Abstract: A transfer arm holds a plurality of preforms arranged in a single line and simultaneously drops and supplies the preforms downward. A positioning arm has a pair of arm split members split in its widthwise direction. The arm split members have positioning surfaces formed on their contact surfaces to be brought into contact with outer peripheries of the preforms. After the preforms are dropped and supplied from the transfer arm, the arm split members of the positioning arm are opened and closed so that the positioning surfaces are brought into contact with the outer peripheries of the preforms. Thus, the performs are properly positioned.

Abstract: For producing large volume optical components of high optical quality from synthetic quartz glass blanks, the latter are heated in a component mold in a furnace with a protective gas atmosphere to a temperature 50° to 170° K above the softening point, this temperature being held for 20 to 90 minutes and, during this holding time, the quartz glass blank being pressed into the component mold. By these means, a gentle treatment of the quartz glass, a good yield, a decrease in the energy input and a complete filling up of the component mold are achieved.

Abstract: A polarizing glass comprising geometrically anisotropic particles dispersed in an oriented manner in at least the surface of a glass base body. The glass base body is denoted by the weight percentages of 50-65 percent SiO2, 15-22 percent B2O3, 0-4 percent Al2O3, 2-8 percent ZrO2, 6 percent <Al2O3+ZrO2<12 percent, 6-16 percent R2O (where R denotes at least one from among Li, Na, and K), 0-3 percent Li2O, 0-9 percent Na2O, 4-16 percent K2O, Li2O+Na2O<K2O, 0-7 percent BaO and/or SrO, and 0-3 percent TiO2. The glass base body comprises per 100 weight percent of essentially the above composition at least 0.15-1.0 percent Ag and at least the chemical equivalent to Ag of Cl and/or Br; and the geometrically anisotropic silver particles are metallic Ag particles. The polarizing glass is employed in optical products such as optical isolators.

Abstract: The forming apparatus has top and bottom die assemblies which form a heated silica glass material by press forming. These top and bottom die assemblies include, respectively, mold dies, which are made of isotropic carbon, and core molds, which are made of vitrified carbon. The heating and pressing time of a silica glass element, which requires a high forming temperature, is shortened by pinching the silica glass material between top and bottom core molds by controlling a torque so as to produce a close contact condition which permits heat transfer from the top and bottom core molds to the silica glass material between the top and bottom core molds.

Abstract: A method for roll forming a heated glass sheet utilizes a forming conveyor (62) including forming rolls (66) that are pivotally moved upwardly between horizontal rolls (46) of a horizontal conveyor (44) on opposite sides of a centerline (C/L) of the horizontal conveyor to rollingly engage the heated glass sheet above a plane of conveyance of the horizontal conveyor at its centerline to roll form the glass sheet in cooperation with a forming press (80) having rotatable forming members (82) that rollingly engage the heated glass sheet from above. A second set of forming rolls (68) cooperates with the first set of forming rolls (66) to provide the roll forming. First and second sets of roll cradles (76,90) are mounted by pivotal supports (128,142) on associated first and second carriages (154,156) and moved by first and second actuators (78,92). Lateral movement of the carriages (154,156) provides versatility in the glass sheet shapes that can be formed.

Abstract: A method of thermally treating a glass or glass-like material, preferably a glass sheet, without the use of conventional tunnel-type furnaces, to effect rapid heating of glass and glass-like materials from any initial temperature to any required temperature so that the glass sheet can be processed by shaping, bending, tempering, annealing, coating and floating of the glass sheet without cracking of the glass sheet is described. In the inventive method a microwave radiation with appropriate uniformity, frequency and power density is chosen so as to accomplish glass heating from any initial temperature to any required (e.g., softened) temperature in a selected short time while ensuring that the temperature distribution on the external surfaces and in the interior of the glass sheet that arises from microwave exposure is uniform enough to prevent the exposed glass sheet's internal thermal stress from exceeding its modulus of rupture, thereby avoiding glass breakage.

Abstract: In a press molding apparatus for press molding a plurality of glass materials into a plurality of glass optical elements by the use of a pressing mold including upper and lower molds each of which has a plurality of molding surfaces, at least one of the upper and the lower molds is a heat generator within which heat is generated when the heat generator is subjected to a high-frequency induction heating by an induction heating coil. The heat generator having a plurality of shape-processed portions (130) produced by partially processing a shape of the heat generator in order that a temperature distribution of the heat generator is adjusted. The apparatus simultaneously press forms, into the glass optical elements, the glass materials supplied between the molding surfaces of the upper and the lower molds which are subjected to the high-frequency induction heating.

Abstract: Disclosed are a shaping mold for producing an optical fiber guide block which permits highly accurate positioning and fixing of optical fibers, an optical fiber guide block having such excellent properties, processes for the production of these, and an optical fiber array.

Abstract: Integrated multiple optical elements may be formed by bonding substrates containing such optical elements together or by providing optical elements on either side of the wafer substrate. The wafer is subsequently diced to obtain the individual units themselves. The optical elements may be formed lithographically, directly, or using a lithographically generated master to emboss the elements. Alignment features facilitate the efficient production of such integrated multiple optical elements, as well as post creation processing thereof on the wafer level.

Abstract: A press die and a molding process can form a disk member having a shaft shaped portion at a center with satisfactory circularity and flatness in a disk portion, dimensional precision in the shaft shaped portion, and concentricity between the disk portion and the shaft shaped portion at the center. The press die is designed for press molding of a glass substrate of a disk member with a shaft shaped portion at a center thereof. The press die includes an upper die forming an upper surface of the disk member, an intermediate die having a shaft forming hole portion for forming a shaft shaped portion projecting from a disk portion of the disk member, a lower die for forming a lower surface of the shaft shaped portion and a guide member for guiding the upper die, the intermediate die and the lower die.

Abstract: A laser processing method for removing glass by melting, evaporation or ablation from sheet-like glass substrate for forming microscopic concavities and convexities. Diffraction grating and planar microlens array obtained thereby.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable to use a common transfer machine for transferring performs to and for transferring products from a press-forming system for glass having a plurality of press units. The press-forming system for glass has a plurality of press units. A linear moving stage is arranged in the proximity of the press units. A transfer robot is mounted on the linear moving stage. A pallet changer is arranged in the proximity of an end of the linear moving stage. A tray presently in use is mounted on a first mount and a new tray on standby is mounted on a second mount on the pallet changer. The inner space of the tray is partitioned into sections so as to correspond to press units in number. In each section, a plurality of pockets is arranged for storing preforms or products one by one.

Abstract: A method for producing a thin-plate-shaped substrate blank that is an intermediate for a glass substrate, in which the occurrence of undulation is prevented and the substrate blank is produced with high accuracy, the method comprising press-molding a glass in a softened state with a mold having an upper mold member and a lower mold member to produce the thin-plate-shaped substrate blank, wherein the glass in a softened state is press-molded without causing any surrounding edge portion of the substrate blank under the production to come into contact with the mold, to produce the substrate blank at least having no notch portion.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for manufacturing glass optical elements by press molding a heated and softened glass material in preheated molds. In the process, the glass material is heated while it is floated by a gas blow and the heated and softened glass material is transferred to the preheated molds and then subjected to press molding. Alternatively, the process comprises: heating a glass material at a temperature at which the glass material has a viscosity of lower than 109 poises, preheating molds at a temperature at which the glass material has a viscosity of from 109 to 1012 poises, subjecting the heated and softened glass material to initial press in the preheated molds for 3 to 60 seconds, starting to cool the vicinity of molding surfaces of the molds at a rate of 20° C.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method of manufacturing a thin-plate glass having a good flatness with a high mass productivity and a method of manufacturing a high-quality and high-performance glass substrate for an information recording medium and a magnetic recording medium with a high mass productivity. A glass gob is press-formed between upper and lower dies to form a thin-plate glass. The press forming is finished when the inside of the thin-plate glass is at a softening point Ts or a higher temperature. Subsequently, warp modification pressing is performed to modify a warp of the thin-plate glass. The warp modification pressing is finished when the inside of the thin-plate glass is at a transition point Tg or a higher temperature.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a glass product not having a rotatively symmetric body like an optical fiber fixing member but having a fine structure as of optical fiber engagement portions, to transfer the fine structure with a high precision without creating molding burrs, includes the steps of placing a glass material in a cavity defined by a lower mold, an upper mold, and a side mold, molding the glass material in the cavity with pressure into the glass product in so controlling that the glass material has a viscosity range of 106.5 to 109.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a collectible souvenir from a melted wine bottle that can be used as a wall hanging, a trivet, a cheese tray or a spoon rest. The method comprising the steps of melting (or “slumping”) a wine bottle and gluing a support such as a self-leveling hanger to a back surface of the slumped bottle, affixing a vineyard's label to the front of the bottle, and treating the vineyard label with a spray or brushed acrylic to protect it from deterioration. By featuring a vineyard's label, the invention makes available to wine enthusiasts a unique and useful gift item that commemorates a vineyard's brand name and identity.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a face plate for a flat panel display such as a field emission cathode type display is disclosed, the face plate having integral spacer support structures. Also disclosed is a product made by the aforesaid process.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of shaped translucent lithium disilicate glass ceramic products which are characterized by high strength and good chemical stability and may be processed by pressing in the plastic state or milling to finished glass ceramic products which may be used in particular as dental restorations.

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: A method of thermally treating a glass or glass-like material, preferably a glass sheet, without the use of conventional tunnel-type furnaces, to effect rapid heating of glass and glass-like materials from any initial temperature to any required temperature so that the glass sheet can be processed by shaping, bending, tempering, annealing, coating and floating of the glass sheet without cracking of the glass sheet is described. In the inventive method a microwave radiation with appropriate uniformity, frequency and power density is chosen so as to accomplish glass heating from any initial temperature to any required (e.g., softened) temperature in a selected short time while ensuring that the temperature distribution on the external surfaces and in the interior of the glass sheet that arises from microwave exposure is uniform enough to prevent the exposed glass sheet's internal thermal stress from exceeding its modulus of rupture, thereby avoiding glass breakage.

Abstract: A plurality of rollers provided at positions where a transferred glass plate is moved vertically to form a transferring plane formed by the primary rollers into a curved plane, and the curved plane is shifted in the transferring direction of the glass plate with the transfer of the glass plate to bend and shape the glass plate to have a predetermined curvature along the curved plane. Thus, there are obtainable a bending and shaping method and apparatus which does not require the exchanging of rollers in response to the type of glass plate being worked.

Abstract: There are provided a glass substrate for information recording media in which the undulations on the glass substrate surface are optimized, thus contributing to reduction of the flying height, and at the same time preventing the occurrence of head crashes and thermal asperity, and a method of manufacturing the glass substrate. At least one surface of a glass substrate is polished, and the polished at least one surface of the glass substrate is subjected to surface scrubbing using a sponge having an Asker C hardness of not less than 40 according to The Society of Rubber Industry, Japan SRIS 0101.

Abstract: A process for fabricating a face plate for a flat panel display such as a field emission cathode type display, the face plate having integral spacer support structures is disclosed. Also disclosed is a product made by the aforesaid process. The support structures are designed to be load bearing so as to prevent implosion of a planar, transparent face plate toward a parallel spaced-apart base plate when the space between the face plate and the base plate is sealed at the edges of the display to form a chamber, and the chamber is evacuated in the presence of atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Unlike most spacer support structures proposed for such flat panel displays, the support structures are made from the same material as the substrate from which the face plate is fabricated. For a preferred embodiment of the process, a perforated laminar template is sealably sandwiched between a laminar silicate glass substrate and a manifold block to form a temporary sandwich assembly.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass optical element having at least one concave surface, comprising the following steps: softening a glass molding material by heating, molding the softened material with a first mold having a first molding surface and a second mold having a second molding surface by applying a pressure, the first molding surface comprising a first concave surface, the second molding surface comprising a convex surface, planar surface or second concave surface, the second concave surface having a curvature radius greater than that of said first concave surface, whereby shapes of the first molding surface and the second molding surface are transferred to the material, cooling the material so that a temperature of the material reaches a temperature equal to or lower than glass transition temperature (Tg), and removing the cooled material from either of said first mold or said second mold.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a mold tool for molding optical elements is taught which comprises heating a mold tool blank made from a vitreous material to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the vitreous material; generating an axial viscosity gradient in the mold tool blank; pressing a punch into an optical quality mold surface of the mold tool blank, the punch including a pressing surface with a predetermined geometry for forming an optical feature; cooling the mold tool blank to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the material; and removing the punch from the mold tool blank thereby creating the optical feature in the optical quality mold surface. The axial viscosity gradient is achieved by creating an axial thermal gradient.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing glass spacers is provided which can enhance the degree of similarity in cross section between the mother glass and the drawn glass when manufacturing glass spacers by hot drawing the mother glass. A mother glass having a similar cross section to a desired cross section of the glass spacers is prepared. The mother glass is drawn while it is heated to a viscosity of 105 to 109 poise.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass optical element comprising steps of: molding a glass material softened with a molding device which comprises an upper mold having a molding surface and a lower mold having a molding surface so that optically functional surfaces are formed on the glass material by applying a molding pressure, cooling the glass material so that the glass material obtains a predetermined viscosity, and removing the cooled glass material from the molding device, wherein a temperature of the glass material is maintained, in the cooling step, within a range of (Tg+30) to (Tg−50) degree centigrade at least for a predetermined time, and a secondary pressure is applied to the glass material at least during the predetermined time, so that the strain in the glass material is reduced, where Tg represents glass transition temperature of the glass.

Abstract: On the pressing surface of a die, a first protrusion having a substantially triangular cross section and a second protrusion having a length which is greater than a width thereof and a substantially trapezoidal cross section in planes extending through both length and width dimensions thereof are provided. By press forming, a groove with a substantially V-shaped cross section to mount an optical part, and a groove with a substantially inverse-trapezoidal cross section providing an alignment marking are formed, being inverse-transferred in correspondence with the respective protrusions on one principal surface of a glass substrate. Forming such a pattern on a glass substrate produced with a die enables alignment of the glass substrate with a mask for photolithography with high accuracy.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an EUV lithography element mirror includes sagging a plate of a glass material to produce an EUV mirror blank; and polishing a top face of the EUV mirror blank to produce a polished EUV mirror. A method for manufacturing an EUV lithography element mirror includes grinding a top face of a piece of a glass material; sagging a plate of the glass material over the top face of the piece to produce an EUV mirror blank; and polishing a top face of the EUV mirror blank to produce an EUV polished mirror.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce variations in dimensional accuracy such as the outer-diameter accuracy and roundness of a flare shape and the concentricity between the bulb portion and the flare portion. According to the present invention, a lower mold (1) formed of a metallic material and forming a recess flare shape (1a) that is subjected to surface treatment forms a flare shape (21b) almost identical to the flare shape (1a) by means of the rotational motion of a rotating head portion (2). An upper mold (10) is fitted in the lower mold (1) to form a flare-shaped gap portion (13), into which glass is forced to form a flare shape (22).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing patterned glass sheets. In certain embodiments, the resulting glass sheets have a pattern defined therein which is designed so as to simulate conventional glue chipped glass sheets. A heated glass ribbon exits a furnace or melter and proceeds through a nip defined between opposing rollers. Pressure on one or both of the rollers in the direction of the nip, combined with a glue chipped simulating pattern defined in an exterior surface of at least one of the rollers, causes the glue chipped simulating pattern to be transferred from the roller (s) into/onto a surface (s) of the hot glass ribbon. After being patterned, the glass ribbon is annealed and cut into a plurality of different sheets.

Abstract: A method for making working mold tools for use in a compression molding process for molding optical glass elements from high temperature glasses having Tg's in the range of from about 400° C. to about 850° C. An yttria aluminosilicate glass is fabricated by traditional melting and casting processes to thereby make an amorphous base material having a minimum apparent viscosity of 1015 poise at the temperature at which the optical glass elements are to be molded. A mold preform is made from the base material. A first surface figure for the optical element to be molded with the working mold tool is defined. A second surface figure for a master mold tool and a third surface figure for the working mold tool are computed based upon the first surface figure and the coefficients of thermal expansion of the optical element, the master mold tool, and the working mold tool, the temperature at which the working mold tool is molded, and the temperature at which the optical element is to be molded.

Abstract: A roll-forming unit of a curved glass manufacturing apparatus includes a cooperating pair of upper and lower forming roll mechanisms. Each mechanism includes a forming roll having a resilient rod covered with a cover member except opposite end portions thereof, a pair of support members rotatably supporting the opposite end portions of the resilient rod while allowing the resilient rod to tilt about said support members, a bending unit coupled with at least one of the opposite end portions of the resilient rod for applying to the one end portion an external force tending to flex the forming roll into either an upwardly arched configuration or a downwardly arched configuration, and at least one backup roller unit being in rolling engagement with the forming roll to maintain the arched configuration of the forming roll.

Abstract: In bending a glass sheet, the load applied to an intermediate glass sheet can be equalized to improve the quality of a final glass sheet. For this purpose, a forming ring 1 comprises a first forming frame 15 and a second forming frame 16, and the swingable center of each of swingable frames 19, 20, which forms right and left portions of a second forming frame 16, is located at an intermediate position apart from a separation position from each of fixed frames 17, 18. By such arrangement, the intermediate glass sheet can be equally supported when the swingable frames 19, 20 are moved along the intermediate glass sheet and the intermediate glass sheet is transferred from the first forming frame 15 onto the second forming frame 16.

Abstract: A glass diffuser is fabricated by first producing a metal shim submaster or other high temperature resistant diffuser having a surface relief structure on one surface. A glass substrate material is heated to a suitable temperature and at least one exposed surface is thereby softened to a desired degree. The submaster diffuser, and particularly the surface relief structure, is then placed in contact with the exposed and softened glass substrate material in order to replicate the surface relief structure in the glass material. The submaster diffuser and the glass substrate are separated and then the glass is allowed to cool to form a glass diffuser.

Abstract: There are provided a method of manufacturing an optical glass element, for which flatness and smoothness of the surfaces of the optical glass element can be improved while securing the similarity of the cross-sectional shape of the optical glass element to that of the mother glass, and for which continuous production involving few steps can be carried out, and an optical glass element manufactured using the method. A mother glass is prepared, which has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to a desired cross-sectional shape of the optical glass element, and the mother glass is drawn while heating to a predetermined temperature such that the mother glass has a viscosity of 105 to 109 poise.

Abstract: A variable radius bending apparatus is disclosed for bending a glass plate. The variable radius bending apparatus includes a bending rail having a longitudinal rail member and a drive drum and a tension drum rotatably attached thereto. A drive band is positioned around the drive drum and tension drum and in frictional engagement therewith. A plurality of rollers are in driven contact with the drive band and are tiltable to a desired bend radius for forming the desired bend radius in the glass plate. Finally, a band guide is fixedly attached to the bending rail and in juxtaposition with the drive band for preventing the drive band from moving transversely with respect to the drive drum and tension drum, whereby the band is prevented from contacting a surface adjacent to the band.

Abstract: To increase the strength of the glass panel, for example of a CRT, the surface temperature of the glass panel at the inner surface of the corners is reduced, during press-forming, to a value below the surface temperature at the inner surface at the centre, the difference being preferably 50° C.-150° C. The forced cooling at the corners compensates for the larger reheating effect in the corners than at the centre that occurs after formation. As a consequence of this compensating effect, a more homogeneous distribution of surface stresses is obtained, increasing the strength of the glass panel.

Abstract: A method for forming a glass optical element by press forming a thermally softened glass material with a preheated forming mold composed of an upper and a lower die. The glass material, the upper die and the lower die are heated within respectively prescribed temperature ranges, the preheating temperature of the upper die being below the preheating temperature of the lower die. The thermally softened glass material is pressed in the preheated forming mold, and the forming surfaces of the upper and the lower dies are cooled simultaneously with the start of the initial pressing, during the process of the initial pressing, or after the completion of the initial pressing.

Abstract: A molded article having a highly accurate outer form accuracy, including various optical products, is produced from a preform having a simple form by a press-molding, in which a fine pattern can be highly accurately transferred and no burr is formed. A first mold member having a concave portion with an inner surface made of a molding surface and a second mold member which is to be opposed to the first mold member and has a molding surface are used to press-mold the preform. The preform is shaped in a polyhedral form to permit fitting of the preform in the concave portion of the first mold member.

Abstract: An optical fiber fixing member having optical fiber engagement grooves 2 and peaks 5 between the engagement grooves 2 is configured as a unitary structure by molding. A preform G is pressed with a mold 21 such that the concavities 25 of the mold 21, which comprises convexities 26 and concavities 25 for the transfer of the engagement grooves 2 and the peaks 5, respectively, are filled with the preform G only partially. The shape of the convexities 26 of the mold 21 is transferred, yielding optical fiber engagement grooves 2 whose surfaces are mold transfer surfaces 6. Because the preform G fills the concavities 25 only partially, the peaks 5 between the optical fiber engagement grooves formed by the filling of the concavities 25 are free rounded surfaces 7 whose shape does not reflect the shape of the concave bottom portions 25a of the mold 21.

Abstract: A process for shaping glass sheets with a surface-shaping mould, against which the glass sheets are pressed using a pressure drop produced by sucking out the air from the space lying between the moulding face and that face of the glass sheet on the opposite side from the glass sheet, in which the pressure drop is a maximum at the edge of the glass sheet and decreases towards the center of the glass sheet, because of fact that air is introduced via air-inlet apertures opening into the moulding face, the air is again extracted by subjecting suction apertures made in the moulding face inside the region covered by the respective glass sheet to a vacuum. Furthermore, pressure between the glass sheet and the moulding face also in the region where the air is introduced is set to a value at most equal to the pressure beyond the glass sheet, in order to avoid any formation of bulging. A shaping mould suitable in particular for implementing this process is also described.

Abstract: There is provided a glass substrate having a V-groove portion for arranging an optical fiber core and a countersunk portion for containing an optical fiber coated portion, formed on the extension of the V-groove portion, on the surface thereof. The surface roughness of an inside side face of the countersunk portion is 1 &mgr;m or less in Rmax, or 0.2 &mgr;m or less in Ra at least at the connecting portion of the V-groove portion and the countersunk portion. The glass substrate is manufactured by a two-stage molding method in which a first molding step for forming a concave portion in the surface of a glass substrate molded body by grinding or pressing, and a second molding step for pressing the glass substrate molded body obtained by the first molding step from the top and bottom surfaces while reheating the molded body are performed.

Abstract: A method for forming an optical glass element by pressure molding a glass pre-form using top and bottom molds, has steps of heating a glass pre-form held at a position separated from the top and bottom molds by a holding member within the top and bottom molds, pressing the glass pre-form while the glass pre-form is held by the holding member, and moving the bottom mold independently in an upward direction and pressing the glass pre-form again.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for compression molding arrays optical elements which may be later singulated. The apparatus includes first and second mold halves with the second mold half having a central nest and a plurality of predetermined negative optical surface features therein. A glass preform is placed in the central nest and the first and second mold halves and the glass preform are heated to at least the glass transition temperature of the glass preform. The glass preform is then pressed between the first and second mold halves to thereby form an integral array of optical elements with each of the optical elements being a positive of the predetermined negative optical surface features. The integrally formed array of optical elements is then cooled to below the glass transition temperature and removed from the first and second mold halves.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the remelting of glass bars:

Abstract: A process for fabricating a face plate for a flat panel display such as a field emission cathode type display, the face plate having integral spacer support structures is disclosed. Also disclosed is a product made by the aforesaid process. The support structures are designed to be load bearing so as to prevent implosion of a planar, transparent face plate toward a parallel spaced-apart base plate when the space between the face plate and the base plate is sealed at the edges of the display to form a chamber, and the chamber is evacuated in the presence of atmospheric pressure outside the chamber. Unlike most spacer support structures proposed for such flat panel displays, the support structures are made from the same material as the substrate from which the face plate is fabricated. For a preferred embodiment of the process, a perforated laminar template is sealably sandwiched between a laminar silicate glass substrate and a manifold block to form a temporary sandwich assembly.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and an apparatus for producing a bent glass sheet. A heated glass sheet (4, 24, 24*) conveyed from a heating furnace (1, 21) is bent by pressing with at least one belt (5, 9, 25) made of a heat-resistant material against a bending member (6, 10, 26, 28). The bent glass sheet is further conveyed and cooled for quenching or annealing in a cooling apparatus (3, 23). The bent glass is cooled after separating the belt. According to this invention, the bent glass sheets having surfaces on which defects, such as marks of rolls, are suppressed can be produced efficiently.

Abstract: The method of the present invention overcomes the hot-sticking problems between an inorganic non-metallic material (=insulator) to be molded and a forming die by maintaining an assembly comprising a forming die and the insulator in a polarized state during molding. Processes using said method lead to an improved surface quality of the molded insulator. A device for reducing said hot-sticking comprises a die (2) which acts as conductor, an electrode (3) which may act as support for the insulator (1) to be molded, means (5) for polarizing the assembly of said conductor, insulator and electrode which means (5) are connected by live electric wires (4) with said die and electrode.