Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.

Ramin Dowlati

Timothy A Sullivan

Jack L Emerson

Seshadri Srinivasan

James L Hare

A bushing including a terminal ear and a method of manufacturing the bushing are disclosed. The bushing includes a bushing body which can include side plates, end plates, a bottom plate, and terminal ears coupled to the bushing body. Clamps are attached to the terminal ears to supply electrical current to the bushing to maintain the glass inside in a liquid state. Each terminal ear includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is coupled to a side plate of the bushing. A clamp is attached to the lower portion of the terminal ear. The upper and lower portions are oriented at an angle with respect to each other. Support portions are provided along the side edges of the upper portions of the terminal ears. Support portions stiffen the terminal ear, thereby increasing its resistance to bending and fatigue stresses. Support portions do not contact the bushing and therefore do not directly conduct current to the bushing. Accordingly, the temperature of the support portions during operation of the bushing will be lower than the conducting portion of the terminal ears. Since the support portions operate at a lower temperature, the thermal degradation of the terminal ear is reduced.

Bushing including a terminal ear

A filament forming apparatus and cooling apparatus for and method of cooling a filament forming area beneath a bushing is disclosed. The cooling apparatus includes a manifold with a cooling fluid channel formed therein, and a plurality of hollow cooling fins operatively coupled to the manifold. A cooling fluid flows into the manifold, through first and second fluid flow channels in the cooling fins, and back into the manifold from which it is subsequently discharged. Each cooling fin includes a plurality of divider members between the first and second fluid flow channels. Adjacent divider members define a small channel between each other. The cooling fluid flows from the first fluid flow channel through the small channels to the second fluid flow channel. The overall heat transfer coefficient is increased due to the forced convection of the surfaces of the cooling fin using a single-phase fluid passing through the cross-sectional area of a small channel. Further, divider members increase the surface area contact between the cooling fluid flow and the cooling fin walls. The cooling fluid in the fin may absorb enough heat to achieve two phase, liquid and vapor, flow. The bottom wall and/or side walls of the fin includes a plurality of holes through which the liquid and/or vapor in the fin may spray into the filament forming area. This spray enhances the cooling and quenching of the glass filaments in the filament forming area.

Filament forming apparatus and a cooling apparatus for and method of cooling a filament forming area

A heat-absorbing finshield assembly, which is located adjacent the discharge area of a furnace for producing glass fibers, includes fins spaced along a fluid-cooled manifold such that the fins extend between, but not in contact with, the molten glass fibers emerging from the furnace. The fins may have microfins in their bases which are in contact with the cooling fluid. The fins also may be of variable thicknesses relative to each other along the manifold to absorb different quantities of heat from the emerging fibers.

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Gahanna, OH, United States of America

Ramin Dowlati