Method for forming shaped glass
OwnerJames William Masten, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sheet of glass can be formed in a batch process by introducing molten glass onto a layer of molten tin within a tank. The tank may be outfitted with infrared emitters to control the amount of heat delivered to the tank while the sheet of glass is formed. A lower surface of the tank can have a three-dimensional shape, and the molten tin may be removed from the tank while the sheet of glass is ductile so that the sheet of glass is molded by the three-dimensional shape, thereby producing a shaped sheet of glass. The delivery of infrared energy to the tank may be facilitated by one or more ceramic glass surface.
Claims20
A method of forming a sheet of shaped glass, the method comprising:
- providing a predetermined volume of tin to a tub in a tank with a lower surface having a three-dimensional shape;
- activating a first plurality of infrared emitters to heat the tin to a molten state;
- introducing molten glass onto the molten tin;
- cooling the molten glass to form a solid sheet;
- removing the molten tin from the tank so that the solid sheet of glass contacts the lower surface of the tank;
- and
- removing the sheet of glass from the tub.
A method of forming a sheet of shaped glass, the method comprising:
- heating a volume of tin in a tank using at least one infrared emitter to maintain the tin in a molten state, the tank having a lower surface with a three-dimensional shape;
- introducing molten glass onto the molten tin;
- cooling the molten glass to form a solid sheet floating on the molten tin;
- removing the molten tin from the tank so that the solid sheet of glass contacts the lower surface of the tank;
- and
- removing the sheet of glass from the tub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.