Ultrasonic welding device and ultrasonic welding method for controlling continuous ultrasonic welding processes

Abstract

An ultrasonic processing method and an ultrasonic processing device may include a controlling/regulating module, preferably a digital controlling/regulating module, which is integrated into a signal processing of the ultrasonic generator so that a plurality of generator data with respect to the ultrasonic generator are processible in the ultrasonic generator. At this, a power actual value Pist is compared with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator via a gap regulator in the controlling/regulating module to specify a position reference value POSsoll of the sonotrode relative to the roll for adjustment of the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator, and/or a power actual value Pist is compared with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator via an amplitude regulator in the controlling/regulating module to specify an amplitude reference value Asoll to the ultrasonic generator for adjustment of the power reference value Psoll.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Ultrasonic processing method of an ultrasonic processing device, comprising:
 an ultrasonic generator, a converter and at least one sonotrode with an oppositely arranged counter tool, which are spaced from each other by a gap, wherein the sonotrode or the counter tool is arranged rotatably and comprises an even or an uneven circumferential surface, a controlling/regulating module arranged in the ultrasonic generator and integrated in a signal processing of the ultrasonic generator so that with respect to the ultrasonic generator a plurality of generator data is processible in the ultrasonic generator, especially an electric voltage U, an electric current I, an actual amplitude A ist  and/or an actual generator power P ist , wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the following steps: 
 a. determining an angular speed (step I) of the rotatably arranged counter tool or the rotatably arranged sonotrode and transmitting the determined angular speed to a gap regulator and/or an amplitude regulator, 
 b. detecting (step II) at least one data set of the plurality of generator data, 
 c. comparing a power actual value P ist  with a power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator in a the gap regulator and specifying a position reference value POS soll  of the sonotrode with respect to the counter tool, wherein the gap regulator has a reaction time of the ultrasonic processing device on controlling/regulating interventions of the controlling/regulating module in a range <50 ms and/or 
 d. comparing a power actual value P ist  with a power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator in the amplitude regulator and specifying an amplitude reference value A soll  in the ultrasonic generator for adjusting the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator, wherein the amplitude regulator has a reaction time of the ultrasonic processing device on controlling/regulating interventions of the controlling/regulating module in the range of <10 ms. 
 
     
     
       2. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1  having a roll with even circumferential surface as counter tool, comprising the further steps:
 detecting an angular speed of the roll with an external sensor at the roll and 
 transmitting the detected angular speed to the gap regulator and/or the amplitude regulator. 
 
     
     
       3. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1  having a roll with uneven circumferential surface as counter tool, which has at least one detectable contour, wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the further steps:
 detecting at least one data set of the plurality of generator data over a plurality of revolutions of the roll, 
 evaluating timely periodically occurring patterns in at least one data set of the plurality of generator data plotted against the time based on a system time of the controlling/regulating module so that an angular speed of the roll is determinable without external sensor, and 
 transmitting the angular speed to the gap regulator and/or the amplitude regulator. 
 
     
     
       4. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 3 , comprising the further step:
 determining processing times in the timely range of the periodically occurring patterns and 
 performing of evaluating and/or controlling and/or regulating processes for the power actual value P ist  of the ultrasonic generator and/or the amplitude actual value A ist  and/or the position reference value POS soll  only during the processing times. 
 
     
     
       5. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting a reference position POS soll  of the sonotrode with defined gap relative to the roll counter tool by means of a position sensor and an actuator. 
 
     
     
       6. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting a fixed gap between the sonotrode and the roll counter tool, wherein no position sensor with actuator is required, and 
 regulating the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by adjusting the amplitude reference value A soll  of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       7. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by means of the gap regulator and the amplitude regulator in combination, wherein the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator is regulatable by means of an active gap adjustment in combination with an amplitude adjustment of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       8. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 6 , comprising the further step:
 overriding or lock-on of a pre-controlling function on the amplitude regulator and/or the a position regulator so that a predictive amplitude regulating is carried out. 
 
     
     
       9. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 3 , comprising the further step:
 determining of processing times of the ultrasonic processing device based on the timely periodically occurring patterns and 
 overriding a pre-controlling function onto at least one correcting variable at the determined processing times so that systemic timely displacements or disturbing influences in the correcting variables at the processing of the material webs are considered predictively. 
 
     
     
       10. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gap regulator has a reaction time of the ultrasonic processing device on controlling/regulating interventions of the controlling/regulating module in a range <50 ms. 
     
     
       11. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the amplitude regulator has a reaction time of the ultrasonic processing device on controlling/regulating interventions of the controlling/regulating module in the range of <10 ms. 
     
     
       12. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 2 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting a reference position POS soll  of the sonotrode with defined gap relative to the roll by means of a position sensor and an actuator. 
 
     
     
       13. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 3 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting a fixed gap between the sonotrode and the roll, wherein no position sensor with actuator is required, and 
 regulating the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by adjusting the amplitude reference value A soll  of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       14. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 4 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting a fixed gap between the sonotrode and the roll, wherein no position sensor with actuator is required, and 
 regulating the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by adjusting the amplitude reference value A soll  of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       15. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 3 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by means of the gap regulator and the amplitude regulator in combination, wherein the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator is regulatable by means of an active gap adjustment in combination with an amplitude adjustment of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       16. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 15 , comprising the further step:
 overriding or lock-on of a pre-controlling function on the amplitude regulator and/or the position regulator so that a predictive amplitude regulating is carried out. 
 
     
     
       17. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 4 , comprising the further step:
 adjusting the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator by means of the gap regulator and the amplitude regulator in combination, wherein the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator is regulatable by means of an active gap adjustment in combination with an amplitude adjustment of the sonotrode. 
 
     
     
       18. Ultrasonic processing method according to  claim 17 , comprising the further step:
 overriding or lock-on of a pre-controlling function on the amplitude regulator and/or the position regulator so that a predictive amplitude regulating is carried out. 
 
     
     
       19. An ultrasonic processing method of an ultrasonic processing device, comprising:
 an ultrasonic generator, a converter and at least one sonotrode with an oppositely arranged counter tool, which are spaced from each other by a gap, wherein the counter tool is arranged rotatably and comprises an uneven circumferential surface having at least one detectable contour, a controlling/regulating module integrated in a signal processing of the ultrasonic generator so that with respect to the ultrasonic generator a plurality of generator data is processable in the ultrasonic generator, wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the following steps:   a. determining an angular speed (speed I) of the rotatably arranged counter tool and transmitting the determined angular speed to a gap regulator and/or an amplitude regulator,   b. detecting (step II) at least one data set of the plurality of generator data over a plurality of revolutions of the counter tool,   c. evaluating timely periodically occurring patterns in at least one data set of the plurality of generator data plotted against the time based on a system time of the controlling/regulating module so that the angular speed of the counter tool is determinable without external sensor, and   d. comparing a power actual value P ist  with a power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator in the gap regulator and specifying a position reference value POS soll  of the sonotrode with respect to the counter tool and/or   e. comparing a power actual value P ist  with a power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator in the amplitude regulator and specifying an amplitude reference value in the ultrasonic generator for adjusting the power reference value P soll  of the ultrasonic generator.    
     
     
       20. Ultrasonic processing method of an ultrasonic processing device, comprising:
 an ultrasonic generator, a converter and at least one sonotrode with an oppositely arranged counter tool, which are spaced from each other by a gap, wherein the sonotrode or the counter tool is arranged rotatably and comprises an even or an uneven circumferential surface, a controlling/regulating module arranged in the ultrasonic generator and integrated in a signal processing of the ultrasonic generator so that with respect to the ultrasonic generator a plurality of generator data is processible in the ultrasonic generator, wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the following steps:   a. determining an angular speed (step I) of the rotatably arranged counter tool or the rotatably arranged sonotrode and transmitting the determined angular speed to a gap regulator and/or an amplitude regulator,   b. detecting (step II) at least one data set of the plurality of generator data,   c. comparing a power actual value Pist with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator in the gap regulator and specifying a position reference value POSsoll of the sonotrode with respect to the counter tool, and/or   d. comparing a power actual value Pist with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator in the amplitude regulator and specifying an amplitude reference value A soll  in the ultrasonic generator for adjusting the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator,   wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the further steps:   e. adjusting a fixed gap between the sonotrode and the counter tool, wherein no position sensor with actuator is required, and   f. regulating the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator by adjusting the amplitude reference value A soll  of the sonotrode.    
     
     
       21. Ultrasonic processing method of an ultrasonic processing device, comprising:
 an ultrasonic generator, a converter and at least one sonotrode with an oppositely arranged counter tool, which are spaced from each other by a gap, wherein the sonotrode or the counter tool is arranged rotatably and comprises an even or an uneven circumferential surface, a controlling/regulating module arranged in the ultrasonic generator and integrated in a signal processing of the ultrasonic generator so that with respect to the ultrasonic generator a plurality of generator data is processible in the ultrasonic generator, wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the following steps:   a. determining an angular speed (step I) of the rotatably arranged counter tool or the rotatably arranged sonotrode and transmitting the determined angular speed to a gap regulator and/or an amplitude regulator,   b. detecting (step II) at least one data set of the plurality of generator data,   c. comparing a power actual value Pist with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator in the gap regulator and specifying a position reference value POSsoll of the sonotrode with respect to the counter tool, and/or   d. comparing a power actual value Pist with a power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator in the amplitude regulator and specifying an amplitude reference value A soll  in the ultrasonic generator for adjusting the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator,   wherein the ultrasonic processing method comprises the further step:   e. adjusting the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator by means of the gap regulator and the amplitude regulator in combination, wherein the power reference value Psoll of the ultrasonic generator is regulatable by means of an active gap adjustment in combination with an amplitude adjustment of the sonotrode.