Systems and methods for processing a glass ribbon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11780760-B2
Application number	US-201816647207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Oct 10, 2023
Grant date	Oct 10, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for automated, sequential processing of a continuous glass ribbon by conveying the glass ribbon in a ribbon travel direction, forming a score line in the glass ribbon, separating a glass sheet from the glass ribbon at the score line while supporting the glass sheet with a transfer device, lowering the glass sheet onto a conveyor, and conveying the glass sheet in a sheet travel direction differing from the ribbon travel direction. By transferring and then conveying the glass sheet in a direction differing from the ribbon travel direction (e.g., a 90 degree turn) immediately after glass sheet separation, the systems and method of the present disclosure are conducive to streamlined production of glass sheets utilizing a unique production floor footprint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for processing a glass ribbon, the system comprising:
a glass ribbon conveying device comprising an upstream end opposite a downstream end, wherein the glass ribbon conveying device establishes a ribbon travel direction from the upstream end to the downstream end;
a glass scoring device operatively associated with the glass ribbon conveying device between the upstream and downstream ends;
a glass sheet conveying device comprising an upstream section located adjacent the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device, wherein the upstream section comprises a sheet support face and establishes a sheet travel direction, the sheet travel direction of the upstream section differing from the ribbon travel direction; and
a transfer device positioned downstream from the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device and located in the upstream section of the glass sheet conveying device, the transfer device comprising a receiving surface and an actuator assembly operable to transition the receiving surface between a first vertical position and a second vertical position, wherein the first vertical position is above the sheet support face and the second vertical position is below the sheet support face.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical position corresponds with the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass ribbon conveying device comprises a ribbon support face for conveying the glass ribbon, and further wherein the first vertical position comprises the receiving surface being horizontally aligned with the ribbon support face at the downstream end.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass scoring device comprises a cutting apparatus configured to impart a score line into the glass ribbon being conveyed by the glass ribbon conveying device to form a glass sheet intermediate in the glass ribbon downstream of the score line, and further wherein the first vertical position locates the receiving surface to receive the glass sheet intermediate located downstream of the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein a break along the score line transitions the glass sheet intermediate into a glass sheet, and further wherein moving the receiving surface from the first vertical position to the second vertical position locates the glass sheet on the sheet support face.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the upstream end of the glass sheet conveying device comprises a plurality of rollers collectively defining the sheet support face, and further wherein the transfer device comprises a first beam defining at least a portion of the receiving surface, and even further wherein the first beam is slidably disposed between a first pair of immediately adjacent rollers of the plurality of rollers.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the transfer device further comprises a second beam defining at least a portion of the receiving surface, and further wherein the second beam is slidably disposed between a second pair of immediately adjacent rollers of the plurality of rollers.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly is further operable to transition the receiving surface between a first horizontal position and a second horizontal position in the ribbon travel direction, wherein a distance in the ribbon travel direction between an end of the receiving surface and the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device in the first horizontal position is less than a distance in the ribbon travel direction between the end of the receiving surface and the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device in the second horizontal position.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller programmed to selectively prompt the actuator assembly to move the receiving surface from the first horizontal position to the second horizontal position at a rate greater than a conveying rate of the glass ribbon conveying device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon travel direction is perpendicular to the sheet travel direction.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a lehr associated with the glass ribbon conveying device upstream of the glass scoring assembly.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass scoring device comprises a cutting apparatus comprising a support shaft, a cutting member and a caster assembly connecting the cutting member and the support shaft such that the cutting member can swivel relative to the support shaft.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the glass scoring device comprises a cutting apparatus and a force adjustment mechanism adapted to selectively alter a downward force applied onto the cutting apparatus.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a separation initiation device comprising a nozzle in fluid communication with a supply of pressurized gas, wherein the nozzle is associated with the glass ribbon conveying device between the downstream end and the glass scoring device.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiving surface is located entirely downstream from the glass scoring device.

16. A method for processing a glass ribbon, the method comprising:
conveying a glass ribbon along a glass ribbon conveying device in a ribbon travel direction toward a downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device, the downstream end being opposite an upstream end;
imparting a score line into the conveyed glass ribbon by a glass scoring device;
separating a glass sheet from the conveyed glass ribbon, wherein an end of the glass sheet is defined at the score line;
locating the glass sheet on a sheet support face of an upstream section of a glass sheet conveying device with a transfer device positioned downstream from the downstream end of the glass ribbon conveying device and located in the upstream section of the glass sheet conveying device;
wherein the transfer device comprises a receiving surface and an actuator assembly operable to transition the receiving surface between a first vertical position and a second vertical position, wherein the first vertical position comprises the receiving surface located above the sheet support face and the second vertical position comprises the receiving surface located below the sheet support face;
and further wherein the step of locating the glass sheet comprises transitioning the receiving surface from the first vertical position to the second vertical position; and
conveying the glass sheet along the upstream section of the glass sheet conveying device in a sheet travel direction, the sheet travel direction differing from the ribbon travel direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sheet travel direction is perpendicular to the ribbon travel direction.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein following the step of imparting a score line and prior to the step of separating a glass sheet, a glass sheet intermediate is defined in the conveyed glass ribbon, the glass sheet intermediate defined between the score line and a leading end of the conveyed glass ribbon, and further wherein prior to the step of separating, the glass sheet intermediate is connected to a remainder of the glass ribbon, and even further wherein the step of separating comprises receiving the glass sheet intermediate at the receiving surface as the glass sheet intermediate travels beyond the downstream end with continued movement of the conveyed glass ribbon.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of separating the glass sheet fu

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Basit Muhammad Haider Ali
• Eversole Steven Marshall
• Fornell Nils Paul
• Fredholm Allan Mark
• Gerschel Misha Andre
• Gramstad James Tollef
• Ho Ching-Han
• Phenes Craig Marshall
• Poissy Stephane

Classifications

• C03B33/0235 Primary

  Ribbons · CPC title

• B65G49/061

  Lifting, gripping, or carrying means, for one or more sheets forming independent means of transport, e.g. suction cups, transport frames (suction means as load-engaging elements attached to the lifting or lowering gear of cranes B66C1/02; suction cups for attaching purposes F16B47/00; suction cups on gripping heads B25J15/0616; suction cups in general B65G47/91; suction cups combined with cutting means on vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; devices for turning sheets B65G49/067; suspending devices B65G49/066) · CPC title

• B65G49/064

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

• B65G49/067

  Sheet handling, means, e.g. manipulators, devices for turning or tilting sheet glass (suction cups B65G49/061; combined with vertical conveyors C03B33/00 - C03B33/10; stacking and destacking B65G49/068) · CPC title

• C03B33/027

  Scoring tool holders; Driving mechanisms therefor · CPC title