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US 2012/0073327 A1Published application
Improved glass tempering method and apparatus
AssigneePillington Group Limited
InventorsRobert J. Boisselle, John Tomik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to glass tempering modules of a glass tempering apparatus capable of selectively directing a tempering medium at increased velocity in designated areas of a shaped glass sheet, by the selective arrangement and utilization of quench nozzles in the glass tempering modules, at varying distances from the surface of the shaped glass sheet. A method of tempering a glass sheet utilizing the foregoing apparatus is also provided.
Claims16
A glass tempering apparatus having a first glass tempering module_comprising, sequentially in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of a shaped glass sheet to be tempered:
- a first zone having a first plurality of nozzles being at a first distance from a first surface of the glass sheet, for directing a tempering medium toward the first surface of the glass sheet at a predetermined velocity the nozzles being arranged in a series of staggered rows and configured to conform to the profile of the shaped glass sheet;
- a second zone having a second plurality of nozzles to direct a_tempering medium toward the surface of the glass sheet, the nozzles being arranged in substantially parallel rows, and forming a mirror image from the centerline of the second zone comprising:
- from the centerline to a first transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles at a first distance from the glass surface substantially equal to the distance from the glass surface of the nozzles in the first zone, for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at a first predetermined velocity;
- from the first transverse distance from the centerline to a second transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles at a second distance from the glass sheet, the second distance being less than the first distance, and for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at a second predetermined velocity, the second predetermined velocity being greater than the first predetermined velocity;
- from the second transverse distance from the centerline to a third transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles substantially at the first distance from the glass surface, for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at substantially the first predetermined velocity;
- and
- a third zone having a third plurality of nozzles at a distance from the surface of the glass sheet substantially equal to the distance of the first plurality of nozzles from the surface of the glass sheet in order to direct a tempering medium toward the surface of the glass sheet at a predetermined velocity substantially equal to the first velocity, the nozzles being arranged in a series of staggered rows substantially similar to the arrangement of the first plurality of nozzles.
4 more elements
A method of tempering glass sheets comprising:
- providing one or more shaped glass sheets having first and second major surfaces serially conveyed by a glass transport system;
- providing a first tempering module and a second tempering module having complementary shapes, and spaced opposite and apart a predetermined distance, one from the other, each tempering module comprising:
- a first zone having a first plurality of nozzles being at a first distance from a first surface of the glass sheet, for directing a tempering medium toward the first surface of the glass sheet at a predetermined velocity the nozzles being arranged in a series of staggered rows and configured to conform to the profile of the shaped glass sheet;
- a second zone having a second plurality of nozzles to direct a tempering medium toward the surface of the glass sheet, the nozzles being arranged in substantially parallel rows, and forming a mirror image from the centerline of the second zone comprising:
- from the centerline to a first transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles at a first distance from the glass surface substantially equal to the distance from the glass surface of the nozzles in the first zone, for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at a first predetermined velocity;
- from the first transverse distance from the centerline to a second transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles at a second distance from the glass sheet, the second distance being less than the first distance, and for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at a second predetermined velocity, the second predetermined velocity being greater than the first predetermined velocity;
- from the second transverse distance from the centerline to a third transverse distance from the centerline, nozzles substantially at the first distance from the glass surface, for directing a tempering medium toward the glass surface at substantially the first predetermined velocity;
- a third zone having a third plurality of nozzles at a distance from the surface of the glass sheet substantially equal to the distance of the first plurality of nozzles from the surface of the glass sheet in order to direct a tempering medium toward the surface of the glass sheet at a predetermined velocity substantially equal to the first velocity, the nozzles being arranged in a series of staggered rows substantially similar to the arrangement of the first plurality of nozzles;
- and
- conveying the one or more shaped glass sheets between the first and second glass tempering modules.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.