Methods of processing a viscous ribbon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11878928-B2
Application number	US-202017428139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2020
Priority date	Feb 6, 2019
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

Methods of processing a viscous ribbon include supplying a molten material from a supply vessel. Methods include forming the molten material into the viscous ribbon. The viscous ribbon travels along a travel path. Methods include receiving thermal light energy produced from the viscous ribbon. Methods include generating an image of the viscous ribbon from the thermal light energy. Methods include detecting a defect of the viscous ribbon from the image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing a viscous ribbon comprising:
supplying a molten material from a supply vessel;
forming the molten material into the viscous ribbon, the viscous ribbon traveling along a travel path;
receiving thermal light energy produced from the viscous ribbon;
generating an image of the viscous ribbon from the thermal light energy; and
detecting a defect of the viscous ribbon from the image, the detecting comprising determining a position of the defect.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating comprises rectifying the image to a perspective that is orthogonal to a plane defined by the viscous ribbon.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises determining if the defect is an inclusion within the viscous ribbon or a surface characteristic at a major surface of the viscous ribbon.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising tracking a first segment of the viscous ribbon, which comprises the defect.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the tracking comprises measuring a first velocity of the viscous ribbon.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising removing the first segment from the viscous ribbon downstream from a portion of the viscous ribbon that is imaged.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the thermal light energy from one or more of the viscous ribbon or the supply vessel.

8. A method of processing a viscous ribbon comprising:
supplying a molten material from a supply vessel;
forming the molten material into the viscous ribbon, the viscous ribbon traveling along a travel path;
receiving thermal light energy produced from the viscous ribbon;
generating an image of the viscous ribbon from the thermal light energy;
identifying an area of interest in the image; and
determining if the area of interest comprises a defect of the viscous ribbon.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining comprises measuring a first velocity of the viscous ribbon and a second velocity of the area of interest.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein if the first velocity is substantially equal to the second velocity, then classifying the area of interest as comprising the defect.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determining comprises identifying the area of interest in consecutive images of the viscous ribbon.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein if the area of interest is in consecutive images of the viscous ribbon, then classifying the area of interest as comprising the defect.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising separating the viscous ribbon downstream from a portion of the viscous ribbon that is imaged.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating the thermal light energy from one or more of the viscous ribbon or the supply vessel.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the generating the image of the viscous ribbon comprises rectifying the image to a perspective that is orthogonal to a plane defined by the viscous ribbon.

16. A method of processing a viscous ribbon comprising:
moving the viscous ribbon along a travel path in a travel direction;
receiving thermal light energy produced from the viscous ribbon;
generating an image of the viscous ribbon from the thermal light energy;
detecting a defect of the viscous ribbon from the image; and
removing from the viscous ribbon a first segment of the viscous ribbon that comprises the defect.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising tracking the first segment by measuring a first velocity of the viscous ribbon.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the detecting comprises determining if the defect is an inclusion within the viscous ribbon or a surface characteristic at a major surface of the viscous ribbon.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the detecting comprises determining a position of the defect.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Phenes Craig Marshall
• Sharps Robert Wendell
• Susch Nicholas Leon
• Wen Lianggong

Classifications

• C03B13/04 Primary

  Rolling non-patterned sheets continuously · CPC title

• G01N21/896

  Optical defects in or on transparent materials, e.g. distortion, surface flaws {in conveyed flat sheet or rod (for other objects G01N21/958)} · CPC title

• C03B2215/404

  Products with identification marks · CPC title

• C03C23/0005 Primary

  by irradiation · CPC title

• C03B13/00

  Rolling {molten} glass {, i.e. where the molten glass is shaped by rolling (re-forming shaped glass by rolling C03B23/004, C03B23/033, C03B23/055)} · CPC title