US 12,240,051 B2
Ultrasonic resistance welding process and apparatus
Xun Liu, Columbus, OH (US); Avraham Benatar, Upper Arlington, OH (US); and Menachem Kimchi, Westerville, OH (US)
Assigned to Ohio State Innovation Foundation, Columbus, OH (US)
Appl. No. 17/290,603
Filed by Ohio State Innovation Foundation, Columbus, OH (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 31, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/059169
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/092772, PCT Pub. Date May 7, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/753,220, filed on Oct. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0001483 A1, Jan. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 20/10 (2006.01); B23K 11/11 (2006.01); B23K 11/12 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 20/106 (2013.01) [B23K 11/115 (2013.01); B23K 11/12 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasonic resistance welding apparatus comprising:
a resistance welding machine having a first electrode and a vibrable second electrode; and
an ultrasonic transducer operatively coupled to said vibrable second electrode adapted to selectively impart vibratory energy to said vibrable second electrode,
a controller for ultrasonically vibrating at least one of the electrodes upon detecting at least one of electrical current, welding force, or initiation of melting, to synchronize the ultrasonic vibrating with an electrical current at a predetermined point during an ultrasonic resistance welding process,
wherein said vibrable second electrode is designed to resonate within 2.5% of an operating frequency of said ultrasonic transducer.