Abstract: A transparent sheet includes a texture in relief on a first of its main faces, such that, if n is the refractive index of the material including the texture, Pm is the mean slope in degrees of the textured face and Y(q) is the percentage of the textured surface with a slope greater than q/(n?1) in degrees, then the two cumulative conditions exist: Y(q)>3%+f(q) %*Pm*(n?1) and Y(q)>10%, with f(q)=24?(3*q) and q=2 or 3.

Abstract: A glass substrate molding method includes: preparing a rotatable or wheelable molding die having a die surface and contacting the die surface with one of a pair of principal surfaces of a glass substrate made of a glass material containing an alkali metal oxide, the die having conductivity; keeping the one of principal surfaces contacted with the die surface at a temperature over 100° C. and equal to or lower than Tg+50° C.; applying direct-current voltage to the substrate to be higher voltage on the contacted one of principal surfaces than voltage on an opposite surface of the contacted one of principal surfaces; and rotating or wheeling the die and simultaneously moving the die or the substrate in a direction parallel to the contacted one of principal surfaces in conformity with rotation or wheeling speed of the die, to mold the contacted one of principal surfaces of the substrate.

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

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for obtaining an external covering of a photovoltaic device, said covering being constituted by a glass substrate having texturing in the form of at least one row of grooves that are mutually parallel and preferably spaced by a regular distance d, said method being characterized in that there is used, for the impression of said texturing, texturing means incorporating reliefs whose spacing is different from the distance d between two rows of grooves on the glass substrate. The invention also relates to a substrate or to a photovoltaic module incorporating a substrate that can be obtained by application of the preceding method.

Abstract: A glass-ceramic plate, and production methods and apparatuses in relation to the plate. The plate is designed for example to equip a cooktop, and includes, on at least one of its faces, a differentiated surface finish formed in the body of the bare glass-ceramic plate.

Abstract: A light-weight mirror blank assembly, having at least one sheet of corrugated material; and at least one face sheet in intimate contact with a surface of the sheet of corrugated material forming the light-weight mirror blank assembly. The light-weight mirror blank assembly has an areal density less than an equivalent blank assembly having a solid support structure for supporting a mirrored surface.

Abstract: A glass-ceramic plate, a method of manufacturing a glass-ceramic plate, and hubs equipped with the glass-ceramic plate. A flat or substantially flat glass-ceramic plate includes a surface provided with pegs, the plate configured to equip a hob. At least one smooth region, free of pegs, is reserved in a location designed to come, in a mounted position, face to face with one or more elements of the hob, the blurred view of which due to the pegs must be improved.

Abstract: A glass sheet includes a first edge, an opposing, second edge, and an intermediate location between the first edge and second edge. The glass sheet has a first portion extending between the first edge and the intermediate location and a second portion extending between the intermediate portion and the second edge, wherein the first portion has a generally uniform thickness and the second portion has a varying thickness. The thickness of the second portion can either increase or decrease from the intermediate location to the second edge. A laminated transparency incorporating the glass sheet as well as a method of forming a glass ribbon having a changing thickness profile along at least a portion of the width of the ribbon are also disclosed.

Abstract: A transparent substrate for a cover for a solar battery and a method for producing the same are presented. Hemispherical concave portions are formed in a surface of light entering side of a cover glass almost over the entire surface wherein the ratio d/D of the depth d of the central portion of each concave portion to the radius D of the opening of the concave portion is from 0.10 to 0.50 and the proportion of area occupied by a flat portion where no concave portion is formed in the surface of light entering side is not more than 40%.

Abstract: A microstructure is formed in a viscous glass or plastic substrate by pressing a structured surface of a forming tool corresponding to a negative of the microstructure to be produced in the viscous glass or plastic substrate. After the microstructure has been formed, the forming tool is removed from the surface. In order to help form the microstructure and remove the forming tool from the substrate the forming tool has an at least partially porous base body (1) and an operative layer (2) structured with a negative structure consisting of grooves (11) extending to the porous base body (1). The forming of the microstructure in the substrate is assisted by applying suction to the porous base body (1) so that the grooves (11) fill more easily and completely with melted glass or plastic material. The removal of the forming tool after forming the microstructure is assisted by applying an overpressure to the porous body to help release the solidified glass or plastic material from the forming tool.

Abstract: While avoiding the disadvantages of the screen printing technique employed until now, the invention provides a shaping tool (1) with a structured surface for creating structures on glass (2) which, in an economical way, makes it possible to form high-precision microstructures by local heating of the region of glass to be structured. The shaping tool (1) has a rolling cylinder (3) including a metal hollow cylinder (7) and a shaping sheet (8) secured in a surface contact to it, as well as a continuous shaft (5) for continuously driving the rolling cylinder (3) via drivers (4) coupled to the hollow cylinder (7). Between the shaft (5) and the hollow cylinder (7), an electric heater (6) for targeted local heating of the glass during structuring is disposed in an electrically insulated fashion. The electric heater (6) is advantageously thermally insulated from the shaft (5) with a ceramic cylinder (14).

Abstract: Apparatus to amalgamate a paste of vitreous material in the molten state with an additive material in the form of granules, scales, slivers or filaments, made of metal, of other types of glass or other material in order to obtain a vitreous compound. The apparatus comprises containing means (11) to contain the paste of vitreous material, mixing means (15) to convey the vitreous compound downwards, in its molten state, towards rolling means (12) to produce manufactured articles. The mixing means (15) comprise at least a first pair of mixing cylinders (19a, 19b) having the respective axes of rotation (20a, 20b) arranged substantially horizontal, parallel to each other and substantially parallel, or slightly inclined, with respect to the direction in which a rolling force is applied by said rolling means (12).

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 microstructure is formed in a viscous glass or plastic substrate by pressing a structured surface of a forming tool corresponding to a negative of the microstructure to be produced in the viscous glass or plastic substrate. After the microstructure has been formed, the forming tool is removed from the surface. In order to help form the microstructure and remove the forming tool from the substrate the forming tool has an at least partially porous base body (1) and an operative layer (2) structured with a negative structure consisting of grooves (11) extending to the porous base body (1). The forming of the microstructure in the substrate is assisted by applying suction to the porous base body (1) so that the grooves (11) fill more easily and completely with melted glass or plastic material. The removal of the forming tool after forming the microstructure is assisted by applying an overpressure to the porous body to help release the solidified glass or plastic material from the forming tool.

Abstract: The forming tool with a special structuring surface includes a reusable ceramic base tool and a replaceable metallic forming member releasably attached to the base tool and provided with a structuring surface for forming a structure in the plate glass. When the comparatively rapidly wearing forming member must be replaced, especially when structuring to form structures with sharp edges, only replacement of the metallic forming member is necessary. This two-component structure also provides additional freedom regarding selection of materials for the base tool and the structuring surface. Thus the base tool can have a comparatively smaller thermal expansion and/or conductivity and the forming member can have a comparatively higher thermal conductivity.

Abstract: A support plate and method of making a support plate for biological or chemical testing or cell culture. The plate has a high density network of microwells formed therein. The wells are formed by a contact pressing technique whereby a network of protuberances are pressed into the surface of a thermoformable material.

Abstract: Flat glass provided with precision structures is required for precision applications, especially for glasses with optical properties, for example for modern flat display screen glass. The process of the invention for hot forming precision structures in or on flat glass includes pressing a heated forming tool with a structuring surface into a surface of the flat glass. In this process the structuring surface of the forming tool is heated locally from the outside of the forming tool, prior to and/or during contacting of the forming tool with the glass surface until a predetermined surface depth corresponding to a height of the structures being formed has reached a process temperature at which a melting to form the structures occurs on contacting the forming tool to the glass surface. The local heating of the structuring surface (2) is performed by laser radiation which is passed through the flat glass (3) to the structuring surface (2). Alternatively an inductive or resistance heating can be performed.

Abstract: A glass ceramic or glass-ceramic sheet is formed by progressively reducing the thickness of the sheet by passing the sheet between successive pairs of counter-rotating rollers. The average viscosity of the sheet is maintained between 5.times.10.sup.4 and 10.sup.9 P during the sheet forming operation.

Abstract: Flat glass provided with precision structures is required for precision applications, especially for glasses with optical properties, for example for modern flat display screen glass. A method for forming precision structures in or on flat glass includes filling a structuring surface of a forming tool with a paste-like material and pressing the forming tool on one side of the flat glass. The forming tool is heated locally shortly prior and/or during or after contact with the glass surface with the structuring surface from the outside until the structuring surface down to a depth predetermined by the height of the structures being formed reaches a temperature at which a melting and hardening of the paste-like material forming the structures occurs during contact with the flat glass. The local heating of the structuring surface is performed by laser radiation which is passed through the flat glass to the structuring surface. Alternatively an inductive or resistance heating can be performed.

Abstract: A hot rolled sheet of glass having impressions impressed in the hot glass by a roller having raised projections. The projections are pyramidal or truncated pyramidal with either a square or hexagonal base. The projections produce craters which are separated from one another by a distance smaller than a largest dimension of the craters. In a variant, non-diffusing areas are inserted adjacent to diffusing zones.

Abstract: A mold assembly for making blocks of glass and constituting five parts assembled into a mold to make a mold having a cavity open at opposite ends for molding an article of glass as a sheet cut into blocks having an upstanding flange along an edge thereof and a v-shaped ridge along an opposite edge for assembly with other similar articles along a scarf joint defined by the corresponding v-shaped ridges.