Heat chamfering apparatus and method

A heat chamfering method for a glass panel, the method comprising:

• bringing a heater into contact with an edge of a glass panel by causing the heater to approach a chamfering start point by relative movement between the heater and the glass panel;
• heat-chamfering the edge of the glass panel by applying thermal shock thereto while causing the heater to move from the chamfering start point to a chamfering end point along a chamfering line by relative movement between the heater and the glass panel;
• and
• bringing the heater into non-contact with the glass panel by causing the heater to depart from the chamfering end point by relative movement between the heater and the glass panel,
• wherein the heater approaches the chamfering start point such that an angle defined by an approach line, along which the heater approaches the chamfering start point, and the chamfering line at the chamfering start point ranges from 155° to 175°, and
• the heater departs from the chamfering end point such that an angle defined by the chamfering line and a departure line, along which the heater departs from the chamfering end point, ranges from 155° to 175°.

A heat chamfering apparatus for a glass panel, the heat chamfering apparatus comprising:

• a support unit configured to support a glass panel;
• a heater configured to heat-chamfer an edge of the glass panel by contact with the edge of the glass panel;
• and
• a control unit,
• wherein the control unit performs:
• relatively moving the heater and the glass panel such that the heater approaches a chamfering start point to come into contact with the edge of the glass panel, wherein the heater approaches the chamfering start point such that an angle defined by an approach line, along which the heater approaches the chamfering start point, and the chamfering line at the chamfering start point ranges from 155° to 175°;
• relatively moving the heater and the glass panel such that the heater heat-chamfers the edge of the glass panel by applying thermal shock thereto while moving from the chamfering start point to a chamfering end point along a chamfering line;
• and
• relatively moving the heater and the glass panel such that the heater departs from the chamfering end point, thereby coming into non-contact with the glass panel, wherein the heater departs from the chamfering end point such that an angle defined by the chamfering line and a departure line, along which the heater departs from the chamfering end point, ranges from 155° to 175°, and
• the control unit controls a relative position between the glass panel and the heater such that a contact pressure between the heater and the glass panel is maintained while the heater is being moved from the chamfering start point to the chamfering end point along the chamfering line.