Corning Incorporated

Ronald Alan Davidson

Jason Clay Lail

Richard Bruce Pitbladdo

Frank Thomas Coppola

Jackson P Trentelman

Monica Jo Mashewske

Jason S Watts

Edwin Q Giles

Kevin Bruce Sterner

Gerard Kaper

Martin J Schad

Robert M Menihan

Michael Brian Gildea

William W Blakeslee, Deceased

David L Naylor

Methods for heat treating glass sheets () are disclosed in which the sheets () are held in a vertical orientation in a treatment container () during the heat treatment. The container () includes a support system for the glass sheets () that comprises a bottom support (), two side supports (), and a top support (). The sheets () are slid into the container () without contact between their side edges () and the side supports (). The top support () is then slid onto the tops of the sheets () without contacting the sheets' top edges (). In certain embodiments, flushing air which has been HEPA filtered and pre-heated is passed through the container () during the heat treatment. Apparatus for practicing the methods of the invention are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for heat treating glass sheets

A convection compatible closed cassette and method are described herein where the closed cassette is used to heat treat (compact) one or more glass sheets in a uniform manner and in a clean environment. In the preferred embodiment, the closed cassette includes multiple enclosed sections that are supported by a mounting structure in a manner where there is an open passageway between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections. And, each enclosed section is designed to hold and support multiple glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets. In operation, the closed cassette is placed into an oven (e.g., lehr, batch kiln) so that hot/cold unfiltered air can flow across the major surfaces of each enclosed section and uniformly heat/cool the enclosed glass sheets.

Closed cassette and method for heat treating glass sheets

This invention contemplates a near net-shape method of making thin glass-ceramic articles possessing substantially uniform thickness and parallel opposing surfaces comprising the steps of: (a) heating the receiving and opposing molding surfaces of a mold to predetermined different temperatures; (b) bringing the receiving and opposing molding surfaces of the mold into close proximity to each other to press a delivered charge of molten glass to fill said mold, while thermally providing and maintaining a substantially parallel fit between the receiving and opposing surfaces of the mold, to achieve substantially uniform thickness in the pressed charge, (c) pressing the glass charge for a time sufficient to remove enough heat from the glass charge that the temperatures of the molding surfaces and the glass article surfaces are all nearly at equilibrium, wherein the press time and mold temperature differential combine to result in symmetric heat removal thereby causing all the aforementioned temperatures to reach equilibrium at nearly the same time, (d) removing the glass article from the mold; (e) covering the opposing surfaces of the glass article with a refractory insulating material; (f) heat treating the covered glass article at a temperature and for a time sufficient to cause the glass article to crystallize in situ to a glass-ceramic article; and (g) cooling the covered glass-ceramic article to room temperature and removing the covering therefrom.

Method for forming flat glass-ceramic articles

Growing community of inventors

Horseheads, NY, United States of America

Ronald Alan Davidson