Apparatus for tempering and bending glass

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion, a perimeter, and an edge, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• and
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position for pressing and rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to cool the heated sheet of glass thereby tempering the heated sheet of glass, at least one of said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element including a cover, said cover including a plurality of openings and being inflated by a gas, said openings for directing the gas to the heated sheet of glass thereby cooling the heated sheet of glass, said cover including a perimeter and a central portion, said cover having a greater density of said openings at said perimeter of said cover than at said central portion of said cover for directing more gas to the perimeter of the heated sheet to thereby cool the edge of the heated sheet at least as fast as the central portion of the heated sheet to temper the heated sheet, and said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and rolling the sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion, a perimeter, and an edge, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• and
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position for pressing and rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold, at least one of said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element including a cover, said cover being constructed and arranged to cool the heated sheet of glass, said cover including a peripheral region and a central region, said peripheral region having a first thermal coefficient of conductivity and a first heat capacity, said central region having a second thermal coefficient of conductivity and a second heat capacity, said first thermal coefficient of conductivity and said first heat capacity being greater than said second thermal coefficient of conductivity and said second heat capacity, respectively, for cooling the perimeter of the heated sheet at least as fast as the central portion of the heated sheet of glass to thereby temper the edge of the sheet of glass, and said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and rolling the sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion, a perimeter, and an edge, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position for pressing and rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold, at least one of said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element including a cover, said cover being constructed and arranged to cool the heated sheet of glass thereby tempering the heated sheet of glass, said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged to extend to form a convex shape for initially pressing on one of a central portion and a peripheral portion of the heated sheet, and said conformable pressing element further constructed and arranged for rolling the sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold;
• and
• a frame supporting said conformable pressing element, said frame including a chamber below said conformable pressing element and a substantially incompressible, pressurized fluid in said chamber for expanding and urging said conformable pressing element into a convex shape having an apex.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion and a perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a flexible diaphragm constructed and arranged to extend to form a convex pressing surface for initially pressing on a central portion of the heated sheet, at least one of said flexible diaphragm and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to move between a holding position wherein said flexible diaphragm is spaced from said rigid mold, an initial pressing position wherein said flexible diaphragm presses the central portion of the heated sheet against a portion of said rigid mold, and a final pressing position wherein said flexible diaphragm rolls the heated sheet against said rigid mold from the central portion to the perimeter of the heated sheet for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold;
• and
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion and a perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position, said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and for rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold;
• a press frame, said rigid mold being supported by said press frame and having a periphery;
• and
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass, said conduit comprising a manifold, said manifold being supported by said press frame and extending around said periphery of said rigid mold and being constructed and arranged to direct the gas to the edge of the heated sheet of glass, and one of said manifold and said molding surface of said rigid mold including at least one vent for exhausting the gas from between said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion and perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position, said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and for rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold;
• a press frame, said rigid mold being supported by said press frame and having a periphery;
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass, said conduit comprising a manifold, said manifold being supported by said press frame and extending around said periphery of said rigid mold and being constructed and arranged to direct the gas to the edge of the heated sheet of glass;
• and
• a frame having an open end, said frame supporting said conformable pressing element over said open end, and said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged to flex in and out of said open end of said frame for pressing the sheet against said rigid mold, said manifold being interposed between said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element for directing the gas at the perimeter of the heated sheet while the heated sheet is being pressed and rolled against said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element conforming to said manifold.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion and a perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position, said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and for rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold, one of said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element including a cover constructed and arranged to cool the heated sheet of glass, said cover including a peripheral region and a central region, said peripheral region having a first thermal coefficient of conductivity and a first heat capacity, said central region having a second thermal coefficient of conductivity and a second heat capacity, said first thermal coefficient of conductivity and said first heat capacity being greater than said second thermal coefficient of conductivity and said second heat capacity, respectively, for cooling the perimeter of the heated sheet at least as fast as the central portion of the heated sheet of glass to thereby temper the edge of the sheet of glass;
• and
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, the sheet having a central portion and a perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position, said conformable pressing element constructed and arranged for pressing and for rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold, one of said rigid mold and said conformable pressing element including a cover constructed and arranged to cool the heated sheet of glass, said cover comprising a porous cover, said porous cover being inflated by a source of gas and including a plurality of openings for directing the gas to the heated sheet of glass thereby cooling and tempering the heated sheet wherein a greater number of said openings are positioned on said cover for directing more gas to the perimeter than for the central portion of the heated sheet of glass to thereby cool the perimeter at least as fast as the central portion of the heated sheet of glass;
• and
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass the sheet having a central portion and perimeter, said apparatus comprising:

• a rigid mold having a molding surface;
• a conformable pressing element, one of said conformable pressing element and said rigid mold being constructed and arranged to reciprocate between a holding position and a pressing position, said conformable pressing element being constructed and arranged for pressing and for rolling the heated sheet against said rigid mold for conforming the heated sheet to said molding surface of said rigid mold;
• and
• a conduit positioned for delivering a gas to at least a portion of the heated sheet of glass for cooling the heated sheet of glass during bending to thereby temper the portion of the heated sheet of glass said conduit comprising a groove in said molding surface of said rigid mold, said groove having an insert positioned therein, and said insert having one of a greater thermal conductivity and a greater heat capacity than said molding surface and being constructed and arranged for cooling the perimeter of the sheet at a faster rate thereby edge tempering the sheet.

An apparatus for bending and tempering a heated sheet of glass, said apparatus comprising:

• a press frame;
• a rigid mold supported by said press frame, said rigid mold having at least one molding surface;
• a bladder frame having an open end;
• a flexible membrane supported by said bladder frame over said open end and spaced from said press frame, said flexible membrane defining a chamber with said bladder frame, said chamber including an inlet and outlet through which the chamber is pressurized during a press cycle such that when said chamber is pressurized, said flexible membrane is extended from said bladder frame forming a convex top surface for pressing the heated sheet and for rolling the heated sheet against said molding surface of said rigid mold, one of said rigid mold and said bladder frame being constructed and arranged to move toward the other during the press cycle, the pressure applied to the heated sheet being independent of the movement of said rigid mold and said bladder frame;
• and
• a cooling system cooling at least one of said molding surface and said flexible membrane for tempering the heated sheet of glass while pressing and rolling the heated sheet against said molding surface.