Corning Incorporated

Harry E Menegus

James William Brown

Roger A Allaire

Harrie J Stevens

Bruce Herbert Raeder

James A Ariglio

The present invention relates to a process for laser scoring of flat glass sheets. The process comprises manipulating a laser beam having a substantially Gaussian intensity profile to produce an elongated heating zone on the glass sheet to be scored, the elongated heating zone having a central portion with a lower temperature than a temperature of an outer portion of the heating zone. An initial crack is made in the glass sheet, the elongated heating zone is traversed across the glass sheet coincident with the initial crack, and the heated glass is thermally shocked by directing a cooled liquid against the heated glass, thus propagating the crack. The scored glass sheet may thereafter be broken by applying bending techniques as are known in the art.

Process and apparatus for scoring a brittle material

A system for breaking large sheets of brittle material such as glass into smaller sheets, in which at least one laser is moved across a sheet of brittle material having two major surfaces to form two vent cracks in the sheet, a first vent crack in a first path on one side of the sheet and a second vent crack in a second path on the other side of the sheet. The sheet is broken into smaller sheets by applying a bending moment under the vent cracks.

Method and apparatus for breaking brittle materials

A glass breaking system is provided for breaking large sheets of glass into small sheets, in which a laser beam having an elongated beam spot shape, with a largest dimension which is at least 20 mm, more preferably at least 30 mm, and most preferably at least 40 mm, is moved across a glass sheet to produce a partial crack score line. The glass sheet is then separated along the score line by applying a bending moment in the area of the partial crack.

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Beaver Dams, NY, United States of America

Harry E Menegus