JP2002154836A - Bender for glass blank for curved mirror - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely form flat planar glass blanks to a desired shape while eliminating the possibility of the occurrence of a foreign matter defect and to minimize the energy required for heating of the glass blanks in bending the glass blanks. SOLUTION: The glass blanks 5 heated by heating means 6 having upper and lower heating blocks 11, 12; 13, 14 which are arranged in the positions facing the glass blanks 5 existing in a horizontal posture from above and below and are capable of exerting radiation heat to the glass blanks 5 are bend by a press machine 7 having upper and lower dies 30 and 31 formed in such a manner that the glass blanks 5 are held from above and below.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to bending a flat glass material to obtain curved mirrors used for door mirrors, rear-view mirrors, room mirrors and side mirrors for automobiles and rearview mirrors of motorcycles. The present invention relates to an improvement in a bending apparatus which is adapted to be used.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, when a curved mirror is obtained by bending a flat glass material, a diatomaceous earth having a concave portion having a shape corresponding to the curved mirror and a large number of suction holes opened in the concave portion has been used. A glass material is placed on a fixture, the glass material is inserted into a heating furnace together with a jig and heated, and the glass material having reduced viscosity is dropped downward by its own weight, and the glass material is vacuum-suctioned from each of the suction holes. by doing,
The glass material is formed into a shape following the concave portion of the jig.

[0003]

However, when the glass material is bent as in the above-mentioned conventional method, if the viscosity of the glass material becomes too low due to an excessively high temperature in the heating furnace, the forcing force from above is reduced. The glass material may warp upward due to the absence of the glass material, and the glass material does not bend to the desired shape if the viscosity of the glass material does not become sufficiently low due to insufficient heating in the heating furnace There is. In addition, when the curved surface of the mirror does not have a constant curvature or has a large curvature, it is difficult to bend the glass material into a desired shape only by the own weight of the glass material and vacuum suction.

Further, since the jig is made of diatomaceous earth, particles generated from diatomaceous earth may adhere to the glass material and cause foreign matter defects, and the temperature of the glass material does not become too high in the heating furnace. It is necessary to pay attention and to maintain the jig frequently.

Further, in the conventional apparatus, since the jig and the glass material are inserted into the heating furnace and heated, the jig must be heated, and the energy required for heating the glass material is relatively large. Moreover, since the heating furnace heats the internal atmosphere, energy loss is relatively large, temperature control becomes difficult, and the time required for startup at the start of operation also increases.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to reliably bend a glass material into a desired shape while eliminating the possibility of defective foreign matters, and it is necessary to heat the glass material. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for bending a glass material for a curved mirror, which can minimize energy.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is an apparatus for bending a flat glass material to obtain a curved mirror, wherein the apparatus is in a horizontal posture. Heating means having upper and lower heating blocks which are arranged at positions facing the glass material from above and which can apply radiant heat to the glass material, and sandwiching the glass material from above and below after heating by the heating means. And a press machine having upper and lower dies that enable the above.

According to the structure of the first aspect of the present invention, the glass material heated by the heating means is bent by being sandwiched between the upper and lower molds of the press machine. The glass material can be reliably bent into a desired shape by applying a forcing force from above and below. In addition, the upper and lower molds do not generate foreign matter unlike a jig made of diatom. For this reason, there is no fear that foreign matter defects occur in the glass material after molding, and it is not necessary to frequently perform maintenance for preventing the occurrence of foreign matter defects, so that the number of man-hours required for maintenance can be reduced.
In addition, since the glass material is heated by radiant heat from the upper and lower heating blocks facing the glass material,
Compared with the conventional heating furnace that heats the atmosphere, the energy required for heating the glass material can be made relatively small, the energy loss is reduced, the temperature control of the glass material becomes easy, and the operation can be started in a short time. Can be launched.

The invention according to claim 2 is the same as the above-described claim 1.
In addition to the configuration of the invention described above, the upper and lower heating blocks may be arranged in pairs at a plurality of preheating stations that are set at intervals along the transport direction of the glass material. According to such a configuration, the glass material can be gradually heated through each preheating station in order, thereby preventing breakage of the glass material due to rapid heating and controlling the temperature of the glass material. Can be easy.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first or second aspect, the upper and lower heating blocks are provided at a plurality of mutually different positions on the support member facing the glass material. A plurality of heaters that can be controlled independently of each other are provided. According to this configuration, the entire glass material can be controlled to have a uniform temperature distribution, or a predetermined temperature can be intentionally determined. It is possible to control the temperature distribution so that the temperature difference is given.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on one embodiment of the present invention shown in the attached drawings.

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a bending apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lower heating block taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the bending apparatus comprises:
For example, in order to obtain a curved mirror used for a door mirror, a rear-view mirror, a room mirror, and a side mirror for an automobile, and a rear-view mirror of a motorcycle, a flat glass material 5 is formed by bending and heating.
And a press machine 7 for forming the glass material 5 after heating by the heating means 6.

The glass material 5 is successively conveyed along the conveying direction 8 from the carry-in station S1 to the press station S6. The heating stations S2 and S3, the final heating station S4, and the temperature measuring station S5 are sequentially set at intervals along the transport direction 8.

The bending apparatus has a gantry 9 fixedly arranged on the floor, and a gantry 9 for receiving the glass material 5 to be bent at the loading station S1. Is provided.

The heating means 6 is provided on the gantry 9 between the first preheating station S2 and the final heating station S4. Block 11,
12, upper and lower heating blocks 13, 14 arranged in pairs at the second preheating station S3, and a final heating block 15 arranged at the final heating station S4.
And

First and second preheating stations S
Upper and lower heating blocks 1 paired with 2 and S3 respectively
1,12; 13,14 are glass materials 5 in a horizontal posture
The glass material 5 is preheated by radiant heat from the heating blocks 11, 12; 13, 14 so as to face each other from above and below. Thus, the final heating block S1, the first and second preliminary heating stations S2 and S3 are sequentially passed, and the final heating station S4
Is provided on the gantry 9 so as to apply radiant heat to the glass material 5 from above.

In FIG. 2, the lower heating block 12 arranged at the first preheating station S2 is
A support member 16 which is formed in a box shape having a closing plate 16a at the upper end facing the substantially entire lower surface of the lower surface and is provided on the gantry 9;
The support member 16 can be controlled independently of each other.
A plurality of, for example, six sheathed heaters 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 17E, and 17F housed and arranged in the inside, and each of the sheathed heaters 17A to 17F is different from each other on the inner surface of the closing plate 16a. It is arranged in six places.

The upper heating block 11 arranged at the first preheating station S2 and the upper and lower heating blocks 13, 1 arranged at the second preheating station S3.
Reference numeral 4 has basically the same configuration as that of the lower heating block 12, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The final heating block 15 arranged at the final heating station S4 has a plurality of sheathed heaters arranged at equal intervals in the direction along the transport direction 8, for example.

The loading station S1, the first preheating station S2, the second preheating station S
The interval between the third heating station S4 and the final heating station S4 is set to be equal, and the transporting means 18 intermittently transports the glass material 5 intermittently from the loading station S1 to the final heating station S4.

The conveying means 18 is provided on the gantry 9 with a carriage 20 extending along the conveying direction 8 and guided by a guide rail 19 provided on the gantry 9 and having an axis parallel to the guide rail 19. Cylinder 2 which is connected to the trolley 20
1, an elevator 22 supported to be able to ascend and descend by a carriage 20;
A cylinder 23 having a vertical axis and disposed on the carriage 20 and connected to the elevator 22; and a station S1 from the loading station S1 to the final heating station S4.
The first, second, and third support frames 24, 2 provided on the lift 22 at a distance equal to the mutual distance between
5, 26, and four corner portions of the glass material 5 having a rectangular shape so as to be supported from below.
Four to four support arms 27 provided at the upper end of
.., And a plurality of rods 28, 28.
9, 29... Are slidably inserted.

Upper and lower heating blocks 11, 12; 1
3 and 14, at least the lower heating blocks 12 and 14
As shown in FIG. 2, notches 30, 30... That face the corners of the glass material 5 are provided at the four corners of the glass material 5. The supporting arms 27, 27,... To be supported are vertically movable at portions corresponding to the notches 30, 30,.

According to the transfer means 18 described above, the reciprocating movement of the carriage 20 in the transfer direction 8 by the expansion and contraction operation of the cylinder 21 and the lifting and lowering operation of the lift table 22 by the expansion and contraction operation of the cylinder 23 are combined. Are moved so as to draw a square locus between the loading station S1 and the first preheating station S2, and the support arms 27 at the upper end of the second support frame 25 are moved. Is moved between the first preheating station S2 and the second preheating station S3 so as to draw a rectangular locus, and the support arm 2 at the upper end of the third support frame 26 is moved.
7, 27... Can be moved between the second preheating station S3 and the final heating station S4 so as to draw a square locus.

The first to third support frames 24, 25,
By the operation of each support arm 27 at 27,
The glass material 5 picked up from the receiving table 10 of the loading station S1 can be brought above the first preheating station S2 and between the lower heating blocks 11 and 12,
The glass material 5 picked up from the lower heating block 12 of the first preheating station S2 can be brought above the second preheating station S3 and between the lower heating blocks 13 and 14, and the lower heating block of the second preheating station S2 can be provided. The glass material 5 picked up from 14 can be brought under the final heating block 15 at the final heating station S4. That is, each station S1 from the loading station S1 to the final heating station S4 via the first and second preheating stations S2 and S3.
Through S4, the glass material 5 is intermittently conveyed sequentially.

Referring to FIG. 1, the press machine 7 includes an upper die 30 and a lower die 31 for cooperating and bending the flat glass material 5 into a shape corresponding to a curved mirror. In addition, a servomotor 32 having a vertical axis and fixedly arranged on the gantry 9 is connected to the upper mold 30 which is supported on the gantry 9 so as to be able to move up and down.

The lower mold 31 is movable on a rail 33 provided on the gantry 9 between the final heating station S4 of the heating means 6 and the press station S6.
By the operation of the driving means (not shown), the lower mold 31 is
The final heating station S4, the temperature measuring station S5, and the press station S6 can be sequentially reciprocated.

The transporting means 18 provided corresponding to the heating means 6 includes a lower mold 31 for the final heating station S4.
Transports the glass material 5 in the state of
Preheating station S3 to final heating station S
The glass material 5 conveyed to the final heating block 15
The lower die 31 is placed on the lower die 31 waiting below the lower arm, and the lower die 31 is supported by the support arm of the third support frame 26 in the transfer means 18 similarly to the lower heating blocks 12 and 14. Are configured to be able to move up and down the portions corresponding to the four corners of the lower mold 31.

At the temperature measuring station S5, the temperature measuring device 34 for non-contact measuring the temperature of the glass material 5 on which the lower mold 31 is placed and being conveyed from the final heating station S4 to the press station S6 is mounted on the gantry 9. Are disposed so as to face the upper surface of the glass material 5. Thus, in the temperature measuring station S5, the final heating station S
It is determined whether the glass material 5 finally heated in 4 has reached a desired temperature, and the glass material 5 that has not reached the desired temperature is returned to the final heating station S4.

The glass material 5 whose temperature measured by the temperature measuring device 34 has reached the desired temperature is moved from the temperature measuring station S5 to the press station S6 while being placed on the lower mold 31. In other words, the glass material 5 is bent and formed by the lower mold 31 fixedly arranged on the gantry 9 at the press station S6 and the upper mold 30 which moves up and down above the lower mold 31. Thus, the glass material 5 'after the completion of the bending is taken out of the lower die 31 of the press station S6 by a transfer means (not shown), and gradually cooled by a slow cooling means (not shown). Cut into shapes.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. After the flat glass material 5 is heated by the heating means 6, it is bent by being sandwiched between the upper and lower dies 30, 31 of the press machine 7. Therefore, it becomes possible to apply a forcing force to the glass material 5 from above and below and reliably bend the glass material 5 into a desired shape. Moreover, the upper and lower molds 30,
No. 31 does not generate foreign matter unlike a jig made of diatom, so that there is no concern that foreign matter defects will occur in the glass material 5 after molding, and frequent maintenance is performed to prevent the occurrence of foreign matter defects. Is unnecessary, so that the number of man-hours required for maintenance can be reduced.

The heating means 6 is disposed at a position facing the glass material 5 in a horizontal posture from above and below, and can apply radiant heat to the glass material 5 so that the upper and lower heating blocks 1 are provided.
1, 12; 13 and 14, the energy required for heating the glass material 5 can be relatively reduced, and the energy loss can be reduced, as compared with the conventional heating furnace for heating the atmosphere. The temperature control of the raw material 5 is also facilitated, and the heating means 6 can be started up in a short time at the start of operation.

Further, the heating means 6 is provided on the gantry 9 over the first preheating station S2, the second preheating station S3 and the final heating station S5 which are set at intervals along the conveying direction of the glass material 5,
Upper and lower heating blocks 11 and 12 arranged in pairs at the first preheating station S2; upper and lower heating blocks 13 and 14 arranged in pairs at the second preheating station S3; And a final heating block 15 arranged in the station S4.

That is, the glass material 5 is gradually heated through the first preliminary station S2, the second preliminary heating station S3, and the final heating station S4 sequentially, and damage of the glass material 5 due to rapid heating is prevented. In addition to preventing the temperature, the temperature control of the glass material 5 can be facilitated.

Further, upper and lower heating blocks 11, 12; 13, 14 arranged in pairs at the first and second preheating stations S2, S3, respectively, are connected to each other by a support member 16 facing the glass material 5. In different places,
A plurality of heaters 17A to 17F that can be controlled independently of each other
Can be controlled so that the entire glass material 5 has a uniform temperature distribution or can be controlled to have a temperature distribution intentionally with a predetermined temperature difference. It is.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the present invention described in the appended claims. It is possible.

[0037]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the glass material can be reliably bent into a desired shape by applying a forcing force to the glass material from above and below. There is no need to worry about foreign matter defects in the material, and the number of steps required for maintenance can be reduced. In addition, the energy required for heating the glass material can be relatively reduced, the energy loss can be reduced, the temperature control of the glass material can be easily performed, and startup in a short time at the start of operation is possible.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent breakage of the glass material due to rapid heating and to easily control the temperature of the glass material.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the entire glass material is controlled so as to have a uniform temperature distribution, or the temperature is intentionally controlled so as to have a predetermined temperature difference. Is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a bending apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lower heating block taken along line 2-2 of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 5 ... Glass material 6 ... Heating means 7 ... Pressing machine 8 ... Transfer direction 11,13 ... Upper heating block 12,14 ... Lower heating block 16 ... Support member 17A- 17F: heater 30: upper mold 31: lower mold S2, S3: preliminary heating station

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideyuki Motoi 3700 Wadayama, Shimonaka-machi, Sadohara-cho, Miyazaki-gun, Miyazaki F-term in Honda Rock Co., Ltd. (Reference) 2H042 DA12 DC08 DC11 DC12 DE01 4G015 AA01 AA03 AA10 AB02 AB03 AB05 GA00

Claims (3)

[Claims] An apparatus for bending a flat glass material (5) in order to obtain a curved mirror, wherein the device is disposed at a position facing the glass material (5) in a horizontal posture from above and below. Heating means (6) having upper and lower heating blocks (11, 12; 13, 14) capable of applying radiant heat to the glass material (5), and the glass material (5) after being heated by the heating means (6). And a press machine (7) having upper and lower molds (30, 31) capable of sandwiching the glass material from above and below. 2. An upper and lower heating block (11, 1).
2; 13, 14) are arranged in pairs at a plurality of preheating stations (S2, S3) which are set at intervals along the transport direction (8) of the glass material (5). The apparatus for bending a glass material for a curved mirror according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The upper and lower heating blocks (11, 1).
2; 13, 14), a plurality of heaters (17A to 17F) which can be controlled independently of each other are arranged at a plurality of mutually different positions of the support member (16) facing the glass material (5). The apparatus for bending a glass material for a curved mirror according to claim 1 or 2, wherein