Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc.

Tauhid Husain

Thomas David Ehlert

Patrick Sean McNichols

Timothy James Blenke

Harold Norbert Heller

Barton Andrew Laughlin

Paul Gordon Klemp

John Ford Condron

Norman Rudolf Stegelmann

Daniel Edward Wallander

A method and apparatus ( ) for ultrasonic bonding or other processing can include a rotatable ultrasonic horn member ( ) and a rotatable axle member ( ). The axle member is operatively joined to the horn member ( ), and can provide a node plane ( ). An isolation member ( ) can be operatively joined to the axle member ( ), and may have a location that is operatively proximate the node plane ( ) of the axle member ( ). In a particular aspect, the isolation member ( ) can exhibit high rigidity. In a further feature, the isolation member ( ) is capable of bending under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies to provide an operative component of motion along a radial direction ( ), and an operative component of motion along an axial direction ( ) of the isolation member.

Rigid isolation of rotary ultrasonic horn

An ultrasonic processing method and apparatus ( ) can include a rotatable, ultrasonic horn member ( ) that is operatively joined to an isolation member ( ) which has high rigidity. Additionally, a rotatable anvil member ( ) can be cooperatively positioned to provide a selected horn-anvil gap ( ) between the anvil member ( ) and the horn member ( ). A transfer device ( ) can be configured to selectively adjust the horn-anvil gap ( ), and an automated drive ( ) can be operatively connected to the transfer device ( ) to selectively modify the horn-anvil gap ( ). A force sensor ( ) can be configured to detect a gap force at the horn-anvil gap ( ), and an electronic processor ( ) can be configured to employ an output from the force sensor ( ) to monitor the gap force, and provide a drive signal to the automated drive ( ) to thereby adjust the horn-anvil gap ( ).

Control of processing force and process gap in rigid rotary ultrasonic systems

A method and apparatus ( ) for ultrasonic bonding or other processing can include a rotatable ultrasonic horn member ( ) having a first axial side ( ) and a second axial side ( ). The first axial side ( ) of the horn member ( ) can be operatively joined to a first rotatable axle member ( ), and the first axle member ( ) can be operatively joined to a first isolation member ( ). The second axial side ( ) of the horn member ( ) can be operatively joined to a second rotatable axle member ( ), and the second axle member ( ) can be operatively joined to a second isolation member ( ). The isolation members ( ) are capable of bending under a horn-life range of sonic frequencies to provide an operative component of motion along a radial direction ( ) of each isolation member ( ), and an operative component of motion along an axial direction ( ) of each isolation member.

Rotary ultrasonic bonder or processor capable of fixed gap operation

An ultrasonic processing method and apparatus ( ) can include a rotatable, ultrasonic horn member ( ) that is operatively joined to an isolation member ( ) which has high rigidity. A rotatable anvil member ( ) can be cooperatively positioned to provide a selected horn-anvil gap ( ), and an automated drive ( ) can be connected to an actuator ( ), or other transfer device, to automatically adjust the horn-anvil gap ( ). An electronic processor ( ) can be configured to monitor an intermittent gap force detected from an output provided by a force sensor ( ), and can provide a drive signal to the automated drive ( ) to thereby adjust the horn-anvil gap ( ) to operatively maintain a target, gap force value.

Rotary ultrasonic bonder or processor capable of high speed intermittent processing

A ultrasonic processing method and apparatus ( ), can include a rotatable, ultrasonic horn member ( ) operatively joined to a first isolation member ( ) and a second isolation member ( ). In a particular aspect, the first and second isolation members ( ) can exhibit high rigidity. A rotatable anvil member ( ) can be cooperatively positioned to provide a selected horn-anvil gap ( ), and the anvil member ( ) can be located in a horizontally offset and vertically overlapping arrangement relative to the horn member ( ). An actuator ( ) or other transfer device can selectively adjust the horn-anvil gap ( ). Additionally, an ultrasonic exciter ( ) can connect to the horn member ( ), and can provide an operative amount of ultrasonic energy to the horn member ( ).

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New Milford, CT, United States of America

Tauhid Husain