Abstract: Furnace for melting batch materials comprising: a tank (3) covered by a crown (4); a combustion zone (5) provided with burners (6); an inlet (8) for charging it with the batch materials; a downstream outlet for the melted materials, the tank containing a melt (7) when the furnace is operating and the batch materials forming a batch blanket (G) that floats on the melt and is progressively melted; the furnace includes, near the charging inlet (8), an intense heating means (B), predominantly covering the width of the batch blanket, for melting a surface layer of the materials introduced and for increasing the emissivity of the batch blanket.

Abstract: A method for printing a precision structure on the surface of a glass strip advancing continuously at a rate of at least 1 m/min, using an etching roller (27) applying a printing force against the surface to be etched, the structure to be produced including protruding and recessed regions which have radii of curvature, a preliminary thermal conditioning (26 and 32) being performed upstream of the etching roller; the thermal conditioning is designed to ensure a temperature of the strip (J) over the print thickness and a cooling (29) downstream of the etching roller (27) to ensure a controlled fixing of the structure; the method according to the invention making it possible to determine the parameters that are intimately linked for obtaining a particular structure, notably the print temperature, the printing force and the cooling rate, taking into account a degree of creep between the molding radius (R1) and the post-creep radius (R2).

Abstract: Unit for the surface treatment of flat glass, in particular in the form of a ribbon or a sheet, especially by modifying the chemical, optical or mechanical properties, or the deposition of one or more thin films, comprising heating and cooling means for creating a controlled temperature gradient through the thickness of the glass, means for heating that face to be treated, in order for it to always be at the required temperatures and for the times necessary for obtaining effective treatments of the surface thereof and means for cooling the opposite face in order for this opposite face to have a viscosity of between 1013 dPa·s and 2.3×1010 dPa·s.

Abstract: Glass furnace for heating and melting materials to be vitrified, in which furnace two molten glass recirculation loops are formed in the bath between a hotter central zone of the furnace and, respectively, the inlet (E) and the outlet (Y) which are at a lower temperature; the furnace comprises lateral cooling means (12a), (12b) so as to create or strengthen lateral secondary recirculation rolls (B2La), (B2Lb) of the glass.

Abstract: Process for producing a structure on one of the faces of a glass ribbon, carried out continuously using a printing device, in which: the printing device (8) is placed in a zone (A) in which the ribbon (B) is at an average temperature T1 insufficient for printing the pattern of the printing device onto the ribbon according to the nature of the pattern to be printed, to the pressure between the printing device and the ribbon and to the time during which the ribbon is in contact with the printing device; that face to be etched, upstream of the printing device (8), is heated so as to bring a limited and sufficient thickness of the ribbon to a temperature T2>T1 necessary for printing the pattern of the printing device onto the ribbon according to the nature of the pattern to be etched, to the pressure between the printing device and the ribbon and to the time during which the ribbon is in contact with the printing device, while still keeping the rest of the ribbon at a temperature close to T1; the heat flux tra

Abstract: A method for printing a precision structure on the surface of a glass strip advancing continuously at a rate of at least 1 m/min, using an etching roller (27) applying a printing force against the surface to be etched, the structure to be produced including protruding and recessed regions which have radii of curvature, a preliminary thermal conditioning (26 and 32) being performed upstream of the etching roller; the thermal conditioning is designed to ensure a temperature of the strip (J) over the print thickness and a cooling (29) downstream of the etching roller (27) to ensure a controlled fixing of the structure; the method according to the invention making it possible to determine the parameters that are intimately linked for obtaining a particular structure, notably the print temperature, the printing force and the cooling rate, taking into account a degree of creep between the molding radius (R1) and the post-creep radius (R2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a glass furnace for heating and melting materials to be vitrified, in which two loops (B1, B2) for recirculating molten glass are formed in the bath between a hotter central area (I) of the furnace and the entrance and exit at a lower temperature, respectively. The furnace comprises a means (X) for slowing the flow of molten glass in the primary recirculation loop (B1).

Abstract: Furnace for melting batch materials comprising: a tank (3) covered by a crown (4); a combustion zone (5) provided with burners (6); an inlet (8) for charging it with the batch materials; a downstream outlet for the melted materials, the tank containing a melt (7) when the furnace is operating and the batch materials forming a batch blanket (G) that floats on the melt and is progressively melted; the furnace includes, near the charging inlet (8), an intense heating means (B), predominantly covering the width of the batch blanket, for melting a surface layer of the materials introduced and for increasing the emissivity of the batch blanket.

Abstract: Unit for the surface treatment of flat glass, in particular in the form of a ribbon or a sheet, especially by modifying the chemical, optical or mechanical properties, or the deposition of one or more thin films, comprising heating and cooling means for creating a controlled temperature gradient through the thickness of the glass, means for heating that face to be treated, in order for it to always be at the required temperatures and for the times necessary for obtaining effective treatments of the surface thereof and means for cooling the opposite face in order for this opposite face to have a viscosity of between 1013 dPa·s and 2.3×1010 dPa·s.

Abstract: Process for producing a structure on one of the faces of a glass ribbon, carried out continuously using a printing device, in which: the printing device (8) is placed in a zone (A) in which the ribbon (B) is at an average temperature T1 insufficient for printing the pattern of the printing device onto the ribbon according to the nature of the pattern to be printed, to the pressure between the printing device and the ribbon and to the time during which the ribbon is in contact with the printing device; that face to be etched, upstream of the printing device (8), is heated so as to bring a limited and sufficient thickness of the ribbon to a temperature T2>T1 necessary for printing the pattern of the printing device onto the ribbon according to the nature of the pattern to be etched, to the pressure between the printing device and the ribbon and to the time during which the ribbon is in contact with the printing device, while still keeping the rest of the ribbon at a temperature close to T1; the heat flux tra