Granted Patent B2

US 12,725,993 · App. 18/292,605 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Heiko Strobel (Münzenberg, DE); Sebastian Rühl (Wetter, DE); Manuel Fey (Blasbach, DE); Udo Wagenbach (Buseck, DE)

Assignee: SCHUNK SONOSYSTEMS GMBH

H01R43/0207B23K20/106B23K2101/38

Abstract

Claims (31)

1 . An ultrasonic welding method for welding an electrically conductive contact element to at least two conductors of different electrically conductive materials, wherein the ultrasonic welding method comprises:

arranging the contact element and a first conductor portion of a first one of the conductors between an anvil and a sonotrode;

welding the first conductor portion to the contact element, wherein the anvil and the sonotrode are moved relative to each other in opposite directions to press the contact element and the first conductor portion against each other, and wherein the sonotrode vibrates with ultrasonic vibrations;

arranging the contact element, which is welded to the first conductor portion, and a second conductor portion of a second one of the conductors, the electrically conductive material of which differs from an electrically conductive material of the first conductor, between the anvil and the sonotrode so that the second conductor portion lies between the sonotrode and the first conductor portion welded to the contact element; and

welding the second conductor portion to the first conductor portion welded to the contact element, wherein the anvil and the sonotrode are moved relative to each other in the opposite directions to press the first conductor portion welded to the contact element and the second conductor portion against each other, and wherein the sonotrode vibrates with ultrasonic vibrations.

2 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first conductor portion is arranged between the contact element and the sonotrode.

3 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first conductor portion is welded under a higher specific energy input than the second conductor portion.

4 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least one of the following welding parameters is selected to be greater in value when welding the first conductor portion than when welding the second conductor portion:

an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibrations;

a pressure to be applied to the respective conductor portion;

a welding energy;

a height difference between a height of the respective joining partners measured before welding and a height of the respective joining partners measured after welding.

5 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion are each arranged in a welding chamber and welded together, which welding chamber is defined in a direction of a first spatial axis by the sonotrode and a welding portion of the contact element and in a direction of a second spatial axis by a first lateral stop and a second lateral stop, wherein the welding portion and the first conductor portion are welded together.

6 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 5 ,

wherein the welding chamber has a smaller width in the direction of the second spatial axis than the contact element; and/or

wherein a first edge portion of the contact element adjacent to the welding portion is arranged outside the welding chamber in a first gap between the anvil and the first lateral stop;

and/or wherein a second edge portion of the contact element adjacent to the welding portion is arranged outside the welding chamber in a second gap between the anvil and the second lateral stop.

7 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first edge portion is fixed between the anvil and the first lateral stop by moving the anvil and the first lateral stop relative to each other in opposite directions along the first spatial axis; and/or

wherein the second edge portion is fixed between the anvil and the second lateral stop by moving the anvil and the second lateral stop relative to each other in opposite directions along the first spatial axis.

8 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 5 ,

wherein, to form the welding chamber, the first lateral stop is moved so far along the second spatial axis until it strikes against a first side of the contact element, and/or the second lateral stop is moved so far along the second spatial axis until it strikes against a second side of the contact element.

9 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion are arranged and welded such that the first conductor welded to the contact element extends from the contact element in a different direction than the second conductor welded to the contact element.

10 . The ultrasonic welding method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

arranging the contact element, which is welded to the first conductor portion and the second conductor portion, and a third conductor portion of at least a third conductor between the anvil and the sonotrode, such that the third conductor portion lies between the second conductor portion welded to the first conductor portion and the sonotrode;

welding the third conductor portion to the second conductor portion welded to the first conductor portion, wherein the anvil and the sonotrode are moved relative to each other in the opposite directions to press the third conductor portion and the second conductor portion welded to the first conductor portion against each other, and wherein the sonotrode vibrates with ultrasonic vibrations.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (28)