US 12,070,815 B2
Rotary acoustic horn
Peihui Zhang, Woodbury, MN (US); Ronald W. Gerdes, St. Paul, MN (US); Jennifer L Trice, Hugo, MN (US); Satinder K. Nayar, Woodbury, MN (US); Timothy J. Rowell, St. Paul, MN (US); Verlin W. Schelhaas, New Richmond, WI (US); and Donald S. Oblak, North St. Paul, MN (US)
Assigned to 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/756,671
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 30, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/061288
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 31, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/111278, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/943,512, filed on Dec. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0038455 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B23K 1/00 (2006.01); B23K 20/10 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 20/106 (2013.01) 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary acoustic horn comprising,
a shaft having an axial input end and an axial output end; and
at least one welding portion comprising an outer weld face, a first opposing end portion and a second opposing end portion;
wherein the welding portion is positioned between the axial input end and the axial output end of the shaft such that the outer weld face has a diameter that expands and contracts with the application of acoustic energy;
wherein the welding portion comprises through holes located between the weld face and the shaft and extending substantially along an axial direction of the welding portion from the first opposing end portion to the second opposing end portion, and
wherein the sections of at least some through holes change long an axial direction of the through holes.