US 7,363,777 B2Granted

Closed cassette and method for heat treating glass sheets

AssigneeCorning Incorporated

InventorRonald A. Davidson

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Abstract

A convection compatible closed cassette and method are described herein where the closed cassette is used to heat treat (compact) one or more glass sheets in a uniform manner and in a clean environment. In the preferred embodiment, the closed cassette includes multiple enclosed sections that are supported by a mounting structure in a manner where there is an open passageway between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections. And, each enclosed section is designed to hold and support multiple glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets. In operation, the closed cassette is placed into an oven (e.g., lehr, batch kiln) so that hot/cold unfiltered air can flow across the major surfaces of each enclosed section and uniformly heat/cool the enclosed glass sheets.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for heat treating a plurality of glass sheets, said method comprising the steps of:

placing a first plurality of the glass sheets within a first closed cassette, wherein said first closed cassette includes:
a first mounting structure;
a first plurality of enclosed sections that are supported by said first mounting structure such that each enclosed section is physically separated from their adjacent enclosed section(s) in a manner where there is an open passageway between major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections;
and
each enclosed section is designed to hold and support a portion of the first plurality of glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets;
placing a second plurality of glass sheets within a second closed cassette, wherein said second closed cassette includes:
a second mounting structure;
a second plurality of enclosed sections that are supported by said second mounting structure such that each enclosed section is physically separated from their adjacent enclosed section(s) in a manner where there is an open passageway between major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections;
and
each enclosed section is designed to hold and support a portion of the second plurality of glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets;
placing the first closed cassette and the second closed cassette into an oven;
and
operating the oven such that hot air flows across the major surfaces of each enclosed section of the first closed cassette and the second closed cassette to heat said glass sheets.

10 more elements

A system comprising:

an oven;
and
a first convection compatible closed cassette that includes:
a first mounting structure;
a first plurality of enclosed sections that are supported by said first mounting structure such that each enclosed section is physically separated from their adjacent enclosed section(s) in a manner where there is an open passageway between major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections;
and
each enclosed section is designed to hold and support a first plurality of glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets;
a second convection compatible closed cassette that includes:
a second mounting structure;
a second plurality of enclosed sections that are supported by said second mounting structure such that each enclosed section is physically separated from their adjacent enclosed section(s) in a manner where there is an open passageway between major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections;
and
each enclosed section is designed to hold and support a second plurality of glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets;
wherein said glass sheets are kept in a clean environment while being heated and then cooled by air moving across the major surfaces of each enclosed section when said first convection compatible closed cassette and second convection compatible closed cassette are located in said oven.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.