With Annealing, Tempering, Or Fire-polishing Patents (Class 65/104)
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Publication number: 20080120996Abstract: A method and a device for bending and cooling a glass pane or a bundle of glass panes, in which the glass panes heated to their bending temperature are bent in a horizontal position into a desired shape using a molding ring, and the bent glass panes placed on the molding ring are cooled in a cooling station by blowing cooling air using blowing plenums and then conveyed to a removal station. In the path between the bending station, the cooling station, the removal station, and its return to the bending station, the molding ring travels in an entirely closed path, particularly a circular path.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2005Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCEInventor: Herbert Radermacher
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Publication number: 20080119346Abstract: A synthetic quartz glass substrate having (i) an OH concentration of 1-100 ppm and a hydrogen molecule concentration of 1×1016-1×1019 molecules/cm3, (ii) an in-plane variation of its internal transmission at wavelength 193.4 nm which is up to 0.2%, and (iii) an internal transmission of at least 99.6% at wavelength 193.4 nm is suited for use with excimer lasers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2007Publication date: May 22, 2008Applicant: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hisatoshi Otsuka, Kazuo Shirota, Osamu Sekizawa
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Publication number: 20080041833Abstract: A thermal edge-finishing process includes pre-heating an edge of a glass sheet, focused heating inboard of the edge to cause thermal tensioning, laser finishing the edge, and localized annealing of the edge. By stress cancellation, the thermal energy added by a laser edge-finishing operation does not result in as much residual stress. By the present process, residual stress is reduced to below 3000 psi, and more preferably to about 1000 psi, and as low as 600 psi in the first 1 mm along the treated edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2006Publication date: February 21, 2008Inventors: Nicholas Dominic Cavallaro, Zung-Sing Chang, Gautam Narendra Kudva, Weiwei Luo, Ljerka Ukrainczyk, Sam Sammer Zoubi
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Patent number: 7316131Abstract: An air-cooling and tempering apparatus for a glass sheet includes an upper air-blowing unit, which blows cooling air to an upper surface of a bent glass sheet having a high temperature; and a lower air-blowing unit, which blows cooling air to a lower surface of the glass sheet. Each of the upper air-blowing unit and the lower air-blowing unit includes a plurality of air-blowing members provided in a matrix pattern and a plurality of linkages, the linkages coupling adjacent air-blowing members among the plurality of air-blowing members in a row and/or column direction of the matrix pattern.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2004Date of Patent: January 8, 2008Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, LimitedInventors: Kenji Maeda, Masanao Harada, Junji Hori
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Patent number: 7287401Abstract: A system (10) and method for cylindrically forming and quenching glass sheets includes a furnace (12), a bending station (16) at the exit end of the furnace for providing cylindrical bending, a roll bending station (18) located externally of the furnace downstream from its exit end and having a lower roll conveyor (20) and an upper roll former (21) with complementary cylindrical shapes to further cylindrically bend the glass sheet, and a quench station 24 to which the formed glass sheets are conveyed for rapid cooling to provide toughening.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2004Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.Inventor: James P. Schnabel, Jr.
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Patent number: 7240519Abstract: An apparatus for shaping heat softened glass sheets includes an upper mold having a full surface press face with a shaping surface generally contoured to the desired curvature of the sheets; a support device to support the sheets below the upper mold; a shaping rail having an upper sheet supporting surface that supports selected peripheral portions of the sheets, the sheet supporting surface having a profile corresponding to desired elevational contours of the selected peripheral portions of the sheets and complimenting corresponding portions of the upper mold shaping surface; a chamber positioned below the sheets; a moving device for moving the upper mold and the shaping rail relative to each other so as to press at least a periphery of the sheets against the upper mold shaping surface, and a connector to direct pressurized gas into the chamber to urge the sheets towards the upper mold press face.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2003Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.Inventors: James H. Schwartz, Mark M. Savka
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Patent number: 7231787Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2002Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)Inventors: George Neuman, Andre Heyen
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Patent number: 7213415Abstract: In a process for producing an air-quench-toughened glass plate, defective glass plates containing nickel sulfide (NiS) are removed by compulsory breaking the glass plates. Such compulsory breakage is carried out in the course of a batch-manner soaking process carried out after a toughening step; in the course of a toughening step carried out after generation of cracks in an annealing step; in the course of a toughening step carried out after generation of cracks in a pretreatment step; or in the course of a continuous annealing step carried out after a toughening step. Through the method, NiS-free toughened glass plates of high-quality can be produced.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2003Date of Patent: May 8, 2007Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, LimitedInventors: Chihiro Sakai, Masashi Kikuta, Masayuki Maenaka
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Patent number: 7172983Abstract: The invention discloses an SiO2—TiO2 glass, which is preferably made by flame-hydrolysis and which distinguishes itself by increased resistance to radiation, especially in connection with EUV lithography. By purposefully reducing the hydrogen content, clearly improved resistance to radiation and reduced shrinking is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2005Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Schott AGInventors: Jochen Alkemper, Joerg Schuhmacher, Hrabanus Hack, Oliver Sohr
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Patent number: 7155937Abstract: A method for bending a sheet of glass involving heating the sheet of glass to a softening temperature, transporting the sheet of glass in an essentially horizontal path as far as a station for bending the sheet of glass between two forms, shaping the sheet of glass by pressing between the two forms, and cooling the sheet of glass in an appropriate station. Shaped rollers receive the sheet of glass after it has been bent and the rollers are oriented parallel to the direction defined on the sheet of glass by the direction in which it is conveyed into the bending station.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2001Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Gilles Garnier, Thierry Olivier, Christophe Machura
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Patent number: 7121120Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical fiber preform includes an operation of glazing the outside surface of the preform using inductive heating, of the plasma torch type, for localized heating of the preform. A flow of gas between the plasma and the preform in the area of the outside face of the preform on which the plasma impinges reduces the power of the plasma in this outside surface area.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2003Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: AlcatelInventors: Pierre Rebreyend, Daniel Dericquebourg, David Facompre
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Patent number: 7082260Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved. A ceramic (e.g., aluminosilicate) filter or baffle may be used in certain embodiments in order to reduce the amount of mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation reaching the glass to be tempered and/or bent.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2005Date of Patent: July 25, 2006Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)Inventors: Anthony V. Longobardo, George Neuman, Daniel F. Prone, Andre Heyen
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Patent number: 7059155Abstract: A method of bending glass, in which glass (5) is heated in a bending furnace (1). After the heating, the glass (5) is transferred onto a mold (7). The glass-bending mold (7) is at at least one point arranged to be bent substantially in its entirety when the mold (7) is transferred from the position it had during the initial heating of the glass (5) into a position where the glass (5) is arranged upon the mold (7).Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2002Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Uniglass Engineering OYInventors: Jukka Vehmas, Juha Paavola, Antti-Jussi Numminen
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Patent number: 7015164Abstract: Disclosed is an optical glass comprising, expressed as weight percentages, greater than or equal to 18 percent and less than 30 percent of SiO2, greater than or equal to 12 percent and less than 23 percent of BaO, 22 to 37 percent TiO2, greater than or equal to 7 percent and less than 16 percent Nb2O5, 5 to 20 percent of Na2O, 0 to 6 percent of K2O, 0 to 5 percent of CaO, 0 to 5 percent of SrO, 0 to 4 percent of ZrO2, 0 to 3 percent of Ta2O5, 0 to 1 percent of Sb2O5, and greater than or equal to 0 percent and less than 0.5 percent of P2O5, and by essentially not comprising PbO, As2O3, and F. The optical glass exhibits a refractive index (nd) greater than or equal to 1.80 and an Abbé number (vd) less than or equal to 30. A method of manufacturing a glass material for press molding is disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: March 21, 2006Assignee: Hoya CorporationInventors: Yoshiko Kasuga, Kazuo Tachiwana, Hiroaki Yanagita
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Patent number: 6986268Abstract: A flat glass plate having a low residual stress, suitable for use in preparing a display, can be prepared without an annealing or polishing process by way of controlling the horizontal temperature gradient of a molten glass plate to a specific range during cooling.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2002Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Samsung Corning Precision Glass Co., Ltd.Inventor: Sang-Hwa Lee
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Patent number: 6983104Abstract: An apparatus and method for bending and/or tempering glass substrate(s) are provided. The amount of near-IR radiation which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered is limited (e.g., via filtering or any other suitable technique). Thus, the IR radiation (used for heating the glass) which reaches the glass to be bent and/or tempered includes mostly mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation, and not much near-IR. In such a manner, coating(s) provided on the glass can be protected and kept at lower temperatures so as to be less likely to be damaged during the bending and/or tempering process. Heating efficiency can be improved. A ceramic (e.g., aluminosilicate) filter or baffle may be used in certain embodiments in order to reduce the amount of mid-IR and/or far-IR radiation reaching the glass to be tempered and/or bent.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2002Date of Patent: January 3, 2006Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp., Centre Luxembourgeois de Recherches pour le Verre et la Ceramique S.A. (C.R.V.C.)Inventors: Anthony V. Longobardo, George Neuman, Daniel F. Prone, Andre Heyen
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Patent number: 6951119Abstract: What is proposed here is a method of structuring surfaces of glass-type materials and variants of this method, comprising the following steps of operation: providing a semiconductor substrate, structuring, with the formation of recesses, of at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate, providing a substrate of glass-type material, joining the semiconductor substrate to the glass-type substrate, with a structured surface of the semiconductor substrate being joined to a surface of the glass-type substrate in an at least partly overlapping relationship, and heating the substrates so bonded by annealing in a way so as to induce an inflow of the glass-type material into the recesses of the structured surface of the semiconductor substrate. The variants of the method are particularly well suitable for the manufacture of micro-optical lenses and micro-mechanical components such as micro-relays or micro-valves.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2000Date of Patent: October 4, 2005Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.Inventors: Hans-Joachim Quenzer, Peter Merz, Arne Veit Schulz
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Patent number: 6877341Abstract: Disclosed are a method and system for removing scratches from a planar panel of translucent or transparent material, such as glass, without removal from its frame. A heat source supplying a controlled amount of heat is moved across the surface of the planar panel at a controlled velocity and at a controlled distance from the surface so as to progressively melt a thin surface layer at portions of the surface heated by the moving heat source. The melted material re-flows under surface tension to smooth scratches in the surface layer. Movement of the heat source is repeated over different portions of the surface until all scratched areas have been treated. The treated panels have a smooth surface with scratches removed, and have good optical and structural qualities.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New YorkInventor: Shane Y. Hong
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Patent number: 6845635Abstract: There are provided a method of manufacturing a glass substrate for information recording media that allows the inner and outer peripheral edge surfaces of the glass substrate for information recording media to be smoothed easily and inexpensively, a glass substrate for information recording media manufactured using this method, and an information recording medium using this glass substrate. A donut-shaped glass disk for information recording media having an outer peripheral edge surface and an inner peripheral edge surface is prepared. At least one of the outer peripheral edge surface and the inner peripheral edge surface of the glass disk is smoothed by melt-heating to a temperature at or above the softening point of the glass by irradiating with at least one laser beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2001Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Hoya CorporationInventors: Takeo Watanabe, Takao Miwa, Satoshi Jibiki, Masamichi Kezuka, Kensuke Matsuno
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Patent number: 6827977Abstract: A method of making a coated article (e.g., window unit), and corresponding coated article are provided. A layer of or including diamond-like carbon (DLC) is formed on a glass substrate. Then, a protective layer is formed on the substrate over the DLC inclusive layer. During heat treatment (HT), the protective layer prevents the DLC inclusive layer from significantly burning off. Thereafter, the resulting coated glass substrate may be used as desired, it having been HT and including the protective DLC inclusive layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2002Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventor: Vijayen S. Veerasamy
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Publication number: 20040216489Abstract: An air-cooling and tempering apparatus for a glass sheet includes an upper air-blowing unit, which blows cooling air to an upper surface of a bent glass sheet having a high temperature; and a lower air-blowing unit, which blows cooling air to a lower surface of the glass sheet. Each of the upper air-blowing unit and the lower air-blowing unit includes a plurality of air-blowing members provided in a matrix pattern and a plurality of linkages, the linkages coupling adjacent air-blowing members among the plurality of air-blowing members in a row and/or column direction of the matrix pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2004Publication date: November 4, 2004Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, LimitedInventors: Kenji Maeda, Masanao Harada, Junji Hori
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Publication number: 20040194508Abstract: The present invention relates to a glass substrate of which the outer periphery portion is unprocessed. The present invention also relates to a manufacturing method for a glass substrate of which the outer periphery portion is unprocessed, characterized in that a first lapping process, a second lapping process, a polishing process and a washing process are carried out after a press molding process is carried out so as to compress glass between an upper mold and a lower mold without regulating the edge surface of the outer periphery portion of the glass and, then, a crystallization process or an annealing process is carried out.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2004Publication date: October 7, 2004Applicant: MINOLTA CO., LTD.Inventors: Shiro Nishimoto, Mitsugu Tokunaga, Hideki Kawai, Toshiharu Mori, Shinji Fukumoto
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Patent number: 6786065Abstract: A method of bending glass, in which glass (5) is heated in a bending furnace (1). Before the bending, the glass (5) is transferred from the heating point or zone onto a mould (7) located thereafter. While the glass (5) is being transferred onto the mould (7), the mould (7) moves in such a way that the horizontal velocity of at least the front edge of the mould (7) is substantially as high as the horizontal velocity of the glass (5).Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2002Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Uniglass Engineering OyInventors: Jukka Vehmas, Juha Paavola, Antti-Jussi Numminen
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Publication number: 20040142175Abstract: An explosion-proof tempered-glass wash basin is manufactured by the following steps. At first, a flat glass is made as a wash-basin has a predetermined shape. For example, a wash-basin having a round shape is used as an example. Secondary, the tempered glass is strengthened. Thirdly, a bottom of the tempered glass is adhered with a layer of explosion-proof film. Thus an explosion-proof tempered-glass wash basin is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2003Publication date: July 22, 2004Inventor: Lin Chao Shui
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Patent number: 6756330Abstract: A knitted fabric comprises fibers. At least part of these are metal fibers. The fabric has 90 or more stitches per square centimeter. The fabric is used as a separation cloth (12) between mould (11) and glass (14). The increased number of stitchers per square centimeter reduces the risks for markings on the glass.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2001Date of Patent: June 29, 2004Assignee: N.V. Bekaert S.A.Inventors: Guido Heirbaut, Wim Van Steenlandt
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Patent number: 6718798Abstract: Apparatus (26) and a method for forming heated glass sheets in a heated chamber (22) of a housing (20) includes an upper mold support assembly (28) for supporting an upper mold (38) within the heated chamber for cyclical vertical movement between upper and lower positions. A lower mold shuttle (50) supports a lower mold (36) for movement between an idle position horizontally spaced from the upper mold and a use position below the lower mold. The apparatus also includes a lower mold support assembly (60) to which the lower mold is transferred from the lower mold shuttle (50) to provide support thereof while permitting horizontal alignment with the upper mold upon each cycle of downward movement to form a heated glass sheet between the molds. The lower mold shuttle (50) is supported by vertically movable rollers (70) to provide the transfer between the lower mold shuttle and the lower mold support assembly (60).Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2003Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.Inventors: David B. Nitschke, Eustace Harold Mumford, Dean M. Nitschke
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Patent number: 6698243Abstract: A heated glass sheet is bent by pressing together with at least one belt made of a heat-resistant material against a bending member. The glass sheet is bent as the glass sheet is conveyed with the belt along the bending member, and the bending member is curved at least in a direction that is vertical to a conveying direction of the glass sheet. According to this invention, the bent glass sheets having surfaces on which defects such as mark of rollers are reduced can be produced efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2001Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideo Yoshizawa
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Patent number: 6672109Abstract: A silica glass member for use with a light having a specific wavelength of 250 nm or shorter, in which the difference in the maximum and the minimum values of hydroxyl group concentration as measured in a plurality of points within a plane vertical to an optical axis whose center is the crossing point of its optical axis with the optical axis of the silica glass member is 50 ppm or lower; and in which the plurality of signed birefringence values obtained based on the birefringence values measured on several points within a plane vertical to an optical axis whose center is the crossing point of its optical axis with the optical axis of the silica glass member and the direction of the fast axis fall within a range of from −2.0 to +2.0 nm/cm. Thus, a silica glass member having high optical transmittance and a high resistance against ultraviolet radiations is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2000Date of Patent: January 6, 2004Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Hiroyuki Hiraiwa
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Patent number: 6609394Abstract: In a process for producing an air-quench-toughened glass plate, defective glass plates containing nickel sulfide (NiS) are removed by compulsory breaking the glass plates. Such compulsory breakage is carried out in the course of a batch-manner soaking process carried out after a toughening step; in the course of a toughening step carried out after generation of cracks in an annealing step; in the course of a toughening step carried out after generation of cracks in a pretreatment step; or in the course of a continuous annealing step carried out after a toughening step. Through the method, NiS-free toughened glass plates of high quality can be produced.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2000Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chihiro Sakai, Masashi Kikuta, Masayuki Maenaka
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Publication number: 20030154745Abstract: The subject of the invention is a method for bending a sheet of glass involving heating the sheet of glass to a softening temperature, transporting the sheet of glass in an essentially horizontal path as far as a station for bending it between two forms, shaping the sheet of glass by pressing between the two forms, cooling the sheet of glass in an appropriate station, these means comprising shaped rollers receive the sheet of glass after it has been bent and said rollers being oriented parallel to the direction defined on the sheet of glass via the direction in which it is conveyed into the bending station.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2003Publication date: August 21, 2003Inventors: Gilles Garnier, Thierry Olivier, Christophe Machura
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Publication number: 20030110801Abstract: An apparatus for bending a glass sheet includes a final hearth bed. This final hearth bed has a top surface that is upwardly convexly curved along a plane perpendicular to an axis of the glass sheet. The top surface has an upstream end, a downstream end that is at a level lower than that of the upstream end, and an intermediate point defined therebetween. The top surface has (a) a first section that extends from the upstream end to the intermediate point and that is parallel with the axis or upwardly inclined relative to the axis and (b) a second section that extends from the intermediate point to the downstream end and that is downwardly inclined relative to the axis. The final hearth bed has a bottom surface that is along the first direction or inclined downwardly relative to the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2002Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: Central Glass Company, LimitedInventors: Masami Nishitani, Makoto Shinohara
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Publication number: 20030106340Abstract: Apparatus (26) and a method for forming heated glass sheets in a heated chamber (22) of a housing (20) includes an upper mold support assembly (28) for supporting an upper mold (38) within the heated chamber for cyclical vertical movement between upper and lower positions. A lower mold shuttle (50) supports a lower mold (36) for movement between an idle position horizontally spaced from the upper mold and a use position below the lower mold. The apparatus also includes a lower mold support assembly (60) to which the lower mold is transferred from the lower mold shuttle (50) to provide support thereof while permitting horizontal alignment with the upper mold upon each cycle of downward movement to form a heated glass sheet between the molds. The lower mold shuttle (50) is supported by vertically movable rollers (70) to provide the transfer between the lower mold shuttle and the lower mold support assembly (60).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2003Publication date: June 12, 2003Applicant: Glasstech, Inc.Inventors: David B. Nitschke, Eustace Harold Mumford, Dean M. Nitschke
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Patent number: 6574992Abstract: During a process for bending and quenching a window pane, the latter is bent to the desired shape using a forming frame. Next, by means of this same forming frame, the entire surface of both sides of the bent window pane is rapidly cooled, in a quenching station which follows the bending station, by blowing cold air using blowing boxes provided with blowing nozzles. While the entire surface is being rapidly cooled, the edge regions of the window pane which rest on the forming frame are subjected to a blast of additional cold air by the suitable supply of compressed air to the openings passing through the forming frame.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2000Date of Patent: June 10, 2003Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventors: Hans-Werner Kuster, Werner Diederen, Knut Dahlhoff, Karl-Josef Ollfisch, Wilfried Korsten
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Patent number: 6550277Abstract: The invention concerns a quartz glass body for an optical component for the transmission of UV radiation with a wavelength of 250 nm and less, especially for a wavelength of 157 nm, as well as a process for the manufacture of the quartz glass body where fine quartz glass particles are formed by flame hydrolysis of a silicon compound, deposited and vitrified. Suitability of a quartz glass as represented by high base transmission and radiation resistance depends on structural properties caused by local stoichiometric deviations, and on the chemical composition. The quartz glass body according to the inventions is distinguished by a uniform base transmission (relative change of base transmission ≦1%) in the wavelength range from 155 nm to 250 nm (radiation penetration depth of 10 mm) of at least 80%, a low OH content (less than 10 ppm by weight) and a glass structure substantially free from oxygen defect centers.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Bruno Uebbing, Jan Vydra
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Publication number: 20030037570Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2002Publication date: February 27, 2003Inventors: Vladislav E. Sklyarevich, Mykhaylo Shevelev
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Patent number: 6513348Abstract: A glass sheet quench station (16) includes first and second quench sections (24 and 26) that cooperate with a three position shuttle (28) and a control (30) to transfer glass sheets through the quench station with partial quenching performed at the first quench station and completion of the quenching at the second quench section. This glass sheet quenching method with two stage quenching shortens the cycle time to provide increased production.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2001Date of Patent: February 4, 2003Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.Inventors: Donivan M. Shetterly, Terry A. Bennett, Daniel G. Common
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Publication number: 20020189290Abstract: A system (10) and method for forming and quenching glass sheets with curvatures both along and transverse to a direction of conveyance includes a furnace (12) having an exit end (22) with a roll bending station (14), a press bending station located downstream from the exit end of the furnace and having a lower ring mold (46) and an upper press mold (48) operated by an actuator (50), and a quench station (18) that provides toughening of the formed glass sheet. The location of the roll bending station (14) with sets (30) of inclined bending rolls (32) having increasing inclinations along the direction of conveyance together with the external press station (16) and the quench station (18) provides the glass sheet forming without the necessity for excessive heating so that the glass is sufficiently hot upon quenching to provide the toughening.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 19, 2001Publication date: December 19, 2002Applicant: Glasstech, Inc.Inventor: Terry A. Bennett
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Publication number: 20020174686Abstract: A process for micromachining capillaries was having circular cross-sections in glass substrates. Microchannels are isotropically etched into a flat glass substrate, resulting in a semi-circular half-channel (or a rectangle with rounded corners). A second flat glass substrate is then fusion bonded to the first substrate, producing sealed microchannels with rounded bottom corners and a flat top surface having sharp corners. The process is completed by annealing at a sufficiently high temperature (approximately 750 C.) to allow surface tension forces and diffusional effects to lower the over-all energy of the microchannels by transforming the cross-section to a circular shape. The process can be used to form microchannels with circular cross-sections by etching channels into a glass substrate, then anodically bonding to a silicon wafer and annealing. The process will work with other materials such as polymers.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2001Publication date: November 28, 2002Applicant: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Peter Krulevitch, Julie K. Hamilton, Harold D. Ackler
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Publication number: 20020170317Abstract: A method of bending glass, in which glass (5) is heated in a bending furnace (1). After the heating, the glass (5) is transferred onto a mould (7). The glass-bending mould (7) is at at least one point arranged to be bent substantially in its entirety when the mould (7) is transferred from the position it had during the initial heating of the glass (5) into a position where the glass (5) is arranged upon the mould (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: UNIGLASS ENGINEERING OYInventors: Jukka Vehmas, Juha Paavola, Antti-Jussi Numminen
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Publication number: 20020152769Abstract: A method of bending glass, in which glass (5) is heated in a bending furnace (1). Before the bending, the glass (5) is transferred from the heating point or zone onto a mould (7) located thereafter. While the glass (5) is being transferred onto the mould (7), the mould (7) moves in such a way that the horizontal velocity of at least the front edge of the mould (7) is substantially as high as the horizontal velocity of the glass (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2002Publication date: October 24, 2002Applicant: UNIGLASS ENGINEERING OYInventors: Jukka Vehmas, Juha Paavola, Antti-Jussi Numminen
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Publication number: 20020148254Abstract: For bending a glass sheet so that the glass sheet has a compound curvature, an apparatus comprises a furnace including hearth beds on a bed support and a quenching unit provided with upper and lower air blowers. The final hearth bed may have a top surface with a simple curvature, be provided with one upstream corner cut away thereby defining a cut surface section and arranged in such a manner that the cut surface section is nearly parallel to the hearth bed adjacent to the final hearth bed. Alternatively, the final hearth bed may have a top surface with a compound curvature, so that the glass sheet is bent under the conditions set by controlling a temperature in a downstream part of the furnace, adjusting the inclination of the lower air blower and/or rotating final hearth bed so as to reverse the upstream and downstream ends thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Applicant: Central Glass Company, LimitedInventors: Masami Nishitani, Makoto Shinohara
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Publication number: 20020134109Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for heating glass panels in a tempering furnace equipped with rollers, glass panels are carried on a conveyor defined by rollers into a tempering furnace for the duration of a heating cycle, followed by carrying the glass panels into a tempering station. The glass panels are heated in the tempering furnace by bottom-and top-heating radiation elements as well as by bottom-and top-heating convection elements through whcih convection air is supplied to the tempering furnace. The glass panels' bottom side is heated by the bottom-heating convection elements, which are arranged lengthwise along the furnace and define convection heating zones side by side in a lateral direction of the tempering furnace. Thus, convection heating effects of the convection. heating zones can be altered relative to each other for profiling the heat transfer coefficient in a lateral direction of the furnace.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2002Publication date: September 26, 2002Inventor: Jorma Vitkala
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Patent number: 6442973Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing a synthetic silica glass. The method includes the steps of maintaining a silica glass member, which is formed using a flame hydrolysis method and having an OH group concentration of about 500 ppm to about 1300 ppm, at a predetermined holding temperature for a predetermined period of time so as to substantially relax the structure of the silica glass member. The method further includes the step of subsequently cooling the silica glass member to a first predetermined temperature at a cooling rate of about 10 K/hour or less, and thereafter, cooling the silica glass member to a second predetermined temperature at a cooling rate of about 1 K/hour or less. The method further includes the step of further cooling the silica glass member to a third predetermined temperature at a cooling rate of about 10 K/hour or less.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1999Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Norio Komine, Seishi Fujiwara, Akiko Yoshida, Hiroki Jinbo
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Patent number: 6408649Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Gyrotron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Vladislav E. Sklyarevich, Mykhaylo Shevelev
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Patent number: 6401490Abstract: A gas is supplied to the surface of the glass sheet transferred between a heating furnace and a cooling apparatus for tempering the glass sheet. The gas is supplied from the upstream side with respect to the direction of transfer of the glass sheet by an air curtain device. This gas runs along the glass sheet surface (upper surface) downstream with respect to the direction of transfer to obstruct the flow of cooling gas from the cooling apparatus in the upstream direction. The gas prevents cooling air from the cooling apparatus from invading the heating furnace so that the difference of the curvature of the glass sheet on the front and rear part can be eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1999Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Yoshizawa, Toru Futagami, Norihiro Fujioka
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Patent number: 6378339Abstract: A glass sheet forming system (10) includes apparatus (12) having a forming station (22) for forming glass sheets by cooperation of a lower deformable roll forming conveyor (26) and an upper deformable roll forming press (32). The upper deformable roll forming press (32) includes upper deformable rolls (34) whose axes are located along a direction of conveyance between the axes of lower deformable rolls (28) of the lower deformable roll forming conveyor (26) in a manner that prevents leading glass edge curling as the lower conveyor and upper forming press are moved between flat and curved shapes to provide glass sheet forming.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2000Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Zalesak, Alfredo Serrano
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Patent number: 6370917Abstract: A quenching method and apparatus for tempering a glass sheet. The method includes a step of transferring a heated glass sheet between quenching boxes which are provided with nozzles opposingly arranged near upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet to blow air streams of cooling air supplied from the quenching boxes to the glass sheet. The method also includes the step of arranging the nozzles extending from the quenching boxes so as to face at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet so that openings on the end of the nozzles blow the air streams of the cooling air in different directions simultaneously so as to intersect and thus be substantially uniformly arranged with respect to the glass sheet. The number of intersections is approximately 30 or more in any 10 cm square area of the glass sheet. The end portions of the nozzles have a semi-spherical shape.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.Inventors: Yasumasa Kato, Jun Nagata, Shigeyuki Seto, Satoshi Yoshida
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Patent number: 6372327Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.Inventors: James Burnham, James Pettis
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Patent number: 6363752Abstract: A roller furnace for heating windows to their softening temperature. The furnace is provided above a roller transportation track. Vanes forming blowing nozzles are arranged transversely to the direction of movement of the windows in order to blow hot gas onto the top surface of the window. A radiative heater is provided below the roller transportation track to heat the bottom of the window.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1999Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass FranceInventor: Guido Becker
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Publication number: 20020025392Abstract: A memorial product generated from the cremation remains of a deceased human or animal whereby a predetermined amount of bone ash is combined with a predetermined amount of a glass forming additive. In addition, a glass modifier may be added to enchance the durability of the final solid product. A flux may also be added to reduce the melting temperature of the mixture. These additives are combined with bone ash and milled to a desired particulate size to form a powder mixture. The mixture is heated to a melting temperature for a resident time to form a glass melt which is then poured into a mold. The cast or molded form is annealed for a resident time at a predetermined temperature to avoid stress fracture or crystalization from cooling too quickly or slowly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2001Publication date: February 28, 2002Inventors: Ted Arkell Yardley, Paul Demkowicz