US 8,042,359 B2Granted

Methods and apparatus for heat treating glass sheets

AssigneeCorning Incorporated

InventorsFrank Thomas Coppola, Ronald Alan Davidson, Michael Brian Gildea, Gerard Kaper, Jason C Lail, Monica Jo Mashewske

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Abstract

Methods for heat treating glass sheets (13) are disclosed in which the sheets (13) are held in a vertical orientation in a treatment container (15) during the heat treatment. The container (15) includes a support system for the glass sheets (13) that comprises a bottom support (17), two side supports (19a, 19b), and a top support (21). The sheets (13) are slid into the container (15) without contact between their side edges (23a, 23b) and the side supports (19a, 19b). The top support (21) is then slid onto the tops of the sheets (13) without contacting the sheets' top edges (25). In certain embodiments, flushing air which has been HEPA filtered and pre-heated is passed through the container (15) during the heat treatment. Apparatus for practicing the methods of the invention are also disclosed.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for heat treating a plurality of glass sheets comprising:

(a) providing a container for housing the plurality of glass sheets during the heat treatment, said container comprising a support system for holding the glass sheets in a vertical orientation during the heat treatment, said support system comprising a bottom support, two side supports, and a top support;
(b) inserting the plurality of glass sheets into the container by sliding the glass sheets into the side supports without contacting the side edges of the sheets with the side supports;
(c) sliding the top support onto the tops of the plurality of glass sheets without contacting the top edges of the sheets with the top support after all the glass sheets have been loaded into the container, wherein the process of sliding the top support comprises:
(i) placing an infeed assembly and top support guide tool with hinged brackets on top of the container;
(ii) placing the top support on the infeed assembly and sliding the top support onto the hinged brackets on the top support guide tool;
(iii) lowering the hinged brackets to install the top support, and removing the top support guide tool from the container;
and
(d) subjecting the glass sheets to the heat treatment;
wherein:
(i) the top support comprises shaped members which contact the inserted glass sheets only at locations inboard from the top edges of the sheets;
and
(ii) the side supports comprise shaped members which contact the inserted glass sheets only at locations inboard from the side edges of the sheets.

9 more elements

A method for heat treating a plurality of glass sheets comprising:

(a) providing a container for housing the plurality of glass sheets during the heat treatment, said container comprising a support system for holding the glass sheets in a vertical orientation during the heat treatment, said support system comprising a bottom support, two side supports, and a top support;
(b) inserting the plurality of glass sheets into the container by sliding the glass sheets into the side supports without contacting the side edges of the sheets with the side supports;
(c) sliding the top support onto the tops of the plurality of glass sheets without contacting the top edges of the sheets with the top support after all the glass sheets have been loaded into the container, wherein the process of sliding the top support comprises:
(i) placing an infeed assembly and top support guide tool on top of the container;
(ii) placing the top support on the infeed assembly and sliding the top support onto the top support guide tool;
(iii) lowering the top support onto the top of the container using the top support guide tool, and removing the top support guide tool and the infeed assembly from the container;
and
(d) subjecting the glass sheets to the heat treatment;
wherein:
(i) the top support comprises shaped members which contact the inserted glass sheets only at locations inboard from the top edges of the sheets;
and
(ii) the side supports comprise shaped members which contact the inserted glass sheets only at locations inboard from the side edges of the sheets.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/437,756Filed 18 May 2006
Published: US 2007/0267312 A122 Nov 2007
Granted: 25 Oct 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

C03B 35/205
By supporting frames: the glass sheets being in a vertical position
C03B 25/025
In a discontinuous way: glass sheets
C03B 25/12
With vertical displacement of the glass products: of glass sheets
C03B 35/20
Transporting hot glass sheets or ribbons, e.g. by heat-resistant conveyor belts or bands: by gripping tongs or supporting frames