Ultrasonic welding structure

Details Ultrasonic welding structure Ultrasonic welding structure

1999-09-29

2001-11-06

Nguyen, Chau N. (Department: 2831)

Electricity: conductors and insulators

Conduits, cables or conductors

Combined

C174S092000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06313407

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic welding structure obtained by oscillating a plurality of welding members with ultrasonic waves.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an earlier ultrasonic welding structure attained by oscillating objects with ultrasonic waves, there is known an ultrasonic welding structure of covered wires in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-320651 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,784).
In order to complete the above welding structure, a pair of covered wires are firstly arranged so as to intersect each other and thereafter, their resultant overlapping parts are interposed between an upper resin chip and a lower resin chip. While pressurizing the upper and lower chips from both sides thereof, the assembled chips interposing the covered wires therebetween are subjected to the ultrasonic oscillation in order to melt insulating covers of the wires at the intersection. After the covered wires have been electrically connected with each other at the intersection, the upper and lower resin chips are molten into one body to seal up the connection of the wires, thereby completing the connecting structure. Note, in order to interpose the covered wires stably, the lower resin chip is provided with recesses each having a waterproof groove, while the upper resin chip is provided with projections each having another waterproof groove, for respective engagement with the recesses. When assembling the upper resin chip to the lower resin chip for the ultrasonic oscillation, then both of waterproof grooves are integrated into one groove in which the molten cover of the wires is to be received, providing a waterproof sealing part of the connecting structure.
In the above-mentioned prior art, an ultrasonic horn is generally used for the ultrasonic waves for melting the covers of the wires and integrating the upper and lower resin chips. Meanwhile, in view of ensuring a welding fever, the ultrasonic oscillation is generally established in a manner that the oscillating direction of ultrasonic waves from the horn is perpendicularly to the objects' surfaces to be welded. Therefore, in the above connecting structure, a bottom face of each recess of the lower resin chip can be welded to a top surface of each projection of the upper resin tip owing to the adoption of the above relationship.
In the above-mentioned chips, however, opposing sidewalls defining each recess of the lower resin chip cannot be perfectly welded to opposing sidewalls defining each projection of the upper resin chip respectively since these sidewalls are all parallel with the oscillating direction of ultrasonic waves, which parallel relationship cannot provide a sufficient frictional welding fever between the upper and lower resin chips. Therefore, the resultant connecting structure is provided with perfect welded portions and imperfect welded portions in mix, which is far from the waterproof connecting structure. In other words, it means that, when ultrasonic-welding such objects having stepped portions as above, it is necessary to carry out the ultrasonic oscillating for several times in order to complete the waterproof structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic welding structure which requires only one time ultrasonic oscillating in order to provide perfect welded portions in such objects having stepped portions.
The above-mentioned objects can be solved by providing an ultrasonic welding structure, comprising a pair of welding members to be welded to each other by oscillating the welding members by ultrasonic waves, the welding members being made of materials both soluble by this ultrasonic oscillation and having respective stepped welding surfaces to be welded to each other by the ultrasonic oscillation, wherein the welding members are adapted so that the stepped welding surfaces each inclines toward an amplitude direction of the ultrasonic waves at an angle.
Owing to the inclination of the stepped welding surfaces, they can form areas of projection with respect to the amplitude direction, so that the welding heat is generated on the welding surfaces. Consequently, the welding members can be certainly welded to each other by the ultrasonic oscillation in one execution.
The stepped welding surfaces each may have an unevenness toward the amplitude direction of the ultrasonic waves, and the unevenness are defined by sidewalls each inclining toward the amplitude direction of the ultrasonic waves.
In this case, since the uneven sidewalls are inclined to the amplitude direction of the ultrasonic waves, it is possible to weld the sidewalls to each other. Additionally, owing to the provision of unevenness on the welding members, it is possible to improve the assembling capability of the members before the ultrasonic oscillation.
In the above-mentioned ultrasonic welding structure, the sidewalls may be constituted by curved surfaces.
In this case, since the uneven sidewalls are curved, respective surfaces forming the sidewalls are inclined to the amplitude direction of the ultrasonic waves. Further, since the curved faces are welded to each other, it is possible to increase the welding area thereby improving the welding strength of the resultant structure.
In the above-mentioned ultrasonic welding structure, the welding members ma be made of synthetic resin.
In this case, it is possible to weld the welding members in a condition that a melting temperature by the ultrasonic oscillation is relatively low, improving the welding efficiency.
The above-mentioned ultrasonic welding structure further may have a plurality of covered wires each covered with synthetic resin, wherein the covered wires are overlapped with each other at a designated intersection and pinched between the welding members, and each of the covered wires is led out of the designated intersection is interposed between a recess formed on one of the welding members and a projection formed on the other welding member, for engagement with the recess.
In this case, by once executing the ultrasonic oscillation from one direction, it is possible to mutually weld the members' portions pinching the designated intersection and the members' portions pinching the covered wires led out of the designated intersection simultaneously. At the intersection, insulating covers of the wires are molten to electrically connect both conductors with each other. In this way, it is possible to form the welding structure where the covered wires are connected and retained complexly, with ease.
In the above-mentioned ultrasonic welding structure, the recess and the projection may be respectively provided with wire-accommodation recesses each of which encompasses the covered wire when the welding members are welded to each other.
In this case, it is possible to weld the welding members to each other while the covered wire is encompassed by the recess and the projection.
In the above-mentioned ultrasonic welding structure, the wire-accommodation recesses each may have a waterproof groove formed so as to surround the covered wire, for receiving molten synthetic resin of the covered wire.
In this case, since the waterproof groove is filled up with the molten synthetic resin of the covered wire, the wire-accommodation recesses allow the covered wire to be retained in a water-tight manner, whereby it is possible to prevent water from sinking between the welding members certainly.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompany drawing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3666602 (1972-05-01), Obeda
patent: 3973064 (1976-08-01), Paine
patent: 5869784 (1999-02-01), Shinchi
patent: 5997340 (1999-12-01), Ito et al.
patent: 0838883 (1998-04-01), None
patent: 2143603 (1985-02-01), None
patent: 09-320651 (1997-12-01), None
UK Search Report, Jan. 1, 2000.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Ultrasonic welding structure does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Ultrasonic welding structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ultrasonic welding structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2618060