Glass bending method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9249044-B2
Application number	US-201113324992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2011
Priority date	Jul 1, 2011
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A sag-bending glass mold for creating a partial parabolic-curved glass sheet is disclosed. The glass mold comprises a glass-support surface having a cross-sectional profile of varying height. The cross-sectional profile has a first portion with profile of a non-parabolic, linear-square root composite shape. A method for forming a partial parabolic glass sheet is also disclosed. The method comprises positioning a planar glass sheet on a sag-bending mold having a linear-square root composite shape and deforming the glass sheet to follow the linear-square root composite shape of the sag-bending mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a partial parabolic glass sheet, the method comprising:
positioning a planar glass sheet on a sag-bending mold having a linear-square root composite shape for substantially the entire sag-bending mold; and
deforming substantially all of the glass sheet to follow the linear-square root composite shape of the sag-bending mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein deforming the glass sheet comprises heating the planar glass sheet to at least a first temperature, wherein the first temperature is sufficient to cause the glass sheet to sag under its own weight.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising maintaining the planar glass at the first temperature until the glass sheet has deformed to follow the linear-square root composite shape of the sag-bending mold.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising imparting a downward force to the glass sheet.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the glass sheet into a plurality of sections, each section having a partial parabolic glass shape.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the glass sheet has an aspect ratio of 2:1 or smaller.

7. A method for forming a glass sheet having a partial parabolic shape, the method comprising:
positioning a planar glass sheet on a sag-bending mold having an upper surface with a non-parabolic linear-square root composite shape for substantially the entire sag-bending mold;
deforming substantially all of the glass sheet to contact the non-parabolic upper surface of the sag-bending mold; and
separating the glass sheet from the sag-bending mold.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein deforming the glass sheet comprises heating the glass sheet, thereby causing the glass sheet to sag to the linear-square root composite shape of the upper surface of the sag-bending mold.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising cooling the glass sheet.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising removing the glass sheet from the sag-bending mold.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising separating the glass sheet into at least two sections, each section having a partial parabolic shape.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein deforming the glass sheet to contact the non-parabolic upper surface of the sag-bending mold comprises forming the glass sheet into at least one partial parabolic shape.

Assignees

• Judkins Zachary S
• Bourne Benjamin C
• Berrada Amine
• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Judkins Zachary S
• Bourne Benjamin C
• Berrada Amine

Classifications

• Y02P40/57

  Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates · CPC title

• C03B23/0026

  by gravity, e.g. sagging (C03B23/02, C03B23/04, C03B23/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• C03B23/0357

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

• C03B23/0252 Primary

  by gravity only, e.g. sagging (C03B23/035 takes precedence) · CPC title