Cleaving method for a glass film

A method comprising:

• conveying a glass film forward in a predetermined conveying direction;
• cleaving, during the conveying of the glass film, the glass film continuously along a preset cleaving line extending in the predetermined conveying direction by a thermal stress generated through localized heating performed along the preset cleaving line and through cooling of a region heated by the localized heating;
• dividing of the cleaved glass film in a width direction of the glass film into adjacent divided glass films, each of the adjacent divided glass films having longitudinally-extending inner side edges facing inwardly toward each other and longitudinally-extending outer side edges facing outwardly away from each other;
• and
• bending at least one of the adjacent divided glass films to form, after the dividing, a widthwise space between the adjacent divided glass films while continuously conveying all of the adjacent divided glass films in the predetermined conveying direction, such that the longitudinally-extending outer side edge and the longitudinally-extending inner side edge of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films move toward each other, and such that the at least one of the adjacent divided glass film is curved in a cross section orthogonal to the predetermined conveying direction,
• wherein the bending is carried out by supporting widthwise ends of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films by a roller conveyor comprising a plurality of conveying rollers, each of the plurality of conveying rollers comprising two rollers provided coaxially on a rotary shaft, the two rollers having identical outer diameters, and the two rollers being separated from each other in a longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft so as to support the widthwise ends of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films such that the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films is curved through distortion by its own weight to maintain a space between an outer circumferential surface of a widthwise central region of the rotary shaft and a widthwise central region of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films,
• forming the widthwise space to become bigger, in a widthwise direction, as the adjacent divided glass films move forwardly in the predetermined conveying direction until the widthwise space becomes 0.02 mm or more;
• and
• diverting the adjacent divided glass films, after the forming of the 0.02 mm or more widthwise space, while continuing the conveying in the predetermined conveying direction, such that a first of the adjacent divided glass films is offset forward of a second of the adjacent divided glass films;
• wherein the diverting is carried out at a first location, along the predetermined conveying direction, forward of a second location at which the forming of the widthwise space is carried out along the predetermined conveying direction;
• wherein the forming of the widthwise space is carried out at the second location, along the predetermined conveying direction, forward of a third location at which the cleaving is carried out;
• and
• wherein, after the diverting of the adjacent divided glass films is started, the supporting the widthwise ends of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films by the roller conveyor is finished to cancel the curved state of the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films whereby the at least one of the adjacent divided glass films returns to a flat state.