Glass processing apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11214449-B2
Application number	US-201816630091-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2017
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A glass processing apparatus to convey a glass sheet along a conveyance path can include a plurality of air bars spaced apart from each other along a first direction extending perpendicular to a central axis. Each air bar can include a surface with a plurality of fluid outlet ports. The glass processing apparatus can include a plurality of plates, and at least one of the plurality of plates can be positioned between ones of the plurality of air bars. Each plate can include a surface with a plurality of fluid inlet ports. The plurality of air bars and the plurality of plates can be symmetrically arranged relative to the central axis. Methods of processing a glass sheet can include emitting fluid from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of each of the plurality of air bars, thereby providing a cushion of fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A glass processing apparatus to convey a glass sheet along a conveyance path, comprising:
a plurality of air bars spaced apart from each other along a first direction extending perpendicular to a central axis, each air bar comprising a surface with a plurality of fluid outlet ports; and
a plurality of plates, at least one of the plurality of plates positioned between ones of the plurality of air bars, each plate comprising a surface with a plurality of fluid inlet ports, the plurality of air bars and the plurality of plates symmetrically arranged relative to the central axis, wherein a widthwise distance extending in the first direction between immediately adjacent outer air bars of the plurality of air bars is less than a widthwise distance extending in the first direction between immediately adjacent central air bars of the plurality of air bars.

2. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the plurality of air bars and the surface of each of the plurality of plates extend along a common plane.

3. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the plurality of air bars and the surface of each of the plurality of plates define a continuous surface.

4. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the plurality of air bars spans a width extending in the first direction from a first edge of the air bar to a second edge of the air bar, and wherein the width of the surface of each of the plurality of air bars is equal.

5. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an effective area of the plurality of fluid outlet ports of each air bar of the plurality of air bars is equal.

6. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the plurality of plates spans a width extending in the first direction from a first edge of each plate to a second edge of each plate, and wherein the width of the surface of at least one plate of the plurality of plates is different than the width of the surface of one or more other plates of the plurality of plates.

7. The glass processing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the width of the surface of a central plate of the plurality of plates is greater than the width of the surface of an outer plate of the plurality of plates.

8. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of at least one plate of the plurality of plates is different than an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of one or more other plates of the plurality of plates.

9. The glass processing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of three centermost plates of the plurality of plates is greater than an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of a first outermost plate of the plurality of plates and a second outermost plate of the plurality of plates.

10. The glass processing apparatus of claim 9 , wherein an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of a first intermediate plate of the plurality of plates positioned between the first outermost plate and the three centermost plates is less than the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of the three centermost plates and greater than the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of the first outermost plate, and an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of a second intermediate plate of the plurality of plates positioned between the second outermost plate and the three centermost plates is less than the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of the three centermost plates and greater than the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of the second outermost plate.

11. The glass processing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of a third intermediate plate of the plurality of plates positioned between the first outermost plate and the first intermediate plate is equal to the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of the three centermost plates, and an effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of a fourth intermediate plate of the plurality of plates positioned between the second outermost plate and the second intermediate plate is equal to the effective area of the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of the three centermost plates.

12. A method of processing a glass sheet using the glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , the conveyance path extending along the central axis, the method comprising conveying the glass sheet along the conveyance path.

13. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid source connected to the plurality of air bars, the fluid source operable to provide fluid to each of the plurality of air bars and to emit fluid from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of each air bar.

14. The glass processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fluid source is operable to independently provide fluid to each of the plurality of air bars.

15. The glass processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fluid source is operable to emit fluid of differing pressures from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of one or more air bars of the plurality of air bars.

16. The glass processing apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the fluid source is operable to emit fluid of a first pressure from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of two centermost air bars of the plurality of air bars and fluid of a second pressure from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of a first outermost air bar of the plurality of air bars and a second outermost air bar of the plurality of air bars, and wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

17. The glass processing apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the fluid source is operable to emit fluid of a third pressure from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of a first of three air bars of the plurality of air bars positioned between the first outermost air bar and the two centermost air bars and from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of a second of three air bars of the plurality of air bars positioned between the second outermost air bar and the two centermost air bars, and wherein the third pressure is less than the second pressure.

18. The glass processing apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each plate of the plurality of plates are provided without a fluid source connected to the plurality of fluid inlet ports.

19. A method of processing a glass sheet using the glass processing apparatus of claim 13 , comprising emitting fluid from the plurality of fluid outlet ports of each of the plurality of air bars, thereby providing a cushion of fluid.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising floating the glass sheet on the cushion of fluid.

21. The method of claim 19 , the conveyance path extending along the central axis, the method comprising conveying the glass sheet along the conveyance path on the cushion of fluid.

22. The method of claim 19 , comprising passing at least a portion of the emitted fluid through the plurality of fluid inlet ports of each of the plurality of plates after providing the cushion of fluid.

23. The glass processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fluid outlet ports of one or more air bars of the plurality of air bars emit fluid at differing pressure

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Chou Cheng Nan
• Chuang Ming Hua

Classifications

• C03B35/24 Primary

  on a gas support bed · CPC title

• B65G49/065

  supported partially or completely on fluid cushions, e.g. a gas cushion (in general B65G51/00) · CPC title

• B65G2207/06

  Air cushion support of articles · CPC title

• B65G2201/022

  Flat · CPC title

• B65G47/91

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title