Glasstech, Inc.

Owens-illinois, Inc.

Donivan M Shetterly

James P Schnabel, Jr

Michael J Vild

Ronald A McMaster

Christopher A Hersch

Robert E Malby, Jr

Paul D Ducat

David B Nitschke

Dean M Nitschke

Jason Addington

Terry A Bennett

Troy R Lewandowski

Cristin J Reinhart

Daniel G Common

Norman T Huff

Lawrence I Kalisher

Robert Gardon

Alejandro G Bueno

A three step method and apparatus for quenching a formed glass sheet in a manner that reduces cycle time without excessive temporary surface tension that can cause excessive breakage.

Method for quenching formed glass sheets

An apparatus and associated method for measuring transmitted optical distortion in a glass sheet includes a glass stand which receives a glass sheet for mounting between a background screen which includes a matrix of spaced apart dots, and a digital camera which captures (1) an image of the glass sheet surface, and (2) an image of the dot matrix transmitted through the glass sheet. The captured images are downloaded to a computer that is suitably programmed to analyze the image data to (1) determine the presence of any markings or elements on the surface of the glass sheet that should be isolated from the dot matrix image, (2) modify the background image to eliminate the image data corresponding to any such surface markings or elements from the image, and (3) determine characteristics indicative of optical distortion in the modified image of the dot matrix background transmitted through the glass sheet.

Method and apparatus for measuring transmitted optical distortion in glass sheets

A furnace ( ) and a method for heating coated glass sheets by radiant heating also provides convective heating by hot air jets that entrain hot air within the furnace so the combined flow of hot air heats an upwardly facing coated glass surface in addition to the radiant heating, and a control ( ) increases this convective heating during the conveyance to balance the heating and the resultant temperature of the upwardly facing coated surface and a downwardly facing uncoated surface of each conveyed glass sheet. A hot air distributing system ( ) includes an array ( ) of hot air distributors ( ) constructed to effectively supply the convective heating. The hot air distributors ( ) have heat exchangers ( ) that heat pressurized air that provides the hot air jets. The furnace ( ) conveys the glass sheets either in an oscillating manner or a continuous one direction manner during the heating.

Furnace and method for heating coated glass sheets

A glass sheet quench station ( ) includes first and second quench sections ( and ) that cooperate with a three position shuttle ( ) and a control ( ) to transfer glass sheets through the quench station with partial quenching performed at the first quench station and completion of the quenching at the second quench section. This glass sheet quenching method with two stage quenching shortens the cycle time to provide increased production.

Quench station and method for quenching formed glass sheets

A method for forming glass sheets is performed by a system ( ) that includes a furnace ( ) having a heating chamber ( ) in which a topside transfer device ( ) has a downwardly facing surface ( ) to which vacuum and pressurized air are supplied to receive and support a heated glass sheet from a conveyor ( ) without any direct contact. A forming station ( ) located externally of the furnace has a vertically movable upper mold ( ) whose temperature is not greater than 500&deg; C. The upper mold ( ) cooperates with a horizontally movable lower ring ( ) that transfers the heated glass sheet from the topside transfer device ( ) to the forming station under the control of a first actuator ( ). A second actuator ( ) moves the upper mold ( ) downwardly to cooperate with the lower ring ( ) in forming the glass sheet. The external forming station ( ) includes heat loss reducing apparatus ( ) for reducing heat loss of the hot glass sheet during the forming. A vacuum impulse is provided to the upper mold ( ) to assist in the forming. A cooling station ( ) cools the formed glass sheet.

Method for glass sheet forming

A method for forming glass sheets is performed by a system ( ) that includes a furnace ( ) having a heating chamber ( ) in which a vacuum platen ( ) has a downwardly facing surface ( ) to which a vacuum is supplied to support a heated glass sheet received from a conveyor ( ). A forming station ( ) located externally of the furnace has a vertically movable upper mold ( ) whose temperature is not greater than 500&deg; C. The upper mold ( ) cooperates with a horizontally movable lower ring ( ). A first actuator ( ) moves the vacuum platen ( ) vertically to transfer a heated glass sheet from the conveyor ( ) to the lower ring ( ) which is then moved by a second actuator ( ) to the forming station ( ). A third actuator ( ) then moves the upper mold ( ) downwardly to cooperate with the lower ring ( ) in forming the glass sheet. The forming station ( ) includes apparatus ( ) for reducing heat loss of the glass sheet during the forming. A vacuum impulse is provided to the upper mold ( ) to assist in the forming. A cooling station ( ) cools tHe formed glass sheet.

Method for forming glass sheets

Apparatus (,) for forming a heated glass sheet G is disclosed as including a vacuum mold (,) having a full surface (,) against which a peripheral mold (,) presses the glass sheet periphery and with which at least one vacuum reservoir (,) is communicated within the interior of the sealed glass sheet periphery to form the glass sheet to the shape of the vacuum mold surface. Valving (,) of a vacuum system (,) is preferably operable to provide the vacuum impulse in two stages with an initial limited extent of vacuum and a subsequent greater extent of vacuum by communication first with one vacuum reservoir (,) and subsequently with another vacuum reservoir (,). Different embodiments of the vacuum mold have the vacuum mold surface facing upwardly and downwardly with convex and concave shapes. Glass sheet shapes including straight line elements such as cylindrical and conical bends as well as shapes including curvatures in transverse directions and inverse curvatures can be effectively provided by this vacuum impulse forming.

Apparatus for vacuum impulse forming of heated glass sheets

A cooling ring assembly (20) and method for controlling stresses in a bent glass sheet G produce a strengthened bent glass sheet after the cooling is completed. The cooling ring assembly includes a cooling ring (22) that supports the glass sheet edge (24), an insulator (30) juxtaposed inboard of the cooling ring to reduce the cooling rate, and a cooler (34) for providing increased cooling to at least one localized area (36,40,58) of the glass sheet edge. The cooler (34) is preferably embodied by a pressurized air supply (42).

Formed glass sheet having controlled edge stresses

A cooling ring assembly (20) and method for controlling stresses in a bent glass sheet G produce a strengthened bent glass sheet after the cooling is completed. The cooling ring assembly includes a cooling ring (22) that supports the glass sheet edge (24), an insulator (30) juxtaposed inboard of the cooling ring to reduce the cooling rate, and a cooler (34) for providing increased cooling by pressurized air to at least one localized area (36,40,58) of the glass sheet edge. The cooler (34) is preferably embodied by a pressurized air supply (42).

Method for controlling stresses in a formed glass sheet

A cooling ring assembly (20) and method for controlling stresses in a bent glass sheet G produce a strengthened bent glass sheet after the cooling is completed. The cooling ring assembly includes a cooling ring (22) that supports the glass sheet edge (24), an insulator (30) juxtaposed inboard of the cooling ring to reduce the cooling rate, and a cooler (34) for providing increased cooling to at least one localized area (36,40,58) of the glass sheet edge. The cooler (34) is embodied by a pressurized air supply (42).

Cooling ring assembly for controlling stresses in a formed glass sheet

A glass sheet annealing ring includes an insulating ring juxtaposed the inboard periphery of the annealing ring for reducing the cooling rate of the glass sheet in proximity to the insulating ring thereby reducing the magnitude of net inner band tension while maintaining edge compression as the glass sheet is cooled.

Method for cooling a glass sheet

Apparatus and method for controlling stresses in laminated automotive

Method for vacuum impulse forming of heated glass sheets

An apparatus (10) for cooling a glass sheet (G) formed on an upwardly facing full face male glass sheet shaping mold (12) disclosed includes a glass sheet press ring (14) mounted on a press ring enclosure (16). A freeze plate (18) having first and second surfaces (20,22) is mounted in the press ring enclosure. A cooling means (24) mounted adjacent the freeze plate (18) cyclically cools the freeze plate (18) between a heated ambient temperature and a temperature significantly below the glass sheet (G) whereby the freeze plate (18) radiatively cools the glass sheet (G) formed on the full face glass sheet shaping mold (12) by the press ring (14) sufficiently so that the formed glass sheet (G) shape does not change upon further processing.

Apparatus for radiatively cooling glass sheets

Apparatus (38) and a method for forming a flat glass sheet is disclosed as utilizing a heating conveyor (42) that transfers a heated flat glass sheet to a downwardly facing surface (46) of a topside transfer device (44), a lower mold (48) having an upwardly facing full surface (50) at least a portion of which has an upwardly convex shape that receives the heated flat glass sheet from the topside transfer device, and an upper ring mold (52) that forms and seals the periphery of the heated glass sheet against the vacuum mold surface (50) at which a vacuum is supplied within the sealed periphery of the glass sheet to form the entire extent of the glass sheet to the vacuum mold surface. A vacuum is then provided within a vacuum chamber (122) of the upper ring mold (52) to receive the formed glass sheet from the lower vacuum mold for support by the upper ring mold. A cooling mold (132) which may either be an annealing ring (132a) or a quench ring ( 132b) is also preferably provided to receive the formed glass sheet from the upper ring mold (52) for cooling in order to provide either annealing or tempering of the formed glass sheet.

Growing community of inventors

Toledo, OH, United States of America

Donivan M Shetterly