Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a multiplicity of holes in thin workpieces made of glass or glass-like materials and semiconductors are provided. The method includes directing multiple laser beams onto predetermined perforation points of the workpiece in a wavelength range between 1600 and 200 nm and with a radiation intensity that causes local non-thermal destruction of the workpiece material along respective filamentary channels. Subsequently, the filamentary channels are widened to the desired diameter of the holes.

Abstract: Methods of producing a glass sheet comprise the step of fusion drawing a glass ribbon along a draw direction into a viscous zone downstream from a root of a forming wedge. The method further includes the steps of drawing the glass ribbon into a setting zone downstream from the viscous zone and an elastic zone downstream from the setting zone. The method also includes the step of creating a vacuum to force the entire lateral portion of the glass ribbon to engage an anvil portion of a breaking device in the elastic zone. The method still further includes the steps of forming a score line along the lateral portion of the glass ribbon and breaking away a glass sheet from the glass ribbon along the score line while the entire lateral portion is forced against the anvil portion by the vacuum.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve a known quartz glass cylinder for the production of an optical component, comprising an inner drilling, which is mechanically machined to size and provided with an etched structure by means of an etching treatment, subsequent to the mechanical machining, such that in the application thereof for production of pre-forms and optical fibers, few bubbles arise along the boundary surface between core and sleeve. Said aim is achieved, whereby the etched structure comprises striations with a maximum depth of 2.0 mm and a maximum width of 100 ?m.

Abstract: A large number of fine and deep holes are fanned in a glass substrate with high positional and dimensional accuracy. With a use of an etching of a photolithography technique, a large number of fine holes are formed in a silicon substrate. Hole forming pins are stood in the holes. The silicon substrate is held by a holding member of a hole forming apparatus. The glass substrate is housed in a container having an opened upper surface. The container is heated, and the glass substrate housed in the container is melted. The silicon substrate is lowered using the holding member, and the hole forming pins are inserted into the glass substrate. Thereafter, the container is cooled, and the glass substrate is solidified while having the hole forming pins inserted therein. The glass substrate is taken out from the container, the hole forming pins are dissolved in an aqua regia to thereby form the holes in the glass substrate.

Abstract: In the method for loading a glass processing installation (5) with loading portions (10a), glass plates (10, 10b) are extracted repeatedly from a storage unit (20) in a predetermined sequence and divided into a residual portion (10b), which is stored in the storage unit, and a loading portion (10a), which is delivered to the glass processing installation. It is thereby possible to selectively load the glass processing unit with portions of glass plates of certain dimensions and of a determined sort. The device for loading a glass processing installation comprises a storage unit (20) with at least two compartments (21), each compartment being capable of receiving at least one glass plate (10, 10b), and displacing means for displacing a glass plate in a compartment at least partially out of the compartment.

Abstract: A linear groove is formed in a glass sheet along a programmed cut line that is set for the glass sheet, and pressure is applied locally to an end of the groove. The pressure is not applied equally uniformly to the whole groove but applied locally to the end of the groove, where an initial crack is induced by the pressure applied thereto. The initial crack is guided by the groove so that the cracking force is propagated inductively along the groove. Distribution of stress in the glass corresponding to the cracking force thus propagated is concentrated locally to a face intersecting orthogonally to the surface of the glass sheet. The face to which the stress is concentrated intersects substantially orthogonally with the surface of the glass sheet. The glass sheet manufactured in this manner can be utilized effectively as a material of a PDP.

Abstract: The apparatus for melting off a glass top part from a hollow glass blank has individual burner sections (3) each containing at least one burner nozzle. The individual burner sections (3) are held in a cutting plane and movably connected with each other. A control device (4a, 4b, 5) controls the respective positions of the burner sections (3) so that they fit any arbitrary outer contour of the hollow glass blank (1). The control device (4a, 4b, 5) holds and maintains the burner sections (3) at a constant distance from the exterior surface of the hollow glass blank (1). The burner device with the burner sections (3) is mounted on two half frames pivotally connected with each other for better access to the glass object (1). This apparatus separates the glass top part from oval or triangular glass objects, which should be cut at an inclined orientation, in a single step.

Abstract: A U-shaped groove is formed in a glass sheet along a cutting line and the sheet is cut by breaking along the groove. The groove is formed by heating a sheet portion including the cutting line by a laser beam, cooling it to lower its density, and etching that portion to dissolve it. Every surface exposed by cutting the sheet has a pair of edges which are properly beveled and rounded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described, with which individual rectangular glass panes of thickness between 0.03 mm and 2 mm can be cut from a glass band (2) drawn vertically from a hot forming device (1) in an in-line process with reduced rejects and reduced waste. The method provides that the glass band (2) drawn vertically downward through a vertical zone is cooled below a lower cooling point of the glass and subsequently is deflected through a bending zone (3b) with a bending radius between 0.1 m and 4 m into a horizontal zone (3c) in which it is horizontally oriented. The vertical alignment of the glass band (2) in the vertical zone (3a) is continuously monitored. At least one cutting process is performed on the horizontally oriented glass band (2) in the horizontal zone (3c). The device (20) for monitoring the vertical alignment of the glass band (2) includes at least three sensors (22a, 22b, 22c; 22a′, 22b′, 22c′) that detect the glass edges These sensors can be mechanical rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the rapid sectioning of hollow cylindrical bodies by means of coherent light. The method applies to nonmetallic substances under special consideration of glass.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for making an article such as the body of a needleless injector capsule, from a formable material, such as glass, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice. A blank having an open end is mounted on a first forming tool, and the open end is engaged by a second forming tool while an end region of the blank adjacent the open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed. One of the tools has a pin extending therefrom, and when the tools are brought together to form the end region into the desired shape the pin defines the orifice.

Abstract: In a known method of producing a quartz glass tube (22), a cylinder (21) of quartz glass which rotates about a rotational axis (27) is continuously fed to a heating zone (24), softened therein in portions starting from one end, and the softened portion (25) is drawn over a drill head (1) of a drill body arranged to be coaxial to the rotational axis and is thereby formed into the quartz glass tube (22). Starting therefrom, in order to indicate a method for forming a cylinder of quartz glass into a hollow cylinder of quartz glass having an inner bore that is as flawless as possible and straight and dimensionally stable, it is suggested according to the invention that a drill body should be used with a drill head (1) having a contact surface (2) of a convex curvature facing the cylinder (21), preferably a spherically shaped contact surface (2). The drill body according to the invention is characterized by a drill head (1) which has a contact surface (2) of a convex curvature (2).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for making an article such as the body of a needleless injector capsule, from a formable material, such as glass, the article having a cavity communicating with the exterior via an orifice. A blank (1a) having an open end is mounted on a first forming tool, and the open end is engaged by a second forming tool (22) while an end region of the blank (1a) adjacent the open end is in a condition to permit it to be formed. One of the tools (7a) has a pin (21) extending therefrom, and when the tools are brought together to form the end region into the desired shape of the pin (21) defines the orifice.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for forming glass article from sheet glass. More specifically the apparatus comprises a mold, a plunger being cooperative alignment with the mold, wherein the mold and the plunger form a cavity exhibiting the shaped of the glass article, an outer trimmer for separating the glass article from the surrounding excess sheet glass, and an inner trimmer for forming the aperture in the glass article, and the method involves forming the aperture during the hot-forming process, therefore eliminating a post-formation step.

Abstract: Lines are scribed on glass panes in accordance with the sections to be produced and the glass panes are then broken into sections susbtantially in a vertical position. A device suitable therefor comprises a station (2) for scribing the glass panes (1) with a substantially vertical supporting surface (25) and a conveyor (13) at its lower edge. Adjoining the station (2) is a first breaking station (3) and second one (4) in which the X-notches are opened and frontal edge sections (XR) are separated. The sections (27) of glass panes (1) thus obtained are turned through 90.degree. about the axis perpendicular to the supporting surface (25) in a turning station (5). The Y notches are broken in another breaking station (8). After any edge strips (XR) and residual pieces (R) have been removed, the sections thus obtained are inserted directly into a device (12) for their intermediate storage or fed to a double-glazing line.

Abstract: A solid workpiece, e.g. a glass tube, is shaped by a focussed beam of visible light or light in an adjacent portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in a material removal, cutting or drilling operation and is heat-treated or remelted or shaped in a plastic state by heating that second beam which is less focussed or even divergent. The beams derive from a common source, a CO.sub.2 laser, and pass through a splitting deflecting system so that the beams can be directed simultaneously either parallel to one another or with an inclination to one another at the same or different regions of the workpiece which is held in a holder capable of both rotating the workpiece and translating same.

Abstract: Unworked glass panes (9) are definitively positioned in a positioning station (15) by means of positioning stops (18) and transferred in a fixed position first to a grinding station (12) and then to a transfer station (7) by a translating device (20, 21, 22, 23). From the transfer station (7), the ground panes are transferred by means of a feeding device (6) to a drilling station (1) where holes are drilled into the panes. The finished panes are then returned to the transfer station (7) and are removed therefrom. A complete treatment is thus effected in a once determined position without any subsequent positioning. The drilling station is therefore free from any positioning means.