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AssigneeElectro Scientific Industries, Inc.
InventorsWeisheng Lei, Glenn Simenson, Hisashi Matsumoto, Guangyu Li, Jeffery Howerton
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A laser machining process is described for laser machining glass or glass-like materials. This process machines articles or features in articles with chamfered edges in one manufacturing operation. Chamfered edges are desirable in glass and glass-like materials because they resist fracturing or chipping and eliminate sharp edges. Producing articles or features in articles in one manufacturing operation is desirable because it can save time and expense by eliminating the need to transfer the article to a separate machine for chamfering after laser machining. Alternatively, it can permit use of less expensive equipment because the same laser used for machining can be used to form the chamfer instead of having a separate process perform the chamfering. Producing chamfers with laser machining results in high quality chamfers without the need for a separate polishing or finishing step.
An improved method of laser machining a chamfer in a workpiece including the steps of providing a workpiece and a laser processing system, said workpiece having top and bottom surfaces and said processing system including a laser emitting a laser beam, optics for directing said laser beam and motion control elements for moving said laser beam in relation to said workpiece, said laser beam, in cooperation with said optics and said motion control elements, operative to remove material from said workpiece, the improvement comprising:
An improved method of laser machining a feature in a workpiece with chamfered edges including the steps of providing a workpiece and a laser processing system, said workpiece having top and bottom surfaces and said processing system including a laser, optics and motion control elements, said laser emitting a laser beam in cooperation with said optics operative to remove material from said workpiece, and said motion control elements operative to move the laser beam in relation to the workpiece thereby machining said feature, the improvement comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.