Pilkington North America, Inc.

Pilkington Automotive Deutschland Gmbh

Andreas Gorges

Joachim Pilz

Robert J Boisselle

Dieter Funk

A press bending station includes an annular mold () and a full-face mold (). Holes (), selectively connected to a negative pressure source, are placed in portions of the full-face mold () that are determined by the configuration of the annular mold when the annular mold comes into contact with a heated glass sheet () during the press bending process. The sheet () is drawn by negative pressure through the holes () towards the full-face mold () and thus acquires its shape. Positive pressure may be selectively applied to the holes () to release the sheet (). According to the invention, at least some of the holes () are arranged in at least one groove () formed in the mold face of the full-face mold. The grooves () according to the invention accelerate considerably the removal by negative pressure of the air between the molding face of the full-face mold () and the glass sheet () to be bent and thus improve the press bending process.

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Witten, Germany

Andreas Gorges