Method and apparatus for forming a metallic container

• US 20070137019A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Sonic Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: IP Technologies Holding LLC
• Inventors: Williamson, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/525
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 51/26 cans or tins; Closing same in a permanent manner making outlet arrangements B21D51/38; welding or soldering B23K
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/106 Features related to sonotrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/125 Cans
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49936 Surface interlocking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49945 by driven force fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53322 Means to assemble container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53961 with work-holder for assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53978 including means to relatively position plural work parts

Abstract

A method of forming a metallic container includes the steps of providing body and lid portions, placing the body and lid portions together, keeping portions of the body and lid portions in contact with one another, and reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion, thereby generating frictional heat and forming a friction weld therebetween. An apparatus for attaching the lid and body portions of a metallic container includes a base to support the body, a support assembly to support a flange of the body, and a sonitrode for contacting a flange of the lid, wherein the flanges of the lid and body are held together between the support assembly and the sonitrode. A motor reciprocally rotates the sonitrode relative to the support assembly, thereby moving the flanges relative one another to generate frictional heat and create a friction weld therebetween.

Claims

1. An apparatus for attaching a lid portion of a metallic container to a body portion of the container, the container body portion including a flange having an inner surface and an outer surface, the apparatus comprising:

a base, and a support assembly movable relative to the base, the support assembly including a support surface for engaging the flange outer surface of the metallic container body portion,

a sonitrode movable relative to the base, and a motor for reciprocally rotating the sonitrode relative to the support assembly, the sonitrode having a friction surface moveable linearly relative to the base between a retracted position, wherein the friction surface is spaced from the metallic container, and an engaged position, wherein the friction surface engages the lid portion to maintain contact of the lid portion and the flange inner surface of the metallic container in conjunction with the support assembly engaging the flange outer surface, the sonitrode being reciprocally rotated in the engaged position by the motor relative to the support assembly to move the lid portion relative to the body portion such that frictional heat generated from the reciprocal rotational motion welds together the lid portion and the flange of the metallic container body.

2. An apparatus for attaching a lid portion to a body portion of a metallic container comprising:

a base adapted to support the body portion of the metallic container when placed thereon;

a support assembly, movable relative to the base, and including a support surface adapted to support an outer surface of a flange of the body of the metallic container;

a reciprocally rotatable sonitrode, including a friction surface and being moveable linearly, along a longitudinal axis, relative to the support assembly between a retracted position, and an engaged position, such that when the lid portion is placed onto the body portion of the metallic container, and the support assembly engages the outer surface of the flange of the body portion of the metallic container, and the sonitrode is moved to the engaged position, portions of the lid and the body of the metallic container are held in contact with one another between the support surface of the support assembly and the friction surface of the sonitrode;

a motor adapted to reciprocally rotate the sonitrode relative to the support assembly, thereby moving the lid portion of the metallic container relative to the body portion of the metallic container such that frictional heat generated from the reciprocal relative motion creates a friction weld between the lid portion and the body portion of the metallic container.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the motor is adapted to reciprocally rotate the sonitrode at a rate of between 15 KHz and 25 KHz.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further including an actuator for advancing and retracting the sonitrode between the engaged position and the retracted position, wherein when the sonitrode is moved to the engaged position, the actuator moves the sonitrode downward such that the sonitrode exerts a downward force to hold portions of the lid portion and the body portion of the metallic container in contact with one another between the support surface of the support assembly and the friction surface of the sonitrode, the actuator being adapted to provide a downward force between approximately 1300 N and approximately 7200 N.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support assembly includes a frame, and a clamshell anvil, the clamshell anvil comprising two halves that are pivotally mounted onto opposing portions of the frame for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, and springs biasing the two halves of the clamshell anvil to the open position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sonitrode is supported on a shaft, the shaft having a cammed outer surface, portions of the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engaging the cammed outer surface, such that when the sonitrode is in the retracted position, the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engage the shaft at a point where the shaft allows the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the open position, and when the shaft and the sonitrode begin to move downward, the cammed outer surface of the shaft forces the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the closed position wherein the support surface engages the flange of the body portion of the metallic container.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cammed outer surface of the shaft is shaped such that the clamshell anvil halves are forced to pivot to the closed position prior to the sonitrode reaching the engaged position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the clamshell anvil halves includes a stop extending from an inner surface of the clamshell anvil half, positioned vertically above the support surface, such that when the sonitrode retracts from the lid portion of the metallic container after welding, if the lid portion sticks to the friction surface of the sonitrode, the stop will contact the lid portion, thereby holding the metallic container down as the sonitrode retracts upward.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support surface of the support assembly has a textured surface such that the support surface will frictionally engage the outer surface of the flange portion of the body of the metallic container to prevent sliding movement of the flange of the body portion relative to the support assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the friction surface of the sonitrode has a textured surface such that the friction surface will frictionally engage the lid portion of the metallic container to prevent sliding movement of the lid relative to the sonitrode.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the support surface of the support assembly and the friction surface of the sonitrode has a knurled pattern formed therein.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the knurled pattern comprises a triangular knurl pattern.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the support surface and the friction surface are grit blasted.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of the support surface and the friction surface each have a raised ridge in a serpentine pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an interior surface of the body portion and the lid portion of the metallic container include a coating applied thereto, wherein when the sonitrode is moved to the engaged position, the sonitrode exerts a downward force to hold portions of the lid portion and the body portion of the metallic container in contact with one another between the support surface of the support assembly and the friction surface of the sonitrode, the downward force of the sonitrode and the frequency of reciprocal rotation of the sonitrode being such that the frictional heat generated from the reciprocal relative motion between the lid portion and the body portion is sufficient to create a friction weld between the lid portion and the body portion of the metallic container.

16. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the friction surface of the sonitrode and the support surface of the support assembly are angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, along which the sonitrode moves.

17. A method of forming a metallic container comprising:

providing a pre-formed body portion;

providing a pre-formed lid portion;

placing the lid portion onto the body portion and applying a force to keep portions of the lid portion and the body portion held in contact with one another;

reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion, thereby generating frictional heat between the lid portion and the body portion such that a friction weld is formed therebetween.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of

providing the pre-formed body portion with a generally cylindrically shape open at one end, the open end having an angled flange extending circumferentially therearound,

providing the pre-formed lid portion with a generally disk shape including an angled flange extending circumferentially therearound, the angle of the flange on the body portion being approximately equal to the angle of the flange on the lid portion.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of placing the lid portion onto the body portion and applying a force to keep portions of the lid portion and the body portion held in contact with one another includes

placing the lid portion onto the body portion such that an inner surface of the flange of the lid portion contacts an inner surface of the flange on the body portion and

applying a force to keep the inner surface of the flange on the lid portion held in contact with the inner surface of the flange on the body portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of applying a force to keep the inner surface of the flange on the lid portion held in contact with the inner surface of the flange on the body portion includes applying a force of between approximately 1800 N and 2700 N.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said step of reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion includes reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion at a rate between 15 KHz and 25 KHz.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps of placing the lid portion onto the body portion and applying a force to keep portions of the lid portion and the body portion held in contact with one another includes the step of:

supporting the pre-formed body portion on a support assembly while contacting the lid portion with a sonitrode that is movable with respect to the support assembly.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of moving the sonitrode into engagement with the lid portion with a force of approximately 2250 N.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion comprises the step of activating a motor coupled to the sonitrode such that the motor reciprocally rotates the sonitrode at a frequency of approximately 25 KHz relative to the support assembly.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of contacting the lid portion with a sonitrode that is movable with respect to the support assembly comprising the steps of:

moving the sonitrode into an initial engagement a first downward force, such that the motor reciprocally rotates the sonitrode at a first frequency for a predetermined amount of time; and

increasing the downward force to a second downward force, larger than the first downward force, and increasing the rate of reciprocal rotation of the sonitrode to a second rate, larger than the first rate, after the predetermined amount of time has passed; and

holding the sonitrode in the engaged position, at the second downward force, and maintaining the reciprocal rotation of the sonitrode, at the second frequency for a second predetermined amount of time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of moving the sonitrode into an initial engagement a first downward force, such that the motor reciprocally rotates the sonitrode at a first frequency for a predetermined amount of time includes the step of wiping out any coating material on confronting surfaces of the body portion and lid portion to expose a weld zone.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said steps of increasing the downward force to a second downward force, larger than the first downward force, and increasing the rate of reciprocal rotation of the sonitrode to a second rate, larger than the first rate, after the predetermined amount of time has passed;

includes the step of;

maintaining the reciprocal rotation of the sonitrode, at the second frequency until a friction weld has been formed in the weld zone.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the first frequency and the first downward pressure are between approximately sixty percent and approximately seventy percent of the second frequency and the second downward pressure.