Patent ID: 6009925
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: B29C,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for joining a plurality of thin sheets of thermoplastic materials along a welded seam, said apparatus comprising:a welding assembly comprising a heated platen welding press coupled with a thermally and electrically conductive welding tool;said welding press comprising a pair of opposed platens, means for heating at least one of said pair of opposed platens and pressing means for displacing at least one of said pair of opposed platens in the thickness direction of the sheets;said welding tool comprising a welding die for conducting high frequency energy to the sheets during the welding process;said heating means raising the temperature of at least one of said pair of opposed platens to a platen temperature for heating the thermoplastic materials to a first temperature below the softening temperature of the thermoplastic materials; andsaid welding tool raising the temperature of a weld seam region on said thermoplastic materials to a second temperature, andmeans for automatically feeding the sheets to said welding assembly and positioning the sheets in a predefined working area of said welding press.