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:
Mar. 18, 2014
Filed:
May. 18, 2012
Wayne W. Cai, Troy, MI (US);
Jeffrey A. Abell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Xiaochun LI, Madison, WI (US);
Hang LI, Madison, WI (US);
Hongseok Choi, Madison, WI (US);
Jingzhou Zhao, Madison, WI (US);
Wayne W. Cai, Troy, MI (US);
Jeffrey A. Abell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Xiaochun Li, Madison, WI (US);
Hang Li, Madison, WI (US);
Hongseok Choi, Madison, WI (US);
Jingzhou Zhao, Madison, WI (US);
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US);
Abstract
A vibration welding system includes an anvil, a welding horn, a thin film sensor, and a process controller. The anvil and horn include working surfaces that contact a work piece during the welding process. The sensor measures a control value at the working surface. The measured control value is transmitted to the controller, which controls the system in part using the measured control value. The thin film sensor may include a plurality of thermopiles and thermocouples which collectively measure temperature and heat flux at the working surface. A method includes providing a welder device with a slot adjacent to a working surface of the welder device, inserting the thin film sensor into the slot, and using the sensor to measure a control value at the working surface. A process controller then controls the vibration welding system in part using the measured control value.