US 11,813,800 B2
Method and apparatus for improved ultrasonic bonding
David E. Schuette, Sheboygan, WI (US); Jeffrey W. Fritz, Plymouth, WI (US); and Justin M. Lafferty, Marshfield, WI (US)
Assigned to CURT G. JOA, INC., Sheboygan Falls, WI (US)
Filed by Curt G. Joa, Inc., Sheboygan Falls, WI (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/457,715.
Application 17/457,715 is a continuation of application No. 16/508,422, filed on Jul. 11, 2019, granted, now 11,192,310.
Prior Publication US 2022/0088885 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 65/08 (2006.01); B29C 65/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 65/08 (2013.01) [B29C 66/90 (2013.01); B29C 66/81463 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bonding system for bonding a web comprising at least a pair of web layers, the bonding system comprising:
a first bonding unit configured to form bonds on the web;
a second bonding unit spaced apart from the first bonding unit in a machine direction and configured to form bonds on the web;
a base structure comprising one or more sections, with the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit coupled to the base structure, and with one or both of the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit being translatable along the base structure in the machine direction or opposite the machine direction;
an actuating structure configured to translate one or both of the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit along the base structure;
a vision system configured to acquire positional data of the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit while the first and second bonding units are forming bonds; and
a control system operably connected to the actuating structure and to the vision system, the control system including a processor configured to:
receive the positional data from the vision system;
analyze the positional data to determine a current spacing between the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit;
compare the current spacing between the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit to a target spacing; and
when the current spacing does not match the target spacing:
automatically cause the actuating structure to translate one or both of the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit while the first and second bonding units are forming bonds along the base structure until a spacing between the first bonding unit and the second bonding unit matches the target spacing; or
generate an operator output in operation indicating that the current spacing does not match the target spacing.