The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 16, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2001
Thomas David Ehlert, Neenah, WI (US);
Patrick Sean McNichols, Hortonville, WI (US);
Barton Andrew Laughlin, Hortonville, WI (US);
Harold Norbert Heller, Menasha, WI (US);
Timothy James Blenke, Neenah, WI (US);
Tauhid Husain, New Milford, CT (US);
Paul Gordon Klemp, Hortonville, WI (US);
John Ford Condron, Neenah, WI (US);
Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);
Abstract
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 ( ).