Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for heating moving continuous glass ribbons at desired lines of separation and/or for separating glass sheets from continuous glass ribbons are disclosed. An apparatus includes a translatable support portion and a heating apparatus coupled to the support portion. The heating apparatus is configured to contact the continuous glass ribbon across at least a portion of a width of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the support portion moves in a draw direction, thereby preferentially applying heat to a first side of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the continuous glass ribbon moves in the draw direction.

Abstract: A method of separating a transparent mother sheet includes contacting a first surface of the transparent mother sheet with an open ended pressure assembly including a pressure vessel shell, thereby forming a shell cavity defined by the first surface of the transparent mother sheet and the pressure vessel shell, where the transparent mother sheet comprises a damage path. The method also includes removing gas from the shell cavity through a fluid removal outlet extending through the pressure vessel shell to reduce a cavity pressure in the shell cavity, thereby applying stress to the damage path to separate a portion of the transparent mother sheet along the damage path.

Abstract: A glass treatment apparatus comprises an upstream applicator comprising a first surface. The first surface is movable between a first upstream position where the first surface is within a travel path of the glass treatment apparatus while extending across a travel direction of the travel path and facing a downstream direction opposite the travel direction, and a second upstream position where the first surface is outside the travel path. Additionally, methods of treating a glass ribbon with the glass treatment apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of separating a transparent mother sheet includes contacting a first surface of the transparent mother sheet with an open ended pressure assembly including a pressure vessel shell, thereby forming a shell cavity defined by the first surface of the transparent mother sheet and the pressure vessel shell, where the transparent mother sheet comprises a damage path. The method also includes removing gas from the shell cavity through a fluid removal outlet extending through the pressure vessel shell to reduce a cavity pressure in the shell cavity, thereby applying stress to the damage path to separate a portion of the transparent mother sheet along the damage path.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for heating moving continuous glass ribbons at desired lines of separation and/or for separating glass sheets from continuous glass ribbons are disclosed. An apparatus includes a translatable support portion and a heating apparatus coupled to the support portion. The heating apparatus is configured to contact the continuous glass ribbon across at least a portion of a width of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the support portion moves in a draw direction, thereby preferentially applying heat to a first side of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the continuous glass ribbon moves in the draw direction.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for heating moving continuous glass ribbons at desired lines of separation and/or for separating glass sheets from continuous glass ribbons are disclosed. An apparatus includes a translatable support portion and a heating apparatus coupled to the support portion. The heating apparatus is configured to contact the continuous glass ribbon across at least a portion of a width of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the support portion moves in a draw direction, thereby preferentially applying heat to a first side of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the continuous glass ribbon moves in the draw direction.

Abstract: A method of separating a strengthened glass sheet includes positioning a serrated scribing wheel at a position spaced apart from a first edge of the glass sheet and offset below a top surface of the glass sheet, where the glass sheet comprises a surface compression layer of layer depth DOL and a central region. The method also includes translating the serrated scribing wheel in a first direction at an initiation speed such that the serrated scribing wheel forms a crack initiation site comprising surface indentations extending into the surface compression layer, accelerating the serrated scribing wheel in the first direction from the initiation speed to a scoring speed to scribe a score line extending into the glass sheet to a median crack depth greater than DOL, and stopping the serrated scribing wheel in the first direction before the score line reaches a second edge of the glass sheet.

Abstract: A method includes indirectly engaging a surface of a moving ribbon of inorganic material with a non-contacting support unit. The ribbon is severed with a thermal separating unit while the non-contacting support unit is indirectly engaged with the ribbon.

Abstract: A method for forming a hole in a glass or glass-ceramic sheets includes scoring a major surface of a glass or glass-ceramic sheet to define the hole, placing the sheet on receiving surface of a mount where a cavity is formed in the receiving surface such that a peripheral edge of the cavity is positioned external to the area bounded by the first score, and fracturing the sheet along the first score to break away the portion of the sheet defined by the first score, wherein the broken away portion of the sheet is contained within the cavity.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for forming a hole in a glass or glass-ceramic sheets. The method includes scoring a major surface of a glass or glass-ceramic sheet to define the hole, placing the sheet on a cavity-containing receiving surface such that a peripheral edge of the cavity is positioned external to the area bounded by the first score, and fracturing the sheet along the score to break away the portion of the sheet defined by the first score. The method allows for the formation of large openings in thin glass sheets where the mother sheet is not broken or damaged by the formation of the opening.

Abstract: A strengthened glass sheet is separated into undamaged sheet segments by mechanically scribing one or more vent lines of controlled depth into the sheet surface, the depths of the scribed lines being insufficient to effect sheet separation, and then applying a uniform bending moment across the vent lines to effect separation into multiple sheet segments, the vent lines being scribed from crack initiation sites comprising surface indentations formed proximate to the edges of the glass sheet.

Abstract: A method includes indirectly engaging a surface of a moving ribbon of inorganic material with a non-contacting support unit. The ribbon is severed with a thermal separating unit while the non-contacting support unit is indirectly engaged with the ribbon.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for characterizing attributes of a moving glass sheet comprising complementary mechanical material handling technologies that progressively stabilize, position, capture, flatten, and release the lower portion of glass sheets traveling past the apparatus while posing minimal constraint on the top section of the sheet. The apparatus includes a pressure-vacuum (PV)-type device comprising distinct regions such that the glass sheets experience a non-contact but gradual increase in constraining force until the point where measurements can be performed, then a gradual decrease in constraining force until the glass sheets are released from the inspection station. This graduated force technique is applied along the direction of travel of the sheets and may also be applied vertically upwards along the height of the sheet to restrict the motion of the sheet without constraining it at pinch points near the conveyor.

Abstract: A method for forming a hole in a glass or glass-ceramic sheets includes scoring a major surface of a glass or glass-ceramic sheet to define the hole, placing the sheet on receiving surface of a mount where a cavity is formed in the receiving surface such that a peripheral edge of the cavity is positioned external to the area bounded by the first score, and fracturing the sheet along the first score to break away the portion of the sheet defined by the first score, wherein the broken away portion of the sheet is contained within the cavity.

Abstract: A strengthened glass sheet is separated into undamaged sheet segments by mechanically scribing one or more vent lines of controlled depth into the sheet surface, the depths of the scribed lines being insufficient to effect sheet separation, and then applying a uniform bending moment across the vent lines to effect separation into multiple sheet segments, the vent lines being scribed from crack initiation sites comprising surface indentations formed proximate to the edges of the glass sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for characterizing attributes of a moving glass sheet comprising complementary mechanical material handling technologies that progressively stabilize, position, capture, flatten, and release the lower portion of glass sheets traveling past the apparatus while posing minimal constraint on the top section of the sheet. The apparatus includes a pressure-vacuum (PV)-type device comprising distinct regions such that the glass sheets experience a non-contact but gradual increase in constraining force until the point where measurements can be performed, then a gradual decrease in constraining force until the glass sheets are released from the inspection station. This graduated force technique is applied along the direction of travel of the sheets and may also be applied vertically upwards along the height of the sheet to restrict the motion of the sheet without constraining it at pinch points near the conveyor.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for characterizing attributes of a moving glass sheet comprising complementary mechanical material handling technologies that progressively stabilize, position, capture, flatten, and release the lower portion of glass sheets traveling past the apparatus while posing minimal constraint on the top section of the sheet. The apparatus includes a pressure-vacuum (PV)-type device comprising distinct regions such that the glass sheets experience a non-contact but gradual increase in constraining force until the point where measurements can be performed, then a gradual decrease in constraining force until the glass sheets are released from the inspection station. This graduated force technique is applied along the direction of travel of the sheets and may also be applied vertically upwards along the height of the sheet to restrict the motion of the sheet without constraining it at pinch points near the conveyor.

Abstract: A scoreless separation device and method are described herein for separating a glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In one embodiment, the device shears a stationary glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In another embodiment, the device shears a moving glass sheet to remove outer edges from the moving glass sheet without needing to score the moving glass sheet.

Abstract: A scoreless separation device and method are described herein for separating a glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In one embodiment, the device shears a stationary glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In another embodiment, the device shears a moving glass sheet to remove outer edges from the moving glass sheet without needing to score the moving glass sheet.

Abstract: A scoreless separation device and method are described herein for separating a glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In one embodiment, the device shears a stationary glass sheet without needing to score the glass sheet. In another embodiment, the device shears a moving glass sheet to remove outer edges from the moving glass sheet without needing to score the moving glass sheet.