Muffle gap seal for glass laminate machine

• US 9,701,560 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown-Tsai, Jufe Adam, Le Gallic, Bruno, Golyatin, Vladislav Yuryevich, Polius, Shaan Leslian Yeershen, Coppola, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, GILBERT Y
• Application Number:
  US14/446,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 17/064 by the overflow downdraw fusion process; Isopipes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/002 comprising at least two sealings in succession F16J15/162, F16J15/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/022 characterised by structure or material

Abstract

A flexible seal positioned between two muffles of a glass laminate fusion draw machine comprises, in order from the interior to the exterior of the muffles, a radiation shield comprising overlapping rows of refractory material, a thermal seal comprising a blanket of temperature resistance material, and an air seal comprising a sheet of high temperature elastomeric material. The seal may further comprising a secondary radiation shield positioned between the thermal seal and the air seal.

Claims

1. A flexible seal assembly comprising:

a radiation shield;

a thermal seal; and

an air seal,

wherein the radiation shield comprises overlapping, mutually non-contacting rows of refractory material, the thermal seal comprises a blanket of temperature resistant material, and the air seal comprises a sheet of high temperature elastomeric material, and further comprising a secondary radiation shield positioned between the thermal seal and the air seal.

2. The seal according to claim 1 wherein the secondary radiation shield comprises a flexible metal sheet having folds therein.

3. The seal according to claim 1 wherein the high temperature elastic material comprises silicone.

4. The seal according to claim 1 wherein the blanket of temperature resistant material comprises a refractory fiber material encapsulated in a fabric formed of a refractory material.

5. The seal according to claim 4 wherein the fabric is an alumina silicate fabric.

6. A system useful for a laminate fusion draw machine comprising:

an upper muffle;

a lower muffle;

a seal assembly according to claim 1.