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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 14, 2014

Filed:

Oct. 29, 2013
Applicant:

GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);

Inventors:

John Patrick Spicer, Plymouth, MI (US);

Debejyo Chakraborty, Novi, MI (US);

Michael Anthony Wincek, Rochester, MI (US);

Hui Wang, Highland, MI (US);

Jeffrey A. Abell, Rochester Hills, MI (US);

Jennifer Bracey, Holly, MI (US);

Wayne W. Cai, Troy, MI (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B32B 37/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/08 (2006.01); B06B 3/00 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B32B 37/00 (2013.01); B29C 65/08 (2013.01); B06B 3/00 (2013.01); B29C 66/90 (2013.01); B29C 66/9121 (2013.01);
Abstract

A vibration welding system includes vibration welding equipment having a welding horn and anvil, a host device, a check station, and a robot. The robot moves the horn and anvil via an arm to the check station. Sensors, e.g., temperature sensors, are positioned with respect to the welding equipment. Additional sensors are positioned with respect to the check station, including a pressure-sensitive array. The host device, which monitors a condition of the welding equipment, measures signals via the sensors positioned with respect to the welding equipment when the horn is actively forming a weld. The robot moves the horn and anvil to the check station, activates the check station sensors at the check station, and determines a condition of the welding equipment by processing the received signals. Acoustic, force, temperature, displacement, amplitude, and/or attitude/gyroscopic sensors may be used.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…