Apparatus for forming a metallic container
First Claim
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 sonotrode having a friction surface, the sonotrode being movable 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, anda motor for vibrating the sonotrode relative to the support assembly when situated in the engaged position to move the lid portion relative to the body portion such that frictional heat generated from the vibrational motion welds 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, 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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of forming a metallic container by placing body and lid portions together, keeping parts of the body and lid portions in contact with one another, and vibrating the lid with respect to the body, thereby generating frictional heat to form a friction metallic weld therebetween. Apparatus for attaching the lid and body portions of the metallic container includes a body supporting base, an assembly to support a flange of the body, a sonotrode to contact a flange of the lid so that wherein the flanges of the lid and body are held together between the support assembly and the sonotrode. A motor vibrates the sonotrode relative to the support assembly to thereby move the flanges relative to one another generating sufficient frictional heat to create a friction metallic weld therebetween.
-
Citations
28 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 sonotrode having a friction surface, the sonotrode being movable 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, and a motor for vibrating the sonotrode relative to the support assembly when situated in the engaged position to move the lid portion relative to the body portion such that frictional heat generated from the vibrational motion welds 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, 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, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An apparatus for attaching a lid portion of a container to a body portion of the container, the container body portion having a longitudinal axis and including an obliquely angled flange concentric with respect to the axis and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the lid portion including an obliquely angled 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 configured to engage the obliquely angled flange outer surface of the 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 container, and an engaged position where the friction surface engages the obliquely angled flange outer surface of the container lid portion so that the inner surface of the obliquely angled flange of the container lid portion contacts the inner surface of the obliquely angled flange of the container body portion, and a motor coupled to the sonotrode and configured to vibrate the sonotrode relative to the support assembly when situated in the engaged position, to move the lid portion relative to the body portion such that frictional heat generated from the vibrational motion welds together portions of the inner surface of the obliquely angled flange of the container lid portion and the inner surface of the obliquely angled flange of the container body portion, 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 (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification