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:
Sep. 15, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 11, 1997
Edward Nashed Boulos, Troy, MI (US);
James Victor Jones, Toledo, OH (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
The invention is nitrate-free method to manufacture a blue soda-lime-silica glass composition and improving the ultraviolet light absorption thereof while maintaining a high visible light transmission. The method comprises the steps of: adding colorants, during molten glass formation, consisting essentially of a manganese compound along with a cobalt compound, iron oxide and optionally titanium oxide to a soda-lime-silica base glass composition, and adding no sodium nitrate into the batch during molten glass formation, the materials are adding in quantities sufficient to form said blue glass composition having at a 4.0 mm. thickness: 477-494 dominant wavelength and 6-40% purity of excitation. The blue glass composition, by weight, comprises a base glass composition of: 68 to 75% SiO.sub.2, 10 to 18% Na.sub.2 O, 5 to 15% CaO, 0 to 10% MgO, 0 to 5% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and 0 to 5% K.sub.2 O, where CaO+MgO is 6 to 15% and Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O is 10 to 20%; and colorants consisting essentially of: 0.4 to 2.0% total iron oxide as Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0.15 to 2.00% manganese oxide as MnO.sub.2 ; 0.005 to 0.025% cobalt oxide as Co, and 0 to 1.00% titanium oxide as TiO.sub.2. The glass is useful for automotive or architectural applications. The method preferably involves the use of a reducing agent like anthracite coal during melting operations.