Glass sheet bending apparatus

• US 4,865,638 A
• Filed: 07/07/1988
• Issued: 09/12/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kudo, Masashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kellogg, Arthur
• Application Number:
  US07/216,017
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 65/104, 65/106, 65/273, 65/289, 65/290
• US Class Current: 65/273
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/03 by press-bending between shaping moulds
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/0305 Press-bending accelerated by applying mechanical forces, e.g. inertia, weights or local forces
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/035 using a gas cushion or by changing gas pressure, e.g. by applying vacuum or blowing for supporting the glass while bending
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/0355 by blowing without suction directly on the glass sheet

Abstract

A glass sheet bending apparatus which includes a transferring mechanism for transferring to the heating furnace a glass sheet heated to a temperature capable of processing while keeping a horizontal posture, a mold having a curved surface with which the glass sheet is to be bend-shaped, the mold being arranged at a position corresponding to the processing stage, a provisional shaping mechanism for provisionally shaping the glass sheet by closely contacting it on a generally curved surface in the mold excluding a deep-bending surface which corresponds to a deep-bent portion in the glass sheet, and a blow-bending device for blowing compressed air to the deep-bending surface of the mold to bend part of the glass sheet so as to correspond to the deep-bending surface.

Claims

1. A glass sheet bending apparatus for deep-bending a side of a glass sheet at a processing stage in a heating furnace, which comprises:

transferring means for transferring to said heating furnace said glass sheet heated to a temperature adapted for processing while keeping a horizontal posture,

a mold having a curved surface with which said glass sheet is to be bend-shaped, said mold being arranged at a position corresponding to said processing stage,

provisional shaping means for provisionally shaping said glass sheet by closely contact it on a generally curved surface in said mold excluding a deep-bending surface which corresponds to a deep-bent portion in said glass sheet, and

blow-bending means for blowing compressed air to said deep-bending surface of the mold to bend part of said glass sheet so as to correspond to said deep-bending surface wherein said blow-bending means comprises at least one movable supporting means movable between an advanced blowing position and a retracted waiting position.

3. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said blow-bending means includes means for blowing compressed air from said blowing nozzles to said glass sheet at a position where said mold is raised in said processing stage while said glass sheet is held by said mold by vacuum.

4. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said blow-bending means comprises first and second sets of blow bending means provided at both sides of said mold at positions corresponding to deep-bending surfaces in said mold.

6. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said provional shaping means has a lift jet device arranged at the lower part of said processing stage and a suction device for causing an air-sucking force at a shaping surface in said mold.

2. A glass sheet bending apparatus for deep-bending a side of a glass sheet at a processing stage in a heating furnace, which comprises:

transferring means for transferring to said heating furnace said glass sheet heated to a temperature adopted for processing while keeping a horizontal posture,

a mold having a curved surface with which said glass sheet is to be bend-shaped, said mold being arranged at a position corresponding to said processing stage,

provisional shaping means for provisionally shaping said glass sheet by closely contacting it on a generally curved surface in said mold excluding a deep-bending surface which corresponds to a deep-bent portion in said glass sheet, and

blow-bending means for blowing compressed air to said deep-bending surface of the mold to bend part of said glass sheet so as to correspond to said deep-bending surface wherein said blow-bending means has blowing nozzles and wherein said at least one movable supporting means includes means for holding said blowing nozzles so that the mouth of the nozzles are directed to said mold, and for moving said blowing nozzles between an advanced blowing position and a retracted waiting position, depending on an operating position of said mold.

5. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said movable supporting means has a piston rod, an operating bar fixed to the lower end of said piston rod to extend laterally, said operating bar holding said blowing nozzles and a link pivotally connected to said operating bar at one end fixed to said mold at the other end, whereby said blowing nozzles are moved so as to be close to or separated from said mold when said piston rod is operated.

7. A glass sheet bending apparatus for deep-bending a side of a glass sheet at a processing stage in a heating furnace, which comprises:

transferring means for transferring to said heating furnace said glass sheet heated to a temperature capable of processing while keeping a horizontal posture,

a mold having a curved surface with which said glass sheet is to be bend-shaped, said mold being arranged at a position corresponding to said processing stage,

provisional shaped means for provisionally shaping said glass sheet by closely contacting it on a generally curved surface in said mold excluding a deep-bending surface which corresponds to a deep-bent portion in said glass sheet,

blow-bending means for blowing compressed air to said deep-bending surface of the mold to bend part of said glass sheet so as to correspond to said deep-bending surface, and

press-bending means which is operated after bending operation by said blow-bending means is finished for pressing a side portion of said glass sheet so as to correspond to said deep-bending surface in said mold.

8. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said blow-bending means comprises a plurality of blowing nozzles and at least one movable supporting means for holding said blowing nozzles so that the mouth of the nozzles are directed to said mold, and moving said blowing nozzles between an advanced blowing position and a retracted waiting position depending on an operating position of said mold.

9. The glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said blow-bending means is integrated with said press-bending means.