Grinding tool and method of fabricating the same

Abstract

A method of fabricating a grinding tool includes providing an abrasive particle, and cutting the abrasive particle with a laser beam so that the cut abrasive particle has four tips adjacent to one another, a cavity of a generally cross shape extending between the four tips, and a material discharge surface at an end of the cavity. The laser beam is applied along a plurality of parallel first cutting lines and a plurality of parallel second cutting lines, the second cutting lines intersecting the first cutting lines, at least the first cutting lines being grouped into a first, a second and a third region, the second region being located between the first and third regions, a number of cutting passes repeated along each of the first cutting lines in each of the first and third regions increasing as the first cutting line is nearer to the second region, and the laser beam repeating a plurality of cutting passes along each of the first cutting lines in the second region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fabricating a grinding tool, comprising:
 providing an abrasive particle; and   cutting the abrasive particle with a laser beam so that the cut abrasive particle has four tips adjacent to one another, a cavity of a generally cross shape extending between the four tips, and a material discharge surface at an end of the cavity;   wherein the laser beam is applied along a plurality of parallel first cutting lines and a plurality of parallel second cutting lines, the second cutting lines intersecting the first cutting lines, at least the first cutting lines being grouped into a first, a second and a third region, the second region being located between the first and third regions, a number of cutting passes repeated along each of the first cutting lines in each of the first and third regions increasing as the first cutting line is nearer to the second region, and the laser beam repeating a plurality of cutting passes along each of the first cutting lines in the second region.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion intersecting each other perpendicularly, the first cutting lines extending along the first cavity portion, the first cutting lines being equal in number in the first and third regions, and the method including applying a plurality of cutting passes along the first cutting lines in the first and third regions, the cutting passes in the first and third regions being configured symmetrically relative to a central axis of the first cavity portion. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the number of the first cutting lines in the second region is smaller than the number of the first cutting lines in each of the first and third regions. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein multiple cutting passes applied along a same first cutting line in any of the first and third region vary in length but have a same center. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the laser beam performs a same number of cutting passes along each of the first cutting lines in the second region. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a greatest number of cutting passes along a same first cutting line in any of the first and third region is smaller or equal to the number of cutting passes performed along each of the first cutting lines in the second region. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the laser beam applies a plurality of cutting passes along the first cutting lines sequentially from the first region through the second region to the third region. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second cutting lines are grouped into a fourth, a fifth and a sixth region, the fifth region being located between the fourth and sixth regions, a number of cutting passes repeated along each of the second cutting lines in each of the fourth and sixth regions increasing as the second cutting line is nearer to the fifth region, and the laser beam repeating a plurality of cutting passes along each of the second cutting lines in the fifth region. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the cavity includes a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion intersecting each other perpendicularly, the first and second cutting lines respectively extending along the first and second cavity portions, the second cutting lines being equal in number in the fourth and sixth regions, and the method including applying a plurality of cutting passes along the second cutting lines in the fourth and sixth regions, the cutting passes in the fourth and sixth regions being configured symmetrically relative to a central axis of the second cavity portion. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein a greatest number of cutting passes along a same second cutting line in any of the fourth and sixth region is smaller or equal to the number of cutting passes performed along each of the second cutting lines in the fifth region. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive particle is a hexoctahedron before laser cutting, and the second region extends past a tip region of the abrasive particle. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including affixing the abrasive particle to a substrate.