Patent ID: 7748590

Claim:
An ultrasonic welding apparatus comprising: a sonotrode, said sonotrode having a non-threaded peripheral outer surface, said non-threaded peripheral outer surface including a contact surface and a mounting surface, said mounting surface having an external taper; a reed, said reed having an internal socket for receiving said sonotrode and a bottom surface, said socket including an internal taper whereby said sonotrode is press-fit into said socket on said reed such that a portion of said sonotrode extends outward from said internal socket past said bottom surface wherein said portion of said sonotrode extending past said bottom surface is non-threaded; said reed including a longitudinal passageway extending through said reed from an upper end of said reed to a lower end of the reed; a sonotrode removal mechanism; and said sonotrode removal mechanism includes an extraction rod located in said passageway for reciprocal, longitudinal movement in said passageway independent of said sonotrode, said extraction rod having a drive end and an extraction end, said extraction end operative to engage an upper end of said sonotrode whereby longitudinal movement of the extraction rod drives said sonotrode out of said socket.