Glasstech, Inc.

Other

First Solar, Inc.

Glasstech International L.p.

Solar Cells, Inc.

Mcmaster Motor Company

700 Solar Club, Inc.

Harold A McMaster

Norman C Nitschke

John S Nitschke

Ronald A McMaster

Robert E Maltby, Jr

Philip J Breno

James W Buckingham

Robert G McMaster

Dexter H McMaster

Dean M Nitschke

Michael J Vild

Ricky Charles Powell

Gary L Dorer

Steven M Cox

Ben M Balestra

Nicholas Alan Reiter

Thomas E Feehan

Alan J McMaster

Terence D Kahle

David B Nitschke

James B Foote

Steven A Kaake

Robert D Nicholson

A wobble plate engine ( ) includes a wobble plate assembly ( ) having a wobble plate ( ) that rolls against truncated cone portions ( ) of a housing ( ) and has an inner extremity ( ) rotatably supported by an axially inclined annular bearing ( &prime;) on a spherical member ( ) of the wobble plate assembly so as to rotate a shaft ( ) during the wobbling motion. One embodiment of the wobble engine ( ) includes an oil lubrication system ( ) and another embodiment includes antifriction roller bearings ( ) that support the wobble plate ( ) on the spherical member ( ), antifriction roller bearings ( ) that rotatively support the shaft ( ) on the housing ( &prime;) and seals ( ) that rotatively seal between the shaft ( ) and the housing ( &prime;).

Wobble engine

A deposition system (20) for depositing a material layer on a glass sheet substrate includes a lateral alignment mechanism (28) for laterally aligning glass sheet substrates with an ingress seal (48) of a deposition station (22). The lateral alignment mechanism (28) includes a pair of banks (164, 166) of alignment members (168) spaced laterally with respect to each other along the direction of conveyance. Round alignment surfaces (170) of the alignment members (168) are located above conveyor rolls (96) upstream from the housing of the deposition station and are rotatable about associated vertical axes. A positioner (172) moves one of the banks of alignment members (168) laterally with respect to the direction of conveyance toward the other bank of alignment members to laterally align the glass sheet substrate along the direction of conveyance with the ingress seal assembly (48). A rotary drive (174) rotates the alignment members (168) to cooperate with the conveyor rolls in conveying the glass sheet substrate.

Glass substrate deposition system having lateral alignment mechanism

Apparatus (12, 12a) and a method for depositing a semiconductor material on a glass sheet substrate (G) utilizes a distributor (22) including a heated permeable member (24) through which a carrier gas and a semiconductor material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited as a semiconductor layer on the conveyed glass sheet substrate. The permeable member (24) is tubular and has an electrical voltage applied along its length to provide the heating, and the carrier gas and the semiconductor as a powder are introduced into the tubular permeable member for flow outwardly therefrom as the vapor. A shroud (34) extending around the tubular permeable member (24) has an opening (36) through which the vapor flows for the semiconductor layer deposition. In one embodiment of apparatus (12), the semiconductor layer is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (56) of the glass sheet substrate (G) while another embodiment of the apparatus (12a) deposits the semiconductor layer on a downwardly facing surface (54) of the substrate.

Apparatus and method for depositing a semiconductor material

A glass sheet strip annealing method utilizes a housing (18) along which a conveyor (26) including a gas support (28) supports a glass sheet strip G by pressurized gas for movement between entry and exit ends (22,24) of the housing before a conveyor drive (32) engages the strip after the surfaces thereof are cooled below the strain point. Best results are achieved when the glass sheet strip is supported only by the gas support (28) until its surfaces are placed in compression. Lower and upper manifolds (34,36) respectively support and convey the glass sheet strip within the housing (18) preferably by a recirculating gas flow supplied by gas burner (76) and associated gas jet pumps (78).

Glass sheet strip annealing method

Apparatus (12, 12a) and a method for depositing a material on a substrate (G) utilizes a distributor (22) including a heated permeable member (24) through which a carrier gas and a material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited on a conveyed substrate. The permeable member (24) is tubular and has an electrical voltage applied along its length to provide the heating, and the carrier gas and the material as a powder are introduced into the tubular permeable member for flow outwardly therefrom as the vapor. A shroud (34) extending around the tubular permeable member (24) has an opening (36) through which the vapor flows for the deposition. In one embodiment of apparatus (12), the vapor is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (56) of the substrate, while another embodiment of the apparatus (12a) deposits the vapor on a downwardly facing surface (54) of the substrate.

Apparatus and method for depositing a material on a substrate

A processing system (20,20') for processing sheet glass G includes a housing (22) and at least one slit seal (38i,38i',38e,38e') constructed to permit continuous passage of sheet glass in an efficient manner without fluttering. The slit seal functions as both an ingress slit seal (38i,38i') and as an egress slit seal (38e,38e'). Each slit seal has side seals (100, 102, 112, 114) and preferably has three stages of vacuum drawn by an associated first, second and third vacuum pumps (80,82,84). The sealing method for use in processing sheet glass has particular utility in connection with depositing semiconductor materials for photovoltaics and can be performed on either discrete glass sheets (28) or a continuous glass ribbon (30).

System and method for processing sheet glass

A glass sheet strip annealing lehr (16) is disclosed as including a housing (18) along which a conveyor (26) including a gas support (28) supports a glass sheet strip G by pressurized gas for movement between entry and exit ends (22,24) of the housing before a conveyor drive (32) engages the strip after the surfaces thereof are cooled below the strain point. Best results are achieved when the glass sheet strip is supported only by the gas support (28) until its surfaces are placed in compression. Lower and upper manifolds (34,36) respectively support and convey the glass sheet strip within the housing (18) preferably by a recirculating gas flow supplied by gas burner (76) and associated gas jet pumps (78).

Glass sheet strip forming system including annealing lehr

Glass sheet annealing lehr having gas support conveyor

Provided is a support assembly for mounting an array of photovoltaic panels to a support surface such as the ground. According to the invention, there is provided a plurality of front and rear support posts, each post having an anchor portion to be driven into the support surface and a leg portion which is nested therein and longitudinally adjustable to raise or lower corresponding front and rear horizontal supports. Photovoltaic panels are mounted lengthwise across the horizontal supports in a predetermined position to minimize the stress thereon caused by wind load. The horizontal supports further comprise wiring raceways to support wiring harnesses originating from the photovoltaic panels and terminating at the end of each row of photovoltaic panels in the array.

Photovoltaic panel support assembly

An apparatus (10) is disclosed for treating a glass sheet (22) including a substantially enclosed chamber (14) containing a chamber atmosphere (24) in which the glass sheet (22) may be treated. Apparatus (10) also includes gas turbine engine (12) which generates heated pressurized exhaust gases which are provided to chamber (14) to treat glass sheet (22). In one embodiment, conveyor (26) is used to support glass sheet (22) in the chamber atmosphere (24). Air bed plate (72) is used to support the glass in an alternate apparatus embodiment (68).

Method and apparatus for heating a glass sheet

A glass sheet bending apparatus (10) for bending glass sheets about a thermally stable reference is disclosed as including a mold shuttle (20) having a receptical member (22) providing a thermally stable reference point or center with respect to a glass sheet heating furnace (14) and an upper mold support including pin (62) cooperable with the first receptical member (22) so that a glass sheet can be accurately bent between molds (34, 32) mounted on the mold shuttle (20) and upper mold support (26) respectively. An upper mold support actuator (40) includes a second registering member (42) engaging a first registering member (28) of the upper mold support (26) for raising and lowering the upper mold support (26) and disengaging the upper mold support to allow relative movement between the actuator (40) and upper mold support (26) so that the same thereby realign and engage in a newly established registration during subsequent lifting of the upper mold support (26).

Glass sheet bending apparatus with thermally stable reference

A glass sheet gas support (20) is disclosed as having a set of elongated gas supply openings (26) for supplying pressurized gas to support a glass sheet and as also including a set of elongated gas exhaust openings (28) for exhausting the gas and constructed to including progressively increasing gas flow areas in opposite directions from ends (36) of each exhaust opening to a central portion (38) thereof in order to prevent gas pressure buildup between an upwardly facing surface (24) of the manifold and the supported glass sheet at a central location. In one embodiment, the manifold (22) defines each gas exhaust opening (28) with progressively increasing widths from its ends (36) toward the central portion (38) thereof and is preferably constructed as a cast refractory platen (42) which cooperates with a manifold member (58) that mounts gas jet pumps (60) fed products of combustion from a gas burner (62) to provide recirculating flow of gas to and from the supply exhaust openings. In another embodiment, the manifold (22' ) defines the ends (36') of each gas exhaust opening (28') with progressively increasing depths from its ends (36') toward the central portion (38') thereof and is preferably fabricated from sheet metal that defines both the gas supply and exhaust openings. Both manifold embodiments (20,22') include gas supply passages (96,96') that are inclined to provide conveyance of the supported glass sheet.

Glass sheet gas support

A glass sheet tempering system (10) disclosed comprises a single station heater and quench that includes a heating source (16) for heating the glass sheet (12) and also an air supply (18) for supplying quenching air to temper the heated glass sheet (12). The heating source (16) and air supply (18) are defined by a pair of spaced and opposed plenums (20,20') that provide heating and quenching of the glass sheet (12) generally in one location without having to transport the glass sheet (12) between separate heating and quenching stations.

Combination heater quench

An apparatus for heating and bending quenching glass sheets (10) is disclosed as including a first platen (14) and a second platen (22). Both platens (14,22) are deformable for heating and bending a heated glass sheet (12) therebetween. First heat source (18) is integral with the first platen (14) and provides heat in close proximity to the heated glass sheet (12) during the bending to maintain an optimal glass bending temperature.

Apparatus for heating and bending glass sheets

A heated glass sheet topside support device (22,22',22a,22a') is disclosed as including horizontally extending lower and upper plates (38,46) connected by a set of vertically extending passage members embodied by tubes (54) or plate members (54a) to define passages (55,55a,55a'). The support device also includes first and second manifolds (56,58) for supplying pressurized gas and a vacuum through first and second sets of holes (42,42a,42a';44,44a,44a') in the lower plate so as to thereby support a heated glass sheet below the lower plate without any engagement. In one construction, the pressurized gas is supplied through a chamber (48,48a) between the plates through a set of shorter tubes (80,80a) mounted within the first set of holes (42,42a) in the lower plate (38,38a), and the vacuum is drawn from the upper side of the upper plate (46,46a) through the holes (52,52a) therein and through the passages (55,55a) and the second set of holes (44,44a) in the lower plate. In another construction, the vacuum is drawn through the chamber (48,48a') between the plates through the first set of holes (42,42a') in the lower plate (38,38a'), and the pressurized gas is supplied through the holes (52,52a') therein and through the passages (55,55a') and the second set of holes (44,44a') in the lower plate. Each embodiment of the topside support device is supported by fused silica posts (86) that preferably have upper ends including inverted cup-shaped members (102) on which the topside support device is slidably mounted by an associated spherical bearing (106). Positioners (118) for the silica posts (86) and support device locators (134) cooperate in supporting and positioning the topside support device at the proper location.

Growing community of inventors

Woodville, OH, United States of America

Harold A McMaster