CN112679078A

CN112679078A - Curved glass forming equipment

Info

Publication number: CN112679078A
Application number: CN201910993792.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈赞仁; 张仕林
Original assignee: Contrel Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Contrel Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-18
Filing date: 2019-10-18
Publication date: 2021-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2039-10-18
Also published as: CN112679078B

Abstract

The invention relates to curved glass forming equipment which comprises a mould and a forming device. The mold comprises a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, an undulated surface and two guide paths. The undulating surface extends from the front side to the rear side and is adapted to carry a preheated glass sheet. The two guiding paths are respectively positioned at the left side and the right side. The forming device is movable along two guide paths and has a gas supply plane facing the contoured surface and spaced from the preheated glass sheet. The air supply plane of the forming apparatus can provide a flow of hot, pressurized air to the preheated glass sheet to temporarily conform the preheated glass sheet to the contoured surface.

Description

Curved glass forming equipment

Technical Field

The invention relates to glass forming equipment, in particular to non-contact glass forming equipment.

Background

The existing curved glass forming equipment comprises a heater, a mold and a forming roller. At present, the curved glass is formed by placing the glass to be processed on a mold, and at the moment, the glass to be processed is planar. Then, the mold and the glass to be processed are heated to soften the glass to be processed and to shape the glass. Then, the forming roller directly contacts and presses the surface of the glass to be processed, so that the glass to be processed conforms to the surface fluctuation change of the mold to form a corresponding curved surface.

At present, the molding method needs to make the surface of the glass to be processed contact with the surface of the mold temporarily by directly contacting and rolling the surface of the glass to be processed by the molding roller, but because the glass to be processed needs to be directly contacted, indentation, dirt or other pollution is easily generated on the surface of the glass to be processed in the molding process, and the quality of the curved glass is influenced.

Another way is to put the glass to be processed on a mold and then soften the glass to be processed by heating to naturally conform to the shape of the mold, which does not require contact but is not easy to control the bending degree of the glass to be processed, therefore, the forming method has poor yield and is not suitable for mass production.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above disadvantages, the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention utilizes hot air to make the glass to be processed conform to the undulated surface of the mold, so as to avoid the surface of the glass to be processed from being contaminated, indented or otherwise contaminated.

Wherein, the forming device can move along the two guide paths, and the forming device moves relative to the mould or the mould moves relative to the forming device.

Thus, the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention can temporarily attach the preheated glass sheet to the undulating surface by the hot air flow to avoid various problems caused by contact.

The composition, characteristics or operation of the curved glass forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail in the following embodiments. However, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings and specific examples, but the invention is not limited thereto.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the hot wind supplier, the left guide wheel set and the right guide wheel set of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 and 4 are bottom views of the hot air supplier, the left guide wheel set and the right guide wheel set in fig. 1, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 6-8 are schematic views illustrating the operation of the curved glass forming apparatus of fig. 1.

Wherein, the reference numbers:

100 curved glass forming equipment 110 mould 111 body

1111 front side 1113 rear side 1115 left side

1117 Right 1119 undulating surface 113 guide plate

1131 top surface 1133 guide path 130 forming device

131 hot air supply device 1311 hot air pipe 13111 air supply plane

13113 air vent 1313 heater 1315 hot air gun

133 left guide wheel set 135 and right

guide wheel sets

1331, 1351

137 holder 1371 rotating cylinder 1373 cantilever

110a die 111a body 1133a guide path

1311a hot air duct 133a left guide roller set 135a right guide roller set

137a retainer 1371a telescopic cylinder 1373a fixing frame

300 glass sheet

Detailed Description

The invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, which are provided for illustration purposes and the like:

the following description will discuss the components, operation and efficacy of the curved glass forming apparatus according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the composition, shape and operation of the curved glass forming apparatus in the drawings are only used for illustrating the technical features of the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention. The curved glass forming apparatus 100 includes a mold 110 and a forming device 130. The mold 110 includes a body 111 and two guide plates 113. The body 111 includes a front side 1111, a rear side 1113, a left side 1115, a right side 1117, and an undulating surface 1119. The undulating surface 1119 extends from the front side 1111 to the rear side 1113 to form a surface of non-uniform height, which means that the present invention is not limited to a flat surface, any slope, depression or protrusion surface. Contoured surface 1119 is configured to carry glass sheet 300.

The two guiding plates 113 are connected to the body 111 and respectively located at the left side 1115 and the right side 1117, and top surfaces 1131 of the two guiding plates 113 respectively define guiding paths 1133, the guiding paths 1133 extend from the front side 1111 to the rear side 1113, in this embodiment, the top surface 1131 is flush with the undulating surface 1119, and in other embodiments, the top surface 1131 may be higher or lower than the undulating surface 1119.

The forming device 130 moves along the guiding path 1133, in other words, the forming device 130 can move back and forth between the front side 1111 and the rear side 1113.

The forming device 130 includes a hot air supplier 131, a left guide roller set 133, a right guide roller set 135 and a holder 137.

As shown in fig. 2, the hot air supplier 131 includes a hot air duct 1311, a heater 1313, and a hot air gun 1315. The hot air duct 1311 comprises a gas supply plane 13111 and a plurality of gas holes 13113, wherein the gas supply plane 13111 is a part of the outer surface of the hot air duct 1311, and the plurality of gas holes 13113 penetrate the hot air duct 1311 and are located on the gas supply plane 13111. The heater 1313 is provided in the hot blast pipe 1311. The hot air gun 1315 is connected to the hot air pipe 1311, and can supply a positive pressure hot air flow to the hot air pipe 1311, so that the hot air in the hot air pipe 1311 is ejected outwards through the air holes 13113, and the air flow is as shown by the arrows in the hot air pipe 1311.

Fig. 3 and 4 are bottom views of the hot air supplier 131, respectively. The plurality of air holes 13113 are spaced apart and aligned as shown in fig. 3, or the plurality of air holes 13113 can be arranged as an array as shown in fig. 4, so that there are three air holes 13113 in the straight line. The spaced apart air holes 13113 allow the air flow to be free of localized high stresses that would otherwise cause line contact on the surface of the glass being processed as in conventional roller operation.

Referring to fig. 2 again, the left guide wheel set 133 and the right guide wheel set 135 are respectively connected to the hot air pipe 1311, and part of the

wheel surfaces

1331, 1351 of the left guide wheel set 133 and the right guide wheel set 135 slightly protrude out of the air supply plane 13111 of the hot air pipe 1311. The

wheel surfaces

1331, 1351 of the left and right

guide wheel sets

133, 135 move along the guide path 1133 to keep the air supply plane 13111 spaced from the undulating surface 1119.

Referring to fig. 1 again, the holder 137 is connected to the hot air supplier 131, so that the

wheel surfaces

1331, 1351 of the left and right

guide wheel sets

133, 135 are kept in contact with the top surfaces 1131 of the two guide plates 113, thus the space between the air supply plane 13111 and the undulating surface 1119 can be kept substantially uniform, and the air pressure of the hot air blowing can be more uniform.

In this embodiment, the holder 137 includes two rotating cylinders 1371 and two cantilevers 1373. The two suspension arms 1373 are connected to two rotating cylinders 1371 and the hot air pipe 1311, respectively, and the rotating cylinders 1371 are used to drive the suspension arms 1373, so that the wheel surfaces 1331 and 1351 of the left and right guide wheel sets 133 and 135 can keep in contact with the top surfaces 1131 of the two guide plates 113.

In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the holder 137a includes a telescopic cylinder 1371a and a fixing frame 1373 a. The telescopic cylinder 1371a is connected with the fixed frame 1373 a. The fixing frame 1373a is connected to the hot air pipe 1311a, and the telescopic cylinder 1371a is used to drive the fixing frame 1373a, so that the wheel surfaces of the left guide wheel set 133a and the right guide wheel set 135a can keep contact with the two guide paths 1133a (as shown by the dotted line).

In this embodiment, the mold 110a has only the body 111a, and the guiding plate is omitted, in other words, the guiding path 1133a can be planned on the body 111 a.

Although two

retainers

137, 137a are used for the above description, in other embodiments, other methods or devices can be used for the retainers to keep the wheel surfaces 1331, 1351 of the left and right guide wheel sets 133, 135 in contact with the top surfaces 1131 of the two guide plates 113.

The composition and structure of the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention are as described above, and the operation and efficacy thereof will be described later.

As shown in fig. 6-8, the curved glass is formed by preheating the glass to be processed to a moldable state, then referring to this state as a preheated glass sheet 300, and placing the preheated glass sheet 300 on the mold, i.e., on the undulating surface 1119. The processed glass can be placed on the mold for preheating, or can be preheated and then placed on the mold. In addition, the preheated glass sheet 300 placed on the undulating surface 1119 prior to molding is not conformed to the undulating surface 1119, particularly on curved surfaces.

Although only the left guide wheel set 133 is illustrated in fig. 6 to 8, the structure, function and operation of the right guide wheel set 135 are the same as those of the left guide wheel set 133 as apparent from the above description, and thus, the operation of the right guide wheel set 135 will not be illustrated.

The wheel surface 1331 of the left guide wheel set 133 is moved along the guide path 1133 by the holder 137, and during the movement, the heater 1313 of the hot air supplier 131 is continuously heated to maintain the working temperature in the hot air duct 1311, and the hot air in the hot air duct 1311 is blown from the air holes 13113 to the preheated glass sheet 300 by the hot air gun to temporarily attach the preheated glass sheet 300 to the undulating surface 1119, so that the preheated glass sheet 300 can be shaped following the undulating surface 1119 as the shaping device 130 moves from the front side to the rear side of the mold body, as shown in fig. 8.

In addition, the direction of the hot air blown from the air holes 13113 during movement of the forming apparatus is maintained perpendicular to the preheated glass sheet 300 in a manner that ensures that the preheated glass sheet 300 does conform to the contour of the undulating surface 1119. Also, because the entire molding process does not require contact with the preheated glass sheet 300, the preheated glass sheet 300 or the final shaped glass surface is less susceptible to marking, scratching, or other residual contamination.

In summary, the curved glass forming apparatus of the present invention is a non-contact type, and uses hot air flow to mold the glass to be processed without contacting the glass to be processed, so as to avoid contaminating or damaging the glass to be processed. In the molding process, the air supply plane and the undulation surface are maintained at a substantially fixed interval, so that the thrust of the hot air flow is maintained substantially the same. Moreover, the processed glass can be maintained in a plastic state through hot air flow, so that the glass can be efficiently shaped through other cooling ways after the molding is finished.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it should be understood that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A curved glass forming apparatus, comprising:

a mold, including a front side, a back side, a left side, a right side, a relief surface extending from the front side to the back side for carrying a preheated glass sheet, and two guide paths located at the left side and the right side, respectively; and

and the forming device can move along the two guide paths, and is provided with an air supply plane which is opposite to the undulating surface and keeps a gap with the preheated glass sheet.

2. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forming device comprises a hot air supplier, the hot air supplier comprises a hot air duct, a heater and a hot air gun, the air supply plane is located on a partial outer surface of the hot air duct, the hot air duct comprises a plurality of air holes located on the air supply plane, the heater is located in the hot air duct, and the hot air gun is connected to the hot air duct and supplies positive pressure air into the hot air duct.

3. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of air holes are spaced to form at least one line.

4. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the forming device comprises a left guide wheel set and a right guide wheel set, the left guide wheel set and the right guide wheel set are respectively connected to the hot air pipe and respectively move along the two guide paths, and a portion of the wheel surfaces of the left guide wheel set and the right guide wheel set protrude out of the air supply plane of the hot air pipe, so that the air supply plane is spaced from the preheated glass sheet.

5. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the forming device includes a holder connected to the hot air supply to maintain the tread of the left and right guide wheels in contact with the two guide paths.

6. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holder comprises two rotary cylinders and two arms, the two arms are connected to the two rotary cylinders and the hot air pipe, respectively, the rotary cylinders are used to move the two arms.

7. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holder comprises a telescopic cylinder and a fixing frame, the fixing frame connects the telescopic cylinder and the hot air pipe, the telescopic cylinder is used to drive the fixing frame.

8. The curved glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mold includes a body and two guide plates, the undulating surface being formed on the body, the two guide plates being connected to the body and located on opposite sides of the body, the two guide paths being located on the two guide plates, respectively.