Device for conveying and retaining glass sheets, particularly in a washing facility, and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10556756-B2
Application number	US-201716091756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2017
Priority date	Apr 6, 2016
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A device for conveying and holding a sheet of glass includes a conveyor and a holder configured to hold a sheet of glass in position, in particular in a horizontal position. The holder includes at least two spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems, and a multitude of spaced-apart wires extending transversely with respect to the lateral conveying systems and borne thereby, the sheet of glass being intended, via at least all or part of its lateral sides, to be pressed locally against the wires, and a delivery system configured to deliver pressurized water and/or air jets, the pressurized jets being intended to be sprayed toward the upper face of the sheet of glass—the opposite face to the one supported by the wires, so as to keep the sheet of glass pressed firmly against the wires.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for conveying and holding a sheet of glass comprises a conveyor and a holder configured to hold a sheet of glass in position, wherein the holder comprises:
at least two spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems and a multitude of spaced-apart wires extending transversely with respect to the lateral conveying systems and borne thereby, the sheet of glass being intended, via at least all or part of its lateral sides, to be pressed locally against the wires, and
a delivery system configured to deliver pressurized water and/or air jets, the pressurized jets being intended to be sprayed toward an upper face of the sheet of glass, which is the opposite face to the one supported by the wires, so as to keep said sheet of glass pressed firmly against the wires.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lateral conveying systems extend longitudinally in a conveying direction, the two lateral conveying systems being intended to be arranged in such a way as to be on either side and some distance away from the two lateral sides of the sheet of glass.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the delivery system configured to deliver pressurized air and/or water jets correspond to air and/or water jets intended to clean the sheet of glass on the upper face thereof, whereas other jets are sprayed at the same time onto the opposite underside face, the jets sprayed onto the upper face of the sheet of glass being higher powered than the jets sprayed onto the underside face.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wires extend at least in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction, whereas the lateral conveying systems are parallel to the conveying direction.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wires form a network of wires, crisscrossed in the manner of a net comprising a multiplicity of meshes.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wires form a single support of parallel and spaced-apart wires, or a single net of crossed wires, the dimensions of which are greater than those of the sheet of glass.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wires form a pair of two separate supports of spaced-apart wires, or a pair of two separate nets, each support or net being borne along its two opposing lateral sides by a respective one of the two lateral conveying systems, and by a central conveying system positioned centrally between the two lateral conveying systems.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the conveying system comprises two parallel central conveying systems each being mechanically coupled to a respective lateral system such that the movement of the lateral conveying systems is synchronized with the central conveying systems.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising several nets or pairs of nets distributed at distances along a length of the lateral conveying systems.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two lateral conveyors are made up of nets.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the spacing of the wires or the width of a net mesh is comprised between 10 mm and 200 mm.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the wires is comprised between 0.5 mm and 15 mm.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wires have a smooth surface.

14. A washing and drying facility comprising at least one holding device as claimed in claim 1 , for cleaning sheets of glass for vehicle glazing.

15. A method for implementing a device as claimed in claim 1 in a facility comprising a washing and drying machine, the device comprising two central conveyors, the method comprising:
adjusting a height of the lateral conveying systems with the device in the stopped position;
bringing the sheet of glass by an automated system in over the conveying and holding device so as to be deposited on the central conveyors and the wires, if present, upstream of the washing machine;
conveying the sheet of glass as far as an inlet to the washing machine where its lateral edges will be supported by a net;
washing and drying the sheet of glass thus supported;
during the washing and drying, spraying pressurized jets of water and then air onto the two opposing underside and upper faces of the sheet of glass, a pressure applied by the jets toward the upper face is being stronger than a pressure of the lower jets so as to ensure that the sheet of glass is kept pressed firmly against the net or nets.

16. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the holder is configured to hold the sheet of glass in a horizontal position.

17. The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a positive pressure gradient greater than 10% is formed between the jets aimed onto the upper face and the opposing jets aimed onto the underside face.

18. The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the conveyor comprises one or two central conveying systems arranged centrally between the lateral conveying systems, the sheet of glass being intended by its central part, to face and rest on the one or two central conveying systems.

19. The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein inclinations of the nets are adjustable.

20. The device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the material of the wires is a plastics material.

21. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least two spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems includes first, second, and third spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems.

22. The device as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the third spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying system is provided between the first and second spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems at a vertical elevation that is different from a vertical elevation of the first and second spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems.

23. The device as claimed in claim 21 , wherein at least two of the first, second, and third spaced-apart and parallel lateral conveying systems are vertically adjustable.

Assignees

• Saint Gobain

Inventors

• Sauvinet Vincent
• Olivier Thierry

Classifications

• B65G17/064

  the profiles, rods, bars, rollers or the like being interconnected by a mesh or grid-like structure · CPC title

• B65G49/064 Primary

  in a horizontal position (B65G49/066 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G2201/0214

  Articles of special size, shape or weigh · CPC title

• B08B11/04 Primary

  specially adapted for plate glass, e.g. prior to manufacture of windshields · CPC title

• B08B5/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities {(airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005)} · CPC title