The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 21, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 18, 1995
Triplex Safety Glass Limited, Merseyside, GB;
Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Limited, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
When heating and bending glass sheets in a furnace, it is desirable to raise the sheets towards the furnace heat sources to increase obtainable temperature differentials and reduce heating power. Disclosed is a method of bending a glass sheet on an apparatus comprising an elongate furnace divided along its length into a plurality of heating zones, each heating zone having an upper part, the method comprising the steps of supporting the glass sheet on a bending mould; moving the glass sheet through the zones of the furnace in a plurality of intermittent steps, each step substantially corresponding in length to the distance separating corresponding points of successive heating zones; exposing the glass sheet during its passage through said heating zones to a succession of furnace heat sources contained in the upper part of each zone of said furnace; heating the glass sheet to a heat-softened condition as a result of said exposure; allowing the heat-softened glass sheet to sag into conformity with said bending mould; and raising the bending i-nould, while still supporting the glass sheet, towards the furnace heat sources in at least one of the heating zones. The bent glass sheet may be used in the manufacture of a vehicle glazing.