A resin member contains a thermoplastic resin and is bonded to another resin member by ultrasonic welding. The resin member includes: a melting start portion to which contact pressure is applied during the ultrasonic welding; a groove unit that is formed around a periphery of the melting start portion; and at least one wall that is formed so as to cross a direction from the melting start portion toward an outside and partitions the groove unit.

A system and method are provided for implementing relatively low temperature joining processes, including displacement/vibration welding techniques and/or heat staking techniques, in a process of building up laminate layers to form and/or manufacture three-dimensional objects, parts and components in additive material (AM) manufacturing systems. A multi-stage 3D object forming scheme is described involving steps of laminate cutting (with lasers or other cutting devices); laminate transport between processing stations (including using one or more of conveyors, robotic pick and place devices and the like); laminate stacking, clamping and adhering through comparatively low temperature welding or other mechanical joining (including displacement/vibration welding or heat staking); and mechanical surface finishing (via CNC machining or other comparable process).

A battery state detection device includes a casing (8) and a lid part (24). The casing (8) includes a board storage space (23) that stores a circuit board. The casing (8) includes an open mouth through which one side of the board storage space (23) is opened. The lid part (24) closes the open mouth of the casing (8). The lid part (24) is provided with a tapered surface (77). The casing (8) is provided with a contact portion (78) that can be in contact with the tapered surface (77). In a state where the tapered surface (77) and the contact portion (78) are in contact with each other, ultrasonic welding between the casing (8) and the lid part (24) is performed.

A microfluidic circuit element comprising a microfluidic main channel and nano interstices is disclosed. The nano interstices are formed at both sides of the main channel and are in fluid communication with the main channel. The nano interstices have a height less than that of the main channel, gives more driving force of the microfluidic channel and provides stable flow of a fluid. The microfluidic circuit element may be made from a plastic material having a contact angle of 90 degrees or less. The microfluidic circuit element is particularly useful when filling a liquid sample to the channel which is empty or filled with air and shows greatly improved a storage stability.

A gear housing for an epicyclic gear set, the gear housing including a hollow wheel having internal teething and a first front end with a first front-side joining surface; a housing cover having a second front end with a second front-side joining surface for longitudinally axially covering the hollow wheel; and a bonded connection for connecting the first front end to the second front end through the mating of the first and second front-side joining surfaces, at which the hollow wheel and the housing cover are connected to each other by a bonded connection, in particular, by heated tool welding, infrared welding, ultrasonic welding, or rotary friction welding.

A system and method are provided for implementing relatively low temperature joining processes, including displacement/vibration welding techniques and/or heat staking techniques, in a process of building up laminate layers to form and/or manufacture three-dimensional objects, parts and components in additive material (AM) manufacturing systems. A multi-stage 3D object forming scheme is described involving steps of laminate cutting (with lasers or other cutting devices); laminate transport between processing stations (including using one or more of conveyors, robotic pick and place devices and the like); laminate stacking, clamping and adhering through comparatively low temperature welding or other mechanical joining (including displacement/vibration welding or heat staking); and mechanical surface finishing (via CNC machining or other comparable process).

A method of bonding a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object, which includes a thermoplastic liquefiable material in a solid state; providing the second object, which includes a surface portion that has a coupling structure with an undercut such that the second object can make a positive-fit connection with the first object; and pressing the second object against the first object with a tool that is in physical contact with a coupling-in structure of the second object while mechanical vibrations are coupled into the tool. The step of pressing and coupling vibrations into the tool continues until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the first object is liquefied and flows into the coupling structures of the second object. Thereafter, the thermoplastic material of the first object is permitted to re-solidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects.

A sonotrode and anvil are adapted for ultrasonic welding of work pieces, to produce a narrower weld region that exhibits greater durability, permitting use of less material per package. The horn-to-anvil contact is through a plurality of energy directors arranged into a three-dimensional grid pattern to be capable of distributed vibration-transmissive contact. The energy directors include a series of plateau surfaces regularly spaced apart in a first direction, and in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, to form the grid pattern. The energy directors of the horn are configured to interlock with the energy directors of the anvil. The rectangular-shaped plateaus are spaced apart by angled side-surfaces that form valleys. A stepped transition to a corresponding region of reduced height for the energy directors of the sonotrode and anvil may form a cosmetic seal region with a lesser integrity, in addition to the main barrier seal.

A specially designed sonotrode and anvil are adapted to be used in combination for ultrasonic welding of work pieces, to produce a narrower weld region, but one exhibiting greater durability, thereby permitting use of less packaging material. The contact surfaces comprise a surface of the anvil having a plurality of energy directors, where the plurality of energy directors are arranged into a three-dimensional grid pattern to be capable of distributed vibration-transmissive contact. The energy directors may comprise a series of plateau surfaces being regularly spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, to form the grid pattern. The rectangular-shaped plateaus may be spaced apart by valleys. Engagement of the energy directors of the anvil with the corresponding surface of the sonotrode may cause minor elastic deformation of work pieces positioned therebetween prior to ultrasonic welding.

A microfluidic circuit element comprising a microfluidic main channel and nano interstices is disclosed. The nano interstices are formed at both sides of the main channel and are in fluid communication with the main channel. The nano interstices have a height less than that of the main channel, gives more driving force of the microfluidic channel and provides stable flow of a fluid. The microfluidic circuit element may be made from a plastic material having a contact angle of 90 degrees or less. The microfluidic circuit element is particularly useful when filling a liquid sample to the channel which is empty or filled with air and shows greatly improved a storage stability.