Process for forming apertures in a metallic sheet
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJames G. Balz, Gregory M. Johnson, Mark J. LaPlante, David C. Long
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process of forming an aperture in a metallic sheet including the steps of: a) defining at least one feature in a sheet of metallic material; b) laser drilling the at least one feature but not entirely removing it from the metallic sheet, the at least one feature being partially filled by metallic material which has melted and resolidified; and then c) chemically etching the metallic sheet and the melted and resolidified metallic material wherein the etchant attacks and at least partially dissolves the melted and resolidified metallic material, weakening the bond of the melted and resolidified metallic material to the metallic sheet.
Claims24
A process of forming an aperture in a metallic sheet comprising the steps of:
- a) defining at least one feature in a sheet of metallic material;
- b) laser drilling the at least one feature but not entirely removing it from the metallic sheet, the at least one feature being partially filled by metallic material which has melted and resolidified;
- and then
- c) chemically etching the metallic sheet and the melted and resolidified metallic material wherein the etchant attacks and at least partially dissolves the melted and resolidified metallic material, weakening the bond of the melted and resolidified metallic material to the metallic sheet.
A process of forming an aperture in a metallic sheet comprising the steps of:
- a) defining at least one feature in a sheet of metallic material;
- b) laser drilling around the periphery of the at least one feature so as to outline the at least one feature but not remove it from the metallic sheet, the at least one feature being partially bonded to the metallic sheet by metallic material which has melted and resolidified;
- and then
- c) chemically etching the metallic sheet and the melted and resolidified metallic material wherein the etchant attacks and at least partially dissolves the melted and resolidified metallic material around the feature, weakening the bond of the melted and resolidified metallic material to the metallic sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.