With Preliminary Weakening Patents (Class 225/2)
  • Patent number: 9957187
    Abstract: A brittle plate processing method includes having a first portion of a brittle plate supported flat on a flat part of a support member that supports a first surface of the brittle plate, pressing a cutter against a second surface of the brittle plate opposite to the first surface, and forming a scribe line in the second surface of the brittle plate by moving the cutter and the support member relative to each other. In pressing the cutter, the cutter is pressed to a predetermined position on a second portion of the brittle plate other than the first portion. When the cutter is pressed to the predetermined position on the second portion of the brittle plate, the shape of the brittle plate due to bending deformation is defined by a defining part of the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Ashi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Ishibashi, Mitsuhiko Endo, Masashi Kasajima
  • Patent number: 9933571
    Abstract: A method for cleaving one or more optical fiber(s) at an angle to the optic axis is provided and includes clamping the optical fiber(s) with its coating stripped to expose its distal end. An axial force and/or a bending force is applied to the optical fiber to create internal stresses in the fiber. A sharp blade is provided in an orientation such the blade edge is perpendicular to the optical fiber. The blade is further orientated such that a plane bisecting the blade angle formed between two polished surfaces of the blade is slanted relative to the longitudinal axis of the fiber. The at least one optical fiber is scratched with the sharp blade to create a non-perpendicular cleave having a controlled shape in the region of the scratch. A method of splicing the fibers and a tool for cleaving the fibers are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Oxford Fiber Ltd.
    Inventor: Ian Murgatroyd
  • Patent number: 9919381
    Abstract: A method for cutting a flexible glass ribbon includes directing the flexible glass ribbon to a flexible glass cutting apparatus including a laser. The flexible glass ribbon includes a first broad surface and a second broad surface that extend between a first edge and a second edge of the flexible glass ribbon. A laser beam is directed from the laser onto a region of the flexible glass ribbon. A crack is formed through the flexible glass ribbon using the laser beam. The crack is propagated along the flexible glass ribbon using the laser beam and a local mechanical deformation in the flexible glass ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Anatoli Anatolyevich Abramov, Chester Hann Huei Chang, Todd Benson Fleming, Eric Lee Miller, Ian David Tracy
  • Patent number: 9896371
    Abstract: The present invention is devised to solve the problems of the above-described conventional technologies. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tempered glass cutting method and cutting apparatus which can prevent the defects of the tempered glass breaking when same is cut and improve the reliability of the product. To this end, provided is a tempered glass cutting method which comprises: a tempering step of generating compressive stress on a glass sheet to temper the glass sheet; a compressive stress relaxation step of applying heat to the cut portion of the tempered glass sheet to relax the compressive stress; and a cutting step of cutting the cut portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaemin Cha, Kiyeon Lee, Youngseok Lee, Ji Hoon Rhee, Jaeho Lee
  • Patent number: 9898052
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a positioning structure for touch display device and a touch display device. The touch display device comprises a touch glass, at least a positioning structure, and at least an optomechanical module. The positioning structure is used for positioning the optomechanical module to the touch glass. The positioning structure has at least a positioning member, which has a fixing part and a clamping part. The fixing part is clamped to the touch glass; the clamping part is provided for disposing the optomechanical module. The positioning structure according to the present disclosure allows direct assembly of the optomechanical module. In the assembling process, no other jointing means is required. Thereby, assembling easiness and speed can be well improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Che Chien, Po-Liang Huang
  • Patent number: 9896373
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for forming a hole in a glass or glass-ceramic sheets. The method includes scoring a major surface of a glass or glass-ceramic sheet to define the hole, placing the sheet on a cavity-containing receiving surface such that a peripheral edge of the cavity is positioned external to the area bounded by the first score, and fracturing the sheet along the score to break away the portion of the sheet defined by the first score. The method allows for the formation of large openings in thin glass sheets where the mother sheet is not broken or damaged by the formation of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: L. Urdenis Johnson, Michael Albert Joseph, II, Matthew John Towner, Kevin William Uhlig
  • Patent number: 9885833
    Abstract: A portable, hand tool for scribing optical fibers in a cleaving process. The scribing tool comprises a body within which the optical fiber is supported for rotation with respect to the body, about an axis within the body. The optical fiber is constrained by supports from movements along its axis. An actuator moves a scribing bit orthogonal relative to the fiber axis. The actuator may be a piezoelectric actuator, such as in a tube that bends under applied voltage. In one embodiment the scribing tool has a single scribing bit. In another embodiment, the scribing tool has multiple (N) scribing bits that can be applied against the optical fiber simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Ryan Vallance, Eric Marsh
  • Patent number: 9868177
    Abstract: An SiC wafer is produced from an SiC ingot by a method that includes a first modified layer forming step and a second modified layer forming step. In the first step, a first laser beam having a first power forms a plurality of discrete first modified layers at a first depth inside the ingot. In the second step, a second laser beam having a second power greater than the first power is applied to the ingot with the second laser beam focused at a depth greater than the first depth. A beam spot of the second laser beam overlaps any one of the plural first modified layers, thereby continuously forming a plurality of second modified layers connected in a line at the first depth. Cracks are formed on both sides of the line of the plural second modified layers so as to extend along a c-plane in the ingot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuya Hirata
  • Patent number: 9864146
    Abstract: An apparatus for handling a fiber-array to be attached with a silicon-photonics chip. The apparatus includes a bottom-plate having a first trench formed with two first branches connected to two first recessed regions at a first end and one second branch straight to a second end thereof and a second trench sharing the same second branch and having two third branches connected to two second recessed regions with an angle towards two sides outside the two first branches. The bottom-plate includes many female clip structures located at the first end, the second end, and the two sides. The apparatus includes a top-plate having corresponding male clip structures configured to lock with the female clip structures to at least have two shaped cavities at the first end for firmly holding fiber ferrules of the fiber-array substantially without lateral and axial motion while leaving excess lengths of fibers outside the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: INPHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Pei-Keng Fu, Chris Kiyoshi Togami, Masaki Kato, Radhakrishnan L. Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 9840028
    Abstract: Provided is a cleaving method for a glass film (G) including: cleaving, during conveyance of the glass film (G) in a predetermined direction, the glass film (G) continuously along a preset cleaving line (8) extending in a predetermined conveying direction (a) by a thermal stress generated through localized heating performed along the preset cleaving line (8) and through cooling of a locally heated region (H); dividing the glass film (G) in a width direction of the glass film (G); diverting, after the dividing, adjacent divided glass films (10), which are obtained by the dividing, so that the adjacent divided glass films (10) are separated in a front and rear direction of the adjacent divided glass films; and forming a predetermined widthwise clearance between the adjacent divided glass films after the dividing of the glass film (G) and before the diverting of the adjacent divided glass films (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON ELECTRIC GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Matsumoto, Koichi Mori, Hiroshi Naruse, Michiharu Eta, Hiroki Mori
  • Patent number: 9841562
    Abstract: A fiber cleaver having a displaceable fiber guide for aligning and guiding an optical fiber. Generally, the fiber cleaver includes a pair of clamps that may articulate between a retracted position and a clamping position. A displaceable fiber guide directs the optical fiber as it travels along an internal path of the fiber cleaver. The fiber guide translates between a loading position and a clamping position. When the clamps are securing the optical fiber to the internal path, a linear actuator may be depressed in order to translate the fiber guide and ultimately direct the optical fiber toward a scoring blade to cleave the fiber. The fiber guide is sized and shaped such that a predetermined length of optical fiber will remain after cleaving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Kevin C. Beach, Daniel Leyva, Jr., David W. Meek, Jackie E. Thomison, Ashley W. Jones
  • Patent number: 9829633
    Abstract: Methods for cleaving an optical fiber that extends from a ferrule are provided herein. The ferrule can be aligned on a first side of a scribe wire and an unconstrained end of the optical fiber on a second side of the scribe wire. Tension can be applied to the scribe wire with the optical fiber. Relative motion between the scribe wire and the optical fiber can be caused, while the tension is applied with the optical fiber. The scribe wire and the optical fiber can be separated. A fiber optic shard can be cleaved from the optical fiber. The fiber optic shard may include the unconstrained end of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: CORNING OPTICAL COMMUNICATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alvin John McDonald, Jeremy Jason Schermerhorn, Hieu Vinh Tran
  • Patent number: 9815144
    Abstract: Methods of laser processing a transparent material are disclosed. The method may include positioning the transparent material on a carrier and transmitting a laser beam through the transparent material, where the laser beam may be incident on a side of the transparent material opposite the carrier. The transparent material may be substantially transparent to the laser beam and the carrier may include a support base and a laser disruption element. The laser disruption element may disrupt the laser beam transmitted through the transparent material such that the laser beam may not have sufficient intensity below the laser disruption element to damage the support base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Grundmueller, Frank Fabian Herrnberger, Michael Klein, Florian Spaeth
  • Patent number: 9718215
    Abstract: Controllable cleavage of a work piece is achieved through the use of capacitive clamps and application of a large tensile force. Capacitive clamps are used to secure the ends of a work piece with strong electrostatic forces. The capacitive clamps secure the ends of the work piece by creating electrostatic forces like those experienced by the plates in a parallel plate capacitor. After introduction of a crack along a side surface of the work piece, the application of a tensile force along the central axis of the work piece causes the crack to rapidly propagate and cleave the work piece into two or more pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Halo Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Bollman, Andrei Iancu, Philip Van Stockum
  • Patent number: 9600102
    Abstract: The present invention can achieve the purpose of enhancing the strength and the anti-crack ability of a glass plate. The glass plate includes a transparent glass-based element and a high polymer plastic membrane. The high polymer plastic membrane is framed on at least one part of the peripheral side of the transparent glass-based element and performs a capillary action on at least one part in a liquid state and then to be combined tightly with the transparent glass-based element after being solidified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (XIAMEN) Inc.
    Inventors: Yuh-Wen Lee, Qiong Yuan, Xianbin Xu
  • Patent number: 9541710
    Abstract: An optical fiber holding device of the invention includes a holder that includes a base and a lid which are openable and closable, sandwiches an optical fiber when the base and the lid are in a closed state, and thereby holds the optical fiber. The holder includes: an elastic body; a drive unit configured to generate driving power; and a pusher. The pusher is configured to generate a pressing force based on the driving power generated by the drive unit and press the lid by the pressing force via the elastic body. The lid and the base are configured to sandwich and hold the optical fiber based on the pressing force transmitted through the elastic body when the lid is pressed by the pusher via the elastic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumi Sasaki, Noriyuki Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 9450043
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for fabricating printable semiconductor elements and assembling printable semiconductor elements onto substrate surfaces. Methods, devices and device components of the present invention are capable of generating a wide range of flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices and arrays of devices on substrates comprising polymeric materials. The present invention also provides stretchable semiconductor structures and stretchable electronic devices capable of good performance in stretched configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Ralph G. Nuzzo, John A. Rogers, Etienne Menard, Keon Jae Lee, Dahl-Young Khang, Yugang Sun, Matthew Meitl, Zhengtao Zhu
  • Patent number: 9434085
    Abstract: A system is provided for cutting a glass substrate that is movably carried on an upstream table. A transferring device is provided for displacing the glass substrate from the upstream table to a downstream table. A cutting device is arranged between the upstream and downstream tables for cutting the glass substrate. A discharging device is arranged between the upstream and downstream tables for removing a leftover of the glass substrate and includes a vacuum pump. A sucking board that has orifices defined thereon is combined with a sucking chamber that is in communication with the orifices and the vacuum pump such that the leftover can be firmly held on the sucking board. A displacing device is interconnected to the sucking board for maneuvering the sucking board to displace the sucking board along with the leftover firmly held thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Haibo Huang
  • Patent number: 9435954
    Abstract: A fully automated optical fiber cutter includes a fiber cutter body and a fiber clamp. The fiber cutter body includes a cutter cover body and a cutter main body, which are pivotally connected. Inside the cutter main body is provided with a movable blade-fixation seat, which comprises a blade for fiber cutting. The fiber clamp is installed on the cutter main body. The fiber clamp includes a clamp main body and a clamp cover body, which are pivotally connected. The cutter cover body, the clamp cover body and the blade-fixation seat are linked by a linkage component. When in use, the cutter cover body is pressed to drive the clamp cover body close and push the blade-fixation seat to move, thereby the blade is aligned to cut the fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: INNO Instrument .Inc, INNO Instrument(China) .Inc
    Inventor: Yangri Zhao
  • Patent number: 9427274
    Abstract: A surgical cutting system has a rod cutting tool and a guide device. The rod cutting tool includes a housing containing a drive motor and a cutting element mounted on the housing connected with the drive motor. The guide device includes a guide body, an attachment mechanism for attaching the rod cutting tool to the guide body, an elongate body movably mounted on the guide body, a rod-clamping element operably mounted on the elongate body, to lockingly engage the rod during the spinal fusion surgery and position the cutting element adjacent the rod. The cutting system also includes an adjustment mechanism for moving the elongate body relative to the guide body thereby moving the cutting element to cut the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Z'egist Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Dovie McVean, Gary McVean, James McVean
  • Patent number: 9422187
    Abstract: A system and method for making a thin sintered silica sheet is provided. The method includes providing a soot deposition surface and forming a glass soot sheet by delivering a stream of glass soot particles from a soot generating device to the soot deposition surface. The method includes providing a sintering laser positioned to direct a laser beam onto the soot sheet and forming a sintered glass sheet from the glass soot sheet by delivering a laser beam from the sintering laser onto the glass soot sheet. The sintered glass sheet formed by the laser sintering system or method is thin, has low surfaces roughness and/or low contaminant levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jonas Bankaitis, Venkata Adiseshaiah Bhagavatula, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Xinghua Li, Gary Edward Merz, John Stone, III
  • Patent number: 9377565
    Abstract: Embodiments for processing of gradient index (GRIN) rods into GRIN lenses attachable to optical devices, components, and methods are disclosed. A cylindrical GRIN rod comprises an optical axis and a longitudinal axis at a center axis, where the index of refraction may be greatest at the optical axis. The GRIN rod includes GRIN lenses along the longitudinal axis. The GRIN lenses include a first optical surface and a second optical surface opposite the first optical surface. Separation processes and devices may separate the GRIN lenses from the GRIN rods and these processes may be automated. Other processes may polish the first and the second optical surfaces. A gripper may insert the GRIN lens into an optical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: CORNING CABLE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Micah C. Isenhour, Dennis M. Knecht, James P. Luther
  • Patent number: 9375806
    Abstract: When dividing glass using laser radiation into blanks (5) made of glass, a bundled laser beam (1) is directed onto the glass to be divided, and while forming at least two blanks (5), the glass is divided with sides (15) lying in the area of the cut. After the glass is divided, a laser beam (1) is directed onto at least one edge (16) of a side (15) of the formed blank (5) in order to separate glass from the edge (16) while forming a bevel (17) that lies on the side (15). For forming the bevel (17), at least one laser source (6) and a reflector (19) assigned to the latter are moved along the side (15) so that the laser beam (1)—which with the plane of the blank (5) encompasses an acute angle—is effective for forming the bevel (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: LISEC AUSTRIA GMBH
    Inventor: Leopold Mader
  • Patent number: 9331557
    Abstract: A method for cleaving a plate-shaped workpiece formed with two or more linear recesses into three or more parts includes: a first positioning step of holding the workpiece by a positioning unit in place to position a first linear recess; a first clamping step of clamping one side of the first linear recess by a fixing clamp and the other side by a rotating clamp; a first cleaving step of moving back the positioning unit and rotationally separating the rotating clamp; a second positioning step of releasing the clamps and causing the positioning unit to position a second linear recess; a second clamping step of clamping one side of the second linear recess by the fixing clamp and the other side by the rotating clamp, and a second cleaving step of moving back the positioning unit and rotationally separating the rotating clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Fubuki, Tetsuyoshi Fukaya, Katsuhiko Tatebe, Yasushi Nishikuma
  • Patent number: 9278878
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming vents (13) in glass sheets (10). The method includes repetitively performing the steps of: (I) bringing a score head (21) and a platen (31) into contact with, respectively, the front (11) and rear (12) major surfaces of the glass sheet (10), (II) moving the score head (21) across the front major surface (11) along a predetermined path to form a vent (13), and (III) withdrawing the score head (21) and the platen (31) from the front (11) and rear (12) major surfaces, wherein: (i) the thickness (?) of the glass sheet is less than or equal to 500 microns, and (ii) for each repetition of steps (I) through (III), the platen (31) is cleaned after step (III) and before step (I) to remove glass chips which if left on the platen (31) could cause the score head (21) to penetrate through the thickness ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Douglas Edward Brackley, Frank Thomas Coppola, Monica Jo Mashewske, David Alan Tammaro
  • Patent number: 9272941
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a cutting process involving: (a) creating a starter crack using a scribe wheel, (b) application of laser or electrothermal heating, and (c) subsequent cooling from a gas or an aerosol jet, as the laser beam and cooling jet move along the desired cutting line. The cutting process can be implemented for cutting a glass panel or other substrate into a plurality of smaller panels. The starter crack may be created on any of the smaller panels within about 10 mm to about 20 mm from the corner of the smaller panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: SAGE ELECTROCHROMICS, INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Giron, Harvey Kalweit, Michael A. McCoy, Li-Ya Yeh, Jean-Pierre Douche
  • Patent number: 9206066
    Abstract: A first glass-ribbon portion (12) and a second portion (22) of a glass ribbon (10) are separated from one another by a gap (40), and a splice joint (30) coupling the first glass-ribbon portion to the second portion. A splice member (31) of the splice joint has a Young's modulus and cross sectional area such that, when subject to a force of 20 kg, the splice member undergoes an elongation of ?20%. A filler material (80) may be disposed in the gap. Also, there are disclosed methods of splicing a glass ribbon, and preparing a coated glass ribbon for splicing. Tape (70) is applied to glass ribbon in one embodiment of a method of splicing the glass ribbon. In this embodiment, the glass ribbon is cut together with the tape so as to create a free end in the glass ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Sean Matthew Garner, Gary Edward Merz, John Earl Tosch
  • Patent number: 9193087
    Abstract: A cutter, detachably attachable to a support member, includes a shaft made of a resin and has a smaller-diameter portion and a larger-diameter portion formed integrally with the shaft. The smaller-diameter portion is rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings. The larger-diameter portion has a proximal end surface abutting on an end surface of one of the bearings, with a result that the cutter is locked. The cutter includes a flat blade located on a distal end of the larger-diameter portion. The cutter includes a metal member which can be attracted by a magnet located on the support member. The metal member is located on a distal end of the smaller-diameter portion. Contact portions are located on axially differing portions of the shaft respectively and are capable of contacting the bearings respectively. Thinned parts are located between the contact portions and extend in the axial direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9151896
    Abstract: A cable holding tool for holding optical fiber ribbons relative one another for preparation has a cable holding portion and an optical fiber holding portion, each having a cover and an opening therein to receive an optical cable and a fiber optic ribbon respectively. The cable holding tool also has at least one channel disposed between the cable holding portion and the optical fiber holding portion to receive and divert at least one optical fiber ribbon from the optical cable disposed in the cable holding portion from the optical fiber holding portion. A spacer is also provided that is movable parallel to the optical fiber groove from a first position to at least one second position to assist in staggering the fiber ribbons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: US Conec, Ltd
    Inventors: Hiep Nguyen, Darrell R. Childers, Michael E. Hughes
  • Patent number: 9144917
    Abstract: Lengths of an optical fiber may be broken apart from one another while a cross-sectional region of the optical fiber is in a state of multi-axial compressive stress, and the multi-axial compressive stress extends across the optical fiber. The breaking can include propagating a crack across the optical fiber. The crack can be positioned in sufficiently close proximity to the cross-sectional region so that the multi-axial compressive stress restricts the crack from penetrating the cross-sectional region. At least a portion of the optical fiber may be in tension during the breaking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventor: Steven Joseph Gregorski
  • Patent number: 9126857
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for separating sheets of brittle material are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a separation apparatus for separating a sheet of brittle material includes a first separation cam positioned adjacent to a sheet conveyance pathway and a second separation cam positioned opposite from and downstream of the first separation cam. The first and second separation cams may be rotated such that the contact faces of the separation cams periodically extend across a centerline of the conveyance pathway. Rotation of the first and second separation cams may be synchronized such that at least the portion of the contact face of the first separation cam and at least the portion of the contact face of the second separation cam periodically extend across the centerline of the conveyance pathway at a separation time and periodically do not extend across the centerline of the conveyance pathway at a non-separation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Keith Mitchell Hill, Ritesh Satish Lakhkar, Mark Thomas Massaro, Liming Wang, Naiyue Zhou
  • Patent number: 9102566
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a reinforced plate glass by which glass surface strength is sufficiently increased, and a stable quality reinforced plate glass is manufactured at high production efficiency. The reinforced plate glass is formed of an inorganic oxide glass, and is provided with a compression stress layer by chemical reinforcement on plate surfaces opposed to each other in a plate thickness direction. Plate end faces have regions where a compression stress is formed and regions where no compression stress is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: NIPPON ELECTRIC GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiro Sawada
  • Patent number: 9044873
    Abstract: Various embodiments of fluid-jet systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a fluid-jet system includes a table and two bridges that are each longitudinally movable along the table. Each bridge carries a fluid-jet cutting head latitudinally movable along the bridge. The fluid-jet system also includes a first controller operably coupled to the first bridge and the first fluid-jet cutting head. The first controller controls the first bridge and the first fluid-jet cutting head. The fluid-jet system also includes a second controller operably coupled to the second bridge and the second fluid-jet cutting head. The second controller controls the second bridge and the second fluid-jet cutting head independently of the control of the first bridge and the first fluid-jet cutting head by the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: OMAX Corporation
    Inventors: Brian K. Guglielmetti, Kevin A. Hay
  • Publication number: 20150146154
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal panel motherboard, comprising providing materials that can form projections on a margin area of at least one of two substrates of the liquid crystal panel motherboard, and then fitting said two substrates to each other, so that the margin area of said at least one of the two substrates cannot be fit to a corresponding margin area of the other substrate seamlessly. The present disclosure also provides a method for cutting a liquid crystal panel motherboard, and a liquid crystal panel obtained from the liquid crystal motherboard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Tao Ma, Tao Song, Ming Liu, Guodong Zhao
  • Publication number: 20150144676
    Abstract: A method for forming a hole in a glass or glass-ceramic sheets includes scoring a major surface of a glass or glass-ceramic sheet to define the hole, placing the sheet on receiving surface of a mount where a cavity is formed in the receiving surface such that a peripheral edge of the cavity is positioned external to the area bounded by the first score, and fracturing the sheet along the first score to break away the portion of the sheet defined by the first score, wherein the broken away portion of the sheet is contained within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: L. Urdenis Johnson, Michael Albert Joseph, II, Matthew John Towner, Kevin William Uhlig
  • Patent number: 9027815
    Abstract: Apparatus and equipment for making glass sheet from a glass ribbon including scoring, bending and separation in vertical state with improved glass ribbon stability provided by edge restrainers located above the score-line that also travel with substantially the same vertical velocity with the elastic ribbon. The edge restrainers on both sides of the glass ribbon serve to limit the motion and perturbation of the ribbon during scoring, bending and separation, advantageously by tensioning the glass ribbon where needed. The invention can reduce disturbance of the glass ribbon in upstream visco-elastic and/or viscous zones due to scoring, bending and separation, therefore enhance forming process stability and product attributes such as thickness variation, stress and stress variation, and the like. The invention can be particularly advantageous for making glass sheet with large width and/or low thickness using the fusion down-draw, slot down-draw, re-draw down-draw, and other down-draw processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Gautam Narendra Kudva, Liming Wang, Wei Xu, Naiyue Zhou
  • Patent number: 9004335
    Abstract: A method and related device for machining a workpiece is provided, wherein material of the workpiece is removed in a machining region by a non-contact removal process. The workpiece is excited by means of an excitation oscillation having a natural resonant frequency of the workpiece, or a composite comprising the workpiece and a coupling element that is rigidly coupled to the workpiece is excited by means of an excitation oscillation having a joint natural resonant frequency of the workpiece and the coupling element. The natural resonant frequency is selected such that in the machining region an oscillation occurs that has a maximum oscillation amplitude in relation to the excitation amplitude of the excitation oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Rüdiger Garn, Andreas Lenk
  • Patent number: 8978528
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for cutting a panel substrate and a substrate cutting apparatus. The substrate cutting apparatus comprises a first cutting unit and a second cutting unit. The method comprises the following steps: cutting off a first residual material and a second residual material at two opposite sides of the panel substrate; cutting off a third residual material and a fourth residual material at another two opposite sides of the panel substrate; cutting the panel substrate into a plurality of elongated substrates; and cutting each of the elongated substrates into the panel units. The present invention can reduce a process time for cutting the panel substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Li, Feng She, Cheng-ming Huang
  • Publication number: 20150060509
    Abstract: To address the needs in the art, a method of cleaving substrate material that includes forming an initial crack in a bulk substrate material, where the crack is aligned along a cleaving plane of the bulk substrate material, aligning the cleaving plane between two parallel electrodes in a controlled environment, wherein the parallel electrodes include a top electrode and a bottom electrode, where the cleaving plane is parallel with the two parallel electrodes, where a bottom portion of the bulk substrate material is physically and electrically connected to the bottom electrode, and applying a voltage across the two parallel electrodes, where the voltage is at least 50 kV and establishes a uniform electromagnetic force on the top surface of the bulk substrate material, where the electromagnetic force is capable of inducing crack propagation along the cleaving plane and separating a cleaved substrate material from the bulk substrate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Andrei T. Iancu, Friedrich B. Prinz
  • Patent number: 8967440
    Abstract: A wrapping film dispenser has a generally cylindrical container that defines a cavity for accommodating a wrapping film roll, and further defines a slot extending along its length for extracting a sheet of wrapping film through the slot. A gripping pad member is rigidly attached at a first lengthwise edge of the slot. A locking element is rigidly attached proximal to a second lengthwise edge of the slot. The locking element extends towards the gripping pad member, presses the extracted wrapping film sheet against the gripping pad member, and restricts movement and prevents roll back of the extracted wrapping film sheet. A cutting frame is rigidly attached proximal to the first lengthwise edge of the slot above the gripping pad member, and has a protruding element located at a predetermined location on the cutting frame for cutting the wrapping film sheet extracted out through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: James Chang
  • Publication number: 20150034691
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnet segment of a field pole magnet body includes cleaving a magnet material at a plurality of cleavage target regions arranged with an interval in a longitudinal direction of the magnet material. The cleavage process includes cleaving the magnet material sequentially from the cleavage target region closer to one side edge of the longitudinal direction of the magnet material, wherein a notch is formed in each of the plurality of cleavage target regions of the magnet material such that a depth of the notch closer to the one side edge becomes deeper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takaichi, Kimio Nishimura, Hideki Watanabe, Takashi Sekikawa, Yasushi Matsushita, Akihisa Hori, Takumi Ohshima, Michito Kishi, Kunitomo Ishiguro, Yasuhisa Koike
  • Patent number: 8910845
    Abstract: Provided is a method for cutting a glass sheet whereby even a thin glass sheet having a thickness of 1 mm or less can be suitably cut. A nick (20a) is formed on a section of a planned cutting line (L) of a glass sheet (20). The glass sheet (20) is placed on a surface (10a) of a jig (10) in which an uneven portion (10b) having a shape corresponding to the planned cutting line (L) is formed. The glass sheet (20) is cut by deforming a portion thereof located above the uneven portion (10b) and developing a crack originating from the nick (20a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Saitoh
  • Patent number: 8906783
    Abstract: A method for cutting brittle sheet-shaped structure is disclosed. A brittle sheet-shaped structure having a cutting surface including a first cutting line on the cutting surface of the brittle sheet-shaped structure is formed. The cutting surface is divided into a first section and a second section, wherein the first section has a predetermined shape. At least one second cutting line is formed on the second section along part of the first cutting line or a tangent line of the first cutting line. A number of third cutting lines are formed on the second section by taking the first cutting line as endpoints. A brittle sheet-shaped structure having the predetermined shape is finally obtained by splitting the brittle sheet-shaped structure along the first cutting line, the at least one second cutting line, and the third cutting lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen Feng, Li Qian, Yu-Quan Wang, Xue-Wei Guo
  • Publication number: 20140339280
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for scribing and breaking a glass substrate and related device. The method includes: scribing the glass substrate to form a scribing notch; making a transmission medium of supersonic waves contact the scribing notch; transmitting supersonic waves to the scribing notch via the transmission medium to break the scribed glass substrate under an effect of supersonic waves. The present invention adjusts the frequency of the supersonic waves to make the frequency close to the natural frequency of the scribing notch such that they resonate together. Therefore, the resonation force is uniformly applied on all scribing notch. Therefore, this resonation force can break the scribed glass substrate along the scribing notch beautifully without any damages on the scribing notch and terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Liang Xu
  • Publication number: 20140332577
    Abstract: A method and a device for fracture splitting a connecting rod and a connecting rod formed therefrom are provided, in which a force exerted on an outer rim of an eye of the connecting rod by a separating tool is generated by an electromagnetic force. The separating tool includes at least two separating members inserted into the eye, and the electromagnetic force is generated by displacing the at least two separating members away from each other inside the eye in response to application of the electromagnetic force. The electromagnetic force may be generated by passing current through coils positioned between the at least two separating members in a manner that causes the coils to repel one another, preferably with a pulse duration of less than 100 microseconds, in order to minimize plastic deformation at the fracture locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: Amtek Tekfor Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Helmut HANSMAIER, Volker SZENTMIHALYI
  • Patent number: 8881962
    Abstract: A transfer and dispensing apparatus is disclosed for the conveying and separation of packaging material, cushions or pillows when needed by the operator. When a packer working over a conveyor receives a box that requires void fill, an operating switch such as a foot pedal is depressed to dispense pillows from the apparatus and into the box in a connected strip. When the operating switch is released, the apparatus stops dispensing pillows, separates the continuous strip of pillows along a transverse perforation in the strip, and ejects the end of the separated segment. The packer can then complete packing the box by placing the severed end of the pillows into the box, advance to the next box, and repeat the process. The transfer and dispensing apparatus may be positioned in any convenient location including adjacent to, above or attached to the inflation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas David Wetsch
  • Publication number: 20140326775
    Abstract: A method of forming a scribe line in a strengthened glass substrate includes providing a strengthened glass substrate having a first surface, a second surface, a first edge and a second edge. The first and second surfaces have a strengthened surface layer under a compressive stress, and a central region under tensile stress. The method further includes applying a scoring blade to the first surface at an initiation location that is offset from the first edge by an initiation offset distance greater than a diameter of the scoring blade, and translating the scoring blade or the strengthened glass substrate such that the scoring blade scores the first surface. The translation is terminated such that the scoring blade stops at a termination location that is offset from the second edge of the strengthened glass substrate by a termination offset distance greater than the diameter of the scoring blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventor: James William Brown
  • Patent number: 8875966
    Abstract: A notch is formed in an inner circumference of a bolt hole formed on each side of a large end of the connecting rod such that the notch extends continuously along the inner circumference. By radially propagating progress of breakage from the notch as a starting point, a connecting rod is broken into a rod portion and a cap portion. In this case, since no confluence of breakage propagation exists, the connecting rod can be broken without generating any breaking surface step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mami Abe, Junji Yokota, Michitaka Okugawa
  • Patent number: 8875967
    Abstract: A strengthened glass sheet is separated into undamaged sheet segments by mechanically scribing one or more vent lines of controlled depth into the sheet surface, the depths of the scribed lines being insufficient to effect sheet separation, and then applying a uniform bending moment across the vent lines to effect separation into multiple sheet segments, the vent lines being scribed from crack initiation sites comprising surface indentations formed proximate to the edges of the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: John Frederick Bayne, James William Brown, Michael Albert Joseph, II, Siva Venkatachalam, Sujanto Widjaja
  • Patent number: 8870046
    Abstract: A device for engaging and tensioning a glass ribbon includes a center frame member, and first and second outer frame members connected thereto. The first outer frame member includes a suction cup that engages an edge area of the glass ribbon and an actuator for moving the suction cup of the first outer frame member. The second outer frame member includes a suction cup that engages an opposite edge area of the glass ribbon and an actuator for moving the suction cup of the second outer frame member. The actuators of the first and second outer frame members moves the suction cups of the respective frame members in directions away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Keith Mitchell Hill, Tung Thanh Nguyen, Naiyue Zhou, Zepei Zhu