Method and apparatus for thickness control of a material ribbon
AssigneeSchott AG
InventorsFrank Buellesfeld, Doris Moseler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible method of controlling the thickness of a material ribbon, in particular a glass ribbon, as well as an apparatus to implement such a method. To this end, a material in a heated and softened state is drawn into a ribbon and is then cooled down. During the forming process during which the ribbon is formed and drawn, the material is heated. During the forming process thermal energy at least partially in the form of thermal radiation that is emitted from a surface of a heated heating element. that is located opposite the material, is supplied to the material. Heating of heating element occurs at least partially through the energy of a laser beam that is directed onto heating element, thereby locally heating the heating element.
Claims18
A method for the manufacture of a material ribbon, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a material in a heated and softened state into the material ribbon in a forming process of the material ribbon, and cooling down the material ribbon;
- heating the material during the forming process by supplying to the material a thermal energy which is at least partially in the form of a thermal radiation from a heating element such that a temperature distribution is defined along the heating element, the heating element has a surface for emitting the thermal radiation that is located opposite the material;
- heating the heating element at least partially through an energy of a laser beam that is directed onto the heating element for locally heating the heating element;
- and
- moving a point of impingement of the laser beam subject to the temperature distribution.
A method for the manufacture of a material ribbon, comprising the steps of:
- drawing a material in a heated and softened state into the material ribbon in a forming process of the material ribbon, and cooling down the material ribbon;
- heating the material during the forming process by supplying to the material a thermal energy which is at least partially in the form of a thermal radiation from a heated heating element, the heating element has a surface for emitting the thermal radiation that is located opposite the material;
- and
- heating the heating element at least partially through an energy of a laser beam that is directed onto the heating element for locally heating the heating element,
- wherein a distance of the surface of the heating element facing the material ribbon is smaller in a direction transversely to a longitudinal direction of the material ribbon than its dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the material ribbon.
An apparatus for manufacturing a material ribbon, comprising:
- a draw device configured for drawing a material in a heated and softened state into the material ribbon;
- a heating element having a first surface and being configured for heating the material, during a forming process in which the material ribbon is formed and drawn, by a thermal radiation that is emitted from the first surface of the heating element that is configured to be located opposite the material being heated such that a temperature distribution is defined along the heating element;
- a laser having a laser beam that is directed onto the heating element for locally heating the heating element;
- and
- a beam deflection device being configured to move a point of impingement of the laser beam of the laser subject to the temperature distribution over the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.