Patent Application
20050087181
The present invention relates to cutting technology, and more specifically the cutting of crystalline materials.
The cutting of crystalline materials is needed in a wide variety of industries. One example is the cutting of quartz crystals for piezoelectric industry. Another is the cutting of Nal crystals for any industry requiring the conversion of gamma rays to photons. Many technologies can be used for the cutting of crystals. Some of the technologies includes using metal blades with or without cutting fluids and/or abrasive materials, wires and strings embedded with or carrying abrasive material, and lasers. These technologies all have a one or more disadvantages. For example, the use of metal blades leads to crystalline properties changes due to localized heating, and also leads to uneven cutting which requires later machining to eliminate the defects. Wires and strings embedded with abrasive material also leads to uneven cutting. Wires and strings carrying abrasive material also leads to crystalline properties changes due to localized heating and uneven cutting which requires later machining to eliminate the defects. Lasers also lead to crystalline properties changes due to localized heating.
There remains a need in the art for a method of cutting crystalline material without altering the properties of the crystal, and yet accurately enough to avoid additional machining steps.
According to the present invention, a saw for cutting crystal is provided. The saw has s a fluid retaining string driven by two or more drives. A dissolving fluid is applied to the string. The string then is used to cut crystal. In a preferred embodiment, the crystal is Nal, and the dissolving fluid is water.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The string 6 may be one of any number of materials including natural fibers, artificial fibers, metal wire, wound metal wire, and plastic extrusions. The requirements include mechanical strength needed to cut the crystal 10, and the ability to transport the dissolving fluid 9. The drivers 4 may be any number of drives, gears, pulleys, cams, bearings or other rotation mechanisms. The dissolving fluid 9 depends upon the nature of the crystal 10. In the preferred embodiment, crystal 10 is Nal or Nal(TI). In such a case, water is the preferred dissolving fluid 9. The water may have any number of additives for improving dissolving the crystal 10, as well as to avoid corrosion in the saw 2. The source 8 may deliver the fluid 9 by gravity-fed, pumped, venturied, or other mechanism. The crystal 10 may be driven to the saw 2, or the saw 2 may be driven to the crystal 10.
While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it should be understood that it has been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by the above described exemplary embodiment. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60506836 | Sep 2003 | US |
