JP7816082B2 - Ultrasonic Vibration Device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an ultrasonic vibration device.

Patent Document 1 describes an ultrasonic vibration device that includes an ultrasonically vibrating tip and an anvil that faces the tip. This ultrasonic vibration device clamps the workpiece by applying pressure to the tip toward the anvil, and transmits ultrasonic vibrations from the tip.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-5779

However, Patent Document 1 does not take into consideration the shape of the workpiece. As a result, when ultrasonic vibration is performed using only pressure applied by the tip, depending on the shape of the workpiece, the pressure applied by the tip may be insufficient, which could cause the workpiece to vibrate and reduce the reliability of the joining, leaving room for improvement.

The present disclosure has been made in light of the above, and aims to provide an ultrasonic vibration device that can suppress vibration of the workpiece and ensure the reliability of the joint.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, the ultrasonic vibration device disclosed herein comprises an ultrasonically vibrating tip, an anvil positioned opposite the tip, a horn that applies pressure to the tip toward the anvil and transmits ultrasonic vibrations to the tip while a workpiece placed in the space between the tip and the anvil is clamped and pressurized, and a fixing member that is positioned at a different position from the anvil and fixes the workpiece placed in the space between the tip and the anvil in a predetermined position.

This disclosure has the effect of suppressing vibration of the workpiece and ensuring the reliability of the joint.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a top view of the main parts of the workpiece and the fixing member according to the second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a top view of the main parts of the workpiece and the fixing member according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the main parts of the workpiece and the fixing member according to the third embodiment.

An ultrasonic vibration device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment. In addition, identical parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals in the following description.

(Embodiment 1)
[Overview of ultrasonic vibration device]
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to embodiment 1. In Fig. 1, the horizontal direction is represented as x, the depth direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction is represented as y, and the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction is represented as z. The ultrasonic vibration device 1 shown in Fig. 1 joins the workpieces W100 and W101 by clamping them and applying pressure to them, and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to them.

The ultrasonic vibration device 1 comprises an ultrasonic oscillator 2, an ultrasonic vibrator 3, a horn 4, a tip 5, an anvil 6, and a fixing member 7.

The ultrasonic oscillator 2 generates a high-frequency alternating current and supplies it to the ultrasonic vibrator 3 as electrical energy.

The ultrasonic vibrator 3 generates ultrasonic vibrations by converting the electrical energy supplied from the ultrasonic oscillator 2 into mechanical vibrations, and transmits these ultrasonic vibrations to the horn 4.

The horn 4 is mounted on the ultrasonic vibrator 3 so that it can vibrate. The horn 4 is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic vibrator 3. Furthermore, the tip 5 is connected to the horn 4. The workpieces W100 and W101, which are placed in the space between the tip 5 and the anvil 6, are clamped and pressurized, and ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the tip 5.

The tip 5 is connected to the horn 4. The tip 5 applies pressure to the workpieces W100 and W101 downward toward the anvil 6. Ultrasonic energy from the ultrasonic vibrator 3 propagates through the horn 4, resulting in vibrations perpendicular to the pressure direction (lateral vibrations). The tip 5 ultrasonically vibrates the workpieces W100 and W101, and by applying the load of the tip 5 and the ultrasonic vibrations, the workpieces W100 and W101 are joined.

The anvil 6 is positioned below the tip 5, facing the tip 5. The anvil 6 presses the workpieces W100 and W101 in the direction opposite to the pressure direction of the tip 5.

The fixing member 7 is positioned at a different position from the anvil 6 and fixes the workpiece W100, which is placed in the space between the tip 5 and the anvil 6, in a predetermined position.

Here, the placement positions of the workpiece W100 and the fixed member 7 will be explained in detail. Figure 2 is a top view of the main parts of the workpiece W101 and the fixed member 7.

The workpiece W100 has a bent shape with multiple plate sections that intersect at right angles to each other. With conventional ultrasonic vibration devices, when joining the workpiece W100, the workpiece W100 rotates in the rotational direction around the joining point P1. This results in a loss of vibration in the vibration direction component.

In response to this, as shown in Figure 2, the fixing member 7 fixes the bending start point of the workpiece W100 in the direction perpendicular to the vibration. In other words, the fixing member 7 guides the movement of the workpiece W100 in the vibration direction, preventing movement in any direction other than the vibration direction. As a result, the reliability of the joint P1 can be ensured.

According to the first embodiment described above, the fixing member 7 is positioned at a different position from the anvil 6, and the workpiece W100, which is placed in the space between the tip 5 and the anvil 6, is fixed at a predetermined position, thereby suppressing vibration of the workpiece W100 and ensuring the reliability of the joint P1.

Furthermore, according to embodiment 1, the fixing member 7 fixes the bending starting point of the workpiece W100 in the direction perpendicular to the vibration, thereby guiding the movement direction of the workpiece W100 in the vibration direction. This prevents the fixing member 7 from moving in any direction other than the vibration direction, ensuring the reliability of the joint P1 of the workpiece W100.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a description will be given of a second embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasonic vibration device according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs in the shapes of the fixing member and the workpiece.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to embodiment 2. The ultrasonic vibration device 1A shown in Figure 3 includes a fixing member 7A instead of the fixing member 7 of the ultrasonic vibration device 1 according to embodiment 1.

The fixing member 7A is positioned at a different position from the anvil 6 and is located in the space between the tip 5 and the anvil 6. Furthermore, the fixing member 7A fixes multiple joints in the workpiece W103. Multiple fixing members 7A are provided.

Here, the placement positions of the workpiece W103 and the fixed member 7A will be explained in detail. Figure 4 is a top view showing the main parts of the workpiece W103 and the fixed member 7A.

The workpiece W103 has multiple joints P1. When joining the workpiece W103 with a conventional ultrasonic vibration device, vibration impact is applied to the first joint P1 (e.g., the left side in Figure 4) when joining the second joint P1, reducing the joint strength.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 4, the fixing members 7A secure the multiple joints P1 in the workpiece W103. In other words, by using the fixing members 7A to secure the joints P1 of the workpiece W103 while joining them, the ultrasonic vibration device 1A prevents vibration impact from being transmitted to other joints P1, preventing a decrease in joint strength. As a result, the reliability of the joints P1 can be ensured.

According to the second embodiment described above, the fixing member 7A secures the multiple joints P1 in the workpiece W103, preventing vibration and impact from being transmitted to other joints P1 and preventing a decrease in joint strength, thereby ensuring the reliability of the joints P1.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, a description will be given of a third embodiment. The ultrasonic vibration device of the third embodiment differs in the shapes of the fixing member and the workpiece.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device according to embodiment 3. The ultrasonic vibration device 1B shown in Figure 5 includes a fixing member 7B instead of the fixing member 7 of the ultrasonic vibration device 1 according to embodiment 1.

The fixing member 7B is positioned at a different position from the anvil 6. Furthermore, the fixing member 7B fixes the other end of the workpiece W105, which is different from the joining boundary between the workpieces W104 and W105.

Here, the shape of W105 and the positioning of fixing member 7B will be explained in detail. Figure 6 is a side view showing the main parts of workpiece W104, workpiece W105, and fixing member 7B.

The workpiece W105 has an elongated shape that extends in the longitudinal direction. When joining the workpiece W105 with a conventional ultrasonic vibration device, the ultrasonic vibrations transmitted to the workpiece W105 cause the workpiece W105 to undulate due to inertia, causing stress to concentrate at the boundary of the joint P1 and reducing the joining strength between the workpieces W104 and W105.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 6, the fixing member 7B fixes the other end of the workpiece W105, which is different from the joint boundary between the workpieces W104 and W105. In other words, by fixing the other end of the workpiece W105 with the fixing member 7B while joining the workpieces, the ultrasonic vibration device 1B can suppress the wavy behavior caused by the inertia of the workpiece W104 and prevent a decrease in joint strength. As a result, the reliability of the joint P1 can be ensured.

According to the third embodiment described above, the fixing member 7B fixes the other end of the workpiece W105, which is different from the joint boundary between the workpieces W104 and W105. This allows the fixing member 7B to suppress the wavy behavior of the workpiece W104 due to inertia and prevent a decrease in joint strength, thereby ensuring the reliability of the joint P1.

(Other embodiments)
Furthermore, in the ultrasonic vibration devices according to the first to third embodiments, the "unit" mentioned above can be read as "means" or "circuit," etc. For example, the pressurizing unit can be read as pressurizing means.

Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

The above describes in detail some of the embodiments of the present application based on the drawings, but these are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in other forms that incorporate various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the disclosure of the present invention.

1, 1A, 1B: Ultrasonic vibration device; 2: Ultrasonic oscillator; 3: Ultrasonic vibrator; 4: Horn; 5: Tip; 6: Anvil; 7, 7A, 7B: Fixing member; 41: Base; 42: Transmission unit; P1: Joint; W100, W101, W102, W103, W104, W105: Workpiece

Claims (1)

An ultrasonically vibrating tip,
an anvil disposed at a position opposite to the tip;
a horn that applies pressure to the tip toward the anvil and transmits ultrasonic vibrations to the tip while a workpiece placed in a space between the tip and the anvil is sandwiched and pressurized;
a fixing member that is disposed at a position different from the anvil and fixes the workpiece disposed in a space between the tip and the anvil at a predetermined position;
Equipped with
The direction of ultrasonic vibration of the tip is perpendicular to the direction of pressure application of the tip,
The workpiece has a bent shape having a plurality of plate portions that are perpendicular to each other,
The fixing member is
The joining portion side of the bending start point of the workpiece is fixed in a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction and perpendicular to the direction of pressure of the tip.
Ultrasonic vibration device.