# US 9,517,961 B2 · Glass ribbon and method for producing the same

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- Number: US 9,517,961 B2
- Document ID: US9517961B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/325,912
- Filed: 2014-07-08
- Published: 2014-10-30
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-30
- Assignees: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masanori Wada; Sotohiro Nakajima
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517961B2

## CPC

- C03B 23/037: by drawing
- B32B 17/06: comprising glass as the main or only constituent of a layer, next to another layer of a specific {material}
- C03B 33/037: Controlling or regulating
- C03B 2225/02: Means for positioning, aligning or orientating the sheets during their travel, e.g. stops
- Y10T 428/24488: Differential nonuniformity at margin
- C03B: MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A glass ribbon has a thickness of 100 μm or less and includes a convex curved surface portion on a side surface. The glass ribbon can be produced by heating a preform glass material having a thickness of 2 mm or less, and subjecting the preform glass material to drawing so that the preform glass material has a thickness of 100 μm or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a glass ribbon, comprising the steps of:
preparing a glass preform having a thickness of 2 mm or less;
heating the glass preform; and
drawing the heated glass preform to form a glass ribbon, while winding the glass ribbon directly on a bobbin or winding drum without contacting any tension rollers, wherein a predetermined tension is applied to the glass ribbon during the drawing by adjusting a winding speed of the bobbin or winding drum so that the glass ribbon comprises side surfaces, and wherein the bobbin or winding drum has flanges at both ends thereof, and a distance between the flanges in an axial direction of the bobbin or winding drum is compatible with a width of the glass ribbon to guide the side surfaces of the glass ribbon.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 1, wherein, in the step of heating, the glass preform has a viscosity of 106.0 to 109.0 dPa·s.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 1, wherein in the step of drawing, fire-polished convex curved surfaces are formed on the side surfaces of the glass ribbon.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 1, wherein in the step of drawing, the side surfaces of the glass ribbon are formed entirely into fire-polished convex curved surfaces.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the glass ribbon has a thickness of 100 μm or less and a thickness unevenness of 20% or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 1, further comprising superimposing the glass ribbon on a packaging buffer sheet.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 6, wherein the packaging buffer sheet has a width greater than the width of the glass ribbon and substantially equal to the distance between the flanges.

### Claim 8

A method of producing a glass ribbon, comprising the steps of:
preparing a glass preform having a thickness of 2 mm or less;
heating the glass preform; and
subjecting the glass preform to a down-drawing to form a glass ribbon while winding the glass ribbon directly on a bobbin or winding drum without contacting any tension rollers, wherein a predetermined tension is applied to the glass ribbon during the down-drawing by adjusting a winding speed of the bobbin or winding drum so that the glass ribbon has a thickness of 100 μm or less and comprises side surfaces, wherein the side surfaces are entirely fire-polished convex curved surfaces, and wherein the bobbin or winding drum has flanges at both ends thereof, and a distance between the flanges in an axial direction of the bobbin or winding drum is compatible with a width of the glass ribbon to guide the side surfaces of the glass ribbon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 8, further comprising superimposing the glass ribbon on a packaging buffer sheet.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of producing a glass ribbon according to claim 9, wherein the packaging buffer sheet has a width greater than the width of the glass ribbon and substantially equal to the distance between the flanges.