Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090019892 | Process and Device for Manufacturing Flat Sheets of a Glass-Based Material - The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing flat sheets of a glass-based material and to a device associated with the process. The process comprises delivering the glass-based material ( | 01-22-2009 |
20090100873 | METHOD OF MAKING A GLASS SHEET USING CONTROLLED COOLING - Methods of drawing glass sheet via a downdraw process are provided. In certain aspects, the methods utilize rapid cooling below the root ( | 04-23-2009 |
20090217705 | Temperature control of glass fusion by electromagnetic radiation - Disclosed are systems and methods for forming glass sheets. Methods and systems are provided that comprise a refractory body configured to receive glass-based material and means for transmitting energy to selectively heat at least a portion of the refractory body through the glass-based material. In one aspect, the energy transmitted is of a selected frequency that is not fully absorbed by the glass-based material and is at least partially absorbed by the refractory body. The energy can be transmitted by a laser beam array, a scanning laser beam, a microwave generator, a radio frequency generator, or other means. | 09-03-2009 |
20100281921 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SHEETS OF GLASS PRESENTING AT LEAST ONE FACE OF VERY HIGH SURFACE QUALITY. - A method is disclosed for producing sheet glass having two faces, at least one of which has a high surface quality, the method comprising a treatment step wherein a stream of glass is contacted with a forming tool, and wherein a reversible adhesion force exists between the stream of glass and the forming tool after contacting. An apparatus is also disclosed for producing sheet glass according to the disclosed and various other methods of sheet glass manufacture, the apparatus comprising a forming tool having a means for controlling the temperature of at least a portion of the surface thereof. | 11-11-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110067450 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHAPED ARTICLES FROM SHEET MATERIAL - An apparatus for making shaped articles includes a container having at least one vacuum port and a surface for receiving a sheet of glass-based material. At least one positive mold is supported in the container, where the at least one positive mold has an exterior surface including a profile defining an interior of a shaped article. An open volume is defined between the container and the at least one positive mold and is in communication with the vacuum port. | 03-24-2011 |
20110236631 | GLASS TEXTURING USING A POROUS TEXTURED ROLL UNDER VACUUM - A glass manufacturing system ( | 09-29-2011 |
20120131961 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BENDING A SHEET OF MATERIAL INTO A SHAPED ARTICLE - A method for bending a sheet of material into a shaped article includes providing the sheet of material. A reformable area and a non-reformable area of the sheet of material are heated to a first temperature range corresponding to a first viscosity range. The reformable area of the sheet of material is subsequently heated to a second temperature range corresponding to a second viscosity range. The reformable area of the sheet of material is reformed into a selected shape by at least one of sagging the reformable area of the sheet of material and applying a force to the sheet of material outside of or near a boundary of the reformable area. | 05-31-2012 |
20120216573 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MASS PRODUCING 3D ARTICLES FROM 2D GLASS-CONTAINING SHEETS - An apparatus for mass production of 3D articles from 2D glass-containing sheets includes a heating section having a heating station that includes a heating chamber adapted to receive a 2D glass-containing sheet, a pneumatic bearing system proximate to the heating chamber for suspending the 2D glass-containing sheet inside the heating chamber, and a heater system proximate to the heating chamber for supplying heat to the heating chamber. A forming section downstream of the heating section has a forming station that includes a mold system adapted to shape a heated 2D glass-containing sheet into a 3D article. A cooling section downstream of the forming section has a cooling chamber adapted to controllably cool off one or more 3D articles. A method of mass producing 3D articles from 2D glass-containing sheets involves use of the apparatus. | 08-30-2012 |
20120279257 | Methods and Apparatus for Reforming a Glass Sheet - A deformation apparatus for reforming a glass sheet comprises a central portion, a first edge mold movably coupled to a first end of the central portion and configured to be linearly translated along a linear mold axis in a first direction toward the central portion. The deformation apparatus further includes a second edge mold movably coupled to the second end of the central portion and configured to be linearly translated along the linear mold axis in a second direction opposite the first direction and toward the central portion. Methods are also provided including the step of cooling a reformed glass sheet, wherein a greater shrinkage of the reformed glass sheet relative to a shrinkage of the deformation apparatus is accommodated by a movement of at least the first edge mold in a first direction toward the central portion of the deformation apparatus. | 11-08-2012 |
20130319051 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING A GLASS SHEET - A glass forming system ( | 12-05-2013 |
20140026621 | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR PRECISION GLASS SHEET BENDING - Please replace the originally filed abstract with the following amended abstract: An apparatus and method for precision bending a glass sheet that includes an oven for heating the glass sheet to a temperature near the softening temperature of the glass sheet. A stage for supporting the glass sheet. A pair of reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the glass sheet on the stage. At least one bending mechanism on a pair of arms inside the oven for bending an edge portion of the glass sheet. Inward facing first stop surfaces on the arms that contact reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the bending mechanism on the arms relative to the stage and the glass sheet. | 01-30-2014 |
20140033770 | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR PRECISION GLASS SHEET BENDING - An apparatus and method for precision bending a glass sheet that includes an oven for heating the glass sheet to a temperature near the softening temperature of the glass sheet. A stage for supporting the glass sheet. A pair of reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the glass sheet on the stage. At least one bending mechanism on a pair of arms inside the oven for bending an edge portion of the glass sheet. Inward facing first stop surfaces on the arms that contact reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the bending mechanism on the arms relative to the stage and the glass sheet. | 02-06-2014 |
20140075996 | THERMO-MECHANICAL REFORMING METHOD AND SYSTEM AND MECHANICAL REFORMING TOOL - A reformable area and a non-reformable area of a sheet of glass material are heated to a first temperature corresponding to a first viscosity. The reformable area is subsequently locally heated to a second temperature corresponding to a second viscosity, where the second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity. A bend is formed in the reformable area during the local heating of the reformable area by contacting a first pusher with the non-reformable area and translating the first pusher along a linear path to apply a pushing force to the non-reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area or by contacting a second pusher with an edge area of the reformable area and rotating the pusher along a circular path to apply a pushing force to the edge area of the reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area. | 03-20-2014 |
20140144182 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHAPING A GLASS SUBSTRATE - An apparatus and method for shaping a substantially planar glass substrate are disclosed. The glass substrate is supported on a shaping body having a substantially planar central portion and arcuate edge portions. The substrate is heated by a suitable radiant heat source wherein a thermal shield is used to shield a centrally located surface of the glass substrate so that only edge portions of the glass substrate are heated and softened. Gravity causes the glass substrate edge portions to sag and conform to the shape of the shaping body. In some embodiments, shaping members are pressed against the glass substrate edge portions to aid in the conforming. In certain other embodiments, a plurality of glass substrates are sequentially deformed by a shaping die. | 05-29-2014 |
20140216107 | FUSION DRAW APPARATUS AND METHODS - A fusion draw apparatus includes a pair of engagement rollers. At least one of the pair of engagement rollers includes a circumferential knife edge configured to cooperate with the other of the pair of engagement rollers to thin the edge portion or sever the edge portion from a central portion of the glass ribbon within the viscous zone of the glass ribbon. In further examples, fusion draw methods include the step of thinning the edge portion or severing the edge portion from the central portion of the glass ribbon within the viscous zone. | 08-07-2014 |
20140283554 | GLASS MANUFACTURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING A HIGH QUALITY THIN GLASS SHEET - A glass manufacturing system and method are described herein for forming a high quality thin glass sheet. In one embodiment, the glass manufacturing system and method use at least one of a compensated rolling roll, a temperature controlled environment and edge rolls to form a high quality thin glass sheet that has a thickness less than about 2 mm and more preferably less than about 100 μm. | 09-25-2014 |
20140352360 | THERMO-MECHANICAL REFORMING METHOD AND SYSTEM AND MECHANICAL REFORMING TOOL - A reformable area and a non-reformable area of a sheet of glass material are heated to a first temperature corresponding to a first viscosity. The reformable area is subsequently locally heated to a second temperature corresponding to a second viscosity, where the second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity. A bend is formed in the reformable area during the local heating of the reformable area by contacting a first pusher with the non-reformable area and translating the first pusher along a linear path to apply a pushing force to the non-reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area or by contacting a second pusher with an edge area of the reformable area and rotating the pusher along a circular path to apply a pushing force to the edge area of the reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area. | 12-04-2014 |
20150027169 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING A GLASS RIBBON - A roll forming apparatus includes at least one forming roll being spaced from a forming body to define a gap. The forming roll includes a working zone portion having a working zone surface with a length extending along a rotation axis of the forming roll and a thermal resistance boundary extending at an acute angle relative to the rotation axis. In further examples, methods include the step of feeding a stream of molten glass through the gap to form a glass ribbon including a formed thickness. The thermal resistance boundary facilitates substantial uniform radial expansion of the working zone surface relative to the rotation axis across the length of the working zone surface in response to heating of the working zone portion by the molten glass. | 01-29-2015 |
20150099124 | Crack-Resistant Glass-Ceramic Articles and Methods for Making the Same - Glass-ceramics exhibiting a Vickers indentation crack initiation threshold of at least 15 kgf are disclosed. These glass-ceramics may be ion exchangeable or ion exchanged. The glass-ceramics include a crystalline and amorphous phases generated by subjecting a thin precursor glass article to ceramming cycle having an average cooling rate in the range from about 10° C./minute to about 25° C./minute. In one or more embodiments, the crystalline phase may comprise at least 20 wt % of the glass-ceramics. The glass-ceramics may include β-spodumene ss as the predominant crystalline phase and may exhibit an opacity ≧about 85% over the wavelength range of 400-700 nm for an about 0.8 mm thickness and colors an observer angle of 10° and a CIE illuminant F02 determined with specular reflectance included of a* between −3 and +3, b* between −6 and +6, and L* between 88 and 97. | 04-09-2015 |
20150099618 | Apparatus and Method for Forming Thin Glass Articles - Embodiments of a method of forming a glass article are disclosed. The methods include supplying a glass ribbon in a first direction and redirecting the glass ribbon to a second direction different from the first direction without contacting the glass ribbon with a solid material. The glass ribbon may exhibit a viscosity of less than about 10 | 04-09-2015 |
20150191387 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR PRODUCING LAMINATED GLASS SHEETS - According to one embodiment, a method for forming a laminated glass sheet includes forming a multi-layer glass melt ( | 07-09-2015 |
20150232365 | APPARATUS AND METHODS OF MAKING A GLASS TUBE BY DRAWING FROM MOLTEN GLASS - A glass tube making apparatus comprises a forming device with a shaping member positioned within a downstream portion of an outer tube. In further examples, methods of making a glass tube include the steps of passing a quantity molten glass through an upstream portion of the outer tube, wherein the molten glass includes a first cross-sectional shape. The method further includes the step of passing the quantity of molten glass through a downstream portion of the outer tube, wherein the first cross-sectional shape is transitioned to a second cross-sectional shape. In still further examples, methods of making a glass tube include the step of modifying a cross-sectional shape of the glass tube with an air bearing. | 08-20-2015 |