| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090283946 | SINGLE-SIDED MAGNETIC FIXTURING SYSTEMS - A combination useful for providing a clamping force to a workpiece during a manufacturing operation so as to maintain a workpiece in a stationary position includes a workpiece having a first side and a second side, a magnet disposed about a portion of the first side of the workpiece, and a pressure pad disposed about a portion of the second side of the workpiece. The pressure pad may include one or more of permanently magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials, and disposed in sufficient proximity with respect to the magnet to enable the pressure pad to be attracted by the magnet, thus providing a clamping force on the workpiece. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20100023150 | Method of Optimizing Weld Design for Concurrent Consideration of Performance and Manufacturing Requirements - A method of weld design for a work piece is provided. The work piece may be a unitary piece or a multi-component piece. The method includes determining a manufacturing feasible region of the work piece satisfying one or more predetermined manufacturing requirements including accessibility of welding components. The method includes determining a performance feasibility function satisfying one or more predetermined performance factors as applied in a performance simulation of the work piece. The workpiece may have a varying number of welds. An optimized weld design may be determined by minimizing an objective function, defined as a summation of the number of welds and the performance feasibility function, within the manufacturing feasible region. The optimized weld design is configured to have a minimum number of welds, and concurrently satisfy the predetermined manufacturing requirements and the performance factors. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100270358 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZED VIBRATION WELDING - A method of minimizing mechanical resonance in an assembly during formation of a vibration-welded joint therein includes positioning work pieces such that they are directly adjacent to each other, and generating a set of control signals that cause one or more sonotrode weld heads to vibrate. A waveform characteristic of a mechanical oscillation of the sonotrode(s) and weld head(s) is varied to minimize the mechanical resonance occurring in the assembly, such as a multi-cell battery for a vehicle. An apparatus for forming the welded joint includes at least one sonotrode having a weld head or heads formed integrally therewith, and a weld controller. The controller is connected to a converter, sonotrode(s), and weld head(s), with the mechanical oscillation occurring in the sonotrode(s) and weld head(s). Variation of the control signals during formation of the welded joint varies a waveform characteristic of the mechanical oscillation, thus minimizing the mechanical resonance. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100294420 | DIMENSION-SET METHOD FOR JOINING PARTS - A method for joining first and second parts includes applying a structural adhesive, configured to form a permanent bond when subjected to a permanent-curing process, to one of the parts. A dimension-set adhesive is applied to join the parts, and is configured to fix the dimensions of the parts. The parts are not subjected to a mechanical fastening process or a welding process, and the structural adhesive is not subjected to a partial-curing process prior to the permanent-curing process. A permanent bond is formed between the parts with the structural adhesive by subjecting the parts to the permanent-curing process. The dimension-set adhesive may be isolated from the structural adhesive, or may be surrounded by the structural adhesive. An extended tab portion may be formed on one of the parts, and the dimension-set adhesive located thereon. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20110052969 | CELL TAB JOINING FOR BATTERY MODULES - A battery module includes a plurality of electrochemical battery cells positioned adjacent one another and each having a positive cell tab and a negative cell tab. The positive cell tab of a first of the electrochemical battery cells is overlappingly joined to the negative cell tab of a second of the plurality of electrochemical battery cells. Each of the positive cell tabs and the negative cell tabs is not joined to a conductive interconnecting member. At least one of the positive cell tabs or the negative cell tabs defines a flexure configured for reducing stress applied to the electrochemical battery cells during overlappingly joining the positive cell tabs and the negative cell tabs. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110108181 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ONLINE QUALITY MONITORING AND CONTROL OF A VIBRATION WELDING PROCESS - A method for monitoring and controlling a vibration welding system includes collecting sensory data during formation of a welded joint using sensors positioned with respect to welding interfaces of a work piece. A host machine extracts a feature set from a welding signature collectively defined by the sensory data, compares and correlates the feature set with validated information in a library, and executes a control action(s) when the present feature set insufficiently matches the information. A welding system includes a sonotrode, sensors, and the host machine. The host machine is configured to execute the method noted above. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110108184 | ACTIVE MATERIAL-AUGMENTED VIBRATION WELDING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USE - A method for controlling welding forces of a weld tip to a work piece during a vibration-welding process includes positioning an Active Material (AM) element adjacently to a welding interface, and varying a property of the AM element to regulate the welding force. The AM element may be disposed between the weld tip and a weld face thereof, or between the work piece and an anvil. The property may be varied as a function of heat generated by the welding process. A property of each of a plurality of AM elements may be independently and selectively varied via an energy source, or passively. A vibration welding system includes a weld tip and an AM element connected adjacently to a welding interface. The system regulates a welding force applied by the weld tip to a work piece during the welding process by varying a property of the AM element. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110186204 | HEATING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE OF THE SAME IN A VIBRATION WELDING PROCESS - A method for heating a work piece or a welding interface using a vibration welding system includes positioning the work piece adjacent to a welding tool to define the welding interface and then heating the work piece or the welding interface to within a calibrated threshold temperature using a thermal device, e.g., a heat rod, laser device, or blower. A high-frequency vibration may be applied to form a weld. The work piece may include an adjacent interconnecting member and battery tab. The thermal device may be embedded within the welding tool and controlled via a temperature controller. A vibration welding system includes a welding tool, a thermal device, and a controller. The controller controls the thermal device to thereby control the welding temperature at or along the welding interface. The thermal device may be embedded within the welding tool, which may be configured as an anvil body in one embodiment. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110186616 | THERMALLY-INSULATED VIBRATION WELDING TOOL - A welding assembly for forming a weld along a welding interface of a work piece(s) using vibrations includes a welding tool and a thermal barrier. The thermal barrier is at least a chemical and/or mechanical insulating layer positioned adjacent to the welding tool, which minimizes the rate of dissipation of heat generated by the vibrations at or along the welding interface. The welding assembly may also include a wear-resistant layer adjacent to the thermal barrier, which protects the thermal barrier from damage or wear. The welding tool is a portion an anvil assembly and/or a sonotrode assembly. A method of insulating a welding tool includes applying or connecting a thermal barrier to a surface of the welding tool, and minimizing the rate of dissipation of heat generated by the vibrations at or along the welding interface using the thermal barrier, which includes an insulating layer. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110189532 | INTERCONNECT MEMBER FOR A BATTERY MODULE - An interconnect member for use in a vibration welded battery module having a battery tab includes a portion weldable to the battery tab, and an inlay. The inlay is positioned with respect to the portion. The inlay may be the same material as the portion, with an insulating or heat-deterring outer ring, or may be the same material as the battery tab with or without the outer ring. Voids or openings may be provided in the interconnect member to reduce the thermal mass of the interconnect member. The voids may be defined by laminated or clad layers of the portion, and may be filled with an insulating material. A battery module is also disclosed having the battery tabs and the interconnect member noted above. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20120000964 | BATTERY TAB JOINTS AND METHODS OF MAKING - A method of soldering battery cell tabs to a conductor is provided. The battery cell tab and the conductor are made of a material independently selected from aluminum, copper, or nickel-plated copper. The method include preparing an assembly of the battery cell tabs and the conductor with a first joining surface of one battery cell tab face-to-face with a first joining surface of the conductor, at least one joining surface having a layer of solder thereon; pressing the assembly so that the facing joining surfaces engage the solder, and heating the solder to a temperature above a melting temperature of the solder in the absence of a fluxing agent while limiting the displacement of the joining surfaces to a predetermined value; and holding the joining surfaces against each other and solidifying the solder to form a soldered joint between the battery cell tabs and the conductor. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120006810 | INDUCTION HEATING-ASSISTED VIBRATION WELDING METHOD AND APPARATUS - A method for heating a work piece or a welding interface using a vibration welding system includes positioning the work piece adjacent to a welding tool such that the welding interface is also adjacent to the welding tool, and then using an induction heating device to generate an eddy current in one of the welding tool and the work piece to thereby heat the welding interface to a calibrated threshold temperature or temperature range. A high-frequency vibration thereafter may be applied using a sonotrode of the vibration welding system to form a weld. The method may include adjusting the position and orientation of the induction heating device relative to the work piece to change the location of the eddy current. A vibration welding system includes a welding tool, the induction heating device, and a control module which controls the induction heating device to thereby control the welding temperature. | 01-12-2012 |
