Apparatus for forming a metallic container
First Claim
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1. 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 sonotrode, 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 sonotrode 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 sonotrode; and
a motor adapted to reciprocally rotate the sonotrode 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,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, andwherein the sonotrode 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 sonotrode 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 sonotrode 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.
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Abstract
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 sonotrode for contacting a flange of the lid, wherein the flanges of the lid and body are held together between the support assembly and the sonotrode. A motor reciprocally rotates the sonotrode relative to the support assembly, thereby moving the flanges relative one another to generate frictional heat and create a friction weld therebetween.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for attaching a lid portion to a body portion of a metallic container comprising:
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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 sonotrode, 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 sonotrode 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 sonotrode; and a motor adapted to reciprocally rotate the sonotrode 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, 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, and wherein the sonotrode 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 sonotrode 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 sonotrode 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. 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:
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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 sonotrode having a friction surface, the sonotrode being movable relative to the base between a retracted position where the friction surface is spaced from the metallic container, and an engaged position where the friction surface frictionally engages the lid portion of the metallic container in order to prevent sliding movement of the lid relative to the sonotrode, and a motor coupled to the sonotrode and adapted to reciprocally rotate at a frequency around a longitudinal axis of the metallic container, and movable relative to the support assembly to situate the sonotrode in the engaged position to move the lid portion relative to the body portion such that frictional heat generated from the reciprocal rotation is capable of welding together the lid portion and the flange of the metallic container body, 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, and wherein the sonotrode is supported on a shaft, the shaft having a cammed outer surface, when the sonotrode is in the retracted position, portions of the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engages the shaft at a point to allow the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the open position, and when the shaft and the sonotrode move to the engaged position, said portions of the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engage the shaft at a different point to allow the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the closed position where the support surface of the support assembly engages the flange of the body portion of the metallic container. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification