Reshaping Of Planar Sheet Patents (Class 65/106)
  • Patent number: 9073775
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for precision bending a glass sheet that includes an oven for heating the glass sheet to a temperature near the softening temperature of the glass sheet. A stage for supporting the glass sheet. A pair of reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the glass sheet on the stage. At least one bending mechanism on a pair of arms inside the oven for bending an edge portion of the glass sheet. Inward facing first stop surfaces on the arms that contact reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the bending mechanism on the arms relative to the stage and the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Allan Mark Fredholm, Laurent Joubaud, Sophie Peschiera, Stephane Poissy
  • Patent number: 9061934
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for bending sheet glass are disclosed. The present invention improves on the state-of-the-art by providing apparatus and methods that prevent unwanted distortion of the glass sheet. The apparatus and methods utilize localized heating at the bend to allow for overall glass sheet temperatures to be reduced, along with optional mechanical devices for improved bend quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Antoine Gaston Denis Bisson, Curtis Richard Cowles, Laurent Joubaud, David John McEnroe, Aniello Mario Palumbo
  • Patent number: 8978420
    Abstract: A sheet bending device includes a sheet shaping rail having a stationary shaping rail portion mounted on a support member and an articulating shaping rail portion pivotally mounted on the support member for movement from a non-shaping position to a shaping position. A retention member limits movement of a sheet to be shaped relative to the stationary shaping rail portion when the articulating shaping rail portion moves to the shaping position. A “cut-to-size” method is also disclosed to shape a sheet for use in making an aircraft transparency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: John E. DeAngelis, Yu Jiao, Dennis D. Warren, Chao Yu
  • Patent number: 8978418
    Abstract: A method for bending a sheet is described. The method includes the following steps: a) at least one sheet is inserted into a pre-bending ring with a movable bending ring holder, the movable bending ring holder is moved into a furnace and the at least one sheet is heated to softening temperature and is pre-bent to 5% to 50% of a final edge bending, b) the at least one sheet is lifted by means of a suction device and is bent further, beyond the bending obtained in the pre-bending ring, c) the at least one sheet is laid down by means of the suction device in a final-bending ring on the movable bending ring holder and is bent to the final edge bending, and an area pre-bending of the at least one sheet is performed by means of thermal irradiation, d) the at least one sheet is lifted out of the final-bending ring by means of a second suction device, pressed against an opposing mould and bent, and the at least one sheet is laid down on the final-bending ring and the at least one sheet is cooled down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Michael Balduin, Benno Dunkmann, Jean-Marie Le Ny, Lothar Schmidt, Herbert Radermacher
  • Patent number: 8980402
    Abstract: The invention relates to a curved glass pane, made of float glass, the area of a main face of which is greater than 1.5 m2 and the product of its two depths of bending is greater than 3000 mm2, and such that its point located on the normal to its surface passing through its center of gravity has a radius of curvature of less than 3 m in any direction, the variation in its thickness in the longitudinal float direction being less than 10 ?m over 500 mm. This pane may be assembled into laminated glazing of the automobile windshield type. Such a windshield has a very small amount of double imaging even when it is fitted into the vehicle so as to be close to the horizontal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Corinne Payen, Herve Thellier, Jean-Luc Lesage
  • Publication number: 20150068251
    Abstract: A method for producing a glass strip is provided. The method includes providing a glass preform with flat cross section, wherein the width of the cross section is at least five times greater than its thickness, wherein the cross section tapers into the edge regions in such a way that the thickness of the glass preform relative to its side edges amounts to at most two-thirds of the maximum thickness of a plate-shaped center region of the glass preform; heating the glass preform within a deformation zone, so that the glass found in the deformation zone softens; and applying a tensile force onto the glass preform in the direction perpendicular to the cross section, so that the glass preform is drawn in length in the deformation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Clemens Ottermann, Frank Buellesfeld, Ulrich Lange
  • Patent number: 8955358
    Abstract: Vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) windows (10) that employ glass-bump spacers (50) and two or more glass panes (20) are disclosed. The glass-bump spacers are formed in the surface (24) of one of the glass panes (20) and consist of the glass material from the body portion (23) of the glass pane. Thus, the glass-bump spacers are integrally formed in the glass pane, as opposed to being discrete spacer elements that need to be added and fixed to the glass pane. Methods of forming VIG windows are also disclosed. The methods include forming the glass-bump spacers by irradiating a glass pane with a focused beam (112F) from a laser (110). Heating effects in the glass cause the glass to locally expand, thereby forming a glass-bump spacer. The process is repeated at different locations in the glass pane to form an array of glass-bump spacers. A second glass pane is brought into contact with the glass-bump spacers, and the edges (28F, 28B) sealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Robert Grzybowski, Daniel Ralph Harvey, Stephan Lvovich Logunov, Daniel Louis Gabriel Ricoult, Alexander Mikhailovich Streltsov
  • Publication number: 20150007612
    Abstract: Apparatus for shaping at least one glass sheet wherein a lower press ring and an upper press ring are configured to clamp a perimeter section of the glass sheet between the lower press ring and the upper press ring. The apparatus also includes an upper press at least partially disposed within the upper press ring and configured to shape at least a section of the glass sheet inside the perimeter section of the glass sheet, including forming by use of applied vacuum. The inner press may include openings that apply vacuum in selected areas of the inner press to vacuum form the ply within the selected areas. To control the ply on the upper press assembly, vacuum that is applied though passageways in the upper press ring to the gap between the upper press ring and the inner press is controlled through a seal in the gap. The upper press ring includes pivotal joints that increase adjustability of the forming surface of the upper press ring to the face surface of the inner press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC
    Inventors: David V. King, David T. Perry, Kurt Steinbacher
  • Patent number: 8925352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of shaping a glass sheet in one dimension, by roll forming in a manner to selectively minimize/eliminate undesired curvature from the glass sheet. Such shaping is achieved by the selective location in first and second, shaping zones, of shaping rolls having first and second shaping configurations and, optionally, by varying the velocity of the glass sheet as it moves through the shaping zones, thus varying the time portions of the glass sheet are in contact with certain shaping rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
    Inventors: Robert J. Boisselle, Daniel P. Lubelski
  • Publication number: 20150000340
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a glass, the apparatus including a lower mold, a fixing mold and an upper mold is disclosed. The lower mold may be configured to support a central portion of a lower surface of the glass. The fixing mold may be configured to support a central portion of an upper surface of the glass. The upper mold may press two edge portions of the upper surface of the glass to form rounded portions at the two edge portions of the glass. An apparatus for forming a glass, the apparatus including: a lower mold configured to press two edge portions of a lower surface of the glass to form rounded portions at the two edge portions of the glass; a fixing mold configured to support a central portion of the lower surface of the glass; and an upper mold configured to support a central portion of an upper surface of the glass is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jin-Seok Jang, Jong-Hwan Kim, Kwan-Young Han, Seong-Jin Hwang, Jae-Seung Jeon, Dae-Sik Hong
  • Publication number: 20150000339
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a glass, the apparatus including a lower mold and an upper mold is disclosed. The lower mold may be configured to support a central portion of a lower surface of the glass. The upper mold may be configured to make point contact with an edge portion of an upper surface of the glass. The upper mold may press the edge portion of the upper surface of the glass to form a rounded portion of the edge portion of the glass. An apparatus for forming a glass, the apparatus including: a lower mold configured to make point contact with an edge portion of a lower surface of the glass; and an upper mold configured to press an interior portion of the upper surface of the glass to form a rounded portion at the edge portion of the glass, is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Seok Jang, Jong-Hwan Kim, Kwan-Young Han, Seong-Jin Hwang, Jae-Seung Jeon, Dae-Sik Hong
  • Publication number: 20150000341
    Abstract: An apparatus and methods for bending sheet glass are disclosed. The present invention improves on the state-of-the-art by providing apparatus and methods that prevent unwanted distortion of the glass sheet. The apparatus and methods utilize localized heating at the bend to allow for overall glass sheet temperatures to be reduced, along with optional mechanical devices for improved bend quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Antoine Gaston Denis Bisson, Curtis Richard Cowles, Laurent Joubaud, David John McEnroe, Aniello Mario Palumbo
  • Publication number: 20140357467
    Abstract: A drawing method for glass is described. The method provides glass components that have a strongly increased ratio of width to thickness when compared to the preform, which makes the manufacturing of flat glass components more economical. The method purposefully controls the temperature distribution within the preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Frank BUELLESFELD, Ralf BIERTUEMPFEL
  • Publication number: 20140349076
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a plate member including preparing a base plate member having main faces, and performing etching by immersing at least part of the base plate member in an etching liquid while controlling a lowering speed of a liquid surface of the etching liquid on the main faces of the base plate member to a desired lowering speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140342120
    Abstract: A method for the production of glass components, an apparatus for carrying out the method and a glass component that is obtainable through the method are provided. The method is a drawing method wherein a forming zone of a preform is heated to a temperature that allows drawing of the glass. The method is characterized in that the forming zone of the preform is very small. Thereby the width of the preform is decreased to a smaller extent than its thickness. The glass components that can be obtained by this method have very smooth surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Frank Buellesfeld, Ulrich Lange, Ralf Biertuempfel, Lisa Pudlo, Helge Jung
  • Publication number: 20140335322
    Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Weiwei Luo, Elias Panides, Rohit Rai, Irene Marjorie Slater, Ljerka Ukrainczyk, Srinivasa Rao Vaddiraju, Sam Samer Zoubi
  • Patent number: 8881551
    Abstract: A method for positioning glass sheets for forming includes positioners (55) that are moved slower than the speed of glass sheet conveyance to provide rotational adjustment of a glass sheet for accurate alignment above a forming mold (52). The forming mold (52) is moved upwardly for the forming in a pressing manner against a downwardly facing upper mold (58). Both preformed and flat glass sheets can be positioned by different embodiments of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Glasstech, Inc.
    Inventors: David B. Nitschke, Dean M. Nitschke, Daniel P. Lechner
  • Publication number: 20140318186
    Abstract: A glass ribbon has a thickness of 100 ?m or less and includes a convex curved surface portion on a side surface. The glass ribbon can be produced by heating a preform glass material having a thickness of 2 mm or less, and subjecting the preform glass material to drawing so that the preform glass material has a thickness of 100 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Masanori WADA, Sotohiro NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 8869560
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for precision bending a glass sheet that includes an oven for heating the glass sheet to a temperature near the softening temperature of the glass sheet. A stage for supporting the glass sheet. A pair of reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the glass sheet on the stage. At least one bending mechanism on a pair of arms inside the oven for bending an edge portion of the glass sheet. Inward facing first stop surfaces on the arms that contact reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the bending mechanism on the arms relative to the stage and the glass sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Allan Mark Fredholm, Laurent Joubaud, Sophie Peschiera, Stephane Poissy
  • Patent number: 8863933
    Abstract: A conveyor for a sheet glass tempering furnace, comprising a roller conveyor and an inclined airborne conveyor, as well as support and transport rollers at a lower edge of the airborne conveyor. The roller conveyor includes a horizontal level conveyor and an adapter conveyor between the horizontal level conveyor and the airborne conveyor. The adapter conveyor features a horizontal level upstream end and an inclined downstream end, the inclination angle of which matches substantially that of the airborne conveyor. The adapter conveyor has its rollers increase in inclination step by step when proceeding from the up-stream end towards the downstream end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Glaston Services Ltd. Oy
    Inventors: Kyösti Keto, Kalevi Anttonen
  • Patent number: 8850850
    Abstract: To produce a meniscus lens from synthetic quartz glass for use in a microlithography apparatus, which lens has a first optical surface (7) and a second optical surface (8) with the same direction of curvature as the first optical surface (7), SiO2 particles are formed by oxidation or flame hydrolysis of a silicon-containing starting compound and deposited layer by layer on a substrate to form a cylindrical SiO2 blank which contains layers with a surface normal extending in the direction of growth. To allow such layers, which have however the least possible adverse effect on optical or mechanical properties, it is proposed according to the invention that the blank is plastically worked in a hot forming process under the effect of a deforming force to form a preform (6), which has at least the first curved surface (7) and in which the layers are curved in the direction of curvature, and that the meniscus lens is obtained from the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Stefan Hengster
  • Publication number: 20140290309
    Abstract: A mold includes a first mold, an second mold located upon the first mold, and a mold core located between the first mold and the second mold. The first mold defines a receiving space, and comprises a bottom surface in the receiving space. The bottom surface in the receiving space defines at least one guiding groove. A bottom surface in the at least one guiding groove defines at least one air outlet. The mold core is received in the receiving space and supported by the bottom surface in the receiving space. The mold core defines a mold cavity and a plurality of micro-holes communicating with the mold cavity and the at least one guiding groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SHAO-HAN CHANG
  • Publication number: 20140283555
    Abstract: The present invention provides a molding apparatus and a molding method of glass casings capable of improving a productivity of glass casings. In a molding apparatus 1 of glass casings being a molding apparatus of glass casings in which a plate-shaped glass material 50 is press-molded by molding molds formed of an upper mold unit 11 and a lower mold unit 12, and the molding apparatus has a heating plate 3b, pressing plates 4b and a cooling plate 5b performing a heating process, a pressing process and a cooling process, respectively, on the mounted glass material, and a control unit controlling the respective processes, and a plurality of upper molds and lower molds provided to the upper mold unit 11 and the lower mold unit 12 are respectively and independently held within each unit in a movable manner in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventor: Kenichi MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20140260431
    Abstract: A support structure for supporting a heated glass sheet in connection with a bending operation includes a frame, a support ring adjustably supported on the frame for supporting a peripheral portion of the glass sheet, and multiple rib assemblies associated with the frame. Each rib assembly includes a laterally extending rib supported on the frame and multiple spaced apart support members connected to the rib and configured such that at least a portion of each support member is adjustable with respect to the rib. Furthermore, each support member is configured to contact a respective inner portion of the glass sheet to support the respective inner portion of the glass sheet until the glass sheet has been sufficiently cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GLASSTECH, INC.
    Inventors: Dean M. Nitschke, Ashoka G. Jinka, Thomas J. Zalesak, James P. Schnabel, JR., Scott Charles Morrow
  • Patent number: 8833106
    Abstract: A reformable area and a non-reformable area of a sheet of glass material are heated to a first temperature corresponding to a first viscosity. The reformable area is subsequently locally heated to a second temperature corresponding to a second viscosity, where the second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity. A bend is formed in the reformable area during the local heating of the reformable area by contacting a first pusher with the non-reformable area and translating the first pusher along a linear path to apply a pushing force to the non-reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area or by contacting a second pusher with an edge area of the reformable area and rotating the pusher along a circular path to apply a pushing force to the edge area of the reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Arnaud Dejean, Paul Louis Florent Delautre, Allan Mark Fredholm, Laurent Joubaud, Stephane Poissy
  • Patent number: 8826697
    Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a plate member including preparing a base plate member having main faces, and performing etching by immersing at least part of the base plate member in an etching liquid while controlling a lowering speed of a liquid surface of the etching liquid on the main faces of the base plate member to a desired lowering speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20140234581
    Abstract: A method of forming a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on a mold such that a first glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a first mold surface area of the mold and a second glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a second mold surface area of the mold. The first glass area and the second glass area are heated such that the viscosity of the second glass area is 8 poise or more lower than the viscosity of the first glass area. A force is applied to the glass sheet to conform the glass sheet to the mold surface. During the heating of the second glass area, the first mold surface area is locally cooled to induce a thermal gradient on the mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jacob Immerman, Thomas A. Keebler, John Robert Saltzer, JR., Ljerka Ukrainczyk
  • Publication number: 20140230493
    Abstract: A method and device for bending superposed sheets of glass. The sheets are picked up by a top form furnished with a suction creating an upward airflow blowing over the rim of the sheets, the suction being sufficient to lift and hold the superposed sheets against the top form, then the sheets are pressed between the top form and a full surface solid concave bottom form furnished with openings, the pressing beginning conducted while the suction is not yet finished or is finishing, then the superposed sheets are formed, by suction of the main face of the bottom sheet through the openings of the bottom concave mold, the forming by suction beginning while the pressing is not yet finished, and then the sheets are cooled. Windshields free of optical defects may thus be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Michael BALDUIN, Michael LABROT, Karl-Josef OLLFISCH, Herbert RADERMACHER, Guenther SCHALL
  • Patent number: 8800321
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a sheet of curved glass comprising an opening involving bending followed by cooling, the periphery of the sheet and the periphery of the opening being supported, at least at the start of cooling, by a skeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Thierry Olivier, Frederic Berthe, Michael Labrot
  • Publication number: 20140202211
    Abstract: A mold for shaping glass can be made by a method that includes providing a mold body having a shaping surface comprising at least about 90% nickel and modifying the composition of the shaping surface of the mold body by exposing the shaping surface to an oxidizing heat treatment. The oxidizing heat treatment may include a ramping heat treatment, a fixed heat treatment, or both the ramping heat treatment and the fixed heat treatment. The ramping heat treatment may include increasing a heating temperature at a rate from about 20° C./hour to about 500° C./hour to a temperature from about 700° C. to about 1000° C. The fixed heat treatment may include holding the heating temperature from about 700° C. to about 1000° C. for a holding time of at least about 5 minutes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kristen Marie Horn, David Myron Lineman, Kevin Thomas Morris, Wenchao Wang, Kim E. Womer
  • Publication number: 20140202212
    Abstract: A press forming apparatus includes a mounting plate, a heating mechanism, and a die. The mounting plate supports a glass material on an upper surface of the mounting plate. The heating mechanism heats the glass material on the mounting plate to a temperature which allows press formation of the glass material. The die is provided to face the upper surface of the mounting plate and press forms the glass material heated by the heating mechanism between the die and the mounting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Koki MORIYA, Tomoharu HAYASHI, Kohei HORIUCHI, Keisuke YOSHIKUNI
  • Publication number: 20140206523
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to high purity nickel molds for use in forming three dimensional glass substrates, along with methods of making three dimensional glass substrates. The mold compositions minimize imperfections in the formed glass substrates providing optical quality shaped glass articles for use in electronics applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kristen Marie Horn, David Myron Lineman, Kevin Thomas Morris, Wenchao Wang
  • Patent number: 8783065
    Abstract: A method for bending radiation shielding glass which has a heavy metal oxide content of at least 50% by weight is provided, wherein first a mold is provided, a glass plate comprising a radiation shielding glass is then provided, the mold is preheated to a temperature of 300 to 400° C., the glass plate is placed on the mold, the glass plate and the mold are heated in a furnace to a temperature of 370 to 430° C., then heated together to a temperature of 400° C. to 500° C., preferably to 440 to 500° C., the total heating time being at least 30 minutes, preferably at least 60 minutes, the glass plate is then molded and finally the molded glass is cooled by means of a cooling program over a period of at least 60 minutes. For thermal prestressing, the glass body is supported at least at its outer periphery at a number of support points, introduced into a preheated furnace, heated to 400 to 500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Horst Schillert, Dirk Roessler, Detlef Mevers
  • Patent number: 8783066
    Abstract: A glass molding system and a method of making glass articles using the glass molding system are disclosed. The glass molding system includes an indexing table, a plurality of enclosures arranged along the indexing table, and a plurality of stations defined on the indexing table such that each of the stations is selectively indexable with any one of the enclosures. At least one radiant heater is arranged in at least one of the enclosures. A radiation reflector surface and a radiation emitter body are arranged in the at least one of the enclosures. The radiation emitter body is between the at least one radiant heater and the radiation reflector surface and has a first surface in opposing relation to the at least one radiant heater and a second surface in opposing relation to the radiation reflector surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Darrel P Bailey, John Harold Brennan, Michael Joseph Dailey, Jr., Scott Winfield Deming, Karl David Ehemann, Keith Raymond Gaylo, David Joseph Kuhn, Brian Christopher Sheehan, Ljerka Ukrainczyk, Kevin Lee Wasson, Yuriy Yurkovsky
  • Publication number: 20140196501
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sheet glass includes: a re-draw process forming a sheet glass by, heating and softening a glass preform manufactured by float method, and extending the glass preform to a desirable plate thickness. An extension direction in which the glass preform is extended by the re-draw process is 90 degrees with respect to a direction in which molten glass is fed in the float method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kousuke Nakao, Toshiyuki Asai
  • Patent number: 8776550
    Abstract: A glass sheet is placed on a mold and heated to a first temperature. The glass sheet is then formed into a glass article having a three-dimensional shape using the mold. An isothermal heat transfer device comprising at least one heat pipe is provided in thermal contact with the mold. With the glass article on the mold and the isothermal heat transfer device in thermal contact with the mold, the glass article, mold, and isothermal heat transfer device are transported along a thermally-graded channel to cool the glass article to a second temperature. During the transporting, the isothermal heat transfer device transfers heat from a relatively hot region of the mold to a relatively cold region of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Nikolaos P Kladias, Kenneth Spencer Morgan, Elias Panides, Rohit Rai, John R Ridge, Ljerka Ukrainczyk
  • Patent number: 8752403
    Abstract: A method is provided for shaping a glass sheet in more than one dimension, and within the one or more dimensions forming non-uniform shapes between, for example, the leading edge and the trailing edge of the same glass sheet. Such shaping is achieved by the selective location, in first and second shaping zones, of shaping rolls having first and second shaping configurations and by varying the speed of the glass sheet as it moves through the shaping zones, thus varying the length of time that selected portions of the glass sheet are in contact with certain shaping rolls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
    Inventors: Robert J. Boisselle, Efrain Serrano, John Tomik
  • Patent number: 8746011
    Abstract: A method and device for bending superposed sheets of glass. The sheets are picked up by a top form furnished with a suction creating an upward airflow blowing over the rim of the sheets, the suction being sufficient to lift and hold the superposed sheets against the top form, then the sheets are pressed between the top form and a full surface solid concave bottom form furnished with openings, the pressing beginning conducted while the suction is not yet finished or is finishing, then the superposed sheets are formed, by suction of the main face of the bottom sheet through the openings of the bottom concave mold, the forming by suction beginning while the pressing is not yet finished, and then the sheets are cooled. Windshields free of optical defects may thus be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventors: Michael Balduin, Michael Labrot, Karl-Josef Ollfisch, Herbert Radermacher, Guenther Schall
  • Patent number: 8713968
    Abstract: A method of making a 3D glass article includes forming at least one marker on an edge of a 2D glass piece. The 2D glass piece is thermally reformed into a 3D glass article, where the at least one marker formed on the edge of the 2D glass piece is carried over to an edge of the 3D glass article. The 3D glass article is aligned on a support using the at least one marker on the edge of the 3D glass article. Then, the edge of the 3D glass article is finished to a final shape and dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas A Keebler, Robert Sabia, Ljerka Ukrainczyk
  • Patent number: 8701443
    Abstract: A glass molding system and a method of making glass articles using the glass molding system are disclosed. The glass molding system includes an indexing table, a plurality of enclosures arranged along the indexing table, and a plurality of stations defined on the indexing table such that each of the stations is selectively indexable with any one of the enclosures. At least one radiant heater is arranged in at least one of the enclosures. A radiation reflector surface and a radiation emitter body are arranged in the at least one of the enclosures. The radiation emitter body is between the at least one radiant heater and the radiation reflector surface and has a first surface in opposing relation to the at least one radiant heater and a second surface in opposing relation to the radiation reflector surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Darrel P Bailey, John Harold Brennan, Michael Joseph Dailey, Jr., Scott Winfield Deming, Karl David Ehemann, Keith Raymond Gaylo, David Joseph Kuhn, Brian Christopher Sheehan, Ljerka Ukrainczyk, Kevin Lee Wasson, Yuriy Yurkovsky
  • Publication number: 20140075996
    Abstract: A reformable area and a non-reformable area of a sheet of glass material are heated to a first temperature corresponding to a first viscosity. The reformable area is subsequently locally heated to a second temperature corresponding to a second viscosity, where the second viscosity is lower than the first viscosity. A bend is formed in the reformable area during the local heating of the reformable area by contacting a first pusher with the non-reformable area and translating the first pusher along a linear path to apply a pushing force to the non-reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area or by contacting a second pusher with an edge area of the reformable area and rotating the pusher along a circular path to apply a pushing force to the edge area of the reformable area that results in the bend in the reformable area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Arnaud Dejean, Paul Louis Florent Delautre, Allan Mark Fredholm, Laurent Joubaud, Stephane Poissy
  • Patent number: 8661854
    Abstract: Disclosed is a glass sheet bending system including a press bending station for bending a glass sheet into a desired shape. The press bending station includes a glass mounting bed on which the glass sheet is to be temporarily put until the glass sheet is pressed on the glass forming surface of a mold. This system is characterized in that the glass mounting bed includes a slat conveyer whose crawler is driven in the conveyance direction of the glass sheet or a belt conveyer whose belt is driven in the conveyance direction of the glass sheet. By this system, the glass sheet having no distortion can be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Mori, Takeshi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8650907
    Abstract: The method produces a reshaped glass-ceramic article by forced reshaping of a flat green glass part during a ceramicizing process with temporarily lowered viscosity due to crystallization heat. To perform the forced reshaping economically the forced reshaping takes place in a continuous oven for ceramicizing and in an oven section in which the viscosity of the green glass part is temporarily lowered as a result of crystallization heat. An apparatus for performing the process is provided in the continuous oven including different active reshaping devices and/or a hollow mold. The method produces glass-ceramic articles with undamaged surfaces corresponding to surfaces produced during the making of the green glass part (smooth or structured, e.g. knobbed).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Martin Taplan, Herwig Scheidler, Ioannis Kosmas, Friedrich-Georg Schroeder, Wolfgang Schmidbauer, Torsten Gabelmann, Dieter Schoenig
  • Publication number: 20140026621
    Abstract: Please replace the originally filed abstract with the following amended abstract: An apparatus and method for precision bending a glass sheet that includes an oven for heating the glass sheet to a temperature near the softening temperature of the glass sheet. A stage for supporting the glass sheet. A pair of reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the glass sheet on the stage. At least one bending mechanism on a pair of arms inside the oven for bending an edge portion of the glass sheet. Inward facing first stop surfaces on the arms that contact reference surfaces on the stage for precisely locating the bending mechanism on the arms relative to the stage and the glass sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Allan Mark Fredholm, Laurent Joubaud, Sophie Peschiera, Stephane Poissy
  • Publication number: 20140011000
    Abstract: A vehicle glazing is described. The vehicle glazing has at least one windowpane having a height from 900 mm to 1650 mm, a top upper edge, a side edge of a pillar, a body edge, and two rectangular surfaces A and B. The surface A has an extent of 800 mm*800 mm and the surface B has an extent of 1000 mm*700 mm. Surface A and surface B are centrally bounded by the lowest contact point of the at least one windowpane with the body edge horizontally with respect to the ground, and the lowest contact point and the point of the top upper edge at the shortest distance from the contact point form a Y0 axis and the points at the furthest distance with respect to the width of the windowpane form a Z0 axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Benno Dunkmann, Jean-Marie Le Ny, Michael Balduin
  • Patent number: 8616023
    Abstract: Raised features are formed on a transparent substrate having absorption of less than about 20% within a processing wavelength range. A portion of the substrate is irradiated with a light beam to increase the absorption of the irradiated portion of the substrate. Continued irradiation causes local heating and expansion of the substrate so as to form a raised feature on the substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Richard Robert Grzybowski, Stephan Lvovich Logunov, Alexander Mikhailovich Streltsov
  • Publication number: 20130340479
    Abstract: A device for bending panes is described. The device has a pre-bending ring, a movable bending ring holder, a final bending ring, a preheating region for preheating at least one pane, a pre-bending region for a further bending of the at least one pane, a heating region for a final bending of an edge of the at least one pane and for a surface pre-bending of the at least one pane, a second bending region for a further surface bending of the at least one pane and a cooling region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS FRANCE
    Inventors: Michael BALDUIN, Benno DUNKMANN, Jean-Marie LE NY, Lothar SCHMIDT, Herbert RADERMACHER
  • Publication number: 20130329346
    Abstract: A method of bending a glass sheet includes placing the glass sheet on a support and heating the entire glass sheet to a first viscosity. A band of heat is applied and translated along the selected region of the glass sheet in which a predetermined is to be formed over a time period to form the predetermined in the selected region. The band of heat sectionally heats the selected region to a second viscosity that is lower than the first viscosity. An actuated force is applied to the glass sheet to incrementally form the predetermined bend in the selected region according to the location of the band of heat in the selected region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Thierry Luc Alain Dannoux, Paul Louis Florent Delautre, Patrick Jean Pierre Herve, Laurent Joubaud, Stephane Poissy
  • Publication number: 20130313852
    Abstract: A method for bending a sheet is described. The method includes the following steps: a) at least one sheet is inserted into a pre-bending ring with a movable bending ring holder, the movable bending ring holder is moved into a furnace and the at least one sheet is heated to softening temperature and is pre-bent to 5% to 50% of a final edge bending, b) the at least one sheet is lifted by means of a suction device and is bent further, beyond the bending obtained in the pre-bending ring, c) the at least one sheet is laid down by means of the suction device in a final-bending ring on the movable bending ring holder and is bent to the final edge bending, and an area pre-bending of the at least one sheet is performed by means of thermal irradiation, d) the at least one sheet is lifted out of the final-bending ring by means of a second suction device, pressed against an opposing mould and bent, and the at least one sheet is laid down on the final-bending ring and the at least one sheet is cooled down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Balduin, Benno Dunkmann, Jean-Marie Le Ny, Lothar Schmidt, Herbert Radermacher
  • Publication number: 20130307286
    Abstract: A method for bending a sheet is described. The method includes the following steps: a) at least one sheet is inserted into a pre-bending ring with a movable bending ring holder, the at least one sheet is heated at least to an approximately softening temperature, and the at least one sheet is prebent in the pre-bending ring to 5% to 50% of a final edge bending, b) the pre-bent sheet is lifted out of the pre-bending ring by means of a suction device and is bent further, beyond a bending obtained in the pre-bending ring, c) the at least one sheet is laid down by means of the suction device in a final-bending ring on the movable bending ring holder and the at least one sheet is bent to a final bending, and d) the at least one sheet is cooled down in the final-bending ring and the at least one sheet is bent by means of the suction device to 100% to 130% of an overall final edge bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Michael Balduin, Benno Dunkmann, Jean-Marie Le Ny