System and method for forming fused quartz glass
AssigneeHeraeus Quartz America LLC
InventorMatthew Donelon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of forming fused quartz glass is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a starting body made of fused quartz glass; (b) positioning the fused quartz glass starting body on a base plate; (c) inserting a first insert device into an interior cavity of the starting body to form an assembled structure; (d) heating the assembled structure to a predetermined temperature at which the fused quartz glass has a viscosity in a range of 105 to 1013 poise; and (e) deforming the fused quartz glass of the starting body at the predetermined temperature or in the viscosity range of 105 to 1013 poise around the first insert device to change a shape of the starting body. A method for making a large fused quartz glass vessel and a forming assembly for forming fused quartz glass are also provided.
Claims15
A method of forming fused quartz glass, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a starting body made of fused quartz glass, the starting body having a generally tubular shape and an interior cavity;
- (b) positioning the starting body on a base plate;
- (c) inserting a first insert device into the interior cavity of the starting body to form an assembled structure, the first insert device comprising a horizontal upper support plate, a horizontal lower support plate, and one or more vertically oriented spacers disposed between the upper and lower support plates, wherein opposing lateral sides of each of the plates contacts an interior surface of the starting body at different positions along a circumference thereof;
- (d) heating the assembled structure to a predetermined temperature at which the fused quartz glass has a viscosity in a range of 105 to 1013 poise;
- and
- (e) deforming the fused quartz glass of the starting body at the predetermined temperature or in the viscosity range of 105 to 1013 poise around the first insert device to change a shape of the starting body.
A method for making a fused quartz glass vessel, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a starting body made of fused quartz glass, the starting body having a generally tubular shape and an interior cavity;
- (b) positioning the starting body on a base plate;
- (c) in a first forming stage,
- (i) inserting a first insert device into the interior cavity of the starting body to form a first assembled structure, the first insert device comprising a horizontal upper support plate, a horizontal lower support plate, and one or more vertically oriented spacers disposed between the upper and lower support plates, wherein opposing lateral sides of each of the plates contacts an interior surface of the starting body at different positions along a circumference thereof
- (ii) heating the first assembled structure to a predetermined temperature at which the fused quartz glass of the starting body has a viscosity in a range of 105 to 1013 poise, and
- (iii) deforming the fused quartz glass of the starting body at the predetermined temperature or in the viscosity range of 105 to 1013 poise around the first insert device to form an intermediate body made of fused quartz glass;
- and
- (d) in a second forming stage,
- (i) removing the first insert device and inserting a second insert device into an interior cavity of the intermediate body to form a second assembled structure, the second insert device having an overall size different from that of the first insert device, and
- (ii) heating the second assembled structure to the predetermined temperature while simultaneously pressing an exterior surface of the intermediate body by a pressing plate to cause deformation of the intermediate body around the second insert device to form a fused quartz glass vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.