JPH0240431B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an ultrasonic welding method and apparatus for butt-joining two plates made of the same or different materials. The present invention relates to a continuous butt ultrasonic welding method and apparatus in which ultrasonic welding is performed while feeding.

(Prior Art) Generally, in ultrasonic welding, welding samples are overlapped at the welding part, static pressure is applied by a welding vibration chip, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to the welding part by driving the welding chip. The welded parts are joined together. In such ultrasonic welding, for example, in the case of metal materials, the oxide film on the surface of the welded part is destroyed and removed by compressive deformation and vibration due to static pressure, and the clean surfaces come into contact with each other. It is believed that elastic deformation and local plastic flow occur, which together with the resulting temperature rise causes bonding between metal atoms, resulting in bonding. In this case, the area affected by heat due to the temperature rise of the welded part is limited to the immediate vicinity, and the welded parts are joined in an almost solid state.

Therefore, according to such ultrasonic welding,
Similar metals such as corrosion-resistant aluminum, which is almost impossible to use with ordinary electric resistance welding or arc welding,
It also becomes possible to join materials with different melting temperatures or dissimilar materials such as metal and ceramics. In addition, it has the advantage that the deformation of the welded part is small, surface treatment of the welded part is not necessary, and the welding strength is high.

However, conventionally, such ultrasonic welding cannot weld samples with a thickness of several mm or more, even in lap spot welding, and has not been applied to butt welding of plate materials. Such things had not been considered.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In order to take advantage of the features of ultrasonic welding, the present inventor has continued research on ultrasonic welding of welded samples with larger plate thicknesses, and as a result, We have discovered that by increasing the power of the ultrasonic vibration generator and devising the vibration system, it is possible to perform ultrasonic welding even on thick welding samples. In the case of such a thick welded sample, by butting the end faces together and applying vibration in a plane parallel to the end faces,
Butt ultrasonic welding was found to be effective.

However, the butt ultrasonic welding
The welding process was carried out with the sample fixed, and it was not possible to butt-join two plates continuously while feeding them.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable continuous butt ultrasonic welding of plate materials, thereby further expanding the range of applications of ultrasonic welding. It is to be.

(Means for solving the problem) In order to achieve this object, in the continuous butt ultrasonic welding method of the present invention, two plates are butted against each other, and the butted surfaces are moved in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction. While feeding, the edge of at least one of the plates on the abutting surface side is locally vibrated at a certain position in the feeding direction. The vibration is in a plane parallel to the abutting surfaces, and is generated relative to the other plate material.

Further, the continuous butt ultrasonic welding device according to the present invention for carrying out the method includes a butting device that butts two plates together, a feeding device that feeds the plates in the same direction, and a feeding device that feeds each plate from both sides. It is equipped with two sets of rollers that can be freely pinched. The rollers are arranged near the abutting surfaces of the plates, and at least one of the rollers is vibrated within the rotational plane of the roller by an ultrasonic vibration generator. Further, the plate material is clamped by a clamp roller in the vicinity of the vibrating roller, so that local vibrations of the plate material are effectively transmitted to the welded part and not transmitted to other parts. There is.

(Function) With this configuration, according to the method of the present invention, each plate is fed against each other, and the edge of at least one of the plates on the abutting surface side is against the other plate. Since it is locally vibrated, the vibrating abutting surface portion of one of the plates is ultrasonically welded to the abutting surface of the other plate. Then, as the plate material is fed, the welded portion moves relatively, so that the entire butt surface is butt welded.

Furthermore, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the rollers that sandwich the plate material in a freely feedable manner vibrate within its rotating plane, so that the plate material vibrates within a plane parallel to the abutting surfaces. The transmission of the vibration to other parts is suppressed by the clamp roller. Therefore, the plate material can be locally vibrated without any hindrance to its feeding, and continuous butt ultrasonic welding can be performed by the method of the present invention.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described using the drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing one embodiment of a continuous butt ultrasonic welding apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view thereof.

As is clear from FIG. 1, the two plates 1 and 2 to be butt-welded to each other are sandwiched from both upper and lower surfaces by two sets of vibrating rollers 3 and 4 and feed rollers 5 and 6. It's summery. These rollers 3, 5; 4, 6 have the same diameter, and the abutting surfaces 1 of each plate material 1, 2
a, 2a, and the abutting edges of the plates 1, 2 are made to protrude slightly in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rollers, taking into account deformation during welding.

On the other hand, the rotating shaft 7 of the vibrating roller 3 is provided with a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, thereby forming a stepped horn. An ultrasonic vibration generator 8 is attached to the rear end side of the rotating shaft 7. This ultrasonic vibration generator 8 has six, eight, or more ultrasonic vibrators 8a radially attached to a vibration direction converter 8b coaxial with the rotating shaft 7, and each of the vibrators 8a The vibrations in the radial direction that are generated synchronously are converted into vibrations in the axial direction of the rotary shaft 7 by the vibration direction converter 8b, and the vibrations are transmitted to the rotary shaft 7. Therefore, vibration corresponding to the total vibration output of each vibrator 8a is applied to the rotating shaft 7 as a longitudinal vibration. In this way, the rotating shaft 7 also functions as a vibrating rod.

The rotating shaft 7 has a rear end portion and an intermediate portion thereof.
Each is rotatably supported by a needle bearing 9. The positions supported by these bearings 9 are vibration node portions of the longitudinal vibration of the rotating shaft 7 generated by the ultrasonic vibration generator 8. Further, the center of the vibrating roller 3 is also located at the vibrating node. The diameter of the vibrating roller 3 is such that when the roller 3 vibrates due to the vibration transmitted from the rotating shaft 7, the loop portion of the vibration is slightly outside the outer circumference of the roller 3, and the thickness of the plate material 1 is It is sized to be at the center of the direction.

A support 10 of the needle bearing 9 that supports the intermediate portion of the rotating shaft 7 is pressed downward by a hydraulic cylinder 12 provided in the housing 11. Thereby, the vibrating roller 3
is pressed against the plate material 1.

Further, the feed roller 5, which clamps the plate material 1 together with the vibrating roller 3, is rotated via a rotation shaft 14 by a rotation drive device 13 consisting of a motor, a speed reducer, and the like. This rotating shaft 1
4 is also rotatably supported by a needle bearing 15. The supports 16 of these bearings 15 are fixedly provided to the housing 11.

In this way, the plate material 1 is sandwiched between the vibrating roller 3 and the feed roller 5 with a static pressure corresponding to the static pressure applied to the hydraulic cylinder 12. One coupled vibration system is formed by the upper and lower rollers 3, 5 and the plate 1 between them.

Further, the plate material 1 is clamped between ring-shaped clamp rollers 17 and 18 behind the rollers 3 and 5. This clamp roller 1
7 and 18 are relatively wide, and rollers 3 and 5
The position of the end face on the side becomes a vibration node when the end edge 1b of the plate material 1 on the abutting surface 1a side bends and vibrates. A bearing 19 that supports the clamp roller 17 on the upper surface side is pressed downward by a hydraulic cylinder 20 provided in the housing 11. Further, a bearing 21 that supports the clamp roller 18 on the lower surface side is directly supported by the housing 11. In this way, the plate material 1 is transferred to the vibrating roller 3
is strongly clamped by the hydraulic cylinder 20 at the bending vibration node near the abutting surface 1a, and only the end edge 1b on the abutting surface 1a side vibrates, and the vibration is not transmitted to the rear side of the clamp rollers 17, 18. This is intended to prevent fatigue failure of the plate material 1.

An ultrasonic vibration generator 23 is also attached to the rear end side of the rotating shaft 22 of the other vibrating roller 4. This ultrasonic vibration generator 23 includes 6 pieces and 8 pieces.
or more ultrasonic transducers 23a,
Ultrasonic transducers 2 are attached radially to the vibration direction converter 23b so as to be eccentric from the axis thereof, or are attached radially to the longitudinal vibration-torsional vibration converter 23b.
3a is installed, and its ultrasonic transducer 23a
The longitudinal vibrations of are now converted into torsional vibrations. The torsional vibration is then transmitted to the rotating shaft 22.

The rotating shaft 22 is rotatably supported by a needle bearing 24 at a vibration node of its torsional vibration. The support body 25 of the bearing 24 that supports the intermediate portion of the rotating shaft 22 is pressed downward by a hydraulic cylinder 26 provided in the housing 11. Further, the center of the vibrating roller 4 is also located at the vibrating node portion of the rotating shaft 22.

The feed roller 6 that pinches the plate material 2 together with the vibrating roller 4 is similar to the above-mentioned feed roller 5.
It is adapted to be rotated via a rotation shaft 28 by a rotation drive device 27 . This rotating shaft 28 is also rotatably supported by a needle bearing 30 within a support body 29 fixedly provided on the housing 11.

In this way, the plate material 2 is sandwiched between the vibrating roller 4 and the feed roller 6 with a static force corresponding to the static pressure applied to the hydraulic cylinder 26, and the plate material 2 is held together by these rollers 4, 6 and the plate material 2. A coupled vibration system is formed. and,
When the vibrating roller 4 torsionally vibrates, the rollers 4 and 6 and the plate material 2 are combined and vibrate, causing the rollers 4 and 6 to vibrate.
The plate material 2 sandwiched between the two plates 6 is positioned in the loop portion of the torsional vibration.

Similarly to the plate material 1, the plate material 2 is further clamped from both upper and lower surfaces by wide ring-shaped clamp rollers 31 and 32 at the vibration node when the end edge 2b on the abutting surface 2a side vibrates. It is attached. A bearing 33 that supports the clamp roller 31 on the upper surface side is pressed downward by a hydraulic cylinder 34 provided in the housing 11.
Further, a bearing 35 that supports the clamp roller 32 on the lower surface side is directly supported by the housing 11. In this way, the plate material 2 is strongly clamped in the vicinity of the vibrating roller 4, and the abutting surface 2
Only the edge portion 2b on the a side vibrates together with the vibrating roller 4.

The vibrating roller 3 and feed roller 5 that sandwich one plate material 1, and the vibrating roller 4 and feed roller 6 that sandwich the other plate material 2, have the same rotation surface, respectively. The rotating surfaces of the rollers 3 and 5 of one set and the rotating surfaces of the rollers 4 and 6 of the other set are, as shown in an exaggerated manner in FIG. That is, they are tilted toward the top of the figure.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, clamp rollers 36, 37; is provided. Clamp rollers are also provided at positions corresponding to the clamp rollers 36 to 39 on the lower surface side of each of the plate materials 1 and 2, respectively. Each of these corresponding clamp rollers is the clamp roller 1 described above.
7, 18 or 31, 32, the vibration node portions of each plate material 1, 2 are strongly clamped from both upper and lower surfaces, so that vibrations on the vibration rollers 3, 4 side are not transmitted to other parts.

Next, the operation of the ultrasonic welding device configured as described above and the ultrasonic welding method using the device will be explained.

When the feed rollers 5 and 6 are rotated by the rotation drive devices 13 and 27, the plate materials 1 and 2 sandwiched between the rollers 5 and 6 and the vibrating rollers 3 and 4 move in the direction of rotation, that is, Each board 1,
It is sent in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the two abutting surfaces 1a, 2a. At this time, since the rollers 3, 5 and 4, 6 of each set are inclined to each other, a pressing force is applied to each plate material 1, 2 in a direction parallel to the plate material 1, 2, and the abutting surface 1a, 2a
are matched against each other. Therefore, in this embodiment, the feed rollers 5 and 6 constitute a butting device for butting the respective plate materials 1 and 2, and a feeding device for feeding the plate materials 1 and 2.
However, the butting device is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. You can also do that. It is also possible to apply a pressing force to each of the vibrating rollers 3, 4 and feed rollers 5, 6 from the outside, thereby causing the plates 1, 2 to abut against each other with a required static force. Also as a feeding device, clamp rollers 17, 18; 31, 3
2 may have this function, or an air cylinder may be used when the feeding distance is short.

In this way, the two plates 1 and 2 are fed in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the butt surfaces 1a and 2a while abutting each other at the abutting surfaces 1a and 2a.

During this time, one of the ultrasonic vibration generators 8
The longitudinal vibration generated by this is transmitted in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 7 and reaches the center of the vibrating roller 3. Since the vibrating roller 3 is provided at the node of the vibration, the vibration causes repeated compression and expansion from both sides, resulting in vibration in the radial direction. Therefore, vibration is generated in the vibration system consisting of the vibrating roller 3, the plate material 1, and the feed roller 5, and the plate material 1 located in the loop portion of the vibration is moved vertically, that is, approximately to the abutting surface 1a of the plate material 1. It begins to vibrate in parallel planes. At this time, the feed roller 5 vibrates in the radial direction with a phase shift of 180 degrees from that of the vibrating roller 3.

In this way, the end edge 1b of the plate 1 on the abutting surface 1a side is vibrated in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plate 1 at the position where the vibrating roller 3 is installed. Then, the clamp rollers 17, 18; 36, 37, etc. provided at the node section prevent the vibration from being transmitted to other parts.
The vibration becomes local.

Further, due to the torsional vibration generated from the other ultrasonic vibration generator 23, the other vibrating roller 4 torsively vibrates. As a result, the end edge 2b of the plate material 2 on the abutting surface 2a side vibrates horizontally in a direction substantially parallel to the feeding direction. and,
The vibration also causes the clamp rollers 31, 32; 38,
39 etc., transmission to other parts is prevented, and the vibration is localized near the vibrating roller 4.

In this way, the abutting surfaces 1a of each plate material 1, 2,
2a are relatively vibrated vertically and horizontally, respectively. Then, since a required butt static pressure is applied to this vibrating part, that part is butted and ultrasonically welded. This ultrasonic welding is done in an extremely short time. Therefore, by feeding the plates 1 and 2 at a constant speed, their abutting surfaces 1a and 2a are continuously welded.

In this way, the butt surface 1 of each plate material 1, 2
By using different drive systems for a and 2a, when each vibration has the same vibration frequency, the vibrating part draws a resurge waveform, and when the vibrations have different frequencies, a vibration surface according to each vibration amplitude. Since the inside is scanned and vibrated, stable bonding strength can be obtained. Therefore, even with the ultrasonic vibration generators 8 and 23 of relatively small output,
Further, even with a relatively small butt static pressure, it is possible to butt weld the large plate materials 1 and 2.

However, if the plate materials 1 and 2 are thin, only one of the ultrasonic vibration generators 8 or 23 may be used. In such a case, one ultrasonic vibration generator 8 or 23
Accordingly, it is also possible to cause the vibrating roller 3 or 4 to perform a complex vibration in which radial vibration and torsional vibration are combined. By doing so, the abutting surfaces 1a and 2a of the plates 1 and 2 will vibrate uniformly. Further, the ultrasonic vibration generators 8, 23 also include a large number of vibrators 8a, 2 as described above.
Instead of arranging the vibrators 3a radially, several vibrators 8a and 23a may be arranged in parallel.

On the other hand, when a larger vibration output is required, the above-mentioned ultrasonic vibration generators 8 and 23 are provided on the feed rollers 5 and 6 side, so that vibrations are applied to each plate material 1 and 2 from both the upper and lower sides. Just do it. In that case, the plurality of directions, frequencies, or phases may be made to be different from each other. Further, the above-mentioned ultrasonic vibration generators 8 and 23 may be arranged in series in a plurality of stages.

Even when two vibrating rollers 3, 4 are used, in addition to vibrating each vibrating roller 3, 4 in directions orthogonal to each other as in the above embodiment, each vibrating roller 3,
4, it is possible to generate a complex vibration in which radial vibration and torsional vibration are combined.
In that case, the vibrations of the vibrating rollers 3 and 4 are made to be different composite vibrations. Alternatively, the vibrations may be made to have complex vibrations orthogonal to each other.
Furthermore, if the vibration frequencies of the vibration rollers 3 and 4 are different, it becomes possible to control the vibrations independently of each other.

When the rollers 3, 5 or 4, 6 that sandwich the plate materials 1, 2 are vibrating rollers, it is desirable to be able to control the vibration phase difference between them. By doing so, it becomes possible to control the vibration state of the plates 1 and 2 by changing the vibration distribution of each plate material 1 and 2.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the feed roller 5,
6 is rotated by the rotation drive device 13, 27, but the vibration rollers 3, 4 are also rotationally driven, and furthermore, the clamp rollers 17, 18;
It is also possible to obtain strong clamping force and feeding force by rotationally driving the parts 1, 32, etc.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, while feeding two plates against each other, the edges on the abutting surfaces are locally vibrated. , continuous butt welding using ultrasonic waves becomes possible, making it possible to weld aluminum alloy plates together and join dissimilar metal plates.

In addition, a roller is used as the welding chip that generates the vibration, and the roller is made to vibrate in the rotating plane, that is, radial vibration, torsional vibration, or a complex vibration that combines these, so that the sheet material can be fed easily. The plate material can be vibrated in a plane substantially parallel to the butt surfaces of the plates without causing any problems, and continuous butt ultrasonic welding can be performed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an embodiment of a continuous butt ultrasonic welding apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the ultrasonic welding apparatus. 1, 2... Plate material, 1a, 2a... Matching surface, 1b, 2b... Edge portion, 3, 4... Vibrating roller, 5, 6... Feed roller (butting device, feeding device), 8... Ultrasonic vibration generator, 8a...
Vibrator, 8b... Vibration direction converter, 11... Housing, 13... Rotation drive device, 17, 18...
Clamp roller, 23... ultrasonic vibration generator,
23a... Vibrator, 23b... Vibration direction converter,
27... Rotation drive device, 31, 32... Clamp roller, 36, 37, 38, 39... Clamp roller, 40, 41... Air cylinder (butting device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Two plates 1 and 2 are pressed against each other by applying a pressing force in a direction parallel to the plates 1 and 2, so that the abutting surfaces 1a and 2a
While butting each other with
a, 2a in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction, and at a certain position in the feeding direction, near the abutting surface 1a of at least one plate material 1,
By applying vibration in a direction substantially parallel to the abutting surface 1a, only the end edge 1b on the abutting surface 1a side is locally moved relative to the other plate material 2 in a plane substantially parallel to the abutting surface 1a. A continuous butt ultrasonic welding method that uses vibration. 2. Vibrating the edge 1b of the one plate 1 on the abutting surface 1a side in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plate 1, and vibrating the edge 2 of the other plate 2 on the abutting surface 2a side.
The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1, wherein the welding member b is vibrated in a direction substantially parallel to the feeding direction thereof. 3 Two plates 1 to be butt welded together,
2 against each other with a required static pressure;
Feeding devices 5, 6 that feed the plates 1, 2 in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the plate 2a;
In the vicinity of 2a, clamp 2 with the required static pressure from both sides and feed freely.
a pair of rollers 3, 5; 4, 6; an ultrasonic vibration generator 8 that vibrates at least one roller 3 among the rollers 3 to 6 on the rotating surface of the roller 3; A plurality of clamp rollers 17 and 18 clamp the plate material 1 in the vicinity.
A continuous butt ultrasonic welding device equipped with the following. 4. The ultrasonic welding device according to claim 3, wherein the vibrating roller 3 is made to vibrate in a radial direction by the ultrasonic vibration generator 8. 5 The ultrasonic vibration generator 8 includes a plurality of vibrators 8a attached radially with respect to the rotational axis of the vibrating roller 3, and generates vibrations in the radial direction by the vibrators 8a along the rotational axis of the vibrating roller 3. The ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a vibration direction converter 8b that converts the vibration direction into longitudinal vibration. 6. The ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vibrating roller 4 is configured to torsionally vibrate. 7. The ultrasonic welding device according to claim 3, wherein the vibrating roller 3 is configured to generate a complex vibration in which radial vibration and torsional vibration are combined. 8 Rollers 3, 5 that sandwich the respective plate materials 1, 2; one roller 3, 4 of each of 4, 6;
is a vibrating roller, one vibrating roller 3 is configured to vibrate in the radial direction, and the other vibrating roller 4 is configured to torsionally vibrate, as described in claim 3. ultrasonic welding equipment. 9 Rollers 3, 5 that sandwich the respective plate materials 1, 2; one roller 3, 4 of each of 4, 6;
The ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vibrating rollers 3 and 4 are configured to generate different compound vibrations or compound vibrations orthogonal to each other. 10 rollers 3 and 5 that sandwich the respective plate materials 1 and 2; one roller 3 of each of 4 and 6;
The ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein numeral 4 is a vibrating roller, and the vibrating rollers 3 and 4 vibrate at different vibration frequencies. 11 The rollers 3 and 5 that sandwich at least one of the plate materials 1 and 2 are both vibrating rollers, and the vibrating rollers 3 and 5 are configured to vibrate in different vibration directions. The ultrasonic welding device according to scope 3. 12 The rollers 3 and 5 that sandwich at least one of the plate materials 1 and 2 are both vibrating rollers, and the vibration phase difference between the vibrating rollers 3 and 5 can be controlled. Ultrasonic welding equipment as described in section. 13 The rollers 5 and 6 are rotary drive devices 13 and 2
The ultrasonic welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rollers 5 and 6 constitute a feeding device for the plate materials 1 and 2. 14. The rollers 5 and 6 are arranged obliquely with respect to the feeding direction, and the rollers 5 and 6 constitute a butting device for the plate materials 1 and 2, according to claim 3. ultrasonic welding equipment.