JP7498026B2 - Ultrasonic bonding equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic joining device that applies ultrasonic vibrations to each conductor of multiple electric wires to join the conductors together.

One such ultrasonic bonding device is that disclosed in Patent Document 1. The ultrasonic bonding device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an ultrasonic bonding device main body and an electric wire arrangement jig that arranges the electric wires when ultrasonically bonding the conductors together. This electric wire arrangement jig has electric wire arrangement grooves whose widthwise spacing continuously narrows from the insertion start side of the electric wires toward the bottom. Ultrasonic energy is then uniformly applied to the conductors of each electric wire arranged in the electric wire arrangement groove of the electric wire arrangement jig, so that good bonding strength can be obtained.

JP 2018-140396 A

However, the conventional ultrasonic bonding devices described above do not have the equipment to regulate and arbitrarily control the arrangement of the electric wires, making it difficult to ensure stable mechanical and electrical performance.

The present invention was made in consideration of the problems inherent in the conventional technology. The object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic joining device that can join the conductors of a wide variety of multiple electric wires in an appropriate state and ensure stable mechanical and electrical performance.

The ultrasonic bonding device according to this aspect of the present invention is an ultrasonic bonding device that ultrasonically bonds the conductors of at least two different types of electric wires between an ultrasonic bonding horn and an anvil, and is provided with a receiving jig on at least one side of the horn and the anvil that enables the conductors to be bonded while maintaining the positional relationship of the at least two different types of electric wires.

It is preferable that the horn is fixed to a base, and the anvil is arranged so that it can be raised and lowered relative to the horn fixed to the base.

A receiving jig is placed on the base on the side where the anvil holds the electric wire, and the receiving jig has an electric wire receiving plate that maintains the positional relationship of at least two different types of electric wires, and it is preferable that the electric wire receiving plate rises and falls in conjunction with the rise and fall of the anvil.

A receiving jig is fixed to the base on the side where the horn holds the electric wire, and the receiving jig preferably has an electric wire receiving plate that holds the position of one of at least two different types of electric wires at the same position as the ultrasonic vibration application surface of the horn.

It is preferable that a receiving jig is arranged on both sides of the base where the horn holds the electric wire and the anvil holds the electric wire, and that the receiving jig fixed to the base on the side where the horn holds the electric wire holds in a predetermined position the electric wire having a conductor made of a hard metal or a large conductor among at least two different types of electric wires.

The present invention provides an ultrasonic joining device that can join the conductors of a wide variety of electric wires in an appropriate state and ensure stable mechanical and electrical performance.

1 is a schematic front view showing an example of a state before two electric wires are butt-joined by the ultrasonic joining device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing the state in which the two electric wires are butt-jointed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are joined in the same direction in another form of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state in which two electric wires are joined in the same direction in another form of the first embodiment. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are butt-joined by a receiving jig of another form of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing an example of a state before two electric wires are butt-joined by the ultrasonic joining device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state in which two electric wires are butt-joined by the ultrasonic joining device of the second embodiment. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are joined together in the same direction in another form of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing a state in which two electric wires are joined in the same direction in another form of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic front view showing an example of a state before three different types of electric wires are butt-joined by the ultrasonic joining device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

The ultrasonic bonding device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic front view showing an example of a state before two electric wires are butted together and joined by an ultrasonic joining device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic front view showing a state in which two electric wires are butted together and joined. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are butted together and joined in another form in which two electric wires are aligned in the same direction and joined. Figure 6 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are butted together and joined in another form in which two electric wires are aligned in the same direction and joined. Figure 7 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are butted together and joined by a receiving jig of another form. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7.

As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the ultrasonic joining device 10 ultrasonically joins the core wires (conductors) 22 consisting of multiple strands 22a of two electric wires 20, 20 between a horn 12 fixed to a base 11 and an anvil 13 that moves up and down relative to the horn 12. The base 11 on the side where the anvil 13 holds the electric wires 20 (hereinafter referred to as the anvil 13 side) is equipped with a receiving jig 15 that enables the core wires 22 to be joined together while maintaining the positional relationship of the two electric wires 20, 20.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the horn 12 is fixed to the base 11 and placed on the lower side, with its upper surface 12a serving as the ultrasonic vibration application surface. The anvil 13 placed on the upper side is provided so as to be freely raised and lowered relative to the horn 12 on the lower side via a lifting mechanism (not shown), with its lower surface 13b serving as the pressure surface that receives the workpiece.

The receiving jig 15 arranged on the base 11 on the anvil 13 side has a rod-shaped jig body 15a supported so as to be freely raised and lowered via a compression coil spring 16 as a biasing means housed in a hole 11a provided in the base 11. The receiving jig 15 also has an electric wire receiving plate 15b that is attached horizontally to the upper part of the jig body 15a and holds one electric wire 20 to be controlled and maintains the positional relationship of the two electric wires 20, 20. The electric wire receiving plate 15b rises and falls with the rise and fall of the anvil 13. That is, when the anvil 13 descends and presses the core wire 22 of one electric wire 20 placed on the electric wire receiving plate 15b against the horn 12, the electric wire receiving plate 15b also descends together with the one electric wire 20. The receiving jig 15 is lowered by lowering the wire receiving plate 15b carrying the wire 20 due to the pressure applied when the wire 20 is lowered, but it may be moved up and down in conjunction with a lifting mechanism (not shown) that raises and lowers the anvil 12.

Each electric wire 20 arranged on the horn 12 side and the anvil 13 side has a core wire (conductor) 22 consisting of multiple strands 22a exposed from the insulating coating 21 on one end 20a side. The two electric wires 20, 20 are joined by ultrasonic welding between the horn 12 and the anvil 13 with the core wires 22 butted against each other as shown in Figures 1 and 3, or with the core wires 22 facing in the same direction as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The materials of the core wires 22 of the two electric wires 20, 20 to be joined are basically different materials, and if they are the same material, they have different wire diameters. Therefore, it is preferable that the core wires 22 are different in at least one of the material or size. Furthermore, the material of the core wire 22 may be, for example, aluminum, aluminum alloy, copper, copper alloy, or tin-plated copper, and may be a stranded wire or a single core wire.

Next, we will explain how to ultrasonically join the core wires 22 of two different types of electric wires 20, 20 using the ultrasonic joining device 10 of the first embodiment.

First, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, one of the electric wires 20 whose position is to be controlled is placed and set on the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15 arranged on the anvil 13 side. This setting maintains the positional relationship between the one of the electric wires 20 whose position is to be controlled and the other electric wire 20 which is a hard electric wire with a core wire 22 placed on the upper surface 12a of the horn 12 and has a large electric wire size.

Next, with the positional relationship between the two electric wires 20, 20 maintained, the anvil 13 is lowered as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and the anvil 13 presses the core wire 22 of one of the electric wires 20 against the upper surface 12a of the horn 12. At the same time as the anvil 13 presses, the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15 descends together with the one of the electric wires 20 against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 16. At this time, the core wires 22 are ultrasonically joined together by the ultrasonic vibration of the horn 12 and the pressure of the anvil 13.

During the ultrasonic bonding, ultrasonic vibration energy emitted from the upper surface 12a, which is the ultrasonic vibration application surface of the horn 12, is propagated toward the anvil 13, and the core wires 22 are pressed together by the lower surface 13b, which is the pressure application surface of the anvil 13. This ultrasonic bonding allows the core wires 22 of two different types of electric wires 20, 20 arranged butted together to be bonded together in an appropriate state, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this way, the core wires 22 can be bonded together in an appropriate state, thereby ensuring stable mechanical performance such as strength of the joint and electrical performance such as conductivity of the joint.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when two different types of electric wires 20, 20 are aligned in the same direction and their core wires 22 are joined, a receiving jig 15 arranged on the anvil 13 side is used. By using this, it is possible to obtain the same action and effect as when two different types of electric wires 20, 20 are butted together and joined. In this case, one electric wire 20 is set on the upper side of the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15, and the other electric wire 20, which is a harder electric wire/larger size, is set on the lower side of the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15 and joined.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by using a U-shaped electric wire receiving plate 15B instead of the flat electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15 arranged on the anvil 13 side, the electric wire 20 whose positioning is to be controlled can be securely placed and set without dropping.

Figure 9 is a schematic front view showing an example of a state before two electric wires are butted together and joined using an ultrasonic joining device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in Figure 9. Figure 11 is a schematic front view showing two electric wires butted together and joined. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in Figure 11. Figure 13 is a schematic front view showing a state before two electric wires are joined in the same direction in another embodiment. Figure 14 is a schematic front view showing a state after two electric wires are joined in the same direction in another embodiment.

The ultrasonic bonding device 10A of this second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the receiving jig 15 is placed on the base 11 on the anvil 13 side in that the receiving jig 18 is placed on the base 11 on the side where the horn 12 holds the electric wire 20 (hereinafter referred to as the horn 12 side). The other configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, so the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations are omitted.

In the ultrasonic bonding device 10A of the second embodiment, the receiving jig 18 arranged on the base 11 on the horn 12 side has a plate-shaped jig body 18a fixed to the base 11. The receiving jig 18 also has a wire receiving plate 18b that is attached horizontally to the top of the jig body 18a and holds one electric wire 20 to be controlled and maintains the positional relationship of the two different types of electric wires 20, 20. The top surface of the wire receiving plate 18b and the top surface (ultrasonic vibration application surface) 12a of the horn 12 are located at the same position (same height).

Next, we will explain how to ultrasonically join the core wires 22 of two different types of electric wires 20, 20 using the ultrasonic joining device 10A of the second embodiment.

First, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the hard wire or the other wire 20 with a large wire size, the position of which is to be controlled, is placed and set on the wire receiving plate 18b of the receiving jig 18 fixed to the horn 12 side. This setting maintains the positional relationship between the hard wire or the other wire 20 with a large wire size, the position of which is to be controlled, and the one wire 20 placed below the anvil 13.

Next, when the anvil 13 is lowered while the positional relationship of the two electric wires 20, 20 is maintained, the anvil 13 presses the core wire 22 of one electric wire 20 against the upper surface 12a of the horn 12 as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. At this time, the core wires 22 are ultrasonically joined by the ultrasonic vibration of the horn 12 and the pressure of the anvil 13. That is, ultrasonic vibration energy oscillated from the upper surface 12a, which is the ultrasonic vibration application surface of the horn 12, is propagated toward the anvil 13, and the core wires 22 are pressed against each other by the lower surface 13b, which is the pressure application surface of the anvil 13. By this ultrasonic joining, the core wires 22 of the two different types of electric wires 20, 20 arranged butted against each other can be joined in an appropriate state as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. In this way, since the core wires 22 can be joined in an appropriate state, mechanical performance such as the strength of the joint and electrical performance such as the conduction of the joint can be ensured.

As shown in Figures 13 and 14, when two different types of electric wires 20, 20 are aligned in the same direction and their core wires 22 are joined, a receiving jig 18 arranged on the horn 12 side is used. By using this, it is possible to obtain the same action and effect as when two different types of electric wires 20, 20 are butted together and joined. In this case, one electric wire 20 is set on the upper side of the electric wire receiving plate 18b of the receiving jig 18, and the other electric wire 20, which is a harder electric wire/larger size, is set on the lower side of the electric wire receiving plate 18b of the receiving jig 18 and joined.

Figure 15 is a schematic front view showing an example of the state before three different types of electric wires are butt-joined using an ultrasonic joining device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

The ultrasonic bonding device 10B of this third embodiment differs from those of the first and second embodiments in that receiving jigs 15, 18 are arranged on both the anvil 13 side and the horn 12 side of the base 11, respectively. Note that other configurations are similar to those of the first and second embodiments, so the same components are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

In the ultrasonic bonding device 10B of the third embodiment, the arrangement of multiple different types of electric wires 20 can be controlled by changing the height of the receiving jig 15 on the anvil 13 side and the receiving jig 18 on the horn 12 side. That is, the position of the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15 on the anvil 13 side is set to a height H higher than the position of the electric wire receiving plate 18b of the receiving jig 18 on the horn 12 side.

Next, we will explain how the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C of three different types of electric wires 20 are ultrasonically joined together using the ultrasonic joining device 10B of the third embodiment.

First, an electric wire 20 having a large diameter core wire (conductor) 22A made of multiple hard copper strands 22a is set on the lower side of the electric wire receiving plate 18b of the receiving jig 18, and an electric wire 20 having a small diameter core wire 22B made of multiple hard copper strands 22a is set on the upper side of the electric wire receiving plate 18b. In addition, an electric wire 20 having a large diameter (same diameter as the copper core wire 22A) core wire (conductor) 22C made of multiple soft aluminum strands 22a is set on the upper side of the electric wire receiving plate 15b of the receiving jig 15.

From the above-mentioned set state, the anvil 13 is lowered, and pressure is applied to each of the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C between the lower surface 13b of the anvil 13 and the upper surface 12a of the horn 12 while ultrasonic vibrations are applied to each of the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C, thereby reliably joining each of the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C to each other.
That is, if the aluminum core wire 22C or the small-sized core wire 22B is placed on the upper surface 12a of the horn 12, over-welding occurs. However, by placing the copper core wire 22A with a large cross-sectional area on the upper surface 12a of the horn 12 and disposing the aluminum core wire 22C with a large cross-sectional area on the lower surface 13b side of the anvil 13, the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C can be joined together without causing damage or the like. This joining allows the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C of the three electric wires 20 of various kinds to be joined together in an appropriate state, and mechanical performance such as the strength of the stable joint and electrical performance such as the conduction of the joint can be ensured. That is, compared to the case of joining by conventional ultrasonic joining, it is possible to minimize the decrease in strength of the joint between the core wires 22A, 22B, and 22C and to obtain a stable conduction state.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present embodiment.

That is, in each of the above embodiments, multiple electric wires are butted together and joined in the same direction, but it is also possible to join a conductor exposed from the insulating coating at the end of one electric wire to a conductor exposed from the insulating coating midway through the other electric wire.

10, 10A, 10B Ultrasonic bonding device 11 Base 12 Horn 12a Upper surface (ultrasonic vibration applied surface)
13 Anvil 15 Anvil side receiving jig 15b, 15B Wire receiving plate 18 Horn side receiving jig 18b Wire receiving plate 20 Wire 22, 22A, 22B, 22C Core wire (conductor)

Claims (3)

An ultrasonic bonding apparatus for ultrasonically bonding at least two different types of electric wires between a horn and an anvil, comprising:
a receiving jig provided on at least one side of the horn and the anvil, the receiving jig being capable of joining the conductors of the at least two different types of electric wires together while maintaining a positional relationship between the electric wires ;
The horn is fixed to a base, and the anvil is provided so as to be movable up and down relative to the horn fixed to the base,
An anvil-side receiving jig is disposed on the base on the side where the anvil holds the electric wire,
The anvil-side receiving jig has a wire receiving plate that maintains a positional relationship of at least two different types of wires,
The wire receiving plate rises and falls in accordance with the rise and fall of the anvil . A receiving jig on the horn side is fixed to the base on the side where the horn holds the electric wire,
2. The ultrasonic bonding device according to claim 1 , wherein the horn-side receiving jig has a wire receiving plate for holding one of at least two different types of wires at the same position as the ultrasonic vibration application surface of the horn. a horn-side receiving jig and an anvil-side receiving jig are disposed on both sides of the base, the side where the horn holds the electric wire and the side where the anvil holds the electric wire,
2. The ultrasonic joining device according to claim 1, wherein a horn -side receiving jig fixed to the base on the side where the horn holds the electric wire holds in a predetermined position an electric wire having a conductor made of a hard metal or a conductor having a large size, among the at least two different types of electric wires.

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