Patent EP-1867377-B1 (EP)
Inventor: FRIEDRICH MATTHIAS
IPC: B01D46/10
Filed: 2007-06-12
Granted: 2011-10-05
Abstract: The method for manufacturing a filtration mechanism with a pleated filter material body made of filter material layers and a framework, comprises connecting the framework with a section of a border region of the filter material body by ultrasonic welding process by the formation of an arrangement having the body, an energy director (3) and the framework, arranging the body, the energy director and the framework in a series manner adjacent to one another, focusing the welding energy, and leading the welding energy into the arrangement with the help of a sonotrode (5). The method for manufacturing a filtration mechanism with a pleated filter material body made of filter material layers and a framework, comprises connecting the framework with a section of a border region of the filter material body by ultrasonic welding process by the formation of an arrangement having the body, an energy director (3) and the framework, arranging the body, the energy director and the framework in a series manner adjacent to one another, focusing the welding energy, leading the welding energy into the arrangement with the help of a sonotrode (5), building the welding joint between the body and the framework elements as linear weld seams between the flanks of the folds and the interior of the lateral frame elements. The sonotrode is placed during the welding process in such a manner that the welding energy is focused by the sonotrode into the framework and filter material body and is passed through the framework, the energy director, the filter material body and a region, in which a welding joint is formed in a section. The energy director is designed as an integral single-component or non-integral component of the framework and/or the filter material body. The energy director is made of a material that has similar thermal characteristics of the same material as the body and/or the framework. Before the ultrasonic welding process, a section of body is inserted into a tool holder (4) in such a manner that the border region of the body to be welded protrudes from the tool holder and/or hangs freely from the same as a counter-pressure element for the framework that is exposed to the sonotrode during the welding process. The energy director is placed between the region of the filter material body and between the regions of the framework. A unit is used as energy director, whose profile corresponds to the flanks of the folds. The energy director is designed as a corresponding strip-shaped body or as conical projections that are arranged in a series along a corresponding line. The energy director is designed as an integral single-component or non-integral component of the framework or the filter material body, and is designed from material with similar thermal properties such as the filter material body and/or the framework. The sonotrodes are used for focusing and feeding of energy needed for the formation of the welding joint. A functional component of the filter material body is connected with the framework and/or the filter material body by ultrasonic welding. The welding joint is built between the functional component and the framework or the filter material body before, during or after the welding of the filter material body with the framework. The welding joint is designed with a narrow transverse cross-section and placed between the framework and the border region of the body as linear weld seam and/or a weld seam that extends rectilinearly or in a zigzag fashion. The energy director has a zigzag-shaped or undulating profile. The energy director is placed during the formation of the welding joint between the flanks of the folds and the interior of the lateral framework elements, and during the welding process. The energy director focuses and leads the welding energy through a spatially constricted area to form the welding joint in the region of the energy director. An independent claim is included for a filtration mechanism with a pleated filter material body and a framework.