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US 9,061,934 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for tight bending thin glass sheets
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsAntoine Gaston Denis Bisson, Curtis Richard Cowles, Laurent Joubaud, David John McEnroe, Aniello Mario Palumbo
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Abstract
An apparatus and methods for bending sheet glass are disclosed. The present invention improves on the state-of-the-art by providing apparatus and methods that prevent unwanted distortion of the glass sheet. The apparatus and methods utilize localized heating at the bend to allow for overall glass sheet temperatures to be reduced, along with optional mechanical devices for improved bend quality.
Claims18
An apparatus for bending a glass sheet having a bending area and a non-bending area, comprising:
- a. a support element;
- b. an overall heating device;
- c. a localized heating device that creates a localized heating area in the glass sheet bending area;
- and
- d. a constraint device which contacts said glass sheet outside of and adjacent to the bending area, wherein the constraint device is in contact with, or applying force to, the non-bending part of the glass sheet at a point on the same side of the bend as the support element, and is capable of limiting unwanted distortions or deformations to the glass sheet as a result of the bending process.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.