is a side view of the ultrasonic welding machine of the prior art.</figref><figref num="10B">It is a front view of the ultrasonic welding machine of the prior art of FIG. 10A.</figref><figref num="11">FIG. 3 is a detailed view of an anvil that can be used in the present invention, along with leveling feet and a mount that can be secured to the housing herein.</figref><figref num="12">It is an exploded view of the anvil, the leveling foot, and the mounting base of FIG.</figref><figref num="13">Exploded views of transducers, boosters, sonotloads, and anvils that may be used to weld linear patterns using the energy director grids associated with the present invention.</figref><figref num="13A">It is a side view of one embodiment of a horn that includes a series of perforated openings.</figref><figref num="14">It is an isometric view of the anvil formed by the energy director lattice which concerns on this invention.</figref><figref num="15">It is a top view of the anvil of FIG.</figref><figref num="16">It is a side view of the anvil of FIG.</figref><figref num="17">It is an end view of the anvil of FIG.</figref><figref num="18">It is an enlarged detailed view of the anvil of FIG.</figref><figref num="19">It is an enlarged detailed view of the lattice surface of the anvil of FIG.</figref><figref num="20">It is a cross-sectional view of the anvil of FIG. 7, and is shown in a state of being rotated 45 degrees clockwise.</figref><figref num="20A">It is sectional drawing which cut the anvil of the alternative embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="21A">It is a front view of the horn of the alternative embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="21B">FIG. 10A is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the horn of FIG. 10A.</figref><figref num="21C">FIG. 10A is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the horn of FIG. 10A.</figref><figref num="21D">FIG. 10A is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the horn of FIG. 10A.</figref><figref num="21E">It is sectional drawing which cut the energy director of the horn of FIG. 10A.</figref><figref num="21F">It is a front view of the horn of the 2nd alternative embodiment of this invention.</figref><figref num="21G">It is a side view of the horn of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 10F.</figref><figref num="22A">A cross-sectional view of the anvil and sonot load of the invention drawn prior to engaging the workpiece, the engagement of the sonot load energy director plateau is positioned with the corresponding anvil energy director plateau. Combined and adjacent to this.</figref><figref num="22B">Figure 11A shows the alignment of the Sonot Road energy director plateau with the anvil energy director plateau.</figref><figref num="22C">It is a cross-sectional view of the anvil and the sonot load of the present invention drawn before engaging the workpiece, and the engagement of the sonot load energy director plateau is positioned to mesh with the anvil energy director plateau. It will be matched.</figref><figref num="22D">Figure 11C shows the alignment of the Sonot Road energy director plateau with the anvil energy director plateau.</figref><figref num="23">The prior art energy director used on the workpiece before ultrasonic welding is shown.</figref><figref num="23A">The prior art energy director of FIG. 12 after ultrasonic welding is shown.</figref><figref num="24">Parts of ultrasonic welders, including transducers, boosters, sonotloads, and alternative lattice surface anvils, which may be used to generate curved (non-linear) weld patterns. It is an exploded view of.</figref><figref num="25">A second alternative lattice surface anvil that may be used to generate a non-linear weld shape is shown.</figref><figref num="26">Demonstrates an alternative "dual lane" horn that houses a blade that is ultrasonically welded and used to cut through the center of the welded material after the finished weld.</figref>

Initial attempts by packaging machine operators to modify existing bag-making and filling machines with our simultaneous pending application No. 12 / 925,652 ultrasonic welding technology were unsuccessful. The volume that the mods can occupy was severely limited. This constraint was exacerbated in situations where double or triple sealing operations were required at the heating station. Single large horns and anvils that are moved to engage with each other using conventional actuators are so slow that satisfactory results cannot be obtained or are outside the scope of single-width ultrasonic horn technology. Met. Using two different horn / anvil combinations did not give satisfactory results because it was difficult to adjust the simultaneous engagement of the two pairs, while the force generated was too small. Relying on servomotors for synchronization was considered, but it turned out to be very expensive for that application as servomotors are losing marketability.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the modified kit (10) of the present invention that gracefully overcomes such drawbacks, and side panels of the housing to expose the working parts of the present invention. It is drawn with (23) removed.

The device utilizes a pair of fluid mechanical muscles in a dual liner mechanism specially designed to operate both the anvil and the horn / booster / transducer stack simultaneously. .. Today's "fluid muscles", commonly referred to (besides pneumatic artificial muscles), are partly entitled "Fluid Actuated Motor System and Stroking Device" and have been granted US Pat. No. 2,844,126. It is the product of the 1955 invention by Richard Gayiord. In general, the fluid muscle may be constructed by wrapping a synthetic rubber tube or a natural rubber tube with a woven sheath. This forms an expandable chamber. When the pressurized fluid is applied to the chamber of the fluid muscle, the chamber expands radially, at the same time with a corresponding contraction of its length, resulting in linear motion. The metal fittings or plastic parts may be fixed at both ends to convey the resulting motion.

The contractile strength of the fluid muscle may be determined by the total strength of the individual fibers forming the woven sheath, while its distance of motion may be determined by the tightness of the weave and is loose. The weave causes a large bulge, resulting in further twisting of the individual fibers in the woven structure. The fluid muscles used with the present invention may be obtained from Festo Corporation at Mt. Prospect, Illinois (see www.festo.com).

Fluid muscle is commonly used with a pair-one agonist and one antagonist-an antagonist acts against the movement of the agonist, thereby causing muscles inside the human body (eg, extensor muscles that open joints). And mimic the function of the flexors that act in opposition to close the joints). However, in the present invention, fluid muscles operate differently.

In the simplest feasible embodiment, a single fluid muscle is provided by a press machine (190) in a conventional prior art ultrasonic welder (100), represented by FIGS. 13A and 13B, to perform linear motion. It may be used for copying. However, in practice, this does not lead to much success in the modification of many bag-making and filling machines, especially horizontal type machines. In such machines, the pouch may concentrate one or more heating elements on the pouch to seal the pouch (see, eg, Wrapping Machine 5 in Figure 1 of US Pat. No. 5,826,403 to Haley). It is highly desirable to give motion to both the anvil and the sonot load, as they may translate along the conveyor towards. This double motion is generally set to concentrate the sonot load and anvil on the central plane of the opening, thereby adding the pressure and vibration required for local heating and melting of the plastic film. The opening may be sealed.

A first embodiment of the present invention is shown by the modified kit (10) of FIG. 1 (with the side panel (23) of the housing removed) and is also shown in FIG. A modified kit (10) that may be used in exchange for one or more heat-sealing elements of either a horizontal or rotary bag-making filling machine is a base (20), a first end wall (21). , A housing having a second end wall (22), a first side wall (23), and a second side wall (24) may be included. The housing may also include a central wall (26). Many of these parts are common to the embodiments discussed later, whose exploded views are shown in FIG. 7, and therefore it may be advantageous to mention them. The side panels (23) and (24) of the housing may be used to surround and protect the fluid muscles along the base (20) and end walls (21) and (22), in addition, as such. A voluntary cover (not shown) may be used as well for any reason. The side panels (23) and (24) may also serve to add structural rigidity to the housing, however, the panels (23) and (24) are of the mechanism, as can be seen below. Not required to support functionality.

The base (20) may have a first opening (20A) and a second opening (20B), both of which may be perforated openings. The first mounting member (30) may have a portion arranged in the middle through the first opening (20A) in the base (20). In one embodiment, the first mounting member (30) may be preferably "L" and is one of "L" protruding through an opening (20A) in the base (20). It may have a foot (31) and the other foot (32) may be generally arranged parallel to the base (20) of the housing. Therefore, the first mounting member (30) may be slidable inside the perforated opening (20A) of the base (20) of the housing. The second mounting member (40) may be constructed similarly with the first and second feet (41) and (42) and accordingly slide inside the second opening (20B) of the base. It may be arranged so that it can move.

The ends of the second foot (32) and (42) of the "L" shaped mounting member may face each other within the kit assembly. The second feet (32) and (42) of the "L" shaped mounting members (30) and (40) may be mounted on at least one bearing carriage that is slidable on straight rails, respectively. Good. In a preferred embodiment, a straight rail with four bearing carriages slidable over it may be used. Straight rails and bearing carriages are commercially available and are available at PBC in Roscoe, Illinois. It may be obtained from Linear (see www.pbclinear.com/Pages/Linear-Components; this disclosure is incorporated herein by reference). The straight rail (50) may be fixed to the bottom of the base (20), and as can be seen in FIG. 1, bearing carriages (51), (52), (53), and slidable on the rail, and May have (54). Depending on the straight rail selected and the method used to mount the housing to the base (20), the second foot (32) of the "L" shaped mounting member (30) may be fitted to the bearing carriage (51). And (52) can be mounted directly, and the second foot (42) of the "L" shaped mounting member (40) can be mounted directly on the bearing carriages (53) and (54). ..

Alternatively, separate straight rails (50A) and (50B) may be used, as can be seen in FIG. 8, paired bearing carriages (51A), (51B), (52A), (52B), ( 53A), (53B), (54A), and (54B) are slidable on rail pairs (50A / 50B) and bearing carriages (51A), (51B), (52A), and ( 52B) is fixed to the mounting block (61) and bearing carriages (53A), (53B), (54A), and (54B) are fixed to the mounting block (62). As can be seen from FIG. 1, the opening formed between the separated rail (50A / 50B) and the bearing carriage pair is that of the second foot (32) of the first "L" shaped member (30). It may help to allow attachment to the attachment block (61) and attachment to the attachment block (62) of the second foot (42) of the "L" shaped member (30). (Note-Attachment of any part of the housing or other parts described herein is a suitable adhesive known in the prior art or suitable for the material used (wood, metal, or plastic). (May be carried out using any mechanical stopper) so that the length of the straight separated rails (50A / 50B) extends over the perforated openings (20A and 20B) of the base (20). Selected, the first mounting member (30) is thereby slidable within the perforated opening (20A) with respect to the first end of the housing closest to the housing end wall (21). There may be. The second mounting member (40) is thereby slidable within the perforated opening (20B) with respect to the second end of the housing closest to the housing end wall (22). May be good.

An improved anvil (12) incorporating the features disclosed in co-pending application 12 / 925,652 may be secured to the mounting block (61). In a preferred embodiment, the horned gusset assembly (64) may be fixed first to the mounting block (61) and then the anvil (12) is fixed to the gusset assembly (64). May be good. The board (65) is a gusset assembly (64) and anvil in order to adjust the construction of tolerances and basically allow adjustment to the exact resting position of the anvil (its importance of which is discussed below). It may be positioned between (12) and the leveling foot may be positioned between the substrate (65) and the anvil (12).

An improved sonot load (13) incorporating the features disclosed in co-pending application 12 / 925,652 may form part of a stack that also includes a booster (14) and a transducer (15). The modified anvil (12) and modified sonotrod (13) of application 12 / 925,652 are described in detail herein. The stack uses mounting blocks (62) with upper and lower clamp blocks (65U / 65L) to secure the booster and upper and lower clamp blocks (66U / 66L) to secure the transducer. It may be fixed to. The upper clamp blocks (65U and 66U) may be firmly clamped to the mounting block (62), respectively, and the lower clamp blocks (65L and 66L), respectively, with the corresponding upper clamps using the specified screws (67). The stack may be releasably secured to the block and thereby the stack to the mounting block (62).

One embodiment of the leveling foot, foundation, and anvil is shown in the exploded view of FIG. In the embodiment of FIG. 12, the leveling feet (66A, 66B, 66C, 66D, 66E, 66F, and 66G) are shown before being screwed into the corresponding threaded holes in the anvil. The anvil and mounting foot may then be secured to the base and gusset assembly (64) using screws (68), as seen in FIGS. 11 and 3. The degree to which each of the mounting feet (66A-66G) is screwed into the inside of the hole is externally and internally to provide proper support that is carefully controlled over the length of the anvil (13). It may be tuned so that the set of energy director grids becomes the corresponding set of energy director grids of the modified Sonoto Road (13), as described in co-pending application 12 / 925,652. It may be properly engaged. The use of a contact sheet during the engagement between the Sonot Road energy director grid and the anvil (discussed below) may determine whether the engagement is appropriate and appropriate between the two. Adjustments may be made to the leveling foot to achieve good contact.

In this arrangement of FIG. 1, the first fluid muscle (16) may have a first end (16A) secured to the second end wall (22) of the housing, the fluid muscle (16). The second end (16B) of the is fixed to the first foot (31) of the "L" shaped mounting member (30). The second fluid muscle (17) may have a first end (17A) secured to the central wall (26) of the housing and a second end (17B) of the fluid muscle (17). ) May be fixed to the first foot (41) of the "L" shaped mounting member (40). The fluid muscles (16) and (17) are preferably arranged in series with respect to the straight rail (50), to the anvil (12), and to the stack with the sonot load (13). As described, they may be installed as described. This series arrangement forms a very narrow but elongated shaped assembly, which is a modification to the space-constrained envelope currently occupied by the heat fusion station of a particular bag filling machine. Promote the installation of the kit (10) (see generally FIGS. 3 and 4, exemplifying the installation of a second modified kit of embodiment 10A of the invention on such a machine).

Once the mod kit (10) is assembled as described above and the pneumatic / hydraulic tubes are properly installed to carry pressure to the fluid muscles (16) and (17), the first and second Applying pressure to the fluid muscles causes the translation of the first muscle attachment member (30) and the translation of the second muscle attachment member (40), which are generally simultaneous and straight rails. In connection with, thereby engaging the surface of the anvil (12) with the surface of the sonot load (13) by concentrating the two mounting members. The control device is used to sequence the pressurization of air / water pressure to the fluid muscles and the corresponding depressurization, by pulsing the power into the stack between the "workpiece" materials (at the open end of the pouch). The mechanical vibrations that form friction on the side) generate heat that melts the contact areas between them. The decompression of the first and second fluid muscles (16) and (17) is the reverse of the first and second muscle attachment members (30) and (40) with respect to the straight rail pair (50A / 50B). By causing translation, the engagement surface of the anvil (12) and the engagement surface of the sonot load (13) (or separation between the two) are disengaged after an appropriate welding time has elapsed.

The translation of the two mounting members (30) and (40) does not have to be simultaneous, but the engaging surface of the anvil (12) and the engaging surface of the sonot load (13) are the predetermined "central planes" in which the pouch is located. It is preferable to intersect at. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the mechanical stopper (55) may also be used to provide a movement restriction setting point so that the anvil and sonot load properly mesh in the center when the fluid muscles move. Good. Typically, the anvil side reaches the central plane first due to the small amount of movement, where movement is restricted by contact with the mechanical stopper (55). The horn side then contacts the central anvil, as set by an adjustable mechanical stopper (55). In the absence of the adjustment provided by the mechanical stopper (55), the difference in reaching the pouch otherwise acts to flex the pouch, resulting in distortion of the weld line and aesthetics. Brings unattractive packaging. Having two different sized fluid muscles (16) and (17) adjusts the arrival time of anvil (12) and sonotrode (13) on the surface where the pouch is to be sealed. In order to do so, further adjustments to the placement may be required. Certain efficiencies may be obtained if the first and second fluid muscles are the same size.

A second embodiment 10A of the modified kit of the present invention is shown attached to the horizontal bag-making and filling machines of FIGS. 3 and 4. This installation of the kit (10A) is shown magnified in Figure 3A and has its components shown in the exploded view of Figure 7. The kit (10A) may utilize two identical fluid muscles (18) and (19), thus allowing simultaneous and equal translations of both anvil (12) and sonotrod (13) and differ. Little adjustment is required based on travel distance or travel time. In Figure 3, the engagement surface of the anvil (12) and the corresponding engagement surface of the sonot load (13) are respectively centered where the sealed pouch is ideally positioned prior to the translation associated with fluid muscle pressurization. You will find that it may be positioned about 0.5 inches away from the plane. The translation of the sonot load (13) on the slidable block (62), the same as the fluid muscle (18) for the translation of the anvil (12) on the slidable block (61). Even with the use of fluid muscles (19), translations of equal velocity may occur.

An escape hole (36) is provided in the first mounting member (35) to allow the first mounting member (35) to slide against the fluid muscle (19) without contact. By and in the second mounting member (45) to allow the second mounting member (45) to slide against the fluid muscle (18) without contact. ) May achieve the serial positioning of the same fluid muscles (18) / (19), as seen in FIGS. 3A and 7 for this second embodiment. Many other aspects of the mod kit (10A) may be constructed similarly for the mod kit (10) in other ways. Despite the fact that the first end (18A) of the fluid muscle (18) passes through the oversized hole (46) of the second attachment (45), and the extension end attachment on the fluid muscle. (extended end Fitting) (18Ei) may be used in some cases to be fixed to the housing, where the extension end fitting has a threaded portion where torque is applied to the nut (95). It is fixed to the housing end wall (22). The second end (18B) of the fluid muscle (18) may also have an extension end fitting with a threaded portion, where torque is applied to the nut (95). It is fixed to the first mounting member (35). Similarly, despite the fact that the first end (19A) of the second fluid muscle (19) passes through the oversized hole (36) of the first mounting member (35), and the fluid muscle. The upper extension end fitting (19Ei) may be fixed to the housing in some cases, where the extension end attachment has a threaded portion, where the nut (95) When torque is applied, it is fixed to the housing end wall (21). The second end (19B) of the fluid muscle (19) may also have an extension end fitting with a threaded portion, where torque is applied to the nut (95). It is fixed to the first mounting member (45).

Modifications of the improved ultrasonic anvil and sonot load onto an existing bag filling machine were originally used to secure one or more heat fusion stations and the heat fusion station to the frame of the filling machine. It may be necessary to remove any associated support brackets. The modified kit (10) or kit (10A) may be provided for bottom installation. Due to differences in the frame and other features of certain machines manufactured by various manufacturers, the horizontal machine spacer assembly (80) (Figs. 3, 3A, 6 and 7) has a pouch along the conveyor. As it progresses, it may be required to properly position the kit so that both the anvil and the sonot load are properly placed on the opposite side of the central plane of the theoretical pouch. Similarly, for rotary bag making and filling machines as shown in Figures 8 and 9, proper installation of the kit radiates out of the kit through the use of the column assembly (90) of the rotary machine. It may be necessary to support the arranged edges.

Like the horizontal machine spacer assembly (80) or the rotary machine column assembly (90), each of the kits may require digging mounting holes in the frame of the machine to be modified. As can be seen from Figure 5, these holes are the end walls of the housing (21) as pilot holes that are sometimes used as templates to dig holes of sufficient size that are common to both kit and machine frames. ) / (22) may be placed. The kit is then either a horizontal or rotary bag filling machine, using, but not limited to, nuts, stop washers, and any suitable fixing means known to those of skill in the art, including bolts. It may be fixed to the frame.

The modified Anvil (12) and modified Sonotrod (13) mentioned above are disclosed in US Application No. 12 / 925,652, which is hereby by reference to US Patent Application No. 13 / 713,237. Built in. Therefore, the detailed description of the invention in US Application No. 12 / 925,652 is explicitly incorporated prior to this.

With ultrasonic welding, one or more pieces of material, often plastic material, tend to deform adhesives, mechanical fasteners, or direct heating (large areas that need to be welded). It is a process that is fused together by exposing the material to high frequency, small amplitude vibrations instead of using one). The material to be welded may have an area in which the material is wrapped to form a seam that is generally sandwiched between the fixed or movable anvil and the fixed or movable sonot load. Absent.

As mentioned in the background art, ultrasonic welding may be used to fuse metal parts, however, it is also commonly used to bond plastic workpieces. The word "plastic" is a stress / strain relationship in the mechanical field that transcends the material-specific point of deformation resulting in a permanent change in shape identifiable from the technical description of the "plastic" material. Can be mentioned. Plastic materials typically contain high molecular weight polymers and can be combined with other components to enhance the performance of the material for a particular application.

Plastic materials fall into one of two categories: thermoplastic (or thermosetting plastic) and thermosetting. Thermosetting polymers can take a particular shape once dissolved and then irreversibly cure. Conversely, thermoplastics may repeatedly soften or even melt after sufficient heating. Thermoplastic materials may be subdivided into amorphous thermoplastics and semi-crystalline thermoplastics based on the structure of the polymeric molecules that determine their melting and welding properties. Some examples of amorphous thermoplastics are acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylics, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polycarbonate (or Lexan ). Some examples of semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials are polyethylene plastic resin (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), and polyester (linear ester plastic). Amorphous thermoplastics do not have a pronounced melting point and therefore soften and become increasingly rubbery before liquefaction, and are less likely to sag or undergo molding shrinkage and gradually solidify. , Has a randomly ordered molecular structure. Conversely, semi-crystalline thermoplastics have different melting points and require high levels of thermal energy to destroy the crystal structure, such as melting. Semi-crystalline thermoplastic materials, unlike amorphous polymers, remain solid until their separate melting temperatures are reached, after which the material quickly dissolves and quickly solidifies.

Ultrasonic welding may be performed on similar materials, often on dissimilar materials, but forming molecular bonds on dissimilar materials generally requires chemical compatibility and melts. It means that the temperature is within about 40 degrees Celsius and that it has a similar molecular structure. Ultrasonic welding consists of mechanical vibrations that generate friction between workpiece materials, which creates heat that melts the contact areas between the workpieces, thereby forming homogeneous molecular bonds after cooling. The process requires that a controlled amount of pressure allow for vibrations that generate frictional heat, which is applied between the sonot load and anvil, which is the focus of the invention.

Anvils may be secured to suitable fixtures, while sonot roads (otherwise known as "horns" in related technology) are important in ultrasonic welders known as "stacks". Includes part of an array of equipment. The stack consists of a transducer (also known as a transducer, but the term often implies its use as a sensor / detector), a voluntary booster, and a sonot load. A converter is a device that converts one type of energy into another type of energy. Generally, the transducer in the stack is either a magnetostrictive transducer or a piezoelectric transducer. Magnetostrictive transducers use electric power to create an electromagnetic field that can also vibrate a magnetostrictive material. Using the piezoelectric transducers commonly used today, the supplied power is directly converted and efficiently converted by longitudinal vibration. Piezoelectric transducers consist of many piezoelectric ceramic discs that may be sandwiched between two metal blocks called front and back drivers. Between each disc is a thin metal plate that forms the electrodes. A sine-soid electrical signal-typically an AC line current of 50 or 60 Hz at 120-240 volts-is supplied to the generator or power source. The generator or power source then supplies the transducer or transducer with a high voltage signal, typically 15,000 to 70,000 hertz. Ceramic discs expand and contract, typically 12-25 μm, commonly used at frequencies of 20,000 or 35,000 hertz, but with the commonly used 15kHz to 70kHz frequency band, axis peak-to-peak. Brings the vibration movement of. Therefore, the transducer converts high frequency electrical energy into high frequency mechanical motion.

The booster, which is also used as the mounting point for the stack, is also used to properly change the amplitude of the vibration generated by the transducer before it is transmitted to the horn. The booster may reduce or increase the amplitude of vibration, such changes are known in the form of ratios as "gains". A one-to-three (1: 3.0) booster triples the amplitude of the vibration generated by the transducer, while a one-to-0.5 (1: 0.5) booster triples the amplitude of the vibration by two minutes. Decreases to 1. Gain differences may be required for different material types and types of work performed, so boosters may be replaced in the stack to change the gain to suit a particular operation. Good.

The horn is a specially designed part of the stack that supplies mechanical energy to the workpiece. The horn is generally made of aluminum, steel or titanium. Aluminum horns wear faster than titanium and steel horns, so they are most often used for small applications, but some horns are manufactured with a specially hardened tip to withstand local wear. Some are. Aluminum horns are also sometimes used when faster heat dissipation is required. In addition, multi-element synthetic horns may be used to weld the parts.

The length of the horn is an important aspect of its design. The horn may include a series of perforated openings (66) to ensure that the maximum vibration amplitude of the horn is longitudinal (away from the booster towards the workpiece and anvil). See Figure 13A). Similarly, the horn is a tuned component like a booster. Therefore, the wavelength of vibration and the length of the horn must be in harmony. In general, its length should be set to be close to an integral multiple of half the wavelength transmitted through the material of the horn. Thus, the horn may be half the wavelength, the full wavelength, or double the wavelength in length. This arrangement ensures that sufficient amplitude is transmitted to its tip, resulting in proper vibration in the form of expansion and contraction of the horn at the tip, which produces the frictional heat required to melt the workpiece. Guarantee. This amplitude is typically in the range of 30-120 μm for most horns.

The three elements of the stack-the transducer, the booster, and the sonot load-are all tuned to resonate at the same frequency (the ultrasonic frequency mentioned above). These fast, low-amplitude frequencies above the audible range, when applied to small weld areas, cause local melting of the thermoplastic material by absorbing seismic energy. The application of ultrasonic vibration may be a predetermined time known as welding time or a predetermined amount of energy known as welding energy. Typically, the welding process generally requires less than a second to fuse some of the two parts on the junction where sound energy is applied. Pressure is applied there by anvils supported by fixtures and through the use of a press to achieve proper transmission of vibrations from the horn through the workpiece.

Figures 10A and 10B show the transducers, boosters, presses, and ultrasonic welders (100) that utilize the sonot load / anvil arrangement of the present invention. The booster (30) is often a means of fixing the stack to the press (110), which is usually fixed to the flange or other part of the press (110). The transducer (10) may be mounted on one side of the booster (30), while the sonot load (horn) (50) is on the other side of the transducer so that it is close to the anvil (70). It may be attached to. The materials to be fused together may be positioned at the anvil (70). The pneumatic system in the press (110) translates the flanged stack downwards, thereby applying pressure through the material to the anvil (70), during which ultrasonic vibrations occur. Emitted by the transducer and resonates via the booster and sonot load.

FIG. 13 shows a first embodiment of the invention, in which the stack may be used to weld a linear pattern, transducer (10), booster (30), sonot load (50). , And anvil (70). The transducer (10) may consist of electrical connectors (11, 12, and 13). The transducer (10) may include a plane (15), with a cylindrical connecting means (16) protruding from the plane (15), which is used to attach the converter to the booster (30). , May be received at the corresponding cylindrical opening (31) in the plane (32) of the transducer (30). The booster (30) may have a flange (33) used to secure the booster to the press. To receive the corresponding cylindrical protrusion (51) of the horn (50), the booster may have a second plane (35) with a cylindrical opening (36) inside. Alternatively, the booster may have a cylindrical protrusion received by a cylindrical recess (51A), as can be seen with respect to the alternative sonot load (50A) in FIG. 21A. The cylindrical protrusion (51) of the horn (50) may protrude from a rectangular block having a length (53), a width (54), and a depth (55). The rectangular block transitions to a narrow rectangular block at a depth (55), which has a width (58), is of sufficient length (59), and has a truncated transition region (52). By including, a horn having a total length (57) is formed. The horn (50) may have a contact surface (56) with a width (58) and a length (53) designed for contact with the anvil (70).

The anvil (70) seen in Figure 14-20 is supported by a fixture and configured to be engaged by the surface (56) of the sonot load (50). The anvil (70) may consist of a mounting platform (71) having a width (72), a length (73), and a depth (74). The mounting platform (71) may be used to hold the anvil (70) on the mounting fixture. Protruding away from the mounting platform (71) may be a pedestal portion (75) that shares the same width (72) as the mounting platform, but the pedestal portion is the length (73) of the mounting platform (71). ) May have a length (76), which is shorter than) and approximately in the center of the length (73). The pedestal (75) may be narrowed by the amount of a pair of arcuate surfaces (77) to become an engaging surface (78).

As can be seen in the enlarged details of the engagement surface (78) in FIGS. 18 and 19 and the cut in FIG. 20, the engagement surface (78) of the anvil (70) includes a specially constructed joint surface. The joint surface is to receive the vibrations emitted by the sonot load (50) to create a narrow ultrasonic weld region that provides greater welding strength than is formed by two horizontal continuous engagement surfaces. It is designed. The engaging surface (78) includes several specially made energy directors (79), but is not an energy director in the simple sense as used in related techniques. The energy director in the prior art forms the workpiece itself-meaning the part to be ultrasonically welded-so that one part is flat and the other part is pointed (Fig. 23). ). In the case of the prior art energy director, one example is given by U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,216 to Ruppel, but the pointed workpiece provides a focus of vibration that produces frictional heat, and therefore 2 It provided a specific volume of melted material to join the two parts (Fig. 23A). In the present invention, the anvil and the anvil may include a plurality of specially constructed energy directors (79), the energy director (79) with a tuned three-dimensional lattice pattern (sonotrode and anvil). (Adjusted between), thereby selectively increasing the total surface area of the anvil, the pattern can distribute the vibration in a three-dimensional contact pattern of vibration-permeable contact with the sonot load. , And the workpiece may be minimally deformed during the engagement of the first horn and anvil (Fig. 22). Deformation is preferably limited to a small amount and may therefore be limited to stay within the elastic range of the material. As described below, the increase in contact surface area may depend on the width of the plateau surface used. The three-dimensional contact pattern may be confirmed by referring to FIGS. 19, 20, and 22.

As can be seen in FIG. 19, the energy directors (79) of the anvil (70) may be regularly spaced apart from each other. The energy directors (79) may preferably be spaced in a first direction parallel to the weld line and in a second direction away from the weld line or perpendicular to the weld line. May be similarly spaced, thereby forming a grid pattern. In the first embodiment, each of the energy directors (79) has a first cornered side surface (81), a second cornered side surface (82), a third cornered side surface (83), It may also include a plateau surface (80) that may be formed by a fourth angled side surface (84), which is a rectangular shape oriented at an angle of 45 degrees to the weld line. May include. At the intersection of adjacent sides (81) and (82) of the adjacent plateau surface (80), there may be a valley bottom or valley line (87) oriented at an angle of minus 45 degrees with respect to the weld line, which is adjacent. At the intersection of adjacent side surfaces (83) and (84) of the plateau surface (80) to be formed, there may be a valley line (88) oriented at an angle of plus 45 degrees with respect to the weld line.

The rectangular plateau surface (80) is very useful for engaging two different types of repetitive patterns with the sonot roads described below, however, the other, which naturally changes its side arrangement. Geometric plateau shapes may also be utilized. Similarly, as seen in FIG. 20A, the curved plateau surface (80A) may be used as an alternative with cut valleys or arcuate valleys (87A), but with a rectangular plateau. Each of the faces (80) may be generally flat.

In the first embodiment seen in FIG. 20, the energy director (79) of the anvil (70) may have an interval of about 0.020 inches between them, from the plateau surface (80) to the valley (87 or 87 or). It may have a depth of about 0.006 inches up to 88). The angled sides may each have a different angle θ for different structures, but in the first embodiment, the angled sides (81), (82), (83), and (84). Can be oriented so that the angle θ, when geometrically elucidated, is a 45 degree angle that yields a width of a plateau surface (80) of 0.008 inches. Since the dimensions of the energy director (79) do not have to be very large relative to the thickness of the material to be welded, the amount of deformation discussed earlier does not have to be enormous as well, and therefore the workpiece. It does not necessarily cause problems with tearing of the material, or even with plastic deformation.

As seen in Figures 21A-21E, the sonot load (50) may have a corresponding energy director, as well as the side surfaces (61, 62, 63, and 64), as well as the plateau surface (60). It may be included. The improved sonot load (50) and anvil (70) are larger than the conventional surface flat sonot road that contacts the flat surface anvil, and include the contact surface area between the corresponding plateau surfaces and valleys of the energy director. It may be constructed to have an engagement between the sonot load and the anvil. This increases the surface area of the contact, as can be seen from the engagement of the sonot load and anvil with the workpiece in Figure 22, thereby causing a slight elastic deformation before applying ultrasonic vibrations, resulting in 2 Provides more durable ultrasonic welding of two workpieces.

In one embodiment of the welding achieved between the sonot road and the anvil of the present invention, the alignment of the anvil and the sonot road, which is decisive in each case, is such that the plateau surface of the sonot road is relative to the plateau surface of the anvil. It consists of an energy director grid aligned so that it is in direct contact (Fig. 22B). This concentrates the seismic energy on the selected grid pattern so that when the workpiece is inserted between the sonot load and the anvil (Fig. 22A), ultrasonic welding is achieved faster and more efficiently throughout the weld. Will be done. The contact surface alignment method is preferably used for thicker workpieces and thinner non-foil applications.

In a second embodiment of welding of the present invention, which favors thinner workpieces, a dramatically improved weld resistance is achieved by using alignment between energy director grids, thereby sonot load. The sides of the plateau mesh with the sides of the anvil plateau (Fig. 22D) in a repeating three-dimensional pattern containing slight elastic deformation of the workpiece. When the workpiece is inserted between the sonot road and the anvil (Fig. 22C), a three-dimensional weld is provided. Three-dimensional welding exhibits significantly improved resistance over traditional ultrasonic welding. Depending on the length of the plateau surface used in both the anvil and the sonot load, the contact surface area may be greater or less than the contact surface area of the flat engaging surface of the prior art welder. Even if the contact surface area is somewhat smaller than the contact surface area of the flat engagement surface of the prior art, welding with increased resistance is provided. However, when a relatively small plateau surface, perhaps somewhat smaller than the plateau surface illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 22D, is used, the contact surface area is significantly higher, thus serving to further reduce welding time. It may also serve to further improve the quality / resistance of the weld. A limited case is when the plateau length approaches zero, resulting in an essentially meshed pyramid shape, with a 45 degree tilted side surface area increase of about 41.4% (pyramid surface area formula). Will result in 1/2 x outer circumference x [horizontal length] x [base area]). Another means of describing and / or visualizing the energy director grid of the present invention is as a pyramidal pedestal, as seen in Figures 19-20 and 2IE.

The horn (50E) is located around the central plane of the horn, as the alignment of the anvil and sonot load in the meshing and alignment method is essential to achieve the results provided herein. It is preferably designed to include a flange (65). The flange (65) may allow the horn to be mounted in close proximity to the contact surface (56) rather than relying solely on mounting connections with the booster or with the booster and transducer. The need for this type of flanged horn to help with alignment is quite obvious when welding very thin materials.

FIG. 24 shows a complex, non-linear weld on a pouch to form a non-straight ultrasonic weld to form a linear weld in the form of an elongated weld with a rectangular outer surface. It demonstrates the use of ultrasonic roads (50B) and anvils (70B) utilizing the energy directors of the present invention to form welded shapes and seal pouches. Figure 25 shows an anvil (70D) that can be used in the formation of yet another complex curved weld. These non-linear anvil / sonot load combinations are complex, irregularly shaped materials rather than the simple, linear welds commonly used in potato chip packaging, etc., available on most vending machines. May be used to weld. The combination of these anvil / horn energy director grids allows the welding of materials that produce resistant three-dimensional shapes.

Finally, FIG. 26 shows an alternative "double lane" horn (50C) with a first lane (50Ci) and a second lane (50Cii). The double lane horn (50C) also accommodates a blade that achieves ultrasonic welding according to the invention and cuts the center of the welded material along the weld line after the weld is complete, the blades between the lanes. It is the lowest position in the valley.

The examples and descriptions provided merely represent preferred embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art and those who have the benefit of the present disclosure will recognize that further embodiments may be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the present invention. Other improvements, substitutions, in the design, size, material, or proportion of elements or members of the preferred embodiment, operating conditions, assembly sequence, or arrangement or positioning, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It may be omitted and changed.