Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-28
2001-04-17
Sells, James (Department: 1734)
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
C156S580200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217686
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound welding component for welding an ultrasound weldable material into a loop and more particularly for welding an ultrasound transmitting material into a loop shaped ultrasound transducer.
2. Description of Related Art
Ultrasound welding refers to the technique of using sonic or ultrasonic vibrations to form a weld between ultrasound weldable materials. A typical ultrasound welding system includes an ultrasound welding tool for producing the sonic or ultrasonic vibrations and a surface where the ultrasound weldable materials are positioned. In operation of the system, the ultrasound welding tool is used to compress the ultrasound weldable materials against the surface. This compression generally results in formation of an ultrasound weld between the sections of ultrasound weldable material which were compressed against the surface.
There is a need for improved methods and components for performing ultrasound welding.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an ultrasound welding component. One embodiment of the component includes a weld region about which an ultrasound weldable material may be wrapped. The weld region includes a weld zone consisting of recesses positioned on opposing sides of a weld area. The recesses and weld area have widths selected such that an ultrasound source compressing overlapping sections of the ultrasound weldable material against the weld area forms a weld having a width which is narrower than a slim of the widths of the recesses and the weld area. The component also includes a mechanism which immobilizes the ultrasound weldable material relative to the weld zone.
The invention also relates to an ultrasound welding apparatus. The ultrasound welding apparatus includes an ultrasound welding component with a weld region about which an ultrasound weldable material may be wrapped. The weld region includes a weld zone consisting of recesses positioned on opposing sides of a weld area. The recesses and weld area each have widths selected such that an ultrasound source compressing overlapping sections of the ultrasound weldable material against the weld area forms a weld having a width which is narrower than a sum of the widths of the recesses and the weld area. The welding component also includes a mechanism which immobilizes the ultrasound weldable material relative to the weld zone. The ultrasound welding apparatus further includes an ultrasound source positionable opposite the weld area.
The invention also relates to a method for forming a weld in an ultrasound weldable material. The method includes providing a welding component having a weld region with a weld zone consisting of recesses positioned on opposing sides of a weld area. The method also includes wrapping the ultrasound weldable material around the weld region with sections of the ultrasound weldable material overlapping one another adjacent to the weld area and contacting the overlapping sections of the ultrasound weldable material with an ultrasound source.
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Kelley, III Andrew
Lee Peter T.
Sells James
Virtual Ink Corp.
Weitz David J.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
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