Glass bending process
First Claim
1. A process for shaping a heated glass sheet comprising:
- a. providing a full face heated male mold having a shaping surface heated to a temperature between 180°
C. and 400°
C., the shaping surface including one or more holes therethrough;
b. providing a ring-type female mold beneath and in alignment with the heated male mold;
c. positioning a heated glass sheet on the female mold;
d. urging the male mold and the female mold toward one another to bring the heated glass sheet into shaping contact with the shaping surface of the heated male mold;
e. connecting at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a negative pressure source, thereby drawing the glass sheet to the shaping surface of the male mold;
f. maintaining the connection with the negative pressure source for a time sufficient to form the heated glass sheet to a desired shape and then, terminating the connection to the negative pressure source;
g. urging the male mold and the female mold away from one another;
h. delaying release of the bent glass sheet from the male mold for 0.1 to 1.0 seconds before connecting at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a positive pressure source, thereby allowing the bent glass sheet to come to rest on the female mold so as to release the bent glass sheet from the male mold;
i. lowering the bent glass sheet on the female mold until the bent glass sheet is positioned on a continuous conveying device; and
j. transferring the bent glass sheet away from the molds on the continuous conveying device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A glass bending line for quickly shaping a complex bent glass sheet is provided that includes moving a ring-type female mold, which has a heated glass sheet placed on it, and a full face heated male mold, toward one another. Upon making shaping contact between the glass sheet and the male mold, a vacuum is applied through holes extending through the male mold, for a time sufficient to form the glass sheet to a desired shape. When the glass sheet has been shaped, the vacuum is terminated and pressurized air is connected to the holes to release the bent glass sheet from the male mold. The bent glass sheet is then quickly transported to a quenching station or an annealing station on a continuous conveying device. Hence, the complex bent glass sheet is achieved without the use of a shuttle ring.
31 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A process for shaping a heated glass sheet comprising:
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a. providing a full face heated male mold having a shaping surface heated to a temperature between 180°
C. and 400°
C., the shaping surface including one or more holes therethrough;b. providing a ring-type female mold beneath and in alignment with the heated male mold; c. positioning a heated glass sheet on the female mold; d. urging the male mold and the female mold toward one another to bring the heated glass sheet into shaping contact with the shaping surface of the heated male mold; e. connecting at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a negative pressure source, thereby drawing the glass sheet to the shaping surface of the male mold; f. maintaining the connection with the negative pressure source for a time sufficient to form the heated glass sheet to a desired shape and then, terminating the connection to the negative pressure source; g. urging the male mold and the female mold away from one another; h. delaying release of the bent glass sheet from the male mold for 0.1 to 1.0 seconds before connecting at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a positive pressure source, thereby allowing the bent glass sheet to come to rest on the female mold so as to release the bent glass sheet from the male mold; i. lowering the bent glass sheet on the female mold until the bent glass sheet is positioned on a continuous conveying device; and j. transferring the bent glass sheet away from the molds on the continuous conveying device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A process for shaping a heated glass sheet comprising:
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providing a full face heated male mold having a shaping surface, the shaping surface including one or more holes therethrough; providing a ring-type female mold beneath and in alignment with the heated male mold; positioning a heated glass sheet on the female mold; urging the male mold and the female mold toward one another to bring the heated glass sheet into shaping contact with the shaping surface of the heated male mold for 0.1 to 1.0 seconds; connecting at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a negative pressure source, thereby drawing the glass sheet to the shaping surface of the male mold, and maintaining the connection with the negative pressure source for 0.8 to 5.0 seconds to sufficiently form the heated glass sheet to a desired shape, and then terminating the connection to the negative pressure source; urging the male mold and the female mold away from one another; after connecting the holes to the negative pressure source, delaying release of the bent glass sheet from the male mold for 0.1 to 1.0 seconds before connecting the at least one of the one or more holes in the shaping surface of the male mold to a positive pressure source, thereby allowing the bent glass sheet to come to rest on the female mold; lowering the female mold with the bent glass sheet supported thereon until the glass sheet is positioned on a continuous conveying device; and transferring the bent glass sheet away from the molds on the continuous conveying device; wherein the shaping surface of the male mold is maintained at a temperature between 180 and 400°
C., while the male mold is in shaping contact with the glass sheet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification