Ultrasonic weld location mask and method of use

• US 4,757,933 A
• Filed: 04/03/1987
• Issued: 07/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Technology Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: American Technology Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Patrikios, Michael, Hawkins, Rodney H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Godici, Nicholas P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seidel, Richard K.
• Application Number:
  US07/033,810
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 228/1.1, 228/49.1, 228/110, 228/212, 29/701, 156/73.1, 156/580.1
• US Class Current: 228/110.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/10 making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/04 for holding or positioning work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53004 with means to regulate operation by use of templet, tape, card or other replaceable information supply

Abstract

Apparatus for the automated feeding, placement and ultrasonic welding of a metal disc, such as a copper heatsink, to a recipient workpiece. A metal disc is automatically fed through the broader end of a chamfered bore cut in a weld location mask. The metal disc is gravity-fed to the narrower end of the bore as the weld location mask is automatically positioned over a recipient workpiece. An ultrasonic welding tip is inserted through the bore to hold the metal disc against the recipient workpiece. Welding of the disc to the recipient workpiece is accomplished by ultrasonically vibrating the tip.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatic placement and ultrasonic welding of a metal workpiece to a recipient metal backing, comprising:

weld location mask means having a totally bounded aperture of finite dimension extending therethrough for positioning and laterally confining the metal workpiece against the recipient metal backing;

said mask means having means to guide said metal workpiece into said aperture and to position the metal workpiece at a predetermined location on the recipient metal backing; and

means for inserting an ultrasonic welding tip through one end of said aperture to hold and weld said disc to said metal backing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises:

a chamfered surface about one end of said aperture for receiving said metal workpiece, said chamfered surface being disposed so as to slope outwards towards the one end of said aperture; and

the unchamfered portion of the aperture being the approximate size and shape of the metal workiece whereby said metal workpiece is laterally confined and positioned against the recipient metal backing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including automatic placement means for positioning said mask against said recipient metal backing.

4. The process for placing and ultrasonically welding a metal article to a recipient metal backing, comprising the steps of:

positioning a weld location mask with a totally bounded bore of finite dimension extending therethrough against the recipient metal backing;

guiding the metal article into the bore of said mask;

confining the metal article laterally in said bore;

positioning the metal article at a predetermined location on the recipient metal backing;

inserting an ultrasonic welding tip through one end of said bore of said weld location mask;

holding said metal article against said recipient metal backing with said ultrasonic welding tip; and

welding said metal article to said recipient metal backing by ultrasonically vibrating said ultrasonic welding tip.

5. The process of claim 4 including the steps of:

providing the bore with a chamfered end and an opposite unchamfered end;

positioning said welding mask so that the unchamfered end is against the recipient metal backing;

guiding the metal article into the chamfered end of said bore; and

confining the metal article in the unchamfered end of the bore.

6. The process of claim 5 including the step of automatically positioning said mask on said recipient metal backing.

7. The process of claim 5 including the step of inserting said welding tip into the chamfered end of said bore to contact said metal article disposed on the unchamfered end of the bore.