Glass manufacturing system incorporating an optical low-coherence interferometry assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469559-B2
Application number	US-201414314238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A float glass system ( 10 ) includes a float bath ( 14 ) having a pool of molten metal ( 16 ). A chemical vapor deposition coater ( 32 ) is located in the float bath ( 14 ) above the pool of molten metal ( 16 ). The coater ( 32 ) includes at least one low-coherence interferometry probe ( 38 ) located in or on the coater ( 32 ) and connected to a low-coherence interferometry system ( 36 ). Another low-coherence interferometry probe 138 can be located outside an exit end of the float bath ( 14 ) and connected to the same or another low-coherence interferometry system ( 36 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A float glass system, comprising:
a float bath having a pool of molten metal;
at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe located in the float bath above the pool of molten metal;
an optical low-coherence interferometry system operatively connected to the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe;
at least one chemical vapor deposition coater located in the float bath, with the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe connected to the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater;
a positioning system connected to the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater; and
at least one window located in a bottom of the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater, and with the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe located in the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater and aligned with the at least one window.

2. The float glass system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater includes a coater housing, and wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe is located in the coater housing.

3. The float glass system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater includes a conduit in flow communication with a source of cooling fluid, and wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe is connected to the low-coherence interferometry system by an optical cable extending through the conduit.

4. The float glass system of claim 1 , further including at least one other optical low-coherence interferometry probe connected to a support and located adjacent an exit end of the float bath.

5. The float glass system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one other optical low-coherence interferometry probe is movably mounted on the support and the support is located outside of the float bath.

6. The float glass system of claim 4 , including a plurality of other optical low-coherence interferometry probes mounted on the support adjacent the exit end of the float bath and positioned adjacent the float glass ribbon path.

7. The float glass system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe comprises a lens assembly located in a probe housing.

8. The float glass system of claim 7 , wherein the probe housing includes a transparent cover plate.

9. A float glass system, comprising:
a float bath having a pool of molten metal;
at least one chemical vapor deposition coater located in the float bath, wherein the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater includes a coater housing and a bottom;
at least one window located in the bottom of the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater;
at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe connected to the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater and located in the coater housing, wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe is aligned with the at least one window; and
an optical low-coherence interferometry system operatively connected to the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe.

10. The float glass system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one at least one chemical vapor deposition coater includes a conduit in flow communication with a source of cooling fluid, and wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe is connected to the low-coherence interferometry system by an optical cable extending through the conduit.

11. The float glass system of claim 9 , including a positioning system connected to the at least one chemical vapor deposition coater.

12. The float glass system of claim 9 , further including at least one other optical low-coherence interferometry probe connected to a support and located adjacent an exit end of the float bath.

13. The float glass system of claim 12 , wherein the at least one other optical low-coherence interferometry probe is movably mounted on the support and the support is located outside of the float bath.

14. The float glass system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one optical low-coherence interferometry probe comprises a lens assembly located in a probe housing.

15. The float glass system of claim 14 , wherein the probe housing includes a transparent cover plate.

Assignees

• Ppg Ind Ohio Inc

Inventors

• Jiao Yu
• Mccamy James W
• Hanekamp David

Classifications

• C03B18/04 Primary

  Changing or regulating the dimensions of the molten glass ribbon · CPC title

• C03B18/02 Primary

  Forming sheets · CPC title

• C03C17/002

  for flat glass, e.g. float glass · CPC title

• G01B9/02091

  Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence · CPC title

• G01B11/14

  for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) · CPC title