CN110650926A - Symmetrical bending - Google Patents
Symmetrical bending Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CN110650926A CN110650926A CN201980001801.0A CN201980001801A CN110650926A CN 110650926 A CN110650926 A CN 110650926A CN 201980001801 A CN201980001801 A CN 201980001801A CN 110650926 A CN110650926 A CN 110650926A
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- CN
- China
- Prior art keywords
- articulated frame
- support
- central portion
- lateral
- glass
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
- C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
- C03B23/00—Re-forming shaped glass
- C03B23/02—Re-forming glass sheets
- C03B23/023—Re-forming glass sheets by bending
- C03B23/025—Re-forming glass sheets by bending by gravity
- C03B23/027—Re-forming glass sheets by bending by gravity with moulds having at least two upward pivotable mould sections
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Re-Forming, After-Treatment, Cutting And Transporting Of Glass Products (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention relates to bending glass sheets by gravity on an articulated framework. The invention also relates to a bending device and to a bent glass sheet obtained as a result of the implementation of such a bending method.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates to bending glass sheets by gravity on an articulated framework. In this case, the term "bending" refers to a method of bending a glass sheet with heat. The invention also relates to a bending device and to a bent glass sheet obtained as a result of the implementation of such a bending method.
The glass sheet obtained using this bending method can be used for being arranged on a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, and integrated into, for example, a windshield or a rear window.
Background
Gravity bending of glass sheets is well known. Such bending can be produced on a simple support of the frame or skeleton type, the geometry of which does not change during the bending process. Such a frame may optionally be continuous.
It should be noted, however, that automobile manufacturers and designers are increasingly trying to achieve large, complex shapes for modern windows. The purpose of these trends is, inter alia, to enlarge the field of view of the vehicle interior. They also cause a significant increase in the brightness in the passenger compartment and thus create a feeling of spaciousness.
Forming these windows to include both large dimensions and high curvature presents new problems and new technologies are therefore needed. One technical problem arises in particular in the production of panoramic windows, i.e. windows comprising lateral portions bent inwards to a high degree with respect to the central portion of these windows. This difficulty is due in particular to the fact that, over the entire height of the window, at a distance from the edge, a small-radius curved portion is obtained, which is also coupled with a second curved portion lateral with respect to the small-radius curved portion. The combination of these curved portions requires special care to avoid unacceptable deformation.
In order to obtain such windows, it is known to effect bending on a support, the geometry of which varies during the bending process.
Thus, and as shown in fig. 1, it is known to use a device 1 for the gravity bending of at least one glass sheet 2, which device 1 comprises a support 3, on which support 3 a hinged frame 4 is fitted, which hinged frame 4 is adapted to act as a support at the periphery (or in other words, at the edge end) of the glass sheet.
Such an articulated frame 4 comprises two lateral portions 5 arranged on either side of a central portion 6. Each lateral portion 5 is connected to the central portion 6 by a set of free pivots 11. The articulated frame is supported by a bracket, preferably by a set of free pivots or ball joints 11. In the present text, the expression "supported by … …" refers alternatively and in a non-limiting manner to the mechanical relationship in which the articulated frame 4 rests on the stand 3 or in which the articulated frame 4 is suspended from a hanger forming part of the stand 3. The expression "free pivot" refers to a pivot joint in which the rotation about the pivot axis is not restricted. Ball and socket joints, also known as "spherical" or "ball/ball" joints, connect two components while translating, but allow them to rotate freely.
The articulated frame 4 is adapted to move autonomously, according to the softened state of the glass panel 2, between:
a so-called assembly position, in which the two lateral portions 5 are folded down so that the articulated frame 4 forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel 2, an
A so-called nominal position, in which the two lateral portions 5 stand on a higher level than the central portion 6, so that the articulated frame 4 reproduces the perimeter of the desired curved window at the end of the bending process.
In other words, the articulated frame 4 is adapted to be set in motion and to be moved from the assembly position to the nominal position and vice versa, without the intervention of elements external to the device other than the device and the glass panel.
It should be noted that the position of the lateral portions is described relative to the position of the central portion. Thus, the relative raising of the lateral portions during the change from the fitting position to the nominal position can take three different forms, namely:
only the central portion descends and the lateral portions remain at their original level;
-erecting the lateral portions, the central portion remaining fixed;
the lowering of the central portion is combined with the raising of the lateral portions.
In practice, the glass panel 2 is placed on the frame 4 and is fixed to the frame 4 by means of lateral stops 5 provided at the ends of the lateral portions. In this assembled position, the glass panel 2 rests at least on the ends 5a of the lateral portions 5 and possibly on the lateral ends 6a of the central portion 6.
At the beginning of the bending process, the articulated framework 4 carrying one or more glass sheets is inserted into a bending furnace, typically a furnace with zones of different temperatures.
The first of these zones is a preheating zone in which the glass sheet is heated to a glass temperature substantially near the softening point.
The next zone is the bending zone where the glass sheets, having a temperature up to about 600 c, will gradually bend due to gravity to match the shape of the articulated frame 4. More precisely, when the softening temperature of the glass is reached, the central portion of the glass sheet 2 sags and moves closer to the cross members of the frame. At this stage, under the combined action of the weight of the articulated frame 4 and of the glass pane 2, the glass pane no longer exerts sufficient pressure on the lateral portions 5 to prevent them from sinking, and the lateral portions 5 of the curved frame gradually rise.
The displacement of the various moving elements of the frame represents a change in the shape of the contact surface of the frame 4 relative to the glass sheet 2 being supported.
The movement of the lateral portions 5 of the frame 4 is generally controlled firstly by the rigidity of the glass, which opposes the raising of the ends of the frame 4, and secondly by the combined action of the weight of the articulated frame 4 and the weight of the glass panel 2, which, on the contrary, tends to raise these ends. In this sinking phase, the frame 4 accompanies the glass 2, which reduces the risk of relative sliding between the tool bar and the window profile.
When the lateral portions 5 are fully raised, they are positioned in continuation of the central portion 6, as shown in figure 2. Thus, the frame 4 is in the nominal position. Then, at the end of the bending, the glass sheet (13) continuing to sag is applied in continuous contact to the frame (4).
Once bent, the glass sheets 2 are cooled and thus fixed in this final shape so as to be removed from the articulated frame 4 upon exiting the tunnel furnace.
It should be noted that although the support 3 is fixed in the vertical direction, the entire apparatus 1 can be horizontally displaced in the furnace. In fact, the support 3 according to the invention can be mounted on carriages and be part of a series of identical carriages for the successive passage of the glass sheets one after the other through the furnace.
In this technique, it is understood that the movement of the frame 4 is generated autonomously during the displacement of the device 1 through the oven and is therefore not subject to operator and any other form of external intervention. The movement is therefore dependent on a number of factors, including the weight of the central portion 6 and the weight of the glass 2, the presence of stops on the head that hold the glass in place, the position of the hinge points 11 relative to the rollers 10 that mechanically connect the lateral portions 5 to the brackets 3, and the ability of the glass to bend as a function of temperature. This last factor is particularly important since the temperature of the glass must be perfectly controlled so that the articulated frame 4 closes while keeping its central portion 6 perfectly horizontal.
In this case, it has been observed that in the case of asymmetrical heating of the glass sheet 2, the lateral portion 5 covered by the glass portion that is heated the most tends to close before the other lateral portion, as shown in figure 3. This asymmetric movement can create defects in the glass, risk breaking the glass, and may render the forming incomplete.
Disclosure of Invention
The invention makes it possible to overcome this drawback. More specifically, in at least one embodiment, the proposed technology relates to a device for the gravity bending of at least one glass sheet, comprising a support on which is mounted an articulated frame suitable for acting as a support at the periphery of said glass sheet, said articulated frame comprising two lateral portions arranged on either side of a central portion, each lateral portion being connected to the central portion by a set of free pivots, said articulated frame being supported by the support and being suitable for autonomous movement between:
a so-called assembly position in which the two lateral portions are folded down so that the articulated frame forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel, an
A so-called nominal position, in which the two lateral portions stand on a higher level than the central portion, so that the hinged frame reproduces the periphery of the desired curved window at the end of the bending process,
said device is characterized in that it comprises a synchronization system for synchronizing the two lateral portions with each other.
In this case, the invention is based on a novel and inventive concept of synchronizing two lateral portions of an articulated frame on either side of a central portion. In other words, this includes equalizing its displacement speed and matching its phase.
Thus, if during bending the relative speed at which one of the lateral portions stands up is small, the device slows down and/or stops itself, taking into account that the temperature of the glass sheet portion covering that lateral portion is too low, and only continues to travel when the glass has sufficient ductility on both sides of the central portion.
The result of implementing such a synchronization system is to maintain the central portion in a horizontal orientation throughout the bending process. Thus, the practice of the invention makes it possible to reduce the forming defects of the glass sheet and to improve the performance and repeatability of the bending process.
According to a particular embodiment, the synchronization system comprises guiding means for guiding the central portion in a substantially vertical direction.
Thus, such a guiding means allows a lateral/horizontal fixation of the central portion so that it does not become deflected. The central portion is then translated vertically.
The complete vertical displacement of the central part makes it possible to synchronize the movements of the two lateral parts by means of free pivot sets connecting the central part of the frame to the lateral parts.
According to a particular embodiment, the guiding means is a foldable spider.
In this context, the term "spider" refers to a mechanical system having a deformable parallelogram in the form of a foldable spider, comprising at least two shafts, the central portions of which pivot relative to each other, each shaft sharing a pivot joint at a first end and a sliding pivot joint at a second end. Such a system allows the central portion to be laterally fixed without hindering its vertical displacement. Thus, the central portion maintains the same lateral position throughout the bending process, regardless of its height.
According to a particular embodiment, each lateral portion is connected to the support by a set of free pivots or a set of ball joints.
According to a particular embodiment, the device comprises at least one stop for receiving the articulated frame in the nominal position.
Such a stop, which acts as a support for the articulated frame in the nominal position, makes it possible to relieve the articulated frame from the stresses associated with the weight of the glass sheet and the weight of the frame.
According to a particular embodiment, each lateral portion is connected to a counterweight that assists the movement of the articulated frame from its assembled position to its nominal position.
Although the implementation of these counterweights is not necessary to solve the general problem of the invention, the counterweights, in combination with the weight of the articulated frame 4 and the weight of the glass panel 2, facilitate the movement of the frame 4 from its assembly position to its nominal position.
The invention also relates to a bending method for bending at least one glass sheet by gravity, using a device comprising a support on which is mounted an articulated frame suitable for acting as a support at the periphery of said glass sheet, said articulated frame comprising two lateral portions arranged on either side of a central portion, each lateral portion being connected to the central portion by a set of free pivots, said device comprising a synchronization system for mutually synchronizing the two lateral portions, said articulated frame being supported by the support and being suitable for autonomous movement between:
a so-called assembly position in which the two lateral portions are folded down so that the articulated frame forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel, an
A so-called nominal position, in which the two lateral portions stand on a horizontal plane higher than the lateral ends of the central portion,
the bending method comprises at least the following steps:
-placing the glass panel on the articulated frame in the assembled position,
bringing the glass sheet to its softening temperature,
during the glass softening process, the articulated frame is moved from the fitting position to the nominal position by a relative, purely vertical displacement of the central portion with respect to the lateral portions.
According to a specific embodiment, several glass sheets are stacked and bent simultaneously.
The invention also relates to a bent glass sheet obtained by implementing the above method.
The invention also relates to the use of such a glass pane as a windscreen and/or rear window of a motor vehicle.
Drawings
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of specific embodiments, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
figure 1 is a schematic lateral view of a known bending device in an assembled position,
figure 2 is a schematic lateral view of the known bending device in the nominal position,
figure 3 is a lateral schematic view of a known bending device during asymmetric bending,
figure 4 is a schematic side view of a bending device according to a first particular embodiment of the invention,
figure 5 is a schematic side view of a bending device according to a second particular embodiment of the invention,
fig. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the steps for implementing the bending method according to a specific embodiment of the invention.
Detailed Description
The various elements shown in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the general operation of the invention. In this case, the same reference numerals denote similar or identical elements, unless otherwise specified.
Several specific embodiments of the present invention are given below. It is to be understood that the invention is in no way limited to specific embodiments and that other embodiments may well be practiced.
As shown in fig. 4, the device 1 for the gravity bending of at least one glass sheet 2 according to a first particular embodiment of the invention comprises a support 3 on which support 3 is mounted an articulated frame 4 suitable for acting as a support at the periphery of the glass sheet.
Such an articulated frame 4 comprises two lateral portions 5 arranged on either side of a central portion 6. Each lateral portion 5 is connected to the central portion 6 by a set of free pivots. The articulated frame 4 is supported by a bracket. More precisely, according to this first embodiment, the articulated frame 4 rests on the support 3 through a set of free pivot joints.
According to a second embodiment, shown in figure 5, the articulated frame 4 is suspended by means of ball joints from a pylon forming part of the support 3. The articulated frame 4 comprises a flat upper surface for supporting the glass panel 2.
The frame 4 is adapted to move autonomously according to the softened state of the glass sheet 2 between:
a so-called assembly position, in which the two lateral portions 5 are folded down so that the articulated frame 4 forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel 2, an
A so-called nominal position, in which the central portion 6 is lowered into a horizontal plane below the lateral ends 5a of the lateral portions 5, so that the articulated frame 4 reproduces the perimeter of the desired curved window at the end of the bending process.
It should be noted that according to both embodiments of the invention, the articulated frame 4 does not comprise a counterweight, the combined action of the weight of the articulated frame 4 and the weight of the glass panel 2 being sufficient to control the movement of the frame 4 from its assembly position to its nominal position.
As shown in fig. 4 and 5, the bending device 1 comprises in particular a foldable cross 7 provided with two shafts, the central parts of which are pivoted with respect to each other. The spider system is fixed on the one hand to the bracket 3 and on the other hand to the central part 6. Furthermore, each shaft comprises on the one hand a pivot joint and on the other hand a pivot joint sliding in a horizontal direction. Thus, such a system allows the central portion 6 to be guided in a perfectly vertical direction by means of the set of pivots and translations.
Furthermore, the two stops 9 serve to receive the articulated frame 4 in the nominal position and make it possible to relieve the articulated frame from the stresses associated with the weight of the glass sheet and the weight of the frame.
The result of implementing such a synchronization system is that the central portion 6 remains horizontally oriented throughout the bending process. Thus, the practice of the invention makes it possible to reduce the forming defects of the glass sheet 2 and to improve the performance and repeatability of the bending process.
As shown in fig. 6, a bending method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of:
placing (step S1) the glass pane 2 on the articulated frame 4 in the assembled position,
bringing (step S2) the glass sheet 2 to its softening temperature,
during the glass softening process, the articulated frame 4 is moved (step S3) from the assembly position to the nominal position by a perfectly vertical relative displacement of the central portion 6 with respect to the lateral portions 5.
Once bent, the glass sheet 4 is cooled and thus fixed in this final shape so as to be removed from the articulated frame 4 on leaving the furnace.
According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of glass sheets 4 are simultaneously stacked and bent. For this purpose, the glass plates are placed one on top of the other and bent together by inserting a suitable release agent, using the method described above.
Claims (10)
1. A device (1) for the gravity bending of at least one glass sheet (2), comprising a support (3), on which support (3) an articulated frame (4) is mounted, suitable for acting as a support at the periphery of said glass sheet (2), said articulated frame (4) comprising two lateral portions (5) arranged on either side of a central portion (6), each lateral portion (5) being connected to the central portion (6) by means of a set of free pivots (11), said articulated frame (4) being supported by said support (3) and being suitable for autonomous movement between:
-a so-called assembly position, in which the two lateral portions (5) are folded down so that the articulated frame (4) forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel (2), and
-a so-called nominal position, in which the two lateral portions (5) stand on a higher level than the central portion (6), so that the articulated frame (4) reproduces the periphery of the desired curved window at the end of the bending process,
the device (1) is characterized in that it comprises a synchronization system (7) for synchronizing the two lateral portions (5) with each other.
2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said synchronization system (7) comprises guide means (7) for guiding said central portion (6) in a substantially vertical direction.
3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the guiding means (7) is a foldable cross (7).
4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each lateral portion (5) is connected to the support (3) by means of a set of free pivots or ball joints.
5. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one stop (9) for receiving the articulated frame (4) in the nominal position.
6. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each lateral portion (5) is connected to a counterweight that assists the movement of the articulated frame (4) from its assembled position to its nominal position.
7. A bending method (S) for bending at least one glass sheet (2) by gravity, said method using a device (1) comprising a support (3), on which support (3) is mounted an articulated frame (4) suitable for acting as a support at the periphery of said glass sheet (2), said articulated frame (4) comprising two lateral portions (5) arranged on either side of a central portion (6), each lateral portion (5) being connected to the central portion (6) by a set of free pivots (11), said device (1) comprising a synchronization system (7) for mutually synchronizing the two lateral portions (5), said articulated frame (4) being supported by the support (3) and being suitable for autonomous movement between:
-a so-called assembly position, in which the two lateral portions (5) are folded down so that the articulated frame (4) forms a planar point support for receiving the glass panel (2), and
-a so-called nominal position, in which the two lateral portions (5) stand on a horizontal plane higher than the lateral ends of the central portion (6),
the bending method (S) comprises at least the following steps:
-placing (S1) the glass panel (2) on the articulated frame (4) in the assembled position,
-bringing (S2) the glass sheet (2) to its softening temperature,
-during the glass softening process, the articulated frame (4) is moved (S3) from the assembly position to the nominal position by a perfectly vertical relative displacement of the central portion (6) with respect to the lateral portions (5).
8. The method of claim 7, wherein a plurality of glass sheets are stacked and bent simultaneously.
9. A bent glass sheet (2) obtained by carrying out the method of any one of claims 7 and 8.
10. Use of a glass pane (2) according to claim 9 as a windscreen and/or rear window of a motor vehicle.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR1870494 | 2018-04-27 | ||
| FR1870494A FR3080616A1 (en) | 2018-04-27 | 2018-04-27 | SYMMETRIC BOMBAGE |
| PCT/FR2019/050989 WO2019207262A1 (en) | 2018-04-27 | 2019-04-26 | Symmetric bending |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN110650926A true CN110650926A (en) | 2020-01-03 |
Family
ID=63963267
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201980001801.0A Pending CN110650926A (en) | 2018-04-27 | 2019-04-26 | Symmetrical bending |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN110650926A (en) |
| FR (1) | FR3080616A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2019207262A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US11542189B2 (en) * | 2020-09-03 | 2023-01-03 | Glasstech, Inc. | Articulated mold arrangement for a glass processing system |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB810379A (en) * | 1957-02-05 | 1959-03-18 | Shatterproof Glass Corp | Moulds for forming curved glass panes |
| CN1187173A (en) * | 1995-06-07 | 1998-07-08 | 英国皮尔金顿有限公司 | Method of bending glass sheets |
| CN101588998A (en) * | 2006-12-04 | 2009-11-25 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
| CN101605733A (en) * | 2006-12-04 | 2009-12-16 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
| CN102046544A (en) * | 2008-06-02 | 2011-05-04 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BE532496A (en) * | 1953-10-12 | |||
| BE535440A (en) * | 1954-04-07 | |||
| BE624407A (en) * | 1961-11-03 | 1900-01-01 |
-
2018
- 2018-04-27 FR FR1870494A patent/FR3080616A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2019
- 2019-04-26 WO PCT/FR2019/050989 patent/WO2019207262A1/en active Application Filing
- 2019-04-26 CN CN201980001801.0A patent/CN110650926A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB810379A (en) * | 1957-02-05 | 1959-03-18 | Shatterproof Glass Corp | Moulds for forming curved glass panes |
| CN1187173A (en) * | 1995-06-07 | 1998-07-08 | 英国皮尔金顿有限公司 | Method of bending glass sheets |
| CN101588998A (en) * | 2006-12-04 | 2009-11-25 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
| CN101605733A (en) * | 2006-12-04 | 2009-12-16 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
| CN102046544A (en) * | 2008-06-02 | 2011-05-04 | 皮尔金顿集团有限公司 | Gravity bending glass sheets |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| FR3080616A1 (en) | 2019-11-01 |
| WO2019207262A1 (en) | 2019-10-31 |
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| PB01 | Publication | ||
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| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
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| WD01 | Invention patent application deemed withdrawn after publication |
Application publication date: 20200103 |
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