Systems and methods of glass cutting by inducing pulsed laser perforations into glass articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009586-A1
Application number	US-201514794378-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the present method of laser cutting a laser wavelength transparent glass article comprises feeding at least one glass article to a pulsed laser assembly having at least one pulsed laser, wherein the pulsed laser defines a laser beam focal line with a length of 0.1-100 mm, the glass article being comprised of two end sections, and at least one lateral surface disposed lengthwise between the end sections. The method further comprises laser cutting at least one perforation line onto the lateral surface of the glass article while there is relative motion between the glass article and the pulsed laser and separating the glass article along the at least one perforation line to yield a laser cut glass article.

First claim

1 . A method of laser cutting a glass article comprising:
feeding at least one glass article to a pulsed laser assembly having at least one pulsed laser, wherein the pulsed laser defines a laser beam focal line with a length of 0.1-100 mm, the glass article being comprised of two end sections, and at least one lateral surface disposed lengthwise between the two end sections; laser cutting at least one perforation line in the glass article by focusing the pulsed laser along the laser beam focal line at an angle of incidence onto the lateral surface of the glass article while there is relative motion between the glass article and the pulsed laser, wherein the glass article is transparent to a wavelength of the pulsed laser; and separating the glass article along at least one perforation line to yield a laser cut glass article.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wavelength of the pulsed laser is less than about 1.8 μm.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the glass article is a tube.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the tube, which is fed to the pulsed laser assembly, is a continuous tube delivered from a glass synthesis station.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the tube, which is fed to the pulsed laser assembly, is a pre-cut tube.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the glass article is selected from the group consisting of cartridges, vials, and syringes.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each perforation extends a thickness of the glass article.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising cutting the glass article prior to cutting with the pulsed laser.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the prior cutting is achieved via mechanical cracking, or laser cutting.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein separation of the glass article occurs by thermal shock, by mechanical stressing about the perforation line, or combinations thereof.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the glass article comprises borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, or aluminosilicate glass.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the perforation line is a plurality of holes having a size between 300-500 nm and a spacing therebetween of 1-30 μm.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the relative motion between the glass article and the pulsed laser is defined by movement of the pulsed laser across the lateral surface of the glass article.

14 . The method of claim 1 wherein the relative motion between the glass article and the pulsed laser is defined by movement of the glass article relative to the pulsed laser.

15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the relative motion between the glass article and the pulsed laser is defined by translational movement of the glass article and rotational movement of the pulsed laser.

16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising firepolishing the laser cut glass article to smooth edges along perforation line.

17 . A system for laser cutting at least one glass article comprising:
a glass synthesis station operable to form at least one glass article comprised of two end sections, and at least one lateral surface disposed lengthwise between the two end sections; a glass cutting station comprising a pulsed laser assembly operable to laser cut at least one perforation line in the glass article received from the glass synthesis station, and a glass support assembly configured to support the glass article during laser cutting within the pulsed laser assembly, wherein the pulsed laser assembly and the glass support assembly are moveable relative to one another, and wherein the pulsed laser assembly comprises
a pulsed laser, and
an optical assembly positioned in a beam path of the pulsed laser to transform the pulsed laser into a laser beam focal line, the laser beam focal line having a length in a range of between 0.1 mm and 100,
wherein the pulsed laser is oriented to induce the at least one perforation line in the glass article along the laser beam focal line onto the lateral surface of the glass article while the glass article and the pulsed laser assembly move relative to eachother, wherein the glass article is transparent to a wavelength of the pulsed laser; and
a glass separation station downstream of the glass cutting station and configured to remove a portion of the glass article about the perforation line to produce a laser cut glass article.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the glass article is a tube.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the tube is a continuous tube produced in the glass synthesis station.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the tube is a pre-cut tube prior to delivery to the glass cutting station.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the glass article is selected from the group consisting of cartridges, vials, and syringes.

22 . The system of claim 17 wherein the optical assembly comprises a focusing optical element configured to generate the laser beam focal line.

23 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass support assembly comprises a conveyor disposed between the glass cutting station and the glass synthesis station.

24 . The system of claim 17 further comprising a cutting station upstream of the pulsed laser assembly.

25 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass separation station includes a thermal shock device, a mechanical stressing component, or combinations thereof.

26 . The system of claim 25 wherein the thermal shock device includes a heating element selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen/oxygen burner, a CO 2 laser, and combinations thereof.

27 . The system of claim 26 wherein the thermal shock device comprises a cooling element downstream of the heating element.

28 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass support assembly comprises polymeric gripping material in contact with the glass article.

29 . The system of claim 28 wherein the polymeric gripping material is rubber.

30 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass support assembly comprises a non-contact support.

31 . The system of claim 30 wherein the non-contact support is a horizontal air bearing.

32 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass support assembly comprises a rotatable spindle chuck assembly configured to rotate the glass article.

33 . The system of claim 17 wherein the pulsed laser assembly comprises a rotational arm configured to rotate about the glass article.

34 . The system of claim 33 wherein the pulsed laser assembly comprises one or more mirrors coupled to and rotatable with the rotational arm.

35 . The system of claim 33 wherein the pulsed laser and the optical assembly are coupled to and rotatable with the rotational arm.

36 . The system of claim 33 wherein the optical assembly is coupled to and rotatable with the rotational arm, while the pulsed laser is stationary but in communication with the optical assembly.

37 . The system of claim 33 wherein the glass support assembly comprises a conveyor operable to move the glass article as the rotational arm rotates about the glass article.

38 . The system of claim 17 wherein the glass synthesis station comprises a Vello downdraw apparatus, a Danner glass forming apparatus, or a ribbon glass blowing a

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Bookbinder Dana Craig
• Klingensmith Lewis Kirk
• Logunov Stephan Lvovich
• Nieber Albert Roth
• Schillinger Helmut
• Tandon Pushkar
• Tsuda Sergio

Classifications

• B23K2103/54

  Glass · CPC title

• C03B9/12

  starting from a ribbon of glass; Ribbon machines · CPC title

• C03B33/0222

  Scoring using a focussed radiation beam, e.g. laser · CPC title

• C03B33/095

  Tubes, rods or hollow products · CPC title

• C03B33/0955

  using a focussed radiation beam, e.g. laser · CPC title