Method and apparatus for cutting insulating material

Claim 2

Apparatus for cutting insulating material comprising: a base for supporting the insulating material, said material having a conductive layer proximate to the surface thereof; displacement-control means coupled to the base for selectively moving said base; a cutting member adapted to be positioned against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base; means for moving said cutting member along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; means adapted to be connected to a voltage source for imposing a potential difference between said cutting member and said conductive layer; means for supplying a liquid solution at the cutting site between said cutting member and said conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said member and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; means for generating control signals in response to distance variations of said gap between said cutting member and said conductive layer at the cutting site for controlling said displacement means; and means for detecting tensions on said cutting member for controlling said generating means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for cutting insulating material according to claim 1, wherein said cutting member comprises a thin copper wire having diamond particles imbedded therein.

Claim 4

Apparatus for cutting insulating material according to claim 2, wherein said tension detecting means comprises a wire displacement detector positioned near the cutting site for sensing wire deviations in directions other than said wire moving direction.

Claim 5

Apparatus for cutting insulating material according to claim 3, wherein said wire displacement detector generates signals in response to said deviations for inhibiting said control signals generating means thereby interrupting movement of the base.

Claim 6

Apparatus for cutting insulating material having a conductive layer on the surface thereof comprising: a table for supporting the insulating material; an X--Y drive coupled to the table for selectively moving said table in accordance with predetermined movement patterns, a thin metal cutting wire, having a plurality of diamond particles imbedded therein, positioned against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to said table; wire feeding and receiving reels for moving said cutting wire along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; circuit means comprising a potential source coupled to said cutting wire and to said conductive layer for imposing a potential difference therebetween; a reservoir for supplying a liquid solution between said cutting wire and said conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said wire and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; a gap detector coupled to said wire and said layer for detecting distance variations therebetween at the cutting site and generating movement control signals coupled to said X-Y drive; and a wire tension sensing device coupled to said gap detector for sensing displacements of said wire in directions other than said moving direction and inhibiting the generation of said movement control signals.

Claim 7

Apparatus for cutting insulating material having a conductive layer on the surface thereof comprising: a table for supporting the insulating material; an X--Y drive coupled to the table for selectively moving said table in accordance with predetermined movement patterns, a thin metal cutting wire, having a plurality of diamond particles imbedded therein, positioned against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to said table; wire feeding and receiving reels for moving said cutting wire along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; circuit means comprising a potential source coupled to said cutting wire and to said conductive layer for imposing a potential difference therebetween; a reservoir for supplying a liquid solution between said cutting wire and said conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said wire and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; a gap detector coupled to said wire and said layer for detecting distance variations therebetween at the cutting site and generating movement control signals coupled to said X-Y drive; and a wire tension sensing device coupled to said gap detector for sensing displacements of said wire in directions other than said moving direction and inhibiting the generation of said movement control signals.

Claim 8

Method for cutting insulating material comprising the steps of: coating a surface of the insulating material with a conductive layer; mounting said insulating material on a base coupled to displacement means; positioning a cutting member against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base; imposing a potential difference between the cutting member and the conductive layer; moving the cutting member along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; supplying a liquid solution at the cutting site between the cutting member and the conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said member and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; and monitoring said cutting member deviations proximate the cutting site during said moving step for controlling said displacement means.

Claim 9

Method for cutting insulating material comprising the steps of: coating a surface of the insulating material with a conductive layer; mounting said insulating material on a base coupled to displacement means; positioning a cutting member against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base; imposing a potential difference between the cutting member and the conductive layer; moving the cutting member along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; supplying a liquid solution at the cutting site between the cutting member and the conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said member and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; and monitoring said cutting member deviations proximate the cutting site during said moving step for controlling said displacement means.

Claim 10

Method for cutting insulating material according to claim 6, wherein the monitoring step comprises the steps of: generating control signals in response to variations in distance between the cutting member and the conductive layer at the cutting site for controlling said displacement means; and detecting tensions on said cutting member for controlling the signal generating step.

Claim 11

Method for cutting insulating material according to claim 7 wherein the insulating material comprises a quartz plate and wherein the method comprises the step of positioning a thin copper wire having a plurality of diamond particles imbedded therein against said quartz plate and moving said wire between feeding and receiving reels.

Claim 12

Method for cutting insulating material according to claim 8, wherein the tension detecting step comprises positioning a wire displacement detector near the cutting site, and sensing the cutting wire deviations in directions other than said moving direction.

Claim 13

Method for cutting insulating material according to claim 9, wherein the sensing step inhibits said control signal generating step in response to said wire deviations thereby interrupting the movement of the quartz plate.

Claim 14

Method for cutting insulating material having a conductive layer on the surface thereof comprising the steps of: mounting said insulating material on a base coupled to displacement means; positioning a cutting member against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base; imposing a potential difference between the cutting member and the conductive layer; moving the cutting member along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; supplying a liquid solution at the cutting site between the cutting member and the conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said member and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; and monitoring said cutting member deviations proximate the cutting site during said moving step for controlling said displacement means.

Claim 15

Method for cutting insulating material having a conductive layer on the surface thereof comprising the steps of: mounting said insulating material on a base coupled to displacement means; positioning a cutting member against said insulating material in contacting relationship therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base; imposing a potential difference between the cutting member and the conductive layer; moving the cutting member along said direction thereby abrasively cutting said insulating material; supplying a liquid solution at the cutting site between the cutting member and the conductive layer thereby causing a gap to be formed between said member and said layer at the cutting site by electro-erosion machining; and monitoring said cutting member deviations proximate the cutting site during said moving step for controlling said displacement means.