Scribe process and scribe device

Abstract

A scribe device comprises a body ( 10 ). A holder ( 20 ) is supported by the body ( 10 ) such that the holder ( 20 ) can slightly slide in a direction of a slide axis (Lb) which intersects a surface of a workpiece ( 100 ). Retaining portions ( 15, 21 ) spaced apart in a direction of the slide axis (Lb) are formed on the body ( 10 ) and the holder ( 20 ), respectively. A vibratory actuator ( 40 ) is sandwiched between the retainer portion of the body and the retainer portion of the holder. The holder ( 20 ) holds an abutment member ( 30 ). The holder is biased by a biasing member ( 23 ) such that said retaining portion of the holder is pressed against the vibratory actuator. The vibratory actuator renders the vibrations in the direction of the slide axis to the holder. The abutment member transmits the vibrations from the holder to the workpiece. That is, the abutment member ( 30 ) is subjected to a static force and a vibration energy and pressed against the workpiece ( 100 ). In that state, the abutment member ( 30 ) is relatively moved with respect to the workpiece ( 100 ) to thereby form a scribe line in the workpiece.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A scribe process for forming a scribe line in a surface of a workpiece by applying a vibration energy to said workpiece ( 100 ) while pressing an abutment member ( 30 ) against said surface of said workpiece ( 100 ) and relatively moving said abutment member with respect to said workpiece.  
     
     
         2 . A scribe process according to  claim 1 , wherein two scribe lines are simultaneously formed, one in a first surface and the other in a second surface of a planar workpiece ( 100 ′) by arranging two of said abutment members ( 30 ) likewise one on the first surface and the other on the second surface of said workpiece ( 100 ′).  
     
     
         3 . A scribe device comprising: 
 (a) a body ( 10 ) having a retaining portion ( 15 );    (b) a holder ( 20 ) supported by said body ( 10 ) such that said holder ( 20 ) can slightly slide in a direction of a slide axis (Lb) which intersects a surface of a workpiece ( 100 ), said holder having a retaining portion ( 21 ) spaced apart from said retaining portion of said body in the direction of said slide axis;    (c) a vibratory actuator ( 40 ) for rendering vibrations in the direction of said slide axis to said holder, said vibratory actuator being sandwiched between said retaining portion of said body and said retaining portion of said holder and;    (d) an abutment member ( 32 ) held by said holder, said abutment member transmitting the vibrations from said holder to said workpiece; and    (e) a biasing member ( 23 ) for biasing said holder such that said retaining portion of said holder is pressed against said vibratory actuator.    
     
     
         4 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , further comprising a moving mechanism ( 2 ) for relatively moving said body ( 10 ) with respect to said workpiece ( 100 ) in a direction along the surface of said workpiece, so that said abutment member ( 32 ) is moved relative to said surface of said workpiece in the same direction.  
     
     
         5 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , further comprising a slide mechanism ( 3 ) having a guide ( 4 ) and a slider ( 5 ), said slider being supported by said guide such that said slider ( 5 ) can slide in the direction of the slide axis (Lb), said body ( 10 ) being disposed on said slider ( 5 ).  
     
     
         6 . A scribe device according to  claim 5 , wherein said slider ( 5 ) and said body ( 10 ) are connected together through a vibration attenuating elastic member ( 7   a ,  7   b ).  
     
     
         7 . A scribe device according to  claim 6 , wherein said vibration attenuating member is comprised of a plate spring ( 7   a ,  7   b ).  
     
     
         8 . A scribe device according to one of  claims 5  to  7 , wherein a vibration sensor ( 55 ) is attached to said body ( 10 ) or said slider ( 5 ).  
     
     
         9 . A scribe device according to one of  claims 5  to  7 , wherein said slide axis (Lb) extends generally vertically, and said abutment member ( 32 ) is pressed against said surface of said workpiece ( 100 ) by dead weights of said body ( 10 ), said holder ( 20 ) and said slider ( 5 ).  
     
     
         10 . A scribe device according to  claim 9 , wherein said slider ( 5 ) is detachably attached with weight ( 50 ).  
     
     
         11 . A scribe device according to  claim 10 , wherein said weight ( 50 ) is attached with a vibration sensor ( 55 ).  
     
     
         12 . A scribe device according to  claim 9 , further comprising a push-up mechanism ( 70 ) for pushing up said slider ( 5 ) so that said abutment member ( 30 ) is separated from said surface of said workpiece ( 100 ).  
     
     
         13 . A scribe device according to one of  claims 5  to  7 , further comprising a biasing mechanism ( 59 ) for biasing said slider ( 5 ) towards said surface of said workpiece ( 100 ) so that said abutment member ( 30 ) is pressed against said surface of said workpiece.  
     
     
         14 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , wherein said abutment member ( 30 ) is attached to one end of said holder ( 20 ), and a rod ( 22 ) extending in a direction of said slide axis (Lb) is connected to the other end of said holder ( 20 ), said rod piercing through said body ( 10 ) and projecting from said body, said biasing member ( 23 ) being attached to the projected portion of said rod.  
     
     
         15 . A scribe device according to  claim 14 , wherein said biasing member is comprised of a ball ( 23 ) made of elastic material, and said ball ( 23 ) is sandwiched between one pair of retaining seats ( 24 ,  25 ) each having a spherical surface, said ball and said one pair of retaining seats are pierced therethrough by said rod ( 22 ).  
     
     
         16 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , wherein said body ( 10 ) is formed with an air passageway ( 16 ), one open end ( 16   a ) of said air passageway is connected to an air pressure source ( 18 ), and the other open end ( 16   b ) is faced with said vibratory actuator ( 40 ).  
     
     
         17 . A scribe device according to  claim 16 , wherein said body ( 10 ) is provided with a cover ( 19 ) for covering said vibratory actuator ( 40 ), and a gap ( 19   a ) communicating with said air passageway ( 16 ) is formed between said cover and said vibratory actuator.  
     
     
         18 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , wherein said holder ( 20 ) is formed with a receiving space ( 20   a ), said vibratory actuator ( 40 ) is received in said receiving space, and a central axis (Lb) of said holder and a central axis (La) of said vibratory actuator are aligned and extend in the direction of said slide axis.  
     
     
         19 . A scribe device according to  claim 3  wherein said slide axis (Lb) is inclined in an opposite direction to the direction of relative movement of said workpiece ( 100 ).  
     
     
         20 . A scribe device according to  claim 3  or  19 , wherein said holder ( 20 ) is attached with an attachment ( 60 ) such that an angle of said attachment ( 60 ) is adjustable with respect to said slide axis (Lb), and said abutment member ( 30 ) is fixed to said attachment ( 60 ).  
     
     
         21 . A scribe device according to  claim 3 , wherein said holder ( 20 ) is attached with an attachment ( 60 ), and said attachment ( 60 ) has a grip portion ( 62 ), said grip portion having one pair of parallel pieces ( 62   a ,  62   b ) and exhibiting a U-shaped configuration in section, distal end portions of said one pair of pieces being brought closer to each other by a screw ( 65 ) with said abutment member ( 30 ) received between said one pair of pieces of said grip portion, so that said abutment member is fixed to said attachment.  
     
     
         22 . A scribe device comprising: 
 (a) a body ( 110 );    (b) an elastic arm ( 150 ) attached to said body ( 110 ), said elastic arm having a free end portion;    (c) an abutment member ( 30 ) attached to said free end portion of said elastic arm; and    (d) a vibratory actuator ( 40 ) attached to said body ( 110 ), vibrations of said vibratory actuator being transmitted to said abutment member through said elastic arm.