Endless Patents (Class 125/21)
  • Patent number: 8869787
    Abstract: A hand-operated implement has a guide bar on which is fitted a cutting chain for cutting mineral and metal materials. The cutting chain is driven around the guide bar by a chain sprocket. The chain sprocket is arranged in a chain sprocket chamber which is delimited by a chain sprocket cover. A cutting element has an outer side facing a sidewall of the chain sprocket cover which lies in a first notional plane. The distance between the sidewall and the first notional plane measured perpendicular to the first notional plane and centrally between the top of the cutting element and the peripheral wall is less than approximately 0.8 cm over at least 30% of the section between a second notional plane containing the central axis of a fixing bolt on the guide bar and the exit opening at which the cutting chain leaves the chain sprocket chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hannah Thölking, Horst Otterbach, Helmut Zimmermann, Jens Kreutzer, Jonas Lank
  • Publication number: 20140311472
    Abstract: An abrasive article including a substrate as an elongated member, a first layer overlying the substrate, abrasive particles overlying the first layer, fillets connecting the first layer and the abrasive particles, a bonding layer overlying the abrasive particles, the first layer and the fillets, and the fillets have a fillet characteristic relative to an abrasive application, the fillet characteristic selected from the group consisting of tacking factor (tfl/tf), a fillet-to-particle factor (tf/dab), a fillet-to-bonding layer factor (tf/tbl), a contact factor (Ab/Af), a fillet size variance (Vf), and a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.
    Inventors: Yinggang Tian, Paul W. Rehrig, Arup K. Khaund
  • Patent number: 8851059
    Abstract: The present invention provides a self-cleaning wiresaw cutting apparatus including a cleaning mechanism adapted to clean the components of the wiresaw before, during, or after a cutting process or to humidify the cutting region of the apparatus. The apparatus contains at least one dispenser adapted to dispense an aqueous fluid onto various components of the wiresaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Grumbine, Carlos Barros, Ramasubramanyam Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 8844511
    Abstract: A method for slicing a plurality of wafers from a crystal includes providing a crystal of semiconductor material having a longitudinal axis, a cross section and at least one pulling edge. The crystal is fixed on a table and guided through a wire gang defined by sawing wire so as to form the wafers. The guiding is provided by a relative movement between the table and the wire gang such that entry sawing or exit sawing using the sawing wire occurs in a vicinity of the at least one pulling edge of the crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Maximilian Kaeser, Albert Blank
  • Publication number: 20140261368
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bandsaw cutting apparatus including an actuator configured to move static pressure pads forward and backward in a rotating direction of a blade, and a controller configured to control a movement distance and a movement speed of the static pressure pads to be moved by the actuator, wherein the ingot is cut by feeding the blade relatively downward toward and below the ingot while a rotating blade is guided with static pressure pads, and the movement of the static pressure pads is controlled with the controller. The apparatus can stably suppress a displacement of the blade during cutting, thereby cutting the ingot into blocks or sample wafers for crystal quality evaluation stably with good quality cut surface at a higher cutting rate and extending the lifetime of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Kazuya Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8833358
    Abstract: A holding assembly is formed of a base having two primary support edges and two locking fingers. A cutting assembly is formed of a platform, a cutting band, and a plurality of rollers rotatable with respect to the platform for guiding the cutting band in a path of travel above the base. An advancement assembly is formed of rails coupled to and extending upwardly from the base. Slide blocks extend downwardly from the platform for advancing the platform and cutting band. Control components include pneumatic pivot pistons mounted on the base operable to move the fingers between operative and inoperative orientations, a pneumatic advancement piston for advancing and retracting the platform, and a hydraulic motor for rotating a roller to move the cutting band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventor: John J. Robinson, III
  • Patent number: 8833359
    Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Mactech, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Shae, Joel Kent Wittenbraker
  • Publication number: 20140246005
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrodeposited diamond wire saw using patterned non-conductive materials in which non-conductive materials are pre-patterned along the outer circumference of a wire on which diamond grit should not be rubbed, before the diamond grit is upset, in order to efficiently improve the manufacturing process, and to a method for manufacturing same. According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the method for manufacturing an electrodeposited diamond wire saw includes: printing a masking solution on the outer circumference of a wire in a plurality of directions when the wire is inserted for patterning; and upsetting diamond grit on the remaining regions of the outer circumference of the wire, with the exception of the patterned region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: EHWA DIAMOND INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seh-Kwang Lee, Rak-Joo Sung, Sang-Wook Park
  • Patent number: 8820308
    Abstract: Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Tangali Sudarshan, Igor Agafonov, Robert M. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8820309
    Abstract: Methods, wires, and apparatus for use in cutting (e.g., slicing) hard, brittle materials is provided. The wire can be a super-abrasive wire that includes a wire core and super-abrasive particles bonded to the wire core via a metal bonding layer. This wire, or another type of wire, can be used to slice workpieces useful for producing wafers. The workpieces can be aligned within a holder to produce wafers using the device and methods presently provided. The holder rotates about its central axis, which translates to workpieces moving in orbit around this axis. A single abrasive wire, or multiple turns of wire stretched tightly between wire guides, is then contacted with the rotating holder to slice the workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Univeristy of South Carolina
    Inventors: Tangali Sudarshan, Igor Agafonov, Robert Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8807126
    Abstract: A sawing rope (270) with abrasive elements (506) fixed on a steel rope (502) with a polymer jacket (504) is described and claimed. The abrasive elements (506) are made of a metallic sleeve on which an abrasive layer is deposited by means of electrolytic deposition, by means of sintering or by means of cladding for example laser cladding. Characteristic about this sawing rope (270) in view of the prior known sawing ropes is that each sleeve shows a connection or closure. Such a connection makes it possible to attach abrasive elements (506) on the rope without having to thread them on the rope (270) as is needed when making prior-art sawing ropes. The inventive sawing rope (270) can therefore be made in long lengths in a very efficient way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: NV Bekaert SA
    Inventors: Tom Baekelandt, Roland Groenen, Steven Van Der Linden, Peter Persoone
  • Publication number: 20140216222
    Abstract: A method for slicing a workpiece into wafers by imparting axial reciprocating motion to a wire wound around a plurality of grooved rollers, and moving the workpiece relatively downwardly to press the workpiece against the reciprocating wire and feed the workpiece with the workpiece cut into while supplying a slurry to the wire, the method including the steps of: configuring each of the grooved rollers such that a distance from a bottom of grooves of the grooved roller to a rotating shaft of the grooved roller decreases gradually from a wire-supply side toward a wire-collection side; slicing the workpiece in such a mariner that the workpiece is pressed against the wire on the wire-supply side before the workpiece is pressed against the wire on the wire-collection side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukio Itoi
  • Publication number: 20140190465
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for dividing silicon blocks, including the following steps: providing a cuboidal silicon block, dividing the silicon block into at least two bars in a first dividing step, turning the bars in a turning step by 90° respectively around a rotational axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the block and dividing the bars into silicon ingots in a second dividing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: DEUTSCHE SOLAR GMBH
    Inventors: Bianca BÜRKNER, Nathan STODDARD, Tobias VOGEL
  • Publication number: 20140165988
    Abstract: Provided is a resin-coated saw wire that, when used to cut a workpiece, has a shallow depth of a damaged layer and can give a cut article having a smooth surface. The resin-coated saw wire is used in cutting of the workpiece using a sawing machine and includes a steel wire and a resin coating covering the steel wire surface. The resin coating contains substantially no abrasive grain, has a hardness at 120° C. of 0.07 GPa or more, and has a hardness controlled so as to prevent abrasive grains from coming into the resin coating, which abrasive grains are sprayed during workpiece cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuo Yoshikawa, Hiroshi Yaguchi, Kazuhisa Fujisawa, Masanori Anan, Akinori Uratsuka, Yoshitake Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8752537
    Abstract: Provided is a single crystal ingot sawing apparatus. The single crystal ingot sawing apparatus includes a wire saw configured to slice an ingot, a roller for configured to drive the wire saw, and a slurry bath for configured to receive slurry supplied onto the wire saw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: LG Siltron Inc.
    Inventor: Yang-Suh Kim
  • Patent number: 8746227
    Abstract: A method for slicing wafers from a workpiece includes providing wire guide rolls each having a grooved coating with a specific thickness and providing rings at opposing ends of a first of the coatings of a respective wire guide roll. The rings are fixed exclusively to the first coating. A sawing wire including wire sections disposed in a parallel fashion is tensioned between the wire guide rolls. The wire sections of the sawing wire are moved relative to the workpiece so as to perform a sawing operation. A change in length of the first coating, brought about by a temperature change, is measured by measuring distances between sensors and the rings. The wire guide rolls are cooled in a manner dependent on the measured distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Anton Huber, Wolfgang Gmach, Robert Kreuzeder, Peter Wiesner
  • Patent number: 8746228
    Abstract: A wire saw assembly having a slide frame, support frames, and a tensioning carriage. The slide frame has a mounting plate movably attached thereto. Rotation of a lead screw moves the mounting plate towards a work piece. Two support frames are attached to the mounting plate. Each support frame has a plurality of drive wheels and a hydraulic motor for each drive wheel. The tensioning carriage has a slide plate with an idler pulley attached rotatably thereto. Rotation of a threaded rod moves the slide plate and idler pulley to increase or decrease tension in the wire saw. A diamond wire saw is looped around the drive wheels and idler pulley. The slide frame is attached to the work piece and as the mounting plate is advanced towards the work piece, the diamond wire saw engages and cuts the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: Nicholas J. T. Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20140144421
    Abstract: A cutting machine for cutting an ingot; the cutting machine comprising a carrier configured to attach the ingot thereonto, a plurality of wires configured to cut the ingot, and a container configured to flow water onto the plurality of wires and the ingot during cutting and to submerge cut portions of the ingot in water in the container without submerging the plurality of wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventor: Eng Hwa Chua
  • Patent number: 8720429
    Abstract: A sawing wire (100,110,120,130) with abrasive particles (20) is presented wherein the particles (20) are partly embedded in said a metallic core (14) and partly in said an organic binder layer (30). The advantage of the wire (100,110,120,130) is that the application of a metallic binder layer (30) can be avoided. Metallic binder layers add to the cost of a fixed abrasive sawing wire and in many cases pose health and safety problems which can be avoided by the use of an organic binder layer. Moreover the advantages of a good fixture of the abrasive particles in the metallic wire are maintained. Different embodiments are presented with different degrees of embedment into the metal wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: NV Bekaert SA
    Inventors: Martin Lange, Jan Vaneecke, Rebecca Lameire
  • Patent number: 8707944
    Abstract: A saw wire includes a steel wire (11) having a steel strand (11a) with predetermined composition, an abrasive (13) fixed to the steel wire (11) by a fixing part (12), and an intermetallic compound (15) on an interface between the abrasive (13) and the fixing part (12). Tensile strength of the steel strand (11) is 3500 MPa or more, and the fixing part (12) includes a Sn-based solder containing Zn or Ag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Morita, Toshimi Tarui, Hiroaki Sakamoto, Hirokatsu Yashiro, Makoto Kosaka
  • Patent number: 8707943
    Abstract: Saws (1) for cutting or sawing harder materials, such as concrete, concrete structures, brick and stone, have an endless cutting member (4) that is driven through a transmission assembly (11, 20) being supported in the saw and having a drive member and that is guidingly supported on a cutting member supporting portion (3). In such a saw a clamping member is provided that for providing a friction drive contact between the drive member, the clamping member and the cutting member is biased in a direction towards the drive member with driven parts (7) of the cutting member introduced there between, whereby an essentially reduced load on the actual saw, its parts and the cutting member is obtained as well as an improved functionality in the form of an increased flexibility and safety during operation of the saw. The invention also relates to a transmission assembly as well as a cutting member for such a saw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Sagningsteknik I Leksand AB
    Inventors: Björn Berglund, Magnus Hammar
  • Patent number: 8689777
    Abstract: Wire for cutting feedstock and a method for cutting feedstock with the wire. The wire may include an iron based alloy comprising at least 35 at % iron, nickel and/or cobalt in the range of about 7 to 50 at %, at least one non-metal or metalloid selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, and/or nitrogen present in the range of about 1 to 35 at %, and one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, titanium, molybdenum, aluminum, and/or chromium present in the range of about 0 to 25 at %, wherein the wire has an aspect ratio of greater than one and exhibits metallic and/or crystalline phases of less than 500 nm in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: The NanoSteel Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel James Branagan, Brian E. Meacham, Jason K. Walleser, Jikou Zhou, Alla V. Sergueeva, David Paratore
  • Patent number: 8690636
    Abstract: A method of making a compound semiconductor substrate includes providing a GaN compound semiconductor single crystal ingot, and cutting the ingot with a cutter to form a GaN single crystal substrate. The cutting is performed while controlling a temperature in a contact portion between the ingot and the cutter to be not more than 160° C. such that a cut surface of the GaN single crystal substrate has an arithmetical mean waviness (Wa) not more than 9 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichi Oshima
  • Publication number: 20140090631
    Abstract: A cutting chain for cutting concrete and other similar materials having wear and stretch resistant features. In one embodiment, the cutting chain can include chain links having a debris trap for hindering the entry of debris onto bearing surfaces. In one embodiment, side links and a center link can have cooperating members forming a maze-like debris trap and can include a lubricant and/or other barrier material. In a particular arrangement, side links can have annular ribs which can be partially received in annular grooves on a center link to create the maze-like debris trap. In another embodiment, the cutting chain can include chain links having anti-rotation structures to hinder rotation of the fastener relative to the side links. In a particular arrangement, side links can have a protrusion or slot for cooperating with a complementary mating slot or protrusion on the fastener.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventor: John Michelon
  • Publication number: 20140087209
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of growing an ingot of group III nitride. Group III nitride crystals such as GaN are grown by the ammonothermal method on both sides of a seed to form an ingot and the ingot is sliced into wafers. The wafer including the first-generation seed is sliced thicker than the other wafers so that the wafer including the first-generation seed does not break. The wafer including the first-generation seed crystal can be used as a seed for the next ammonothermal growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicants: Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd., SixPoint Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadao Hashimoto, Edward Letts, Sierra Hoff
  • Publication number: 20140083407
    Abstract: A wafer sawing system and a method of sawing an ingot in a wafer sawing system are described. The system includes an ingot input module, an ingot output module, two or more wire sawing chambers that each comprise: two wire guide cylinders, at least one wire disposed across both of the wire guide cylinders, a support table that is configured to receive a single ingot, and an ingot positioning system that is configured to urge the single ingot disposed on the support table against the at least one wire, and a robot that is configured to transfer the single ingot between the ingot input module, at least one of the two or more wire sawing chambers and the ingot output chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Schmid, Antoine P. Manens, Romain Beau De Lomenie, Richard Fay, Franck Genonceau
  • Patent number: 8677986
    Abstract: An electrodeposited wire tool has a core wire extending in a longitudinal direction, a plating layer provided on an outer peripheral surface of the core wire, superabrasive grains held by the plating layer and coating layers covering the outer peripheral surfaces of the superabrasive grains. The coating layers are constituted of electroless Ni—P platings. The coating layers are heat-treated, and the electroless Ni—P platings are partially or entirely crystallized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: A.L.M.T. Corp.
    Inventors: Katsuo Kazahaya, Yasushi Matsumoto, Toshio Fukunishi, Munehiro Tsujimoto, Hideki Ogawa, Masaaki Yamanaka, Kenji Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8651098
    Abstract: An apparatus, a system and a method may use a diamond-impregnated wire loop to cut an underwater pipeline. The apparatus may have a frame, a carriage attached to the frame and/or pulleys connected to the carriage. The diamond-impregnated wire loop may be connected to the pulleys. The carriage may move relative to the frame to direct the diamond-impregnated wire loop in a forward direction relative to the frame and/or through the pipeline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mactech, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Shae, Joel Wittenbraker
  • Patent number: 8636560
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for removing magnetic or magnetized contaminants from a wiresaw cutting slurry during a wiresaw cutting process. The apparatus comprises a recirculating slurry dispensing system that defines the slurry flow pathway. The recirculating dispensing slurry system comprises a magnetic separator for removing magnetic or magnetizable contaminants from the slurry, wherein the purified slurry is discharged back into recirculation within the recirculating slurry dispensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Grumbine, Ramasubramanyam Nagarajan
  • Publication number: 20140000580
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of resuming operation of a wire saw in which slicing of a workpiece is suspended and then resumed, including slicing the workpiece while detecting a traveling direction and a traveling speed of the reciprocating wire and recording them chronologically; and resuming the slicing while controlling the traveling direction and a traveling time in the traveling direction of the wire on a basis of a wire traveling history recorded until the suspending of the slicing of the workpiece such that the reciprocating cycle of the wire becomes continuous between before the suspending and after the resuming of the slicing of the workpiece. This method enables the slicing to be completed while the nanotopography of the sliced wafer is surely prevented from degrading, even when the slicing of the workpiece with a wire saw is suspended due to, for example, breaking of the wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20140000579
    Abstract: A sawing bead for use in a sawing cord is described and claimed. Sawing cords are used for cutting hard and brittle materials. The sawing bead comprises a tubular metallic sleeve on which an abrasive layer is deposited. The abrasive layer comprises a metal matrix material in which abrasive particles are held. Special about the bead is that the metal matrix material shows a dentritic structure in a metallographic cross section which is a result of the way it has been produced namely by laser cladding. The abrasive layer adheres very well to the sleeve as a metallurgical bonding layer is present between the abrasive layer and the sleeve. Abrasive particles are present down to this bonding layer thereby improving the useful life of the bead as no brazing layer is present between abrasive layer and sleeve as in prior-art beads. In the metal matrix material active metals are present that enhance the wetting and adhesion of the abrasive particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Jan Vaneecke, Roland Groenen, Tom Baekelandt
  • Patent number: 8616191
    Abstract: A wire saw (S) for separating a plurality of ceramic components (11-16) from a ceramic component block (1) has a roller system (2), the roller system has a plurality of deflecting rollers (3-5) guiding a wire (6) to form a wire harp (7), wherein at least one of the deflecting rollers (3) is divided into separate discs (31-36) guiding a single wire winding (61-66) of the wire (6) and being inclined at an adjustable angle (a) of less than 90 DEG to an axle (A) connecting the centers (M1-M6) of the discs (31-36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christoph Hamann, Carsten Schuh
  • Publication number: 20130327308
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for slicing an ingot. The apparatus for slicing the ingot includes a mounting part on which the ingot is mounted, a wire saw disposed under the mounting part, a slurry supply part supplying slurry from an upper side of the wire saw, and a slurry blocking part disposed on the mounting part. The slurry blocking part includes a fixing part coupled to one side of the mounting part and a slurry collection part to which a central portion thereof is coupled to a lower portion of the fixing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Dae Hyun Jeon
  • Patent number: 8602015
    Abstract: A cutting chain for cutting concrete and other similar materials having wear and stretch resistant features. In one embodiment, the cutting chain can include chain links having a debris trap for hindering the entry of debris onto bearing surfaces. In one embodiment, side links and a center link can have cooperating members forming a maze-like debris trap and can include a lubricant and/or other barrier material. In a particular arrangement, side links can have annular ribs which can be partially received in annular grooves on a center link to create the maze-like debris trap. In another embodiment, the cutting chain can include chain links having anti-rotation structures to hinder rotation of the fastener relative to the side links. In a particular arrangement, side links can have a protrusion or slot for cooperating with a complementary mating slot or protrusion on the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Inventor: John Michelon
  • Publication number: 20130319201
    Abstract: A cuffing chain for cutting mineral and metal materials has central chain links and lateral connecting links. The cutting chain has connecting pins with a central section which has a diameter that is greater than the diameter of openings in adjacent connecting links. The cutting chain has two connecting links which have a supporting section instead of a cutting element. At least two second connecting links positioned adjacent to one another at right angles to the direction of travel of the cutting chain are formed separately from one another. As a result, the cutting chain can be opened for maintenance and repairs despite the use of collar studs as connecting pins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Matthias Schulz
  • Publication number: 20130319392
    Abstract: A hand-operated implement has a guide bar on which is fitted a cutting chain for cutting mineral and metal materials. The cutting chain is driven around the guide bar by a chain sprocket. The chain sprocket is arranged in a chain sprocket chamber which is delimited by a chain sprocket cover. A cutting element has an outer side facing a sidewall of the chain sprocket cover which lies in a first notional plane. The distance between the sidewall and the first notional plane measured perpendicular to the first notional plane and centrally between the top of the cutting element and the peripheral wall is less than approximately 0.8 cm over at least 30% of the section between a second notional plane containing the central axis of a fixing bolt on the guide bar and the exit opening at which the cutting chain leaves the chain sprocket chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
  • Publication number: 20130306047
    Abstract: A chain bar unit for a wall saw is presented herein. The chain bar unit can include a bar configured to receive a circulating chain or wire around a perimeter of the bar. The chain bar unit also can include a driving gear for driving the chain or wire around the bar, the driving gear configured to be coupled to an output shaft of the wall saw. The chain bar unit further includes the bar being tapered from an end proximate to the driving gear to a distal end having a distal end radius, wherein a width of the bar at the proximate end, is at least two times the distal end radius of the distal end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventor: Andreas Jonsson
  • Publication number: 20130284160
    Abstract: A method of efficiently manufacturing a hexagonal semiconductor plate crystal with small warpage is provided. The method of manufacturing a hexagonal semiconductor plate crystal is a method of manufacturing a hexagonal semiconductor plate crystal by cutting a hexagonal semiconductor crystal using a crystal cutting wire, wherein the hexagonal semiconductor crystal is cut by causing the crystal cutting wire to move relative to the hexagonal semiconductor crystal so as to satisfy the conditions of 25°<??90° and ?=90°±5° where ? represents an angle formed by the c axis of the hexagonal semiconductor crystal and the normal line of the crystal face cut out by the wire and ? represents an angle formed by a reference axis, which is obtained by perpendicularly projecting the c axis of the hexagonal semiconductor crystal to the crystal face cut out by the wire, and a cutting direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Hirofumi UCHIDA, Yukio OKANO
  • Patent number: 8567384
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for slicing an ingot in the form of a wafer by winding a wire around a plurality of grooved rollers and pressing the wire against the ingot while making the wire travel and supplying slicing slurry to the grooved rollers, in which when the ingot is sliced, an amount of displacement of the ingot changing in an axial direction is measured and an amount of axial displacement of the grooved rollers is controlled so as to correspond to the measured amount of axial displacement of the ingot, and thereby, the ingot is sliced while controlling a relative position of the wire relative to an entire length of the ingot changing in the axial direction. As a result, a slicing method and a wire saw apparatus are provided that can perform slicing in such a way that a Bow or a Warp in a wafer obtained by slicing can be reduced, for example, by controlling a slicing path built into an ingot so that, in particular, the slicing path becomes flattened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Oishi, Koji Kitagawa, Hideo Kudo
  • Patent number: 8567385
    Abstract: A fret saw includes a cutting wire and fixed abrasive grains provided on the cutting wire by electroplating. Each of the fixed abrasive grains includes a core and a hard film coated on the core. The core is 1 to 60 micrometers in diameter. The core is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a Ti metal and a Ti alloy. The hard film is 1 to 40 micrometers thick. The hard film covers about 30% to 90% of the surface of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Armaments, Bureau, Ministry of National Defense
    Inventors: Chien-Chih Kung, Ching-Yu Tso, Shang-Wanq Yeh, Hsiou-Jeng Shy
  • Publication number: 20130269673
    Abstract: A cutting chain for a hand-operated implement for cutting metal and mineral materials such as a stone cutter has central connecting links which are connected to one another by lateral connecting links. The central connecting links comprise first central connecting links which each have a drive tooth. The cutting chain has two central connecting links with drive teeth shaped differently to the drive teeth on the first central connecting links; or located a different distance from the leading drive teeth; or having no drive teeth. A hand-operated implement for cutting mineral materials has a drive motor which drives the cutting chain around a guide bar by a drive sprocket. The cutting chain is guided round part of the circumference of the drive sprocket and round a nose sprocket on the guide bar. The drive sprocket or nose sprocket have different first and second areas matched to the cutting chain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
  • Patent number: 8555869
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a saw chain having a pitch in the range of approximately 0.440 to approximately 0.450. Embodiments also include tie straps and/or other components having fluid distribution features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Blount, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian S. Osborne, James L. Vanderzanden
  • Publication number: 20130251940
    Abstract: Methods of cutting ingots for solar cell fabrication, as well ingots and grippers there for, are described. In an example, a method of cutting an ingot includes gripping a portion of the ingot directly with a gripper of a cutting apparatus. The ingot is partially cut to form a plurality of wafer portions projecting from an uncut portion of the ingot. The ingot is further cut to separate the plurality of wafer portions from the uncut portion, to provide a plurality of discrete wafers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventors: Sheng Sun, Fernando Boyon, Roy Joseph Legaspi, Matthew Dawson, Chuck Stone
  • Patent number: 8534275
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide at a relatively cheap price a wire saw device capable of effectively preventing slurry from splashing onto the top surface of a work and effectively suppressing increase in nanotopography and Warp. The wire saw device 1 of the present invention has: a group of multiple wires 4 formed by suspending a wire 3 over a set of rollers 2, 2, 2 separate from each other so as to be aligned in a cutting side thereof in parallel to one another in the roller shaft direction X and capable of running in a direction orthogonal to the roller shaft direction; a work holding portion 5 for holding a work W and moving the work W in a direction of pushing the work W with respect to the group of multiple wires 4; and a nozzle 6 for supplying slurry to the group of multiple wires 4 from at least a position on the upperstream side in the running direction of the multiple wires 4, with respect to a path along which the work W is pushed into the wire 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Fukuda, Hiroyasu Futamura, Ryouji Shindou
  • Publication number: 20130236386
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of modified polyglycols for production of cooling and/or lubricating fluids, to novel cooling and/or lubricating fluids, to the use of the cooling and/or lubricating fluids in the removal of material, especially in the cutting of wafers, and to wafers produced with the aid of the cutting fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Seelmann-Eggebert, Sophie Maitro-Vogel, Eva-Maria Reis-Walther, Joachim Bentele, Lena Alveborn-Jansson
  • Publication number: 20130206126
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are used to simultaneously slice a multiplicity of slices from a workpiece. The workpiece is held with a feed device so as to position an axis of the workpiece parallel to axes of wire guide rolls of a wire saw and is moved from above through a web of the wire saw. A slurry is supplied as abrasive to wire sections of the web while the wire sections are moved relative to the workpiece. The relative movement guides the wire sections from an entry side to an exit side through the workpiece. A coolant is sprayed from the side and below through nozzles into slicing gaps in the workpiece. The nozzles are arranged below the web parallel to the axes of the wire guide rolls. The coolant is sprayed into the slicing gaps through a nozzle situated opposite the entry side of the respective wire section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventor: Siltronic AG
  • Publication number: 20130174828
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling the surface profiles of wafers cut in a wire saw machine. The systems and methods described herein are generally operable to alter the nanotopology of wafers sliced from an ingot by controlling the shape of the wafers. The shape of the wafers is altered by changing the temperature and/or flow rate of a temperature-controlling fluid that comes in contact with the ingot. Different feedback systems can be used to determine the temperature of the fluid necessary to generate wafers having the desired shape and/or nanotopology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, SPA
    Inventor: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, SPA
  • Publication number: 20130174829
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for determining mounting locations of ingots on a wire saw machine. The methods include measuring a test surface of a test wafer previously sliced by the wire saw machine from a test ingot to calibrate the system. A magnitude and a direction of an irregularity of the measured test surface of the test wafer is then determined. The mounting location is then determined for another ingot to be mounted on the ingot holder based on at least one of the magnitude and direction of the irregularity of the measured test surface of the test wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8464621
    Abstract: A plurality of bushings are coupled to one another via a series of bolts to provide an interlocking, articulating cutter. The bolts have a cylindrical end and a convex end. The convex ends are seated inside a concave socket coupled to the bushings. The cylindrical ends are coupled to a convex nut seated inside another concave socket coupled to an adjacent bushing. The convex ends of the bolts are configured to articulate inside the seat of the concave sockets. A washer may be placed between the bushings to provide a desired amount of flexibility and/or rigidity. The outer surface of the bushing comprises a cutting structure, such as a milled or clad cutting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bisso Marine Co., Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Bisso, IV, Tjerko Jurgens
  • Publication number: 20130091715
    Abstract: A handheld work apparatus such as a stone cutter (1) having a housing (2) in which a drive motor (5) is arranged. The work apparatus has a tool driven by the drive motor (5) for cutting mineral or metallic materials. The housing (2) has a housing front end (16) facing the workpiece to be cut and arranged adjacent to the workpiece. The tool projects beyond the housing front end (16). In order to avoid damage on the housing front end (16), it is provided that an elastic guard (17, 47), which extends over at least 50% of the width (b) of the housing front end (16), is arranged on the housing front end (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG