Substrate slot formation

• US 20060162159A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shen Buswell
• Original Assignee: Shen Buswell
• Inventors: Buswell, Shen
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/890.100
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1603 of the front shooter type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/162 Manufacturing of the nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49083 Heater type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

The described embodiments relate to methods and systems of forming slots in a substrate. One exemplary embodiment forms a feature into a substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface, and moves a sand drill nozzle along the substrate to remove substrate material sufficient to form, in combination with said forming, a slot through the substrate.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method comprising:

forming a feature into a substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface; and

,

moving a sand drill nozzle along the substrate to remove substrate material sufficient to form, in combination with said forming, a slot through the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of forming comprises forming the feature into the first substrate surface, and wherein said act of moving comprises moving the nozzle along the second substrate surface.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of forming comprises forming the feature into the first substrate surface and, wherein said act of moving comprises moving the nozzle along the first substrate surface.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of moving comprises moving the nozzle at a variable speed.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of forming comprises forming a feature having a tapered elevational profile.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said act of moving comprises moving the sand drill nozzle at a speed that is proportional to an elevational thickness of substrate material between a second surface and the tapered elevational profile.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said act of forming comprises etching.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the act of forming comprises one or more of sand drilling, laser machining, dry etching, wet etching, and mechanically abrading.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the acts of forming and moving configure the slot with a generally uniform width at the second surface as measured generally parallel a short axis of the slot.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the acts of forming and moving configure the slot at the second surface to have a greater width at first and second generally opposing end regions than at a mid-region.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the acts of forming and moving configure the slot with a generally uniform width at the first surface as measured generally parallel a short axis of the slot.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the acts of forming and moving configure the slot with a generally uniform width at the first surface as measured generally parallel a short axis of the slot, and wherein the width at the first surface is a minimum slot width.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the acts of forming and moving configure the slot with a generally uniform minimum width measured orthogonally to a long axis of the slot.

28-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A method comprising:

forming a feature into a first surface of a substrate, the feature having a tapered elevational profile;

positioning a sand drill nozzle proximate to a second generally opposite surface of the substrate; and

,

moving the sand drill nozzle generally along the feature at a speed that is a function of an elevational thickness of substrate material between the nozzle and the feature.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the act of positioning comprises positioning the sand drill nozzle a distance in a range of about 1,000 microns to about 5,000 microns from the second surface.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the act of positioning comprises positioning the sand drill nozzle a distance in a range of about 2000 microns to about 2500 microns from the second surface.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the act of forming comprises one or more of sand drilling, laser machining, dry etching, wet etching, and mechanically abrading.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the act of forming leaves substrate material that extends across the feature in at least one location.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the act of moving comprises moving the sand drill at speeds inversely proportional to the elevational profile.

34. (canceled)

38-46. -46. (canceled)