# US 8,769,989 B2 · Cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film and cleaving method for a band-like glass film > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,769,989 B2 - Document ID: US8769989B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/296,583 - Filed: 2011-11-15 - Published: 2012-05-31 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-22 - Assignees: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kaoru Mitsugi; Naohiro Ikai; Hiroshi Adachi; Hiroki Mori - Inventors: Kaoru Mitsugi; Naohiro Ikai; Hiroshi Adachi; Hiroki Mori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8769989B2 ## CPC - C03B 21/02: by cutting (C03B9/46 takes precedence) - C03B 33/0235: {Ribbons} - C03B 33/033: Apparatus for opening score lines in glass sheets - C03B 33/091: {using at least one focussed radiation beam, e.g. laser beam (C03B33/0955 takes precedence)} - B65H 2301/4127: with interleaf layer, e.g. liner - Y02P 40/57: Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates - C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract A cleaving apparatus holds at least one surface (effective surface) of a band-like glass film in a non-contact state to suppress a situation that wavy portions reach a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved. The cleaving apparatus cleaves the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region. The localized heating and the cooling is performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. The cleaving apparatus includes an air knife for supplying air to a front surface of the band-like glass film to retain the film on a conveyor at a position on an upstream side of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film, which is configured such that the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, is cleaved along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region resulting from the localized heating, the localized heating and the cooling being performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film, the cleaving apparatus comprising: support means for supporting a back surface side of the band-like glass film; air supply means for supplying air during conveying of the band-like glass film to a front surface of the band-like glass film, while the back surface side of the band-like glass film is supported by the support means, to retain the band-like glass film on the support means at a position upstream of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction, the cleaving region being a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved; and a roll-up device by which at least a part of the band-like glass film that has been cleaved is rolled, wherein the band-like glass film is cleaved during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress after being retained on the support means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1, wherein the air supply means supplies the air having a width that is larger than a width of the band-like glass film. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1, wherein the air supply means comprises an air knife. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1, wherein the air supply means blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 6 A cleaving method for a band-like glass film, in which the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, is cleaved along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region resulting from the localized heating, the localized heating and the cooling being performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film, the cleaving method comprising: supporting, by support means, a back surface side of the band-like glass film; supplying, by air supply means, air during conveying of the band-like glass film to a front surface of the band-like glass film, while the back surface side of the band-like glass film is supported by the support means, to retain the band-like glass film on the support means at a position upstream of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction, the cleaving region being a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved; and rolling, with a roll-up device, at least a part of the band-like film that has been cleaved, wherein the band-like glass film is cleaved during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress after being retained on the support means. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2, wherein the air supply means comprises an air knife. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2, wherein the air supply means blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 3, wherein the air knife blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 7, wherein the air knife blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 3, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 4, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 7, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 8, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 9, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 10, wherein the support means comprises an air float table. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1, further comprising a thermal stress cleaving device that cleaves the band-like glass film during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The cleaving method for a band-like glass film according to claim 6, further comprising cleaving, with a thermal stress cleaving device, the band-like glass film during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress.