Abstract
A rotary sonotrode comprises a rotary body that has a working surface and that is rotatably supported about its longitudinal axis in at least one rotary bearing. A vibration damper is provided between the rotary bearing and the rotary body.
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. A rotary sonotrode comprising: a rotary body that has a working surface and that is rotatably supported about its longitudinal axis in at least one rotary bearing, a vibration damper provided between the rotary bearing and the rotary body and the vibration damper having an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring and the outer ring being connected to one another in one piece via spokes, wherein the inner ring is connected to the rotary body in a rotationally fixed manner but not in one piece, and wherein the outer ring is rotatably received in the rotary bearing.
12. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spokes extend spirally from the inner ring to the outer ring.
13. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spokes extend in a radial direction from the inner ring to the outer ring.
14. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spokes taper in the radial direction from the inner ring to the outer ring.
15. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spokes widen in the radial direction from the inner ring to the outer ring.
16. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the spokes form an outer side of the vibration damper.
17. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the inner ring is provided with a circular groove.
18. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, wherein the vibration damper is formed in one piece.
19. The rotary sonotrode in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a converter that is electrically and mechanically connected to a contactless rotary coupler, and wherein the rotary sonotrode has a single axial bearing that is arranged in a region that extends in an axial direction from the rotary coupler up to the converter.
20. A vibration damper for a rotary sonotrode, the vibration damper having an inner ring and an outer ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are connected to one another in one piece via spokes.
21. The vibration damper in accordance with claim 20, wherein the rotary sonotrode comprises a rotary body that has a working surface and that is rotatably supported about its longitudinal axis in at least one rotary bearing, with the vibration damper being providable between the rotary bearing and the rotary body, wherein the inner ring is connected to the rotary body in a rotationally fixed manner but not in one piece, and wherein the outer ring is rotatably received in the rotary bearing.
Description
[0020] FIG. 1 a longitudinal section through a rotary sonotrode;
[0021] FIG. 2 a longitudinal section through the rotary body of the rotary sonotrode of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 an embodiment of a vibration damper with spiral spokes; and
[0023] FIG. 4 an embodiment of a vibration damper with radial spokes.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a rotary sonotrode that is mounted on a base plate 10. The rotary sonotrode comprises a rotary body 12 that is connected to a converter 14 that is in turn connected to a rotary coupler 18 via a cylindrical housing 15 and a toothed wheel 16. The rotary body 12, the converter 14, the housing 15, the toothed wheel 16, and a rotary disk 17 of the rotary coupler 18 thus form a unit that can be rotated about its longitudinal axis L. A rotation of this unit can take place by a drive, not shown, whose torque is transmitted to the toothed wheel 16 via a toothed belt or the like.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged sectional representation of the rotary body 12 of FIG. 1. In a manner known per se, said rotary body 12 comprises a disk-shaped element whose outer peripheral surface forms a working surface 22 of the rotary sonotrode. Shaft sections 24 and 26 extend along the longitudinal axis L at both sides of the disk-shaped element 20, wherein the shaft section 26 merges into an elongated shaft section 28 that serves for connection to the converter 14.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates that, in the embodiment shown, the rotary sonotrode is supported along the longitudinal axis L at a total of three locations A, B, and C. More specifically, a respective rotary bearing 30 and 32 are provided at both sides of the disk-shaped element 20 of the rotary body 12, wherein the two rotary bearings 30 and 32 adjoin the disk-shaped element 20 of the rotary body 12 without an intermediate space in the side view. A third rotary bearing 34 is arranged in a region that extends in the axial direction from the rotary coupler 18 up to the converter 14. Here, the outer ring of the rotary bearings 30, 32, 34 is in each case fastened in a stationary manner on the base plate 10. In the embodiment shown, the bearing 34 is arranged directly next to the toothed wheel 16 that connects the converter 14 to the rotary disk 17 of the rotary coupler 18. However, the rotary bearing 34 could also be offset slightly more toward the rotary body 12 in the axial direction. However, since only the rotary bearing 34, but not the two rotary bearings 30 and 32, also effects an axial support for the rotary sonotrode, the positioning, present in the embodiments shown, of the rotary bearing 34 close to the rotary coupler 18 is particularly advantageous since it is hereby ensured that an air gap between the rotary disk 17 and a rotationally fixed disk of the rotary coupler 18 can be kept constant and in an order of about 0.1 mm.
[0027] The transmission of the electrical energy required for the operation of the converter takes place via a radio frequency connector 40 that is in turn electrically connected to the stationary disk of the rotary coupler 18. Within the rotary coupler 18, the electrical energy is transmitted contactlessly (e.g. inductively) to the rotary disk 17 and is fed to the converter 14.
[0028] To minimize a transmission of the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the converter 14 to the rotary bearings 30 and 32, a respective vibration damper 42 and 44, whose embodiments are shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 to 4, is provided between each rotary bearing 30, 32 and the rotary body 12.
[0029] As first illustrated by FIG. 2, each vibration damper has an inner ring 50 and an outer ring 52 that are connected to one another in one piece via spokes S. Each vibration damper is manufactured in one piece from metal and is applied by means of press fitting (e.g. by thermal shrinking) to a shaft section 24 and 26 of the rotary body 12. As FIG. 2 illustrates in this respect, the disk-shaped element 20 and the two vibration dampers 42 and 44 overlap in section since the disk-shaped element of the rotary body 12 has a respective recess 46 and 48 at its two side surfaces. The rotary body 12 can hereby be supported in close proximity to the working surface 22.
[0030] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show two different embodiments of vibration dampers. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the spokes S extend spirally from the inner ring 50 to the outer ring 52. In the embodiment of a vibration damper shown in FIG. 4, the spokes S extend in the radial direction from the inner ring 50 to the outer ring 52. In this embodiment, each spoke S also tapers in the radial direction from the inner ring 50 to the outer ring 52 so that each spoke appears trapezoidal in a plan view and an approximately triangular clearance is formed between two adjacent spokes. In both embodiments, the spokes S each form an outer side of the vibration damper, i.e. the spokes are not completely but only partly located within the outer ring 52.
[0031] Furthermore, FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate that, in the embodiments shown, the inner ring 50 is provided with a circular groove 54 that is formed by an incision.
[0032] The spokes S can naturally also have other designs. Thus, the spokes can, for example, be of a wave-like, zigzag, or V-shaped design and can also extend further into the interior of the outer ring 52.
[0033] Finally, in the embodiments shown, the vibration damper in each case has a peripheral annular web 56 that serves as an abutment on an insertion of the vibration damper into the rotary bearing.
