Apparatus and method for bending glass using microwaves
AssigneeGuardian Industries Corp.
InventorRobert A. Vandal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for bending glass substrate(s) are provided. Microwave radiation is used to heat glass substrate(s) for bending. As a result, a coating supported by the substrate(s) is not heated as much during the bending process compared to if only conventional IR radiation was used. Thus, more extreme degrees of glass bending may be achieved, and/or the likelihood of coating damage reduced.
Claims20
An apparatus for bending coated glass, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one source for directing microwave radiation toward a glass substrate in order to heat the glass substrate for bending, wherein a coating supported by the glass substrate comprises at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver (Ag) sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers;
- and
- means for bending the heated glass substrate and the coating thereon so that a smallest radius of curvature defined by a major surface of the resulting bent glass substrate is no greater than about 3,000 mm.
A method of bending coated glass, the method comprising:
- directing microwave radiation toward a glass substrate in order to heat the glass substrate for bending, wherein a coating supported by the glass substrate comprises at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver (Ag) sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers;
- and
- bending the glass substrate and the coating thereon so that a tightest radius of curvature defined by a major surface of the resulting bent glass substrate is no greater than about 3,000 mm.
A method of making a vehicle windshield, the method comprising:
- directing microwave radiation toward first and second glass substrates in order to heat the glass substrates for bending,
- providing a coating supported by one of the glass substrates which comprises at least one infrared (IR) reflecting layer comprising silver (Ag) sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers;
- and
- bending the glass substrates and laminating the substrates together to form a vehicle windshield so that a tightest radius of curvature defined by a major surface of the resulting windshield is no greater than about 3,000 mm.
A method of bending coated glass, the method comprising:
- directing microwave radiation toward a glass substrate in order to heat the glass substrate for bending;
- and
- bending the glass substrate so that a smallest radius of curvature defined by a major surface of the resulting bent glass substrate is no greater than about 3,000 mm.
A method of making a vehicle windshield, the method comprising:
- directing microwave radiation comprising at least one wavelength from 6 to 10 mm toward a glass substrate in order to heat the glass substrate for bending;
- providing a coating on the glass substrate to be bent, the coating comprising at least one layer comprising Ag sandwiched between at least two dielectric layers;
- and
- after heating the glass substrate using the microwave radiation, causing the glass substrate to be bent and thereafter laminated to another substrate thereby forming a vehicle windshield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.