Abstract: A device for manufacturing curved glass, includes a bending station that has a solid concave bending upper mold and a complementary lower countermold, the upper mold being placed above the lower countermold, a conveyor to convey the glass to a final holder placed under the bending upper mold, the final holder being circumscribed, seen from above, by the lower countermold, the final holder forming a surface for receiving the glass, the glass being in an optimal bending position when on this surface, the lower countermold being of the frame type and being able to move vertically in order to pass below or above the surface for receiving the glass, the bending upper mold and the lower countermold being able to move with a relative vertical movement that allows them to be brought together, in order to clamp therebetween the periphery of the glass, and to move apart from each other.

Abstract: A device for supporting a sheet of glass, in a contact band between the edge and up to 200 mm from the edge of the glass, includes first and second supports that each include a chassis and a support system for supporting the glass connected to the chassis, the support system of each support including a surface for supporting the glass including a fibrous material able to contact the glass in the contact band at a temperature between 400 and 600° C., the two supports being movable in a transfer vertical relative movement enabling the support surface of one to pass over or under the support surface of the other in order to transfer the glass from one support to the other, the support system of the first support including a passage to allow to pass an arm connected to the second support during the transfer vertical relative movement.

Abstract: A cooling frame for a bent glass sheet, includes a support track for the sheet and a removable bearing piece that is able, in a bearing position and during cooling of the sheet by air blowing, to bear on the top face of the sheet and at the periphery thereof. The bent sheet cooled on the cooling frame maintains contact with the frame during the cooling operation and its shape complies better with that which is desired.

Abstract: A device and a method for bending and cooling sheets of glass including bending the glass by gravity on a gravity support during which the glass rests on the gravity support in the peripheral zone constituted of the 50 mm from the edge of its first principal face, then separating the glass from the gravity support when the glass is at more than 560° C., then cooling the glass during which its first principal face is free of any contact in its peripheral zone, between a temperature termed the upper homogeneous temperature, of at least 560° C., and a temperature termed the lower homogeneous temperature, of at most 500° C., termed the critical temperature range, the zone of the first principal face at a distance greater than 200 mm from the edge being at a temperature at least equal to that of the peripheral zone at the moment when the peripheral zone reaches the upper homogeneous temperature.

Abstract: A device for supporting a sheet of glass, in a contact band between the edge and up to 200 mm from the edge of the glass, includes first and second supports that each include a chassis and a support system for supporting the glass connected to the chassis, the support system of each support including a surface for supporting the glass including a fibrous material able to contact the glass in the contact band at a temperature between 400 and 600° C., the two supports being movable in a transfer vertical relative movement enabling the support surface of one to pass over or under the support surface of the other in order to transfer the glass from one support to the other, the support system of the first support including a passage to allow to pass an arm connected to the second support during the transfer vertical relative movement.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing curved glass, includes a bending station that has a solid concave bending upper mold and a complementary lower countermold, the upper mold being placed above the lower countermold, a conveyor to convey the glass to a final holder placed under the bending upper mold, the final holder being circumscribed, seen from above, by the lower countermold, the final holder forming a surface for receiving the glass, the glass being in an optimal bending position when on this surface, the lower countermold being of the frame type and being able to move vertically in order to pass below or above the surface for receiving the glass, the bending upper mold and the lower countermold being able to move with a relative vertical movement that allows them to be brought together, in order to clamp therebetween the periphery of the glass, and to move apart from each other.

Abstract: A cooling frame for a bent glass sheet, includes a support track for the sheet and a removable bearing piece that is able, in a bearing position and during cooling of the sheet by air blowing, to bear on the top face of the sheet and at the periphery thereof. The bent sheet cooled on the cooling frame maintains contact with the frame during the cooling operation and its shape complies better with that which is desired.

Abstract: A mold for bending glass, including a cellular solid material including cells that form cavities in the molding area, the cells representing more than 40% of the volume of the material. A low-heat-capacity tool bends glass panes in the context of processing tempered or laminated glass. A process for manufacturing the bending mold includes assembly of metal sheets of different shapes placed parallel to one another so as to form a cellular unit, then machining of the molding area of the unit, the area being placed substantially perpendicular to the metal sheets.

Abstract: The invention relates to a curved glass pane, made of float glass, the area of a main face of which is greater than 1.5 m2 and the product of its two depths of bending is greater than 3000 mm2, and such that its point located on the normal to its surface passing through its center of gravity has a radius of curvature of less than 3 m in any direction, the variation in its thickness in the longitudinal float direction being less than 10 ?m over 500 mm. This pane may be assembled into laminated glazing of the automobile windshield type. Such a windshield has a very small amount of double imaging even when it is fitted into the vehicle so as to be close to the horizontal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laminated glass panel including two sheets of glass connected by an adhesive interlayer, wherein in that in at least one direction, the thickness of the adhesive interlayer is sequentially increasing and decreasing or decreasing and increasing.

Abstract: A mold for bending glass, including a cellular solid material including cells that form cavities in the molding area, the cells representing more than 40% of the volume of the material. A low-heat-capacity tool bends glass panes in the context of processing tempered or laminated glass. A process for manufacturing the bending mold includes assembly of metal sheets of different shapes placed parallel to one another so as to form a cellular unit, then machining of the molding area of the unit, the area being placed substantially perpendicular to the metal sheets.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: a laminated glass panel comprising two sheets of glass connected by an adhesive interlayer, characterized in that in at least one direction, the thickness of the adhesive interlayer is sequentially increasing and decreasing or decreasing and increasing, a transport vehicle, building or any structure including this laminated glass panel, two methods for manufacturing this laminated glass panel comprising the preparation, by extrusion or by thermoforming, respectively, of an adhesive interlayer having a non-constant thickness, and its use for a land, air or sea transport vehicle, in particular as a windshield, rear window, side window or automobile roof, for buildings, street furniture, interior design, electrical home appliances, and electronics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a curved glass pane, made of float glass, the area of a main face of which is greater than 1.5 m2 and the product of its two depths of bending is greater than 3000 mm2, and such that its point located on the normal to its surface passing through its center of gravity has a radius of curvature of less than 3 m in any direction, the variation in its thickness in the longitudinal float direction being less than 10 ?m over 500 mm. This pane may be assembled into laminated glazing of the automobile windshield type. Such a windshield has a very small amount of double imaging even when it is fitted into the vehicle so as to be close to the horizontal.

Abstract: A method of bending at least one glass sheet including: allowing the glass to sag under gravity; then placing the central region of the one or more sheets in contact with a male former by advancing a female former supporting the sheet toward the male former, the male former being located above the female former with vertical movement of one with respect to the other being possible in a bending cell; then pressing the glass in its peripheral region between the male former and the female former; then holding the glass against the male former by partial vacuum, the pressing being continued; then discontinuing the pressing by separating the male former from the female former; and then cooling the glass outside the bending cell. The method makes it possible to produce bends with short radii of curvature in two perpendicular directions without leaving marks on the glass.