JPH10287438A - Apparatus for cooling glass plate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To partly correct the curvature of a glass plate. SOLUTION: A number of air-blasting nozzles 26 for blasting air flow against glass plate 1 are formed on a pair of wind boxes 2, 3 having chambers 11-13 and 21-23 arranged in the transfer direction of the glass plate 1. The uppermost chambers 11, 21 in the transfer direction are divided with dividing plates 59-61 and the flow rates of air flows supplied to the divided sections are controlled to generate a temperature difference on the surface layer of the glass plate 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooling a glass sheet heated above its softening point by a heating furnace.
In particular, the present invention relates to a cooling device for rapidly cooling a glass sheet by blowing cooling air to a heated glass sheet having a softening point or higher.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a side window or a rear window of an automobile, a glass plate having a developed plane shape corresponding to an opening of the side window or the rear window is heated to a temperature exceeding a softening point to increase the body of the automobile. After being bent to conform to the shape, a glass plate is quenched by a cooling air flow and tempered.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual view showing an example of a glass sheet bending apparatus, and FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a cooling apparatus in FIG.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a glass sheet bending apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 1, a heating furnace A for raising the temperature of the glass sheet 1 to a temperature range exceeding the softening point and bending the glass sheet 1; a cooling device B for rapidly cooling the glass sheet 1 bent and formed in the heating furnace A; Moving mechanism C for sequentially feeding 1 from the outside of the apparatus to the heating furnace A and the cooling apparatus B and sending out the cooling apparatus B to the outside of the apparatus
And is constituted by.

[0005] The heating furnace A of the glass sheet bending apparatus comprises a plurality of hearth beds 51 arranged in series in the conveying direction of the glass sheet 1 immediately below a glass sheet conveying path G through which the glass sheet 1 is conveyed substantially horizontally. A plurality of burner groups 52 arranged in series in the direction of transport of the glass sheet 1 directly above the glass sheet transport path G;
And a heating furnace structure 53 integrally surrounding the hearth bed 51 and the burner group 52.

The hearth bed 51 is formed so as to form a convex curved surface that draws an arc whose upper surface protrudes upward with respect to the horizontal plane when viewed from the transport direction of the glass plate 1. These hearth beds 51 have a greater curvature as they are located on the downstream side in the transport direction of the glass plate 1, and the shape of the convex curved surface approximates the finished state of the glass plate 1.

On the upper surface of the hearth bed 51, a heating gas flow supplied from a heating gas supply source (not shown) to the inside of the hearth bed 51 is supplied to a glass sheet moving along a glass sheet conveying path G. A large number of gas flow ejection holes 54 (see FIG. 7) for ejecting the gas to the lower surface of 1 are formed.

The burner group 52 is configured to eject a heated gas flow onto the upper surface of the glass sheet 1 moving along the glass sheet transport path G.

The cooling device B of the glass sheet bending apparatus is installed behind the heating furnace A described above. The cooling device B includes a pair of wind boxes 2 and 3 vertically opposed to each other across a glass plate transfer path G through which the glass plate 1 is transferred substantially horizontally.
And a number of air jet nozzles 26 for jetting a cooling air flow from inside the wind boxes 2 and 3 to the glass sheet 1 moving on the glass sheet conveying path G.

The wind box 2 located below the glass sheet transport path G is located directly below the glass sheet transport path G and has an upper surface projecting upward with respect to a horizontal plane when viewed from the transport direction of the glass sheet 1. And a pair of left and right side plates 5 and 5 whose upper edges are fixed to the left and right sides of the top plate 4.
A front end plate 6 having an upper edge fixed to the front end of the top plate 4 and left and right edges fixed to the front ends of the left and right side plates 5; and an upper edge fixed to the rear end of the top plate 4 and A rear end plate 7 whose edges are fixed to the rear ends of the left and right side plates 5, a top plate 4, a side plate 5,
It comprises a front end plate 6 and a bottom plate 8 which closes a space surrounded by the rear end plate 7 from below. The bottom plate 8 is bolted to a flange provided at the lower edge of the outer surface of the wind box on the top plate 4, the side plate 5, the front end plate 6, and the rear end plate 7. The convex curved surface of the top plate 4 is set according to the curved glass plate 1 sent out from the heating furnace A.

A downstream end of an air supply pipe 131 for supplying a cooling air flow is attached to a chamber 111 inside the wind box 2. The air discharge port of the blower 47 is connected to the upstream end of the air supply pipe 131 via a pressure adjusting valve 134.

The wind box 3 located above the glass sheet transport path G is located directly above the glass sheet transport path G and has a lower surface that is depressed upward with respect to a horizontal plane when viewed from the transport direction of the glass sheet 1. A bottom plate 14 having a concave curved surface that draws an arc, a pair of left and right side plates 15 whose lower edges are fixed to left and right side portions of the bottom plate 14,
A front end plate 16 having a lower edge fixed to the front end of the bottom plate 14 and left and right edges fixed to the front ends of the left and right side plates 15;
A rear end plate 17 having an upper edge fixed to the rear end of the bottom plate 14 and left and right edges fixed to the rear ends of the left and right side plates 15;
It is constituted by a top plate 18 that closes a space surrounded by the bottom plate 14, the side plates 15, the front end plate 16, and the rear end plate 17 from above. The top plate 18 is bolted to a flange provided on the upper edge of the bottom plate 14, the side plate 15, the front end plate 16, and the rear end plate 17 on the outer surface of the wind box. The concave curved surface of the bottom plate 14 is
The setting is made according to the curved glass sheet 1 sent out from the heating furnace A.

A downstream end of an air supply pipe 141 for supplying a cooling air flow is attached to a chamber 121 inside the wind box 3. The air outlet of the blower 47 is connected to the upstream end of the air supply pipe 141 via a pressure adjusting valve 144.

The air ejection nozzle 26 is constituted by an air supply pipe and a nozzle body attached to a tip of the air supply pipe. The air jet nozzle 26 is provided in the wind box 2 such that the base end of the air supply pipe passes through the top plate 4 or the bottom plate 14 and the nozzle body communicates with the chamber 111 of the wind box 2 or the chamber 121 of the wind box 3. Each of the top plate 4 and the bottom plate 14 of the wind box 3 is attached over substantially the entire surface. The distance between the nozzle body of the air ejection nozzle 26 attached to the lower wind box 2 and the nozzle body of the air ejection nozzle 26 attached to the upper wind box 3 is determined by the thickness of the glass plate 1 to be cooled. It is set to a slightly larger dimension.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in a large number of air ejection nozzles 26 attached to the lower wind box 2, the chamber 1 with which the air ejection nozzles 26 communicate is provided.
The nozzle group 129 corresponding to No. 11 is formed. Similarly, in the large number of air ejection nozzles 26 attached to the upper wind box 3, a nozzle group 130 corresponding to the chamber 121 with which the air ejection nozzles 26 communicate is formed.

The moving mechanism C of the glass bending apparatus is shown in FIG.
, A sprocket 55 disposed on the front side of the heating furnace A, a sprocket 56 disposed on the rear side of the cooling device B, an endless chain 57 wound around the sprockets 55 and 56, and glass A conveying member 58 attached to an endless chain so as to contact one side edge of the plate 1. The sprocket 56 on the rear side of the cooling device B is driven by a motor (not shown).

When the glass sheet 1 is bent by the above-described glass bending apparatus, a heating gas flow supplied from a heating gas supply source is ejected from a hearth bed 51 and a burner group 52 of a heating furnace A. , The cooling air flow sent from the blower 47 to the nozzle group 1 of the wind box 2 of the cooling device B.
29 and the nozzle group 130 of the wind box 3. In addition, the sprocket 56 is rotated by a motor to make the endless chain 57 circulate.

Next, the glass plate 1 is inserted into the heating furnace structure 53 so that the conveying member 58 of the moving mechanism C contacts one side edge of the glass plate 1 to be bent. The glass plate 1 inserted into the heating furnace structure 53 is floated by receiving the heating gas flow ejected from the hearth bed 51, and the inside of the heating furnace structure 53 together with the transport member 58 is rotated by the endless chain 57. It moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction.

The glass sheet 1 moving inside the heating furnace structure 53 is heated from both the upper and lower surfaces by the heating gas flows ejected from the gas flow ejection holes 54 and the burner group 52 to a predetermined temperature range exceeding the softening point. The temperature rises and the hearth bed 51 bends by its own weight in accordance with the curvature of the upper surface. Glass plate 1
The curvature of the hearth bed 5
The shape of 1 makes it close to the finished state.

Further, the bent glass sheet 1 is inserted from the heating furnace A into the space between the wind boxes 2 and 3 of the cooling device B together with the conveying member 58 by the rotation of the endless chain 57.
The glass plate 1 inserted between the wind boxes 2 and 3 floats upon receiving the cooling airflow spouted from the nozzle group 129 of the wind box 2, and floats between the wind boxes 2 and 3 together with the transport member 58. It moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction.

The glass plate 1 moving between the wind boxes 2 and 3
Nozzle group 129 of wind box 2 and nozzle group 130 of wind box 3
The glass sheet 1 is sequentially cooled by a cooling airflow spouted from the glass plate, and finally cooled rapidly to a temperature lower than the softening point, and a strengthening process for providing a compressive stress to the surface layer of the glass sheet 1 is performed.

[0022]

In recent years, with the diversification of automobile designs, there has been a demand for efficient production of glass sheets 1 having various curvature distributions. However, in the heating furnace A of the conventional glass sheet bending apparatus shown in FIG. 6, since the glass sheet 1 heated to the temperature region exhibiting the viscoelastic behavior is curved by its own weight, the upper surface of the hearth bed 51 is simply obtained. The glass plate 1 may not be formed into a desired curvature distribution simply by changing the shape. Therefore, a separate cooling air blowing device is provided between the heating furnace A and the cooling device B, and the pressure (flow rate) of the cooling air flow jetted from the cooling air blowing device to the glass plate 1 is adjusted. It has been studied to generate a temperature difference between the upper surface and the lower surface of the glass plate 1 in a temperature region exceeding a softening point at which the glass plate 1 exhibits a viscoelastic behavior to correct the curved state of the glass plate 1.

That is, in the temperature range exceeding the softening point,
After a temperature difference is generated in the glass plate 1 using the above-described cooling air blowing device so that the temperature of the convex surface (upper surface) is lower than that of the concave surface (lower surface), the cooling jets from the nozzle groups 129 and 130 are formed. When both surfaces of the glass plate 1 are rapidly cooled to a temperature lower than the softening point by the airflow for use, the amount of temperature change when the temperature becomes lower than the softening point is greater on the concave side than on the convex side. Thereby, the glass plate 1 having a large temperature change amount
Of the glass plate 1 becomes larger, and the curvature of the glass plate 1 becomes larger.

Further, in the temperature region exceeding the softening point, the glass plate 1 is formed by using the above-described cooling air blowing device so that the temperature of the concave surface (lower surface) is lower than that of the convex surface (upper surface).
After a temperature difference is generated, when both sides of the glass plate 1 are rapidly cooled to a temperature lower than the softening point by a cooling air flow ejected from the nozzle groups 129 and 130, the amount of temperature change when the temperature becomes lower than the softening point Is larger on the convex side than on the concave side. Thereby, the convex surface side layer portion of the glass plate 1 having a large temperature change amount shrinks, and the curvature of the glass plate 1 decreases.

Actually, however, there is no space between the heating furnace A and the cooling device B for providing a cooling air blowing device separately. Even if a cooling air blowing device can be provided, since the cooling air flow blows out almost evenly in the direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G horizontally, the curved state of the glass sheet 1 is partially reduced. Cannot be modified.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a glass sheet cooling apparatus capable of partially correcting a curved state of a glass sheet bent and formed in a temperature range exceeding a softening point. It is intended to be.

[0027]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a glass sheet cooling apparatus for conveying a glass sheet heated in a heating furnace. A pair of wind boxes 2 and 3 opposed to each other with G interposed therebetween, and a cooling air flow from a chamber in the wind boxes 2 and 3 is provided.
A large number of air jet nozzles 2 provided over substantially the entire surface of the wind boxes 2 and 3 facing the glass sheet transport path G
6 is a cooling device for a glass sheet which is ejected from the glass box 1 toward the glass sheet 1. Glass plate 1 provided with partition plates 9, 10, 19, 20
Chambers 11, 12, 13, 2
1, 22, 23 are formed and the plurality of chambers 1 are formed.
Of the chambers 1, 12, 13, 21, 22, and 23, the chambers 11, 21 which are closest to the transport direction are provided with cooling air so that the temperature of the glass sheet 1 is not cooled to the softening point while the glass sheet 1 passes. The flow is ejected toward the glass plate 1.

Further, in the cooling apparatus for a glass sheet according to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the cooling apparatus for a glass sheet according to the first aspect of the present invention, at least one of the wind boxes 2,
3, divided plates 59, 60, 6, which are divided at predetermined intervals substantially horizontally in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G.
1 are provided, and the chambers 11 and 21 at the most upstream in the transport direction of the glass sheet 1 are divided into a plurality of sections arranged in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G.

In the cooling device for a glass sheet according to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the structure of the cooling apparatus for a glass sheet according to the second aspect of the present invention, the glass sheet 1 is moved most upstream in the transport direction. , Dividing plates 59, 6
0, 61, and other chambers 1 adjacent to the chambers 11, 21
An air hole 67 communicating with the air holes 2 and 22 is formed, and aperture ratio adjusting means 68, 69 and 70 for the air hole 67 are provided.

In the apparatus for cooling a glass sheet according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pressure of the cooling air flow to be supplied to the air jet nozzle 26 is controlled by the pressure in the chamber 1 inside the wind boxes 2 and 3.
The pressure of the cooling air flow to be supplied to the chambers 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23 is set to a different value for each of the chambers 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, and 23.
The glass sheet 1 is cooled by a cooling airflow ejected from the air ejection nozzle 26 through the air nozzle 1 so as to maintain a temperature region exceeding the softening point and to generate a temperature difference between the front and back surfaces of the glass sheet 1. , Chambers 12, 13, 22, 23
Then, the glass sheet 1 is rapidly cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the softening point by the cooling air flow ejected from the air ejection nozzle 26 through the above, and the curved state of the glass sheet 1 is corrected.

In each of the glass sheet cooling devices according to the second and third aspects of the present invention, the pressure of the cooling air flow to be supplied to the air jet nozzle 26 is controlled by the wind boxes 2 and 3. The inner chambers 11 and 21 are divided into split plates 59 and 6
The pressure of the cooling air flow to be supplied to each of the sections divided by 0 and 61 is set to a different value, and the cooling air flow ejected from the air ejection nozzle 26 through the above-described section causes the glass plate to be cooled. 1 is cooled so as to maintain a temperature region exceeding the softening point, and so that the temperature difference between the front and back surfaces of the glass sheet 1 is different for each part in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path. , 23 through the cooling air flow ejected from the air ejection nozzle 26,
The glass plate 1 is rapidly cooled to a temperature equal to or lower than the softening point.
Is partially corrected.

Further, in the cooling device for a glass sheet according to the third aspect of the present invention, the aperture ratio of the air holes 67 formed in the partition plates 9 and 19 is adjusted by the aperture ratio adjusting means 68, 69 and 7.
0, the chambers 11 and 21 of the partition plates 9 and 19 on the upstream side in the transport direction of the glass plate 1 from the chambers 12 and 22 on the downstream side in the transport direction of the glass plate 1 are divided into plates 59 and 60. , 61 regulate the pressure of the cooling air flow delivered to the compartments.

[0033]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an embodiment of a glass sheet cooling device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a pair of wind boxes in FIG. 1 are vertically separated, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cooling air flow pressure adjusting means applied to the glass sheet cooling device of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the cooling air flow pressure adjusting means applied to the glass sheet cooling device of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a glass sheet bending apparatus to which the apparatus for cooling a glass sheet shown in FIG. 1 is applied.

The basic structure of the wind boxes 2 and 3 is shown in FIG.
7 are the same as those shown in FIG. 7, and in FIGS. 1 to 5, portions denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 6 and 7 represent the same items.

Inside the lower wind box 2, the interior of the wind box 2 extends in a direction substantially horizontally crossing the glass sheet transfer path G and is separated from the inside of the wind box 2 at a predetermined interval in the transfer direction of the glass sheet 1.
A plurality of partition plates 9 and 10 are provided. These partition plates 9 and 10 are fixed to the inner surface of the wind box of the top plate 4 and the side plate 5 so as to maintain airtightness, and are in close contact with the bottom plate 8. 2, three chambers 11, 12, 13 arranged in the transport direction of the glass plate 1
Are formed inside the wind box 2.

The chambers 11, 12, 13 inside the wind box 2
Are provided with downstream ends of air supply pipes 31, 32, and 33 for supplying a cooling air flow thereto. Blowers 47 are provided at upstream ends of the air supply pipes 31, 32, 33 through pressure regulating valves 34, 35, 36, respectively.
Air outlets are connected.

The inside of the upper wind box 3 extends substantially horizontally across the glass sheet transfer path G and partitions the inside of the wind box 3 at a predetermined interval in the transfer direction of the glass sheet 1.
A plurality of partition plates 19 and 20 are provided. These partition plates 19 and 20 are fixed to the inner surfaces of the bottom plate 14 and the side plate 15 to maintain the airtightness and are in close contact with the top plate 18. 3, three chambers 2 arranged in the direction of conveyance of the glass plate 1
1, 22, and 23 are formed inside the wind box 2.

The chambers 21, 22, 23 inside the wind box 3
Are provided with downstream ends of air supply pipes 41, 42, and 43 for supplying a cooling air flow thereto. Blowers 47 are connected to the upstream ends of these air supply pipes 41, 42, 43 via pressure regulating valves 44, 45, 46, respectively.
Air outlets are connected.

Further, inside the lower wind box 2, there is provided a division which divides the chamber 11 at a predetermined interval in a direction extending in the same direction as the glass sheet transfer path G and crossing the glass sheet transfer path G horizontally. Plates 59 and 60 are provided, and a dividing plate 61 that extends in the same direction as the glass plate transport path G and divides the chamber 21 is provided inside the upper wind box 3.

The dividing plates 59 and 60 are fixed to the inner surface of the wind box of the top plate 4 and the side plate 5 so as to maintain airtightness, and are in close contact with the bottom plate 8. 11 is divided into three independent chambers 62a, 62b, 62c arranged in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G. Thereby, in the large number of air ejection nozzles 26 attached to the lower wind box 2, the chambers 62a, 62b, 62 with which the air ejection nozzles 26 communicate.
5 independent nozzle groups 64 corresponding to c, 12, 13
a, 64b, 64c, 29b, 29c are formed (see FIG. 2).

The dividing plate 61 is fixed to the inner side surface of the wind box of the bottom plate 14 and the side plate 15 so as to maintain airtightness, and is in close contact with the top plate 18. It is divided into two independent chambers 63a and 63b arranged in a direction crossing the transport path G.
Thereby, in the large number of air ejection nozzles 26 attached to the upper wind box 3, four independent nozzle groups 65a, 65b, corresponding to the chambers 63a, 63b, 22, 23 to which the air ejection nozzles 26 communicate. 30b, 30
c (see FIG. 2).

When cooling the glass sheet 1 bent in the heating furnace A by the glass sheet cooling apparatus having the above-described configuration, the chambers 62a, 62b, 6
2c, 12, 13 and chambers 63a, 63 of wind box 3
b, sending a cooling air flow to both
Nozzle groups 64a, 64b, 64c, 29b, 2 of wind box 2
9c and the nozzle group 65a, 65b, 30b of the wind box 3;
From each of 30c, a cooling air flow is jetted toward the glass sheet 1 moving on the glass sheet conveying path G. Thereby, the glass plate 1 is connected to the nozzle groups 64a, 64
While floating by the cooling airflow spouted from b, 64c, 29b, and 29c, it moves between the wind boxes 2 and 3 toward the downstream side in the transport direction as the transport member 58 moves. The glass plate 1 moving between the wind boxes 2 and 3 includes the nozzle groups 64a, 64b, 64c, 29b and 29c of the wind box 2 and the nozzle groups 65a, 65b, 30a and 30b of the wind box 3
The glass sheet 1 is sequentially cooled by a cooling air flow ejected from 30c, and finally cooled rapidly to a temperature equal to or lower than the softening point, and a strengthening treatment for providing a compressive stress to the surface layer of the glass sheet 1 is performed.

At this time, the chambers 62a, 62 of the wind box 2
When the pressure of the cooling air flow supplied to the b and 62c is appropriately increased or decreased for each of the chambers 62a, 62b and 62c, the nozzle groups 64a, 64b, Glass plate 1 from 64c
Is adjusted for each of the nozzle groups 64a, 64b, 64c. When the pressure of the cooling air flow supplied to the chambers 63a and 63b of the wind box 3 is appropriately increased and decreased for each of the chambers 63a and 63b, the nozzles arranged in the direction traversing the glass sheet transport path G on the uppermost stream side in the transport direction. The flow rate of the cooling airflow spouting from the groups 65a and 65b toward the upper surface of the glass plate 1 is adjusted for each of the nozzle groups 65a and 65b.

As described above, in the apparatus for cooling a glass sheet shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the nozzle groups 64a, 64b, 64c and the nozzle group 65 arranged in the direction traversing the glass sheet transport path G.
Since the flow rates of the cooling airflows ejected from the a and 65b toward the glass sheet 1 are separately adjusted, the cooling air flow is directed substantially horizontally across the glass sheet transport path G with respect to the upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet 1 respectively. By causing a temperature difference of
It becomes possible to partially correct the curved state of the glass sheet 1 at a temperature exceeding the softening point formed by bending. The difference between the conventional glass plate cooling device shown in FIG. 7 and the glass plate cooling device shown in FIGS.
9 and 20, and the presence or absence of the dividing plates 59, 60 and 61, the partition plates 9, 10, 19 and 20 and the dividing plate 5
The existing cooling device can be modified into a configuration equivalent to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 only by newly providing 9, 60, and 61.

The cooling air flow pressure adjusting means for the chambers 62a, 62b, 62c, 63a, 63b arranged in a direction crossing the glass sheet transfer path G includes the chamber 62a,
Instead of connecting an air supply pipe having a pressure regulating valve to each of 62b, 62c, 63a, and 63b, for example, those having the structures shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 can be applied.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the case where the cooling air flow pressure adjusting means is provided in the lower wind box 2. However, the cooling air flow pressure adjusting means may be provided in the upper wind box 3. The basic configuration remains the same.

3 and 4, the partition plate 9 inside the wind box 2 has the chamber 12 and the chambers 62a and 62b,
A large number of air holes 66 communicating with the air holes 62c are formed at equal intervals, and the adjusting plates 68, 69, and 70 having a large number of air holes 67 formed at the same diameter and the same interval as the air holes 66 are connected to the partition plate 9. Are provided for each of the chambers 62a, 62b, and 62c so as to be slidable in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G along a guide rail 71 provided on a surface closer to the chamber 12 of FIG. The number of air holes 67 of the adjustment plate 68 corresponding to the chamber 62a is equal to the number of air holes 66 communicating the chamber 12 and the chamber 62a, and the number of air holes 67 of the adjustment plate 69 corresponding to the chamber 62b is The number of air holes 66 of the adjustment plate 70 corresponding to the chamber 62c is set to be the same as the number of air holes 66 that connect the chamber 12 to the chamber 62c.

On one side plate 5 of the wind box 2, cylinders 75, 76, 77 having rods 72, 73, 74 penetrating the side plate 5 are slidably mounted. Cylinder 75
The rod 72 is attached to a bracket 78 fixed to the adjustment plate 68.
And the rod 73 of the cylinder 76 is
The rod 74 of the cylinder 77 is connected to a bracket 80 fixed to the adjustment plate 70.

Accordingly, the cylinders 75, 76, 77 are operated so that a part of the air hole 67 of the adjusting plate 68, 69, 70 overlaps a part of the air hole 66 of the partition plate 9.
When the adjustment plates 68, 69, 70 are moved, the chamber 12
A part of the cooling air flow supplied to the chambers 62a, 6
2b and 62c. Further, the flow rate of the cooling air flow from the chamber 12 into the chambers 62a, 62b, 62c increases as the overlapping portion between the air hole 66 and the air hole 67 increases, and the air hole 66 and the air hole 67 are completely separated. In the overlapping state, the chamber 12 to the chamber 6
The inflow amount of the cooling air flow into 2a, 62b, 62c is maximized. Further, the cylinders 75, 76, 77 are operated so that the air holes 67 of the adjusting plates 68, 69, 70 do not overlap with the air holes 66 of the partition plate 9 at all.
By moving 69, 70, the cooling air flow supplied to chamber 12 will not flow into chambers 62a, 62b, 62c. That is, by appropriately moving the adjusting plates 68, 69, 70, the nozzle groups 64a, 6
The flow rate of the cooling air flow spouting from 4b, 64c toward the glass plate 1 can be individually adjusted for each of the nozzle groups 64a, 64b, 64c, and the curved state of the glass plate 1 can be more finely corrected. .

The apparatus for cooling a glass sheet according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, in FIGS. 1 to 5, the lower wind box 2
Is divided into three, and the chamber 21 of the upper wind box 3 is divided into two. If at least one of the chambers 11 and 21 is divided in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G, Well, chambers 11 and 21 of wind boxes 2 and 3
When the number of sections is increased, the curved state of the glass plate 1 can be more finely corrected.

In FIG. 1, the heating furnace on the upstream side of the cooling device is of a gas hearth type using a hearth bed 51 as a conveying means of the glass plate 1, but the cooling device according to the present invention is not limited to the gas hearth type heating furnace. Instead, it may be provided on the downstream side of a heating furnace of a roller hearth type using rollers as a conveying means of the glass plate 1 or a heating furnace of another structure. Further, a cooling device according to the present invention can be provided further downstream of a bending apparatus provided with a forming zone for bending and forming the glass sheet 1 by a forming die on the downstream side of the heating furnace.

Further, using a radiation thermometer or a limit switch for mechanically detecting the passage of the glass plate 1 as a moving means of the glass plate 1, the delivery of the glass plate 1 from the heating furnace is detected, and Cylinder 7 according to the delivery of plate 1
If the adjusting plates 68, 69, 70 are moved by 5, 76, 77, a cooling air flow can be ejected from a large number of air ejection nozzles 26 in accordance with the planar shape of the glass plate 1.

Further, the partition plate 9, the adjusting plates 68, 6
Instead of drilling air holes 66, 67 in 9, 70,
Slits are formed in the partition plate 9 and the adjusting plates 68, 69, 70 at the same shape and at the same interval, and the slits of the partition plate 9 and the adjusting plates 68, 6 are formed.
Due to the overlap with the slits 9, 9, the chamber 12
The pressure of the cooling airflow flowing into the section divided by the dividing plates 59, 60, and 61 may be adjusted.

[0055]

As described above, the glass plate cooling apparatus of the present invention can provide various excellent effects as described below.

(1) In the apparatus for cooling a glass sheet according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of chambers 11, 12, 13, which are arranged inside the wind boxes 2, 3 in the conveying direction of the glass sheet 1.
Since the cooling air flows to the glass plate 1 through the air blowing nozzles 26 from the chambers 11 and 21 located at the uppermost stream in the transport direction, the cooling air flow is adjusted at the initial stage of cooling. In order to prevent the temperature of the sheet 1 from being cooled down to the softening point, it is possible to realize that a cooling air flow is jetted toward the glass sheet 1 in a small space, and the temperature of the glass sheet 1 having a temperature exceeding the softening point formed by bending is obtained. It becomes possible to partially correct the bending state.

(2) In any of the glass sheet cooling devices according to the second and third aspects of the present invention, the flow rate of the cooling air flow jetted from the air jet nozzle 26 toward the glass sheet 1 is set to The chambers 11 and 21 are divided into split plates 59 and 6
Since it can be adjusted for each section divided by 0 and 61, by generating a temperature difference in a direction crossing the glass sheet transport path G for each of the upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet 1 in the initial cooling stage, It becomes possible to partially correct the curved state of the glass sheet 1 at a temperature exceeding the softening point formed by bending.

(3) In the cooling device for a glass sheet according to the third aspect of the present invention, the aperture ratio of the air holes 67 formed in the partition plates 9 and 19 is controlled by the aperture ratio adjusting means 68, 69 and 70.
The chambers 11 and 21 are divided
It is possible to easily and surely adjust the flow rate of the cooling airflow that is jetted from the sections divided by 9, 60, and 61 to the glass plate 1 through the air jet nozzle 26.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an embodiment of a glass plate cooling device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a pair of wind boxes of FIG. 1 are vertically separated from each other.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a cooling air flow pressure adjusting means applied to the glass sheet cooling device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view showing a cooling air flow pressure adjusting means applied to the glass sheet cooling device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a glass sheet bending apparatus to which the glass sheet cooling apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is applied.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a conventional glass sheet bending apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the cooling device in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Glass plate 2: Wind box 3: Wind box 9: Partition plate 10: Partition plate 11: Chamber 12: Chamber 13: Chamber 19: Partition plate 20: Partition plate 21: Chamber 22: Chamber 23: Chamber 26: Air ejection Nozzle 59: Dividing plate 60: Dividing plate 61: Dividing plate 67: Air hole 68: Adjusting plate (Aperture ratio adjusting means) 69: Adjusting plate (Aperture ratio adjusting means) 70: Adjusting plate (Aperture ratio adjusting means) G: Glass Board transfer path

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pair of wind boxes facing each other across a glass sheet transfer path for transferring a glass sheet heated in a heating furnace,
The cooling air flow from the chamber in the wind box is supplied from a number of air jet nozzles provided over substantially the entire surface of the wind box facing the glass sheet transfer path to the glass plate. In the cooling device, a partition plate that partitions the inside of the wind box at predetermined intervals in the glass plate transfer direction is provided inside the wind box, and a plurality of chambers arranged in the glass plate transfer direction are provided. And a chamber closest to the upstream in the transport direction of the plurality of chambers directs a cooling air flow toward the glass sheet so as not to cool the temperature of the glass sheet to a softening point while the glass sheet passes. A cooling device for a glass sheet, which is to be ejected. 2. A dividing plate is provided in at least one of the wind boxes, which is divided substantially horizontally at a predetermined interval in a direction crossing the glass sheet conveying path, and a chamber located at the most upstream in the glass sheet conveying direction. 2. The glass sheet cooling device according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheet is divided into a plurality of sections arranged in a direction crossing the glass sheet conveyance path. 3. An air hole communicating with each of the chambers divided by the dividing plate and another chamber adjacent to the chamber is formed in the partition plate located at the most upstream position in the conveying direction of the glass plate, 3. The cooling device for a glass sheet according to claim 2, further comprising means for adjusting an aperture ratio of the air holes.