Coulomb damping features using ultrasonic welding

• Main Authors: SCHROTH JAMES G, PERRY THOMAS A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.12.2014
• Subjects: CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

Selected surface regions of coulomb vibration damping strips are bonded face-to-face by ultrasonic welding to a surface region of an article that may experience excessive vibration in use. In one embodiment, prior to welding, the intended facing side of the damping strip is treated to form surface regions that are oxidized, roughened, or coating so that the treated regions do not weld to the article surface. In another embodiment of the invention the ultrasonic welding process is controlled so as to produce regions (sometimes randomly interposed regions) of welded and non-welded regions between the damping strip and adjacent article surface. The unbonded regions of the otherwise welded strip lie in closely-spaced, interfacial, frictional contact with the adjacent article surface to damp vibration in the article. Other processes may be used for welding a damping strip to a surface of an article while leaving un-bonded, friction damping regions between regions of the damping strip and the facing surface of the article.