Glass sheet mold apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10683227-B2
Application number	US-201615772878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A mold apparatus for bending a glass sheet includes a main frame structure and a first mold arrangement having a first mold and a guide frame connected to the first mold. A first guide member of the guide frame is guidable by the frame structure such that it is inhibited from moving laterally in any direction, and a second guide member of the guide frame is guidable by the frame structure such that it is movable laterally away from the first guide member due to thermal expansion. The apparatus further includes a second mold arrangement including a second mold and a frame that supports the second mold such that the second mold is movable laterally relative to the frame. A sensor is also included for sensing position of one of the molds to determine whether the one mold is in a suitable position for mating with the other mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mold apparatus for bending a glass sheet, the mold apparatus comprising:
a main frame structure;
a first mold arrangement supported by the main frame structure, the first mold arrangement including a first mold and a guide frame connected to the first mold, the guide frame including first and second guide members that are vertically movable with respect to the main frame structure, the first guide member being guidable by the main frame structure such that the first guide member is inhibited from moving laterally in any direction when a portion of the first mold arrangement including the first mold is subjected to heat, and the second guide member being guidable by the main frame structure such that the second guide member may move laterally away from the first guide member due to thermal expansion of the first mold arrangement;
a second mold arrangement including a second mold and a support frame that supports the second mold such that the second mold is movable laterally with respect to the support frame; and
at least one sensor for sensing position of one of the molds in order to determine whether the one mold is in a suitable position for mating with the other mold;
wherein the second mold is adjustable laterally to mate with the first mold in order to account for thermal expansion that may occur during use.

2. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second guide member is guidable by the main frame structure such that the second guide member is inhibited from moving laterally in two opposite directions when the portion of the first mold arrangement is subjected to heat.

3. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a linear variable differential transformer.

4. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second mold arrangement comprises a movable frame fixedly connected to the second mold and movably supported on the support frame at four locations, and the at least one sensor comprises four sensors, and wherein two of the sensors are associated with one of the locations, and the other two sensors are associated with another one of the locations.

5. The mold apparatus of claim 4 wherein each sensor comprises a linear variable differential transformer.

6. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mold is an upper mold and the second mold is a lower mold, and wherein the upper mold is movable vertically to mate with the lower mold.

7. The mold apparatus of claim 6 wherein the lower mold is a press ring.

8. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first guide member is connected to the main frame structure at one or more first connection locations, and each first connection location comprises four rotatable members for inhibiting lateral movement of the first guide member.

9. The mold apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second guide member is connected to the main frame structure at one or more second connection locations, and each second connection location comprises two rotatable members for inhibiting lateral movement of the second guide member in two opposite directions.

10. The mold apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first guide member forms a first end portion of the first mold arrangement.

11. The mold apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a laterally movable shuttle device for picking up the glass sheet from a conveyor and transporting the glass sheet to a location between the first and second molds, and wherein a pick-up position of the glass sheet from the conveyor onto the shuttle device is adjustable based on position of at least one of the molds.

12. The mold apparatus of claim 11 wherein the shuttle device comprises an upper mold.

13. A mold apparatus for molding a glass sheet, the mold apparatus comprising:
a main frame structure;
an upper mold arrangement supported by the main frame structure, the upper mold arrangement including a vertically movable upper mold and a guide frame connected to the upper mold, the guide frame including first and second elongated guide posts that are vertically movable with respect to the main frame structure, the first guide post being guidable by the main frame structure such that the first guide post is inhibited from moving laterally in any direction when a portion of the upper mold arrangement including the upper mold is subjected to heat, and the second guide post being guidable by the main frame structure such that the second guide post is inhibited from moving laterally in two opposite directions when the portion of the upper mold arrangement is subjected to heat and such that the second guide post may move laterally away from the first guide post due to thermal expansion of the upper mold arrangement;
a lower mold arrangement including a lower mold and a support frame that supports the lower mold such that the lower mold is movable laterally with respect to the support frame; and
at least one sensor for sensing position of the lower mold in order to determine whether the lower mold is in a suitable position for sufficiently mating with the upper mold;
wherein, if determined that the molds will not sufficiently mate based on the sensed position of the lower mold, the lower mold is adjustable laterally with respect to the support frame to sufficiently mate with the upper mold in order to account for thermal expansion that may occur during use.

14. The mold apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a laterally movable shuttle device for picking up the glass sheet from a conveyor and transporting the glass sheet to a location between the upper and lower molds, and wherein a pick-up position of the glass sheet from the conveyor onto the shuttle device is adjustable based on position of at least one of the molds.

15. The mold apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a controller configured to determine position of the upper mold after the upper mold has mated with the lower mold, and to adjust the pick-up position of the glass sheet from the conveyor onto the shuttle device based on the position of the upper mold.

16. The mold apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a housing and first and second insulated cases attached to the housing, wherein the housing and the insulated cases define a heated chamber in which the portion of the upper mold arrangement is positioned, and wherein the first and second guide posts are partially enclosed within the first and second insulated cases, respectively, such that the first guide post movably protrudes through top and bottom portions of the first insulated case and the second guide post movably protrudes through top and bottom portions of the second insulated case.

17. The mold apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a heated chamber in which the portion of the upper mold arrangement and the lower mold are positioned, wherein the lower mold arrangement further includes a frame connected to the lower mold and one or more bearings positioned between the frame and the support frame for enabling the frame and the lower mold to move laterally with respect to the support frame, and wherein the one or more bearings are positioned outside of the heated chamber.

18. A method of operating a mold apparatus for bending a glass sheet, wherein the mold apparatus includes a main frame structure, a first mold arrangement supported by the main frame structure and including a vertically movable first mold and a guide frame connected to the first mold, and a second mold arrangement including a second mold and a support frame that supports the second mold, the method comprising:
sensing position of one of the molds in ord

Assignees

• Glasstech Inc

Inventors

• Nitschke David B
• Nitschke Dean M
• Schnabel Jr James P

Classifications

• Y02P40/50

  Glass production, e.g. reusing waste heat during processing or shaping · CPC title

• C03B23/0302 Primary

  between opposing full-face shaping moulds · CPC title

• C03B23/0357 Primary

  by suction without blowing, e.g. with vacuum or by venturi effect · CPC title

• C03B35/145

  by top-side transfer or supporting devices, e.g. lifting or conveying using suction · CPC title

• C03B35/24

  on a gas support bed · CPC title