Damping and isolating vibration during ultrasonic welding

• US 9,475,232 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2015
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wisk Aero LLC
• Original Assignee: Zee.Aero Inc.
• Inventors: Melack, John, Muniz, Thomas Paul, Brey, Colin Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Orlando, Michael N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoover, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US14/795,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20160151966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/10 making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7841 Holding or clamping means for handling purposes clamping means for the purpose of applying pressure on the parts to be joined, in the area to be joined B29C66/81; work holders in general B25B; devices for holding or positioning work for welding metal B23K37/04
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/006 Preventing damaging, e.g. of the parts to be joined B29C66/003, B29C66/004, B29C66/348 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/742 to metals or their alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/87 Auxiliary operations or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0091 Damping, energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3468 Batteries, accumulators or fuel cells battery cases B29L2031/7146

Abstract

A vibration isolating apparatus damps and isolates vibration generated by an ultrasonic welding machine during ultrasonic welding of components. The vibration isolating apparatus prevents vibration propagation into components and system assemblies that are not intended to be welded thereby preventing unwanted damage to the components and system assemblies.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic welding system comprising:

a vibration isolating apparatus including;

a rigid plate comprising a first plurality of cutouts; and

a damper comprising a second plurality of cutouts;

wherein the damper is positioned on an object including a plurality of metal pads, and each of the plurality of metal pads and at least a portion of each of a plurality of cell tabs of a battery are located within one of the second plurality of cutouts of the damper while the viscoelastic damper is on the circuit board;

wherein the rigid plate is fastened to the damper such that each of the first plurality of cutouts is aligned with one of the second plurality of cutouts while the rigid plate is fastened to the damper; and

wherein a vibration of a welding horn of an ultrasonic welding machine creates a weld between a metal pad and a cell tab located within the one of the second plurality of cutouts.

2. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the damper is made of viscoelastic material.

3. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of cutouts of the rigid plate have a substantially same size and shape as the second plurality of cutouts of the damper.

4. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 3, wherein the first plurality of cutouts of the rigid plate and the second plurality of cutouts of the damper are elliptical in shape.

5. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 3, wherein the size of the first plurality of cutouts of the rigid plate and the second plurality of cutouts of the damper are based on a size of the components requiring welding.

6. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the damper further includes one or more compression holes located along a centerline of the damper.

7. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate further comprises a plurality of mounting holes located along edges of the rigid plate.

8. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate is plastic.

9. The ultrasonic welding system of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate is metal and the rigid plate is covered by an electrical insulator.

14. A method comprising:

providing the ultrasonic welding system of claim 1;

creating the weld between the metal pad and the cell tab located within the one of the second plurality of cutouts.

10. A vibration isolating apparatus comprising:

a rigid mount configured to attach to a ultrasonic welding horn of an ultrasonic welding machine, the rigid mount including an opening; and

a damper including an opening, the damper coupled to the opening of the rigid mount;

wherein the opening of the damper is configured to surround a component requiring welding.

11. The vibration isolating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the damper is made of viscoelastic material.

12. The vibration isolating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the opening of the rigid mount has a substantially same shape and size as the opening of the viscoelastic damper.

13. The vibration isolating apparatus of claim 10, wherein the size of the opening of the rigid mount and the opening of the viscoelastic damper are based on a size of the component requiring welding.