Patent ID: 8052027

Claim:
An apparatus for attaching a lid portion to a body portion of a metallic container comprising: a base adapted to support the body portion of the metallic container when placed thereon; a support assembly, movable relative to the base, and including a support surface adapted to support an outer surface of a flange of the body of the metallic container; a reciprocally rotatable sonotrode, including a friction surface and being moveable linearly, along a longitudinal axis, relative to the support assembly between a retracted position, and an engaged position, such that when the lid portion is placed onto the body portion of the metallic container, and the support assembly engages the outer surface of the flange of the body portion of the metallic container, and the sonotrode is moved to the engaged position, portions of the lid and the body of the metallic container are held in contact with one another between the support surface of the support assembly and the friction surface of the sonotrode; and a motor adapted to reciprocally rotate the sonotrode relative to the support assembly, thereby moving the lid portion of the metallic container relative to the body portion of the metallic container such that frictional heat generated from the reciprocal relative motion creates a friction weld between the lid portion and the body portion of the metallic container, wherein the support assembly includes a frame, and a clamshell anvil, the clamshell anvil comprising two halves that are pivotally mounted onto opposing portions of the frame for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, and springs biasing the two halves of the clamshell anvil to the open position, and wherein the sonotrode is supported on a shaft, the shaft having a cammed outer surface, portions of the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engaging the cammed outer surface, such that when the sonotrode is in the retracted position, the pivotally mounted clamshell anvil halves engage the shaft at a point where the shaft allows the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the open position, and when the shaft and the sonotrode begin to move downward, the cammed outer surface of the shaft forces the clamshell anvil halves to pivot to the closed position wherein the support surface engages the flange of the body portion of the metallic container.