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US 4,378,989 AGranted
Apparatus for laser assisted machining of glass materials
AssigneeThe Perkin-Elmer Corporation
InventorsCarlo F. La Fiandra, Burke E. Nelson, Douglas F. Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for machining a glass workpiece comprises means for rotating the workpiece. A concentrated beam of energy is axially directed to the surface of the workpiece to soften the glass material. The softened glass material is then removed by a pointed or relatively narrow tool which is precisely located with respect to the area treated by the energy beam.
Claims8
A system for removing material from the surface of a glass workpiece comprising:
- (a) means for holding and rotating said glass workpiece;
- (b) a beam applicator for directing concentrated energy beam towards the surface of said glass workpiece to soften the glass material in the area of impingement of said beam;
- (c) a material removal device disposed in close fixed proximity to said beam applicator in physical contact with said glass workpiece and in the path of rotation of said glass workpiece following the softening of said glass material by said beam to remove the material softened by said beam, said material removal device being maintained at substantially the same radial distance as said beam applicator during removal of material;
- and
- (d) means for changing the relative positions of said beam applicator and said material removal device by relatively moving said beam applicator and said material removal device radially with respect to the direction of rotation of said glass workpiece whereby different areas of said glass workpiece are exposed to said beam to permit removal of material therefrom.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.