CUTTING BLADE WITH A CONCAVE BEVEL AND HAIR REMOVAL DEVICE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cutting blade having a blade body with a first material joined to a second material, a first face, a second face opposed to the first face, and a cutting edge, where the first face includes a first surface, and the second face includes a primary bevel having a convex or straight cross-sectional shape and a secondary bevel having a concave cross-sectional shape with a line connecting the two bevels, the primary bevel extending from the cutting edge to the line, where cutting edge and primary bevel are shaped in the second material. A first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface and the primary bevel or the tangent of the primary bevel through the cutting edge is greater than a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface and the tangent of the secondary bevel. A hair removal device includes this cutting blade.

Claims

1. A cutting blade having a blade body comprising a first material and a second material joined with the first material, the cutting blade having a first face, a second face opposed to the first face, and a cutting edge, wherein: the first face comprises a first surface the second face comprises a primary bevel having a convex or straight cross-sectional shape and a secondary bevel having a concave cross-sectional shape with a first line connecting the primary bevel and the secondary bevel the primary bevel extending from the cutting edge to the first line, the cutting edge and the primary bevel are shaped in the second material a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface and the primary bevel or the tangent of the primary bevel through the cutting edge, a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface and the tangent of the secondary bevel; and wherein θ.sub.1>θ.sub.2.

2. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the first wedge angle θ.sub.1 ranges from 10° to 90°, and/or the second wedge angle θ.sub.2 ranges from −5° to 40°, and/or the second wedge angle θ.sub.2 ranges from −5° to 30°.

3. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the primary bevel has a length d.sub.1 being the dimension projected onto the first surface taken from the cutting edge to the first line from 0.1 to 7 μm.

4. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the dimension projected onto the first surface and/or the imaginary extension of the first surface taken from the cutting edge to a second line has a length d.sub.2 which ranges from 1 to 150 μm.

5. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: metals, or titanium, nickel, chromium, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, platinum, germanium, iron, and alloys thereof, or steel, ceramics containing carbon, nitrogen, boron, oxygen and combinations thereof, or silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, tantalum nitride, TiAlN, TiCN, and/or TiB.sub.2, glass ceramics; or aluminum-containing glass-ceramics, composite materials made from ceramic materials in a metallic matrix (cermets), hard metals, or sintered carbide hard metals, such as tungsten carbide or titanium carbide bonded with cobalt or nickel, silicon or germanium, or silicon or germanium having a crystalline plane parallel to the second face, wafer orientation <100>, <110>, <111> or <211>, single crystalline materials, glass or sapphire, polycrystalline or amorphous silicon or germanium, mono- or polycrystalline diamond, diamond like carbon (DLC), adamantine carbon; and combinations thereof.

6. The cutting blade of of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises or consists of a material selected from the group consisting of: oxides, nitrides, carbides, borides, or aluminum nitride, chromium nitride, titanium nitride, titanium carbon nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, cubic boron nitride boron aluminum magnesium carbon, or diamond, poly-crystalline diamond, nano-crystalline diamond, diamond like carbon (DLC) like tetrahedral amorphous carbon; and combinations thereof.

7. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the second material fulfills at least one of the following properties: a thickness of 0.15 to 20 μm; a modulus of elasticity of less than 1200 GPa; a transverse rupture stress σ.sub.0 of at least 1 GPa; and a hardness of at least 20 GPa.

8. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises or consists of nano-crystalline diamond and fulfills at least one of the following properties: an average surface roughness R.sub.RMS of less than 100 nm; and an average grain size d.sub.50 of the fine-crystalline diamond of 1 to 100 nm.

9. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the first material and/or the second material are coated at least in regions with a low-friction material, where the low-friction material is selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers, parylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, graphite, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and combinations thereof.

10. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the cutting edge has a tip radius of less than 200 nm.

11. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the second face further comprises a straight or concave tertiary bevel with: a second line connecting the secondary bevel and the tertiary bevel, the tertiary bevel extending from the second line rearward, a third wedge angle θ.sub.3 between the first surface and the tertiary bevel (7) or its tangent, wherein the third wedge angle θ.sub.3 ranges from 1° to 60°.

12. The cutting blade of claim 11, wherein the second line is arranged at a boundary surface of the first material and the second material.

13. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the first face comprises a first surface which is planar.

14. The cutting blade of claim 1, wherein the first face comprises a quaternary bevel with: a third line connecting the quaternary bevel and the first surface the quaternary bevel extending from the cutting edge to the third line a fourth wedge angle θ.sub.4 between an imaginary extension of the first surface and the quaternary bevel, wherein θ.sub.4 ranges from 5° to 75°.

15. A hair removal device comprising a cutting blade, the cutting blade comprising: a blade body comprising or consisting of a first material and a second material joined with the first material, the cutting blade having a first face, a second face opposed to the first face, and a cutting edge, wherein: the first face comprises a first surface the second face comprises a primary bevel having a convex or straight cross-sectional shape and a secondary bevel having a concave cross-sectional shape with a first line connecting the primary bevel and the secondary bevel the primary bevel extending from the cutting edge to the first line, the cutting edge and the primary bevel are shaped in the second material a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface and the primary bevel or the tangent of the primary bevel through the cutting edge, a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface and the tangent of the secondary bevel, and wherein θ.sub.1>θ.sub.2.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description which is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like designations are used to designate substantially identical elements, and in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first cutting blade in accordance with the present invention

[0017] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a convex primary bevel

[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a straight primary bevel

[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a further cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a second material

[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a further cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a convex primary bevel and an additional bevel on the first face

[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a further cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a straight primary bevel and an additional bevel on the first face

[0022] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further cutting blade in accordance with the present invention with a non straight cutting edge comprising curved segments

[0023] FIG. 8a-b is a flow chart of the process for manufacturing the cutting blades

[0024] FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of a round tip showing the determination of the tip radius

[0025] The following reference signs are used in the figures of the present application.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

[0026] 1 blade [0027] 2 first face [0028] 3 second face [0029] 4 cutting edge [0030] 5 primary bevel [0031] 6 secondary bevel [0032] 7 tertiary bevel [0033] 9 first surface [0034] 9′ imaginary extension of the first surface [0035] 10 first line [0036] 11 second line [0037] 15 blade body [0038] 18 first material [0039] 19 second material [0040] 20 boundary surface [0041] 60 bisecting line [0042] 61 perpendicular line [0043] 62 circle [0044] 65 construction point [0045] 66 construction point [0046] 67 construction point [0047] 260 bisecting line

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] The present invention relates to a cutting blade having a blade body comprising or consisting of a first material and a second material joined to the first material, the cutting blade having a first face, a second face opposed to the first face, and a cutting edge wherein the first face comprises a first surface and the second face comprises a primary bevel having a convex or straight cross-sectional shape and a secondary bevel having a concave cross-sectional shape. Moreover, the present invention relates to a hair removal device comprising this cutting blade.

[0049] The following definitions are used in the present application: [0050] the rake face is the surface of a cutting blade over which the cut hair slides that is removed in the cutting process [0051] the clearance face is the surface of a cutting tool that passes over the skin; the angle between the clearance face and the contacting surface to the skin is the clearance angle α [0052] The cutting bevel of a cutting blade is enclosed by the rake face and the clearance face and denoted by the bevel angle θ [0053] The cutting edge is the line of intersection of the rake face and the clearance face

[0054] The present invention addresses the mentioned drawbacks in the prior art and provides cutting blades with a design, which allows at the same time, a high comfort during the cutting process, i.e., a low cutting force, and a high durability, i.e., a low fragility of the blade.

[0055] This problem is solved by the cutting blade with the features of claim 1 and the hair removal device with the features of claim 15. The further dependent claims define preferred embodiments of such a blade.

[0056] The term “comprising” in the claims and in the description of this application has the meaning that further components are not excluded. Within the scope of the present invention, the term “consisting of” should be understood as preferred embodiment of the term “comprising”. If it is defined that a group “comprises” at least a specific number of components, this should also be understood such that a group is disclosed which “consists” preferably of these components.

[0057] In the following, the term “cross-sectional view” refers to a view of a slice through the cutting element perpendicular to the cutting edge (if the cutting edge is straight) or perpendicular to the tangent of the cutting edge (if the cutting edge is curved) and perpendicular to the surface of the substrate of the cutting element.

[0058] The term “line” or “line intersection” as used herein is understood as the linear extension of a connecting point (according to a cross-sectional view as in FIG. 3) between different bevels regarding the perspective view (as in FIG. 1). As an example, if a concave bevel is adjacent to a convex bevel the turning point in the cross-sectional view is extended to a line in the perspective view.

[0059] According to the present invention a cutting blade is provided having a blade body comprising or consisting of a first material and a second material joined with the first material, the cutting blade having a first face, a second face opposed to the first face, and a cutting edge, wherein: [0060] the first face comprises a first surface [0061] the second face comprises a primary bevel having a convex or straight cross-sectional shape and a secondary bevel having a concave cross-sectional shape with [0062] a first line connecting the primary bevel and the secondary bevel [0063] the primary bevel extending from the cutting edge to the first line, [0064] the cutting edge and the primary bevel are shaped in the second material [0065] a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface and the primary bevel or its tangent, [0066] a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface and the tangent of the secondary bevel.

[0067] It was surprisingly found that a cutting blade with a very stable cutting edge together with a very good cutting performance can be provided when the wedge angles fulfill the following conditions:

θ.sub.1>θ.sub.2.

[0068] The cutting blades according to the present invention have low cutting forces due to a thin secondary bevel with a low wedge angle θ.sub.2. This is realized by a reduction of the contact area between the cutting blade in the region of the secondary bevel, which has the function of the penetrating bevel, and the object being cut. According to the present invention the concave cross-sectional shape of the rake face results in a significant reduction of the cutting force.

[0069] The second wedge angle θ.sub.2 represents the penetration angle of the blade penetrating in the object being cut. The smaller the penetrating angle θ.sub.2, the lower the force to penetrate the object being cut.

[0070] The cutting blades according to the present invention are strengthened by adding a primary bevel with a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 which is greater than the second wedge angle θ.sub.2. The primary bevel with the first wedge angle θ.sub.1 has therefore the function to stabilize the cutting edge mechanically against damage from the cutting operation which allows a slim blade body in the area of the secondary bevel without affecting the cutting performance of the blade. In consequence, by using a primary bevel with the wedge angle θ.sub.1 the second wedge angle θ.sub.2 can be reduced. In other words, the wedge angle θ.sub.1 has the function to stabilize the cutting edge which allows a slim blade body in the area of the secondary bevel without effecting the cutting performance of the blade.

[0071] According to a preferred embodiment, the cutting blade has an asymmetric cross-sectional shape. The asymmetrical cross-sectional shape refers to the symmetry with respect to an axis which is the bisecting line of the primary wedge angle θ.sub.2 and anchored at the cutting edge.

[0072] According to a further preferred embodiment, the first wedge angle θ.sub.1 ranges from 10° to 90°, preferably 12° to 75°, more preferably 15° to 46°, and even more preferably 20° to 45° and/or the second wedge angle θ.sub.2 ranges from −5° to 40°, preferably 0° to 30°, more preferably 5° to 25° and even more preferably from 10° to 15° and/or the second wedge angle θ.sub.2 ranges from −5° to 30°, preferably 0° to 20°, more preferably −5° to 30°, preferably 0° to 20°, more preferably 5° to 15°, and even more preferably 8° to 12°.

[0073] According to a further preferred embodiment, the primary bevel has a length d.sub.1 being the dimension projected onto the first surface taken from the cutting edge to the first line from 0.1 to 7 μm, preferably from 0.5 to 5 μm, and more preferably 1 to 3 μm. A length d.sub.1<0.1 μm is difficult to produce since an edge of such length is too fragile and would not allow a stable use of the cutting blade. The primary bevel stabilizes the blade body with the secondary bevel which allows a slim blade in the area of the secondary bevel which offers a low cutting force. It has been surprisingly found that the primary bevel does not affect the cutting performance provided the length d.sub.1 is not larger than 7 μm.

[0074] Preferably, the dimension projected onto the first surface (9) and/or the imaginary extension of the first surface (9′) taken from the cutting edge (4) to a second line (11) has a length d.sub.2 which ranges from 1 to 75 μm, more preferably 5 to 50 μm, and even more preferably from 10 to 35 μm. The second line may be the final line of the secondary bevel or, optionally, the intersecting line of the secondary bevel with a tertiary bevel. The length d.sub.2 corresponds to the penetration depth of the cutting blade in the object to be cut. In general, d.sub.2 corresponds to at least 30% of the diameter of the object to be cut, i.e., when the object is human hair which typically has a diameter of around 100 μm the length d.sub.2 is around 30 μm.

[0075] The cutting blade is preferably defined by a blade body comprising or consisting of a first material and a second material joined with the first material. The second material can be deposited as a coating at least in regions of the first material, i.e., the second material can be an enveloping coating of the first material, or a coating deposited on the first material on the first face.

[0076] The material of the first material is in general not limited to any specific material as long it is possible to bevel this material.

[0077] However, according to an alternative embodiment the blade body consists only of the first material, i.e., an uncoated first material. In this case, the first material is preferably a material with an isotropic structure, i.e., having identical values of a property in all directions. Such isotropic materials are often better suited for shaping, independent from the shaping technology.

[0078] The first material preferably comprises or consists of a material selected from the group consisting of: [0079] metals, preferably titanium, nickel, chromium, niobium, tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, platinum, germanium, iron, and alloys thereof, in particular steel, [0080] ceramics comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon and/or nitrogen, boron, oxygen or combinations thereof, preferably silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon nitride, boron nitride, tantalum nitride, TiAlN, TiCN, and/or TiB.sub.2, [0081] glass ceramics; preferably aluminum-containing glass-ceramics, [0082] composite materials made from ceramic materials in a metallic matrix (cermets), [0083] hard metals, preferably sintered carbide hard metals, such as tungsten carbide or titanium carbide bonded with cobalt or nickel, [0084] silicon or germanium, preferably with the crystalline plane parallel to the second face, wafer orientation <100>, <110>, <111>or <211>, [0085] single crystalline materials, [0086] glass or sapphire, [0087] polycrystalline or amorphous silicon or germanium, [0088] mono- or polycrystalline diamond, diamond like carbon (DLC), adamantine carbon and [0089] combinations thereof.

[0090] The steels used for the first material are preferably selected from the group consisting of 1095, 12C27, 14C28N, 154CM, 3Cr13MoV, 4034, 40X10C2M, 4116, 420, 440A, 440B, 440C, 5160, 5Cr15MoV, 8Cr13MoV, 95X18, 9Cr18MoV, Acuto+, ATS-34, AUS-4, AUS-6 (=6A), AUS-8 (=8A), C75, CPM-10V, CPM-3V, CPM-D2, CPM-M4, CPM-S-30V, CPM-S-35VN, CPM-S-60V, CPM-154, Cronidur-30, CTS 204P, CTS 20CP, CTS 40CP, CTS B52, CTS B75P, CTS BD-1, CTS BD-30P, CTS XHP, D2, Elmax, GIN-1, H1, N690, N695, Niolox (1.4153), Nitro-B, S70, SGPS, SK-5, Sleipner, T6MoV, VG-10, VG-2, X-15T.N., X50CrMoV15, ZDP-189.

[0091] It is preferred that the second material comprises or consists of a material selected from the group consisting of: [0092] oxides, nitrides, carbides, borides, preferably aluminum nitride, chromium nitride, titanium nitride, titanium carbon nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, cubic boron nitride [0093] boron aluminum magnesium [0094] carbon, preferably diamond, poly-crystalline diamond, nano-crystalline diamond, diamond like carbon (DLC), and [0095] combinations thereof.

[0096] The second material may be preferably selected from the group consisting of TiB.sub.2, AlTiN, TiAlN, TiAlSiN, TiSiN, CrAl, CrAlN, AlCrN, CrN, TiN, TiCN and combinations thereof.

[0097] Moreover, all materials cited in the VDI guideline 2840 can be chosen.

[0098] It is particularly preferred to use a second material of nano-crystalline diamond and/or multilayers of nano-crystalline and polycrystalline diamond as second material. It has been shown that production of nano-crystalline diamond, compared to the production of monocrystalline diamond, can be accomplished substantially more easily and economically. Hence, also longer and larger area cutting blades can be produced. Moreover, with respect to their grain size distribution, nano-crystalline diamond layers are more homogeneous than polycrystalline diamond layers, the material also shows less internal stress. Consequently, macroscopic distortion of the cutting edge is less likely.

[0099] It is preferred that the second material has a thickness of 0.15 to 20 μm, preferably 2 to 15 μm and more preferably 5 to 10 μm.

[0100] It is preferred that the second material has a Young's modulus of less than 1200 GPa, preferably less than 900 GPa, and more preferably less than 750 GPa. Due to the low Youngs' modulus the second material becomes more flexible and less stiff and may be better adapted to the Young's modulus of the substrate to increase mechanical stability of the cutting edge.

[0101] The second material has preferably a transverse rupture stress σ.sub.0 of at least 1 GPa, more preferably of at least 2.5 GPa, and even more preferably at least 5 GPa.

[0102] With respect to the definition of transverse rupture stress σ.sub.0, reference is made to the following literature references: [0103] R. Morrell et al., Int. Journal of Refractory Metals & Hard Materials, 28 (2010), p. 508-515; [0104] R. Danzer et al. in “Technische keramische Werkstoffe”, published by J. Kriegesmann, HvB Press, Ellerau, ISBN 978-3-938595-00-8, chapter 6.2.3.1 “Der 4-Kugelversuch zur Ermittlung der biaxialen Biegefestigkeit spröder Werkstoffe”

[0105] The transverse rupture stress σ.sub.0 is thereby determined by statistical evaluation of breakage tests, e.g., in the B3B load test according to the above literature details. It is thereby defined as the breaking stress at which there is a probability of breakage of 63%.

[0106] Due to the extremely high transverse rupture stress of the second material the detachment of individual crystallites from the second material, in particular from the cutting edge, is almost completely suppressed. Even with long-term use, the cutting blade therefore retains its original sharpness.

[0107] The second material has preferably a hardness of at least 20 GPa. The hardness is determined by nanoindentation (Yeon-Gil Jung et. al., J. Mater. Res., Vol. 19, No. 10, p. 3076).

[0108] The second material has preferably a surface roughness R.sub.RMS of less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 50 nm, and even more preferably less than 20 nm, which is calculated according to

[00001]$R_{\mathrm{RMS}}=\left(\frac{1}{A}\right)\int \int {Z\left(x,y\right)}^2\mathrm{dxdy}$

A=evaluation area
Z(x,y)=the local roughness distribution

[0109] The surface roughness R.sub.RMS is determined according to DIN EN ISO 25178. The mentioned surface roughness makes additional mechanical polishing of the surface of the second material superfluous.

[0110] In a preferred embodiment, the second material has an average grain size d.sub.50 of the nanocrystalline diamond of 1 to 100 nm, preferably 5 to 90 nm and more preferably from 5 to 30 nm. The average grain size d.sub.50 may be determined using X-ray diffraction or transmission electron microscopy and counting of the grains.

[0111] It is preferred that the first material and/or the second material is/are coated at least in regions with a low-friction material, preferably selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers (e.g., PTFE), parylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethyl methacrylate, graphite, diamond-like carbon (DLC) and combinations thereof.

[0112] The cutting edge has preferably a tip radius of less than 200 nm, more preferably less than 100 nm and even more preferably less than 50 nm, determined e.g., by cross sectional SEM using the method illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0113] It is preferred that the tip radius r of the cutting edge correlates with the average grain size d.sub.50 of the second material. It is hereby advantageous if the ratio between the tip radius r of the second material at the cutting edge and the average grain size d.sub.50 of the nanocrystalline diamond hard coating r/d50 is from 0.03 to 20, preferably from 0.05 to 15, and particularly preferred from 0.5 to 10.

[0114] In a preferred embodiment, the second face further comprises a straight or concave tertiary bevel with a second line connecting the secondary bevel and the tertiary bevel. The tertiary bevel extends from the second line rearward. Moreover, a third wedge angle θ.sub.3 is located between the first surface and the tertiary bevel or its tangent, wherein the third wedge angle θ.sub.3 ranges preferably from 1° to 60°, more preferably 10° to 55°, and even more preferably 30° to 46°, and most preferably is 45°.

[0115] According to the present invention, the cutting blade are further strengthened by adding a thick and strong tertiary bevel that has a tertiary wedge angle greater than the secondary wedge angle and by employing this tertiary bevel to split the object to be cut, thus reducing the forces acting on the thin secondary bevel. For this function the third wedge angle θ.sub.3 has to be larger than the second wedge angle θ.sub.2. The tertiary bevel with the third wedge angle θ.sub.3 therefore has the function of splitting the object to be cut.

[0116] The edge connecting the primary bevel and the secondary bevel is preferably shaped within the second material.

[0117] It is further preferred that the edge between secondary and tertiary bevel is arranged at the boundary surface of the first material and the second material which makes the process of manufacture easier to handle and therefore more economic, e.g., the blades can be manufactured according to the process of FIGS. 8a and 8b.

[0118] The first face preferably further comprises a quaternary bevel which extends from the cutting edge to the first surface. If the first face corresponds to the clearance face this quaternary bevel will improve the comfort of the cutting, i.e., for shaving.

[0119] In a preferred embodiment, the first face corresponds to the clearance face and the second face corresponds to the rake face of the cutting blade. However, it is also possible to use the first face as the rake face and the second face as the clearance face.

[0120] Hence, according to the present invention also a hair removal device comprising a razor blade as described above is provided.

[0121] Turning now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the cutting blade according to the present invention is shown. This cutting blade 1 has a blade body 15 which comprises a first face 2 and a second face 3 which is opposed to the first face 2. At the intersection of the first face 2 and the second face 3 a cutting edge 4 is located. The cutting edge 4 is shaped straight or substantially straight. The first face 2 comprises a planar first surface 9 while the second surface 3 is segmented in different bevels. The second face 3 comprises a convex shaped primary bevel 5, a concave shaped secondary bevel 6 and a straight tertiary bevel 7. The primary bevel 5 is connected via a first line 10 with the secondary bevel 6 which on the other end is connected to the tertiary bevel 7 via a second line 11.

[0122] In FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view of the cutting blade according to the present invention is shown. This cutting blade 1 has a first face 2 and a second face 3 which is opposed to the first face 2. At the intersection of the first face 2 and the second face 3 a cutting edge 4 is located. The first face 2 comprises a planar first surface 9 while the second face 3 is segmented in different bevels. The second face 3 of the cutting blade 1 has a convex shaped primary bevel 5 with a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface 9 and the tangent of the primary bevel 5. The secondary bevel 6 is shaped concave and has a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface 9 and the tangent of the secondary bevel 6 with a bisecting line 260 of the secondary wedge angle θ.sub.2 anchored at the cutting edge 4. θ.sub.2 is smaller than θ.sub.1. The straight tertiary bevel 7 has a third wedge angle θ.sub.3 which is larger than θ.sub.2. The primary bevel 5 has a length d.sub.1 being the dimension projected onto the first surface 9 which is in the range from 0.1 to 7 μm. The primary bevel 5 and the secondary bevel 6 together have a length d.sub.2 being the dimension projected onto the first surface 9 which is in the range from 1 to 150 μm, preferably 5 to 100 μm.

[0123] In FIG. 3, a cross-sectional view of the cutting blade according to the present invention is shown. This cutting blade 1 has a first face 2 and a second face 3 which is opposed to the first face 2. At the intersection of the first face 2 and the second face 3 a cutting edge 4 is located. The first face 2 comprises a planar first surface 9 while the second face 3 is segmented in different bevels. The second face 3 of the cutting blade 1 has a straight primary bevel 5 with a first wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the first surface 9 and the primary bevel 5. The secondary bevel 6 is shaped concave and has a second wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the first surface 9 and the tangent of the secondary bevel 6 which is smaller than θ.sub.1. The straight tertiary bevel 7 has a third wedge angle θ.sub.3 which is larger than θ.sub.2. The primary bevel 5 has a length d.sub.1 being the dimension projected onto the first surface 9 which is in the range from 0.1 to 7 μm. The primary bevel 5 and the secondary bevel 6 together have a length d.sub.2 being the dimension projected onto the first surface 9 which is in the range from 1 to 150 μm, preferably 5 to 100 μm.

[0124] In FIG. 4, a further sectional view of a cutting blade of the present invention is shown where the cutting blade 1 comprising a blade body 15 comprises a first material 18 and a second material 19, e.g., a diamond layer on the first material 18 at the first face 2. The straight primary bevel 5 (extending from the cutting edge 4 to the first line 10) and the concave secondary bevel 6 (extending from the first line 10 to the second line 11) are located in the second material 19 while the tertiary bevel 7 is located in the first material 18. The first material 18 and the second material 19 are separated by a boundary surface 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the first bevel may alternatively be convex shaped.

[0125] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment according to the present invention of a cutting blade 1 with a first face 2 and a second face 3. The second face 3 has a convex primary bevel 5, a concave secondary bevel 6 and a straight tertiary bevel 7. On the first face 2 between the surface 9 and the cutting edge 4, a further quaternary bevel 8 is located. The angle between the quaternary bevel 8 and the imaginary extension of the surface 9′ is θ.sub.4. The wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the tangent of the convex primary bevel 5 and the surface 9 is larger than the wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the tangent of the concave secondary bevel 6 and the surface 9. Moreover, the wedge angle θ.sub.3 between the straight tertiary bevel 7 and the surface 9 is larger than θ.sub.2.

[0126] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment according to the present invention of a cutting blade 1 with a first face 2 and a second face 3. The second face 3 has a straight primary bevel 5, a concave secondary bevel 6 and a straight tertiary bevel 7. On the first face 2 between the surface 9 and the cutting edge 4, a further quaternary bevel 8 is located. The angle between the quaternary bevel 8 and the imaginary extension of the surface 9′ is θ.sub.4. The wedge angle θ.sub.1 between the straight primary bevel 5 and the surface 9 is larger than the wedge angle θ.sub.2 between the tangent of the concave secondary bevel 6 and the surface 9. Moreover, the wedge angle θ.sub.3 between the straight tertiary bevel 7 and the surface 9 is larger than θ.sub.2.

[0127] In FIG. 7, a perspective view of a further cutting blade according to the present invention is shown. The cutting blade 1 has a blade body 15 which comprises a first face 2 and a second face 3 which is opposed to the first face 2. A cutting edge 4 is located at the intersection of the first face 2 and the second face 3. In this embodiment, the cutting edge 4 is shaped not straight but consisting of curved segments. The first face 2 comprises a planar first surface 9 while the second surface 3 is segmented in a convex primary bevel 5, a concave secondary bevel 6 and a straight tertiary bevel 7. The primary bevel 5 is connected via an edge 10 with the secondary bevel 6 which on the other end is connected to the tertiary bevel 7 via an edge 11. The edges 10 and 11 follow the shape of the cutting edge 4 and are therefore shaped not straight but consisting of curved segments as well.

[0128] In FIGS. 8a to 8b a flow chart of the inventive process is shown. In a first step 1, a silicon wafer 101 is coated by PE-CVD or thermal treatment (low pressure CVD) with a silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4) layer 102 as protection layer for the silicon. The layer thickness and deposition procedure must be chosen carefully to enable sufficient chemical stability to withstand the following etching steps. In step 2, a photoresist 103 is deposited onto the Si.sub.3N.sub.4 coated substrate and subsequently patterned by photolithography. The (Si.sub.3N.sub.4) layer is then structured by e.g., CF.sub.4-plasma reactive ion etching (RIE) using the patterned photoresist as mask. After patterning, the photoresist 103 is stripped by organic solvents in step 3. The remaining, patterned Si.sub.3N.sub.4 layer 102 serves as a mask for the following pre-structuring step 4 of the silicon wafer 101 e.g., by anisotropic wet chemical etching in KOH. The etching process is ended when the structures on the second face 3 have reached a predetermined depth and a continuous silicon first face 2 remains. Other wet- and dry chemical processes may be suited, e.g., isotropic wet chemical etching in HF/HNO.sub.3 solutions or the application of fluorine containing plasmas. In the following step 5, the remaining Si.sub.3N.sub.4 is removed by, e.g., hydrofluoric acid (HF) or fluorine plasma treatment. In step 6, the pre-structured Si-substrate is coated with an approx. 10 μm thin diamond layer 104, e.g., nano-crystalline diamond. The diamond layer 104 can be deposited onto the pre-structured second surface 3 and the continuous first surface 2 of the Si-wafer 101 (as shown in step 6) or only on the continuous first surface 2 of the Si-wafer (not shown here).

[0129] In the case of double-sided coating, the diamond layer 104 on the structured second surface 3 has to be removed in a further step 7 prior to the following edge formation steps 9a-9d of the cutting blade. The selective removal of the diamond layer 104 is performed e.g., by using an Ar/O.sub.2-plasma (e.g., RIE or ICP mode), which shows a high selectivity towards the silicon substrate. In step 8, the silicon wafer 101 is thinned so that the diamond layer 104 is partially free standing without substrate material and the desired substrate thickness is achieved in the remaining regions. This step can be performed by wet chemical etching in KOH or HF/HNO.sub.3 etchants or preferably by plasma etching in CF.sub.4, SF.sub.6, or CHF.sub.3 containing plasmas in RIE or ICP mode.

[0130] In a next step 9, (FIG. 8b) the diamond layer is etched anisotropically by an Ar/O.sub.2-plasma in an RIE system in order to form the cutting edge. By utilizing a constant ratio of the etch rates for the silicon and diamond, a straight bevel with a wedge angle θ.sub.1 is formed. However, the process parameters can also be varied in time, e.g., decreasing the reactive component oxygen (variation of the oxygen flow/partial pressure) over time will lead to a reduced diamond etch rate in time, resulting in a curved convex primary bevel 5 as shown in FIG. 2. Step 9a shows the structured Si-wafer 101 and the diamond layer 104 prior to the etching step 9 in a larger magnification, Step 9b shows the resulting first bevel 5 after etching. Finally, steps 9c and 9d illustrate the formation of the secondary bevel 6. This step also involves simultaneous anisotropic etching of the diamond layer and the silicon performed, e.g., by an Ar/O.sub.2plasma in an RIE system. The silicon acts as mask for the diamond layer 104. However, similar to step 9b the etch rate ratio between silicon and diamond may be varied in time. To form the concave secondary bevel 6 shown in step 9d an etch rate that increases over time for the diamond and a constant etch rate for silicon are used. Alternatively, the silicon etch rate may be decreased over time at a constant etch rate for the diamond. Process details are disclosed for instance in DE 198 59 905 A1.

[0131] In FIG. 9, it is shown how the tip radius can be determined. The tip radius is determined by first drawing a line 60 bisecting the cross-sectional image of the first bevel of the cutting edge 1 in half. Where line 60 bisects the first bevel point 65 is drawn. A second line 61 is drawn perpendicular to line 60 at a distance of 100 nm from point 65. Where line 61 bisects the first bevel two additional points 66 and 67 are drawn. A circle 62 is then constructed from points 65, 66 and 67. The radius of circle 62 is the tip radius of the cutting edge 4.

[0132] The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular substrate, apparatus (e.g., device, system, etc.), or method, but are merely idealized and/or schematic representations that are employed to describe and illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0133] The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm” or ±10% of the disclosed dimension.

[0134] Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

[0135] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.