Method for determining state-related information, for example wear-related information, concerning an ultrasonic welding device

1 . A method for determining condition information for an ultrasonic welding device, wherein the condition information specifies information about a current condition of at least one component of the ultrasonic welding device,

wherein the ultrasonic welding device comprises:

a plurality of components, comprising at least two of:

a sonotrode;

an anvil;

a touching element; and

a lateral slide; and

a receiving chamber in which joining partners are to be received;

wherein the receiving chamber is defined on a first side by a surface of a first of the components and on a second side opposing the first side by a surface of a second of the components;

wherein at least the first of the components and the second of the components opposing the first component are displaceable relative to each other in a first displacement direction toward each other and are displaceable relative to each other in a second displacement direction oriented transverse to the first displacement direction;

wherein the first component and the second component are displaceable relative to each other in the first displacement direction in such a manner that a counterforce which acts on the first component contrary to the first displacement direction reaches a predetermined maximum force;

wherein the method comprises the following method steps:

(a) displacing the first component and the second component relative to each other, starting from an initial position, in the first displacement direction and detecting a first stop position at which the counterforce acting on the first component during displacement reaches the predetermined maximum force;

(b) displacing the first component and the second component relative to each other in the second displacement direction into a changed position; and

(c) displacing the first component and the second component relative to each other again, starting from the changed position, in the first displacement direction and detecting a second stop position at which the counterforce acting on the first component during displacement reaches the predetermined maximum force;

(d) determining the condition information based on the first and second stop positions detected.

2 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the method steps (b) and (c) are repeated plural times in order to detect a plurality of second stop positions for various positions of the first component relative to the second component, and

wherein, in method step (d), the condition information is determined based on the first stop position detected and the plurality of second stop positions.

3 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein, in the method steps (a) and (c), the first component and the second component are displaced relative to each other until a surface of the first component opposing the second component contacts the second component.

4 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein a matrix element is introduced into the receiving chamber before executing at least one of the method step (a) and the method step (c), and

wherein, in the method steps (a) and (c), the first component and the second component are displaced relative to each other until the matrix element contacts the first component with a surface directed toward the first component and contacts the second component with a surface directed toward the second component.

5 . The method according to claim 4 ,

wherein the matrix element is attached to one of the first component and the second component.

6 . The method according to claim 4 ,

wherein the matrix element has a smaller width on a side which is directed toward one of the first component and the second component than one of the surface of the first and second component contacted by the matrix element.

7 . The method according to claim 4 ,

wherein the matrix element has a greater width on one of a side directed toward the first component and a side directed toward the second component than on a side opposite thereto.

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the ultrasonic welding device comprises the sonotrode, the anvil and the touching element,

wherein the anvil is displaceable relative to the sonotrode in a first direction and transverse thereto in a second direction,

wherein the touching element is fixed to the anvil in the first direction and is displaceable relative to the anvil in the second direction, and

wherein the lateral slide is held stationary relative to the sonotrode in the first direction and is displaceable relative to the sonotrode in the second direction.

9 . The method according to claim 8 ,

wherein in method step (a) the anvil, starting from the initial position, is displaced in the first direction toward the sonotrode,

wherein in method step (b) the anvil is displaced in the second direction into the changed position, and

wherein in method step (c) the anvil, starting from the changed position, is displaced in the first direction toward the sonotrode.

10 . The method according to claim 8 ,

wherein a matrix element is introduced into the receiving chamber before executing at least one of the method step (a) and the method step (c),

wherein in method step (a) the lateral slide, starting from the initial position, is displaced in the second direction toward the touching element,

wherein in method step (b) the touching element is displaced in the first direction into the changed position, and

wherein in method step (c) the lateral slide is displaced in the second direction toward the touching element in the changed position.

11 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the condition information determined is examined for characteristics which indicate a previously known condition of at least one of the components, and wherein on detecting a characteristic, an operation is initiated that is selected from the group comprising:

initiating maintenance of the ultrasonic welding device;

initiating replacement of at least one of the components of the ultrasonic welding device;

calculating a remaining service life of at least one component of the ultrasonic welding device;

emitting a signal indicating the presence of the previously known condition;

verifying correct use of the components used in the ultrasonic welding device;

taking a camera image of at least one component of the ultrasonic welding device.

12 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the condition information is determined plural times at successive times during operation of the ultrasonic welding device, and wherein the condition information determined is compared for changes which indicate a previously known condition of at least one of the components, and

wherein on detecting a change, an operation is initiated that is selected from the group comprising:

initiating maintenance of the ultrasonic welding device;

initiating replacement of at least one of the components of the ultrasonic welding device;

calculating a remaining service life of at least one component of the ultrasonic welding device;

emitting a signal indicating the presence of the previously known condition;

verifying correct use of the components used in the ultrasonic welding device;

taking a camera image of at least one component of the ultrasonic welding device.

13 . An ultrasonic welding device having:

a plurality of components, comprising at least two of:

a sonotrode;

an anvil;

a touching element; and

a lateral slide; and

a receiving chamber in which joining partners are to be received;

a drive being configured to exert a predetermined maximum force; and

a control system configured for at least one of controlling the drive and reading out a sensor configured to measure a counterforce;

wherein the receiving chamber is defined on a first side by a surface of a first of the components and on a second side opposing the first side by a surface of a second of the components;

wherein at least a first of the components and a second of the components opposing the first component are displaceable by the drive relative to each other in a first displacement direction toward each other and are displaceable relative to each other in a second displacement direction oriented transverse to the first displacement direction;

wherein the first component and the second component are displaceable by the drive relative to each other in the first displacement direction in such a manner that a counterforce which acts on the first component contrary to the first displacement direction does not exceed a predetermined maximum force, wherein the counterforce is measurable by the sensor;

wherein the ultrasonic welding device is configured with the control system to carry out or control the method according to claim 1 .

14 . A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed on a processor, prompt the processor to carry out or control the method according to claim 1 in an ultrasonic welding device, the ultrasonic welding device having

a plurality of components, comprising at least two of:

a sonotrode;

an anvil;

a touching element; and

a lateral slide; and

a receiving chamber in which joining partners are to be received;

wherein the receiving chamber is defined on a first side by a surface of a first of the components and on a second side opposing the first side by a surface of a second of the components;

wherein at least a first of the components and a second of the components opposing the first component are displaceable relative to each other in a first displacement direction toward each other and are displaceable relative to each other in a second displacement direction oriented transverse to the first displacement direction;

wherein the first component and the second component are displaceable relative to each other in the first displacement direction in such a manner that a counterforce which acts on the first component contrary to the first displacement direction does not exceed a predetermined maximum force.

15 . A machine-readable medium with a computer program product according to claim 14 stored thereon.

16 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the receiving chamber is further defined on a third side by a surface of a third of the components and on a fourth side opposing the third side by a surface of a fourth of the components.