Abstract: A pair of thermoplastic resin members are placed on an anvil. A pressing force of a tool horn vibrating ultrasonically in a direction not perpendicular to but along upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members is applied to the upper surfaces. The application of the pressing force of the tool horn vibrating ultrasonically allows melting of a vicinity of the upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members. A welded structure part is formed on an unwelded structure part, thereby welding the pair of thermoplastic resin members as an overlap structure including the welded structure part arranged on the unwelded structure part. The distance and positional relationship between the pair of thermoplastic resin members after the welding are unchanged before and after the welding. The surfaces, placed on the anvil, of the thermoplastic resin members are neither burned nor discolored.

Abstract: A pair of thermoplastic resin members are placed on an anvil. A pressing force of a tool horn vibrating ultrasonically in a direction not perpendicular to but along upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members is applied to the upper surfaces. The application of the pressing force of the tool horn vibrating ultrasonically allows melting of a vicinity of the upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members. A welded structure part is formed on an unwelded structure part, thereby welding the pair of thermoplastic resin members as an overlap structure including the welded structure part arranged on the unwelded structure part. The distance and positional relationship between the pair of thermoplastic resin members after the welding are unchanged before and after the welding. The surfaces, placed on the anvil, of the thermoplastic resin members are neither burned nor discolored.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal caulking device which can quickly heat and cool an object to be caulked with low electrical power.

Abstract: A laser welding apparatus is provides that includes: a support member including a heat generation portion which has a size that is limited to correspond to a size of a welding area of a plurality of plastic components and is made from a material that absorbs a laser beam and generates heat, and which generates heat of a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the plastic components; a laser beam irradiation unit for converging a laser beam to be transmitted through the plurality of plastic components, and irradiating the laser beam toward the heat generation portion through the plurality of plastic components; and a welding controller for causing a laser beam to be irradiated at the heat generation portion using the laser beam irradiation unit to thereby cause the heat generation portion to generate heat, and welding abutting faces of a welding area of the plurality of plastic components with heat that is generated.

Abstract: To provide a balloon catheter and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the balloon catheter, whereby the degree of welding can be appropriately adjusted and the balloon catheter can be formed so as to have a desired surface profile suitable for various uses including medical use. With a shaft 14 inserted through a catheter tube 30a inserted into an end portion 28b of a balloon and also with a pressure tube 32a fitted around a welding section where the end portion 28b of the balloon 28 is lapped over the catheter tube 30a, the shaft 14 is heated by emitting laser light from a laser radiation unit 8 to the welding section while the shaft 14 is rotated by a chuck, to weld the welding section.

Abstract: A welding device includes a compressor configured to compress a welding part and its adjoining surfaces of thermoplastic resin articles (2a, 2b) in directions perpendicular to the axis of a core (1), and a heater, and is configured such that: the surface of the welding part of the thermoplastic resin articles is compressed with a predetermined pressure by the compressor, the compression of the thermoplastic resin articles is then continued to extend a compressed region along the axis of the core without changing a relative position between the compressor in the compressed region and the surface of the welding part of the thermoplastic resin articles, the welding part of the thermoplastic resin articles is heated and welded by the heater, and after the welding, the pressure applied by the compressor is lowered to stop the compression of the thermoplastic resin articles such that the thermoplastic resin articles fitted on the core can be taken out of the welding device.

Abstract: A method of securing to an operating lever in the form of an elongated metal plate an operating button made of thermoplastic resin and including a mounting tongue of a generally tubular configuration having a hollow defined therein. An anchor perforation and a stopper pawl are first formed in the operating lever and the operating button is then temporarily mounted on the operating lever with the operating lever slid into the hollow of the mounting tongue until an abutment defined in the mounting tongue and positioned within the hollow is brought into engagement with the stopper pawl.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an endless ribbon comprises a pair of clamping devices situated spaced apart from each other along a ribbon path for overlapping two ends of a ribbon one above the other, an ultrasonic welding device for welding the overlapped portion of the ribbon along a weld line, a guide member to be inserted between the main ribbon body and superfluous ribbon end joined by way of the weld line, the thickness of the guide member on the side of the ribbon end being gradually reduced toward the weld line, and a cutter having an arcuate blade each for cutting off the superfluous ribbon end in the vicinity of the weld line in cooperation with the guide member. The endless ribbon is manufactured by a method of clamping the two ends of a ribbon overlapped one above the other, welding a central part of the overlap along a weld line, inserting the guide member between the main ribbon body and the ribbon end and cutting off the ribbon end at a position in the vicinity of the weld line.

Abstract: An extrusion molding method for improving the fluidity of a molding material in the die and significantly improving the productivity of the molded article of uniform thickness, and an extrusion molding apparatus adapted for smoothly carrying out the method and having an unsophisticated constructional arrangement, are disclosed.Molding is carried out while the die to which an extrusion orifice gap adjustment device is annexed is kept in resonant vibrations. The extrusion orifice gap adjustment device is annexed to a portion of the die constituting an extrusion orifice section, and molding is carried out while only the portion of the die is kept in resonant vibrations. The extrusion orifice gap adjustment device is annexed at a node of the resonant vibrations.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasticization method in which a molding material is supplied to a cylinder having a built-in screw to plasticize the molding material, and further, at least one of the cylinder and the screw is resonated to carry out the plasticization of the molding material. Also disclosed is a plasticization method in which the cylinder is vibrated by progressive waves to plasticize the molding material, and an apparatus able to carry out these plasticization methods.

Abstract: An improved method for carrying out an extrusion is provided, wherein an extrusion material in a flowable state is passed through a die under a pressure to impart a desired shape thereto, and the extrusion is carried out while the die is resonated by an ultrasonic wave in such a manner that the resonance occurs at an n wavelength, wherein n is m/2 and m is a positive integer. Further, an apparatus suitable for carrying out this extrusion method is provided.

Abstract: An injection molding method in which a molding material is injected into a cavity formed in a mold to be molded. The mold is driven to resonate so that resonance occurs in the mold at n wavelengths, where n=m/2 and m is a positive integer, and an injection molding apparatus provided with a fixed mold and a movable mold; the movable mold having a cavity in one side thereof, and an ultrasonic vibration feed device being connected to the other side thereof.

Abstract: In the ultrasonic apparatus being so constructed as to be capable of directing the oscillation of ultrasonic waves to the inner part of a container and the like, an ultrasonic apparatus characterized by the provision of an ultrasonic wave transfer preventive member to ensure the prevention of transfer of ultrasonic waves to unintended matters other than the object matter.