Method and apparatus for cutting diamond
US5890481A · kind A · utility
6Cited by
3References
29Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB28D5/045
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A wire is used to cut or slice diamond by passing the wire rapidly and under light load over and into the diamond surface along a line to be cut. In one form of the invention, the wire comprises a metal that dissolves diamond, such as iron or nickel and the wire and/or diamond is preferably heated to approach the metal-carbon eutectic temperature and create sensible reaction rates of the carbon on the wire surface. In another form of the invention, the moving wire carries a molten oxidant to enhance the cutting rate. The molten oxidant may be, for example, sodium nitrate, which oxidizes carbon.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.