Methods and apparatus for localized heating and deformation of glass sheets
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorAntoine G. D. Bisson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide for: an electrically conductive heating element having a length extending in a lateral direction between first and second ends, and one or more output surfaces operating to direct heat therefrom in a direction transverse to the lateral direction; and a carrying structure operable to support a glass sheet such that a major surface of the glass sheet is oriented towards the heat emanating from the one or more output surfaces of the heating element, where the electrically conductive heating element includes at least one heat flux variation feature operating to produce differing magnitudes of heat to emanate from at least two of the output surfaces of the heating element.
Claims22
An apparatus, comprising:
- a single, continuous electrically conductive heating element having a length extending in a lateral direction between first and second ends, and one or more output surfaces operating to direct heat therefrom in a direction transverse to the lateral direction;
- and
- a carrying structure operable to support a glass sheet such that a major surface of the glass sheet is oriented towards the heat emanating from the one or more output surfaces of the heating element,
- wherein the electrically conductive heating element includes at least one heat variation feature operating to produce differing magnitudes of heat to emanate from at least two of the output surfaces of the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.