KR20150055869A - Curved glass molding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a curved glass molding apparatus. The curved glass molding apparatus is installed on an upper plate heater and a lower plate heater to conduct a molding operation for a glass plate while maintaining the operation temperature. A lift driving unit is connected to the upper and lower plate heaters individually to lift the plate heaters and molds. A vacuum line unit is connected to an upper mold unit, and a high-temperature gas spray line unit is connected to a lower mold unit. When a transfer unit supports the glass plate with a wire mesh jig and inputs the glass plate to an operation area, the upper mold is lifted down to attach the glass plate by suction and the jig departs from the operation area. Then, the lower mold unit is lifted up to spray a high-temperature gas to the glass plate to mold the glass plate in a desired shape.

Description

[0001] CURVED GLASS MOLDING APPARATUS [0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass processing field, and more particularly, to a curved glass molding apparatus used for manufacturing a curved glass used in a touch panel.

Currently, the use of smart devices using touch panels such as smart phones and tablets is exploding. There are also a variety of smart devices that are produced from smart phones with relatively small touch panels to large size tablets.

In recent years, interest in curved surface touch panels called so-called 3D touch panels is increasing. Such a curved touch panel can, of course, increase the visibility and touch area of the panel, as well as aesthetics.

In order to manufacture such a curved touch panel, a glass used as a cover glass on a touch panel must be formed into a curved surface. The curved surface of the glass used in the prior art has been widely used in the method of polishing the glass surface with a glue and making it into a curved surface. However, such a polishing method not only limits the shape that can be formed, but also wastes glass material.

Therefore, a bending method in which a glass is heated to a working temperature by using a mold rather than a polishing method is preferred.

However, there is a need for a curved glass molding apparatus suitable for producing a large amount of curved glass by such a bending method.

Korean Patent Application 10-2009-0088292

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and provides a curved glass molding apparatus.

The present invention provides a curved glass molding apparatus for forming a glass by bending a hot gas.

The present invention provides a curved glass molding apparatus with high energy efficiency.

The present invention provides a curved glass molding device comprising: an upper mold part capable of adsorbing a glass plate; And a lower mold part capable of injecting a hot gas onto the glass plate, wherein the heated glass plate is bent by the hot gas injected from the lower mold part while being adsorbed on the upper mold part.

Wherein the upper mold part is mounted on the frame so as to be able to move up and down by a first lifting /

The lower mold part is installed on the frame so as to be movable up and down by a second lifting and lowering part.

The upper mold part comprises: a first body; And a first porous core member coupled to the first body to form a first space part and providing a molding shape, wherein a vacuum line part is connected to the first space part, and when the suction operation of the vacuum line part is performed And the glass plate is adsorbed on the upper surface of the first porous core member.

The lower mold part comprising: a second body; And a second porous core member coupled to the second body while forming a second space part, wherein when the hot gas injection line part is connected to the second space part and the operation of the hot gas injection line part is performed, Hot gas is sprayed onto the glass plate adsorbed on the first porous core member.

An upper plate heater may be connected to the first lifting and lowering driving part, and the upper mold part may be installed in the upper plate heater. A lower plate heater may be connected to the second lifting and lowering driving part, and the lower mold part may be installed to the lower plate heater.

When the transfer device draws the glass plate to the working position in the lateral direction, the upper mold part is lowered to attract the glass plate, and when the transfer device is moved away from the working position, the lower mold part rises and injects the hot gas onto the glass plate.

The glass plate can be maintained at the working temperature by the upper plate heater and the lower plate heater.

According to the present invention, a curved glass molding apparatus is provided. In such a curved glass molding apparatus, the heated glass plate is formed by the hot gas injected from the lower mold part in a state of being adsorbed on the upper mold part. This configuration not only allows rapid progression of the process in the system in which the glass plate is exposed and heated but also reduces the adsorption of the fine particles on the surface of the glass. Particularly, since the glass plate can be directly conveyed, preheated, molded and cooled in a state in which the glass plate is not conveyed together with the glass plate, the thermal efficiency is high and a considerable cost reduction can be achieved. Such a molding apparatus can be included in a curved glass manufacturing system and can be suitably used for continuous and large-scale molding of curved glass.

1 is a view showing an example of a curved glass for a touch panel manufactured by the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
2A to 2C are views showing a curved glass molding apparatus according to the present invention.
3A to 3C are views showing a state where the elevation driving part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention, the plate heater, and the mold are coupled.
4 is a view showing an upper mold part and a lower mold part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
5 is a view schematically showing an example of a vacuum line part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
6 is a schematic view of a hot gas injection line connected to a lower mold part of the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
7 is a sectional view showing a plate heater included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
8A and 8B are views showing the heat insulating means included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.
9A to 9B are views showing a curved glass manufacturing system in which the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention is employed.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

The present invention provides a curved glass molding device. In such a curved glass molding apparatus, the glass plate is formed into a shape defined by the hot gas injected from the lower mold portion in a state that the glass plate is attracted to the upper mold portion. The upper mold part and the lower mold part are respectively installed in an upper platter heater and a lower platter heater, and they can be raised and lowered by the elevation driving part, respectively. Therefore, the molding using the hot blower is performed in a state where the glass plate is maintained in the working temperature range in the molding apparatus. In particular, the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention can move the glass plates to be formed laterally and enter the molding apparatus to be sequentially formed. In the molding apparatus of the present invention and the curved glass manufacturing system employing the glass plate, since the glass plate is transported alone or in a state of being exposed to heat by the jig employing the wire netting, the temperature rise to the working temperature As well as relatively more precise control is possible. In this way, in the method of transferring the glass plate with the wire net jig in a state of being exposed and supported, the upper mold part needs to attract and lift the glass plate as in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention. Then, after the transfer device is moved out of the working position, the lower mold part is lifted up and the hot gas is injected onto the glass plate at a position close to the upper mold part to form the desired shape.

1 is a view showing an example of a curved glass for a touch panel manufactured by the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

The curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention can be applied to molding a touch panel glass as shown in Fig. 1 into a desired shape. For example, the glass plate may be heated using the molding apparatus of the present invention to bend the edge portion of the glass plate into a curved surface, and the glass plate may be applied to a glass for a touch panel such as a smart phone or a tablet. Thus, if the edge of the touch panel of the smart device is formed as a curved surface, it will provide various advantages.

2A to 2C show a curved glass molding apparatus according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view, FIG. 2B is a side sectional view, and FIG. 2C is a partial enlarged view.

Referring to the drawings, a curved glass molding apparatus according to the present invention includes an upper mold part 450 and a lower mold part 460 which are vertically installed on a tower frame 430, respectively. The upper mold part 450 and the lower mold part 460 are provided so as to face each other and can change the distance by raising and lowering.

The upper mold part 450 and the lower mold part 460 preferably have an upper plate heater 410 which can be lifted by the first lifting drive part 441 and a second lifting drive part, And can be raised and lowered by being installed in the plate heater 420.

The glass plate placed at the working position between the upper mold part 450 and the lower mold part 460 is molded by the upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 while being maintained at the working temperature .

3A to 3C are views showing a state where the first elevation driving part 441, the upper plate heater 410, and the upper mold part 450 included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention are combined. The lifting mouth portion and the plate heater may be the same or similar to each other, and one of them is described herein, and the same or similar elements are given the same reference numerals.

Each of the first and second lifting and lowering drive portions 441 and 442 includes a servo motor 4411 to which a ball screw 4412 is connected to the motor shaft. Therefore, when the servo motor 4411 rotates, the ball screw 4412 rotates. A nut portion 4413 is screwed into the ball screw 4412 and the machine shaft 4414 is fixed to the nut portion 4413. That is, one side of the machine shaft 4414 is fixed to the nut portion 4413 and the other side is fixed to the plate heaters 410 and 420. Therefore, when the ball screw 4412 is rotated by the servo motor 4411, the nut portion 4413 moves in the longitudinal direction on the ball screw 4412, and thus the machine shaft 4414 is raised and lowered. And an LM guide 4415 for guiding the nut portion 4413 to linearly move when the ball screw 4412 rotates is provided. These components may be installed in a body 4416 in the form of a frame or an enclosure.

The distance between the upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 can be adjusted by the first and second lifting and lowering parts 441 and 442 and the glass plate as a heating object placed therebetween. By using this, more precise temperature control is possible in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

This elevating configuration also enables a molding operation in which the upper mold part 450 adsorbs the glass plate and the lower mold part 460 sprays the hot gas as described later.

4 is a view showing an upper mold part and a lower mold part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

The upper mold part 450 includes a first body 451 and a first porous core member 453 joined to form a first space 452 in the first body 451 and providing a molding shape . A vacuum line portion 91 is connected to the first space portion 452 and the glass plate is adsorbed to the first porous core member 453 when the suction operation of the vacuum line portion 91 is performed.

The lower mold part includes a second body 461 and a second porous core member 463 coupled to the second body 461 while forming a second space part 462. The high temperature gas injection line unit 92 is connected to the second space unit 462. When the operation of the high temperature gas injection line unit 92 is performed, the high temperature gas injection line unit 92 is adsorbed to the first porous core member 453 of the upper mold unit 450 The hot glass is sprayed onto the glass plate.

The first porous core member 453 and the second porous core member 463 of the upper mold part 450 and the lower mold part 460 may have substantially corresponding shapes. For example, when the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention is used to form a curved surface at the edge portion of the glass plate, the first porous core member 453 of the upper mold portion 450 has an edge And the second porous core member 463 may have a shape that surrounds such curved edges. This is also suitable for molding by blowing hot gas upward from below to connect the hot gas injection line portion 92 to the lower mold portion 460. The first porous core member 453 and the second porous core member 463 may include a plurality of pores as described above and may be suitable for vacuum adsorption of a glass plate or injection of a hot gas.

When the jig 620a of the transfer device 60 is placed in the working position while supporting the glass plate in the lateral direction, the upper mold part 450 is lowered to attract the glass plate, and then the transfer device 60 The jig 620a is released from the working position. Then, the lower mold part 460 rises to inject the hot gas onto the glass plate. By this operation, the glass plate is formed into a desired shape.

In the illustrated example, a curved glass whose edge portion is curved is formed. However, the curved glass molding device of the present invention is not limited to the manufacture of such a shape, and can be applied to various 3D glass molding.

5 is a view schematically showing an example of a vacuum line part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

The vacuum line part 91 is connected to the first space part 452 of the upper mold part 450. The vacuum line unit 91 may be configured to include a vacuum pump 911 and a controller 912. When the first space portion 452 is vacuum-sucked by the vacuum line portion 91, the glass plate is adsorbed on the first porous core member 453.

FIG. 6 is a view schematically showing an example of a hot gas injection line part included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

The hot gas ejection line portion 92 is connected to the second space portion 462 of the lower mold portion 460. The hot gas ejection line unit 92 may be implemented in a configuration including, for example, a gas storage unit 921, a heating unit 922, a compressor 923, and a control unit 924. The gas used may be, for example, nitrogen, which is an inert gas. The hot gas ejection line unit 92 ejects a hot gas onto a glass plate adsorbed on the first porous core member 453 of the upper mold unit 450 through the second porous core member 463 to form a curved surface on the glass plate . This shape of the curved corner is due to the shape of the first porous core member 453. [

It is needless to say that the vacuum line unit 91 and the hot gas injection line unit 92 are not limited to the above-described configuration and can be implemented in various ways.

7 is a sectional view showing a plate heater included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention. Here too, the upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 are the same or similar, and one of them will be described.

Each of the plate heaters 410 and 420 includes a case 411, an electric heating element 4121 provided inside the case 411 and an electric supplying part 4123 for applying electricity to the heating element 4121 . A ceramic structure as the insulator 4122 may be disposed around the heating element 4121. [ A heat insulating material 413 is disposed inside the case 411 to prevent heat from radiating in directions other than the glass plate side. In addition, a cover member 415 may be provided to fix the elements accommodated in the case 411. The plate heaters 410 and 420 may further include a temperature meter 416, such as a thermocouple, to control the temperature by controlling the electricity applied to the heating element 4121. Reference numeral 417 denotes a guide element which can guide the heat flow of the plate heater or the gas flow of the blower to be described later. The machine shaft 4414 of the elevation driving portions 441 and 442 is connected to the case 411 of the plate heaters 410 and 420 as described above. 420 are moved up and down.

The upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 are heated to a working temperature of 750 ° C and 50 ° C in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

Referring back to Figs. 2A and 2B, the frame 430 included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention supports the above-described components. The frame 430 may have a shape in which the upper surface, the lower surface, and the side surfaces are clogged, except for the surface on which the inlet and the outlet through which the heating object enters and leaves are formed. The entrance and exit can be arranged on one side and the other side, respectively.

8A and 8B are views showing the heat insulating means included in the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention.

On the clogged surface of the frame 430, the heat insulating means 480 is disposed. Preferably, the insulation means 480 may comprise a double insulation element. For example, the insulation means 480 may include a coolant flow tube 481. The cooling water flow pipe 481 may be welded to the aluminum plate member 482 and installed in the frame 430, as shown in Fig. 8A. Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, the heat insulating means 480 may further include a heat insulating material 483 having a predetermined thickness. The heat insulating material 483 can be fixed to the cover 484. Further, the dust-preventing coating layer 485 may be disposed on the surface of the heat insulating material 483 exposed to the inside of the molding apparatus.

The heat insulating means 480 maintains the inside of the furnace at a uniform temperature and suppresses the internal heat from being released to the outside.

9A to 9C are schematic views of a curved glass manufacturing system in which a curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention is employed. In the drawings, a part of the front surface is removed for convenience of understanding.

The curved glass manufacturing system in which the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention can be employed includes basically a preheating section 30, a forming section 40, a cooling section 50, and a transfer section 60. The curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention is included in a curved glass manufacturing system as a molding section (40).

In the curved glass manufacturing system, the preheating portion 30 and the forming portion 40 perform heating for raising the temperature to the bending operation temperature (approximately 750 ° C) of the glass plate, and the cooling portion 50 is heated Heat is applied in order to allow the step to cool by applying heat.

The curved glass manufacturing system may further include the preparation table 10 and the loading unit 20 before the preheating unit 30 and the unloading unit 70 and the return table 80 ). ≪ / RTI >

The glass plate prepared in the preparation table 10 is loaded from the loading unit 20 to the transfer unit 60. The glass plate to be loaded in the loading unit 20 may be a flat glass plate of a touch panel cut into a predetermined size and shape. Loading of the glass plate can be performed by a loading device (not shown). Preferably, also in the loading section 20, the glass plate can be heated to a temperature of about 100 DEG C or higher, which is then helpful for rapid temperature rise.

The transfer unit 60 may include, for example, a first transfer device 60a and a second transfer device 60b. The transfer unit 60 transfers both the top and bottom surfaces of the glass plate in a state exposed to heat. In the first transfer device 60a, a jig 620a in the form of a wire net is employed.

The first transfer device 60a can transfer the glass plate to the preheating portion 30, the forming portion 40, and the first cooling device 50a, as shown in Figs. 9A and 9B. The second transfer device 60b can transfer the glass plate from the first transfer device 60a to the second cooling device 50b, the third cooling device 50c and the unloading part 70. [ However, it is also possible to transfer the glass plate at the entire stage to the first transfer device 60a.

The first conveying device 60a includes a jig 620a slidably mounted on the rails 610a and 610a and a linear driving unit 630a sliding the jig 620a on the rails 610a do.

The jig 620a may preferably have a wire net shape supporting the lower surface of the glass plate. Such a wire net exposes both sides of the glass plate substantially to the upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 so that heating or cooling can be performed quickly.

And the glass plate is heated with the preheating section 30 at about 750 deg. C as the target temperature. When the first transfer device 60a of the transfer unit 60 moves the preheated glass plate to the forming unit 40, the temperature of the forming unit 40 to which the curved glass molding apparatus of the present invention is applied is maintained at 750 ± 50 ° C. And performs a molding operation.

 As described above, in the forming part 40, the first lift moving part 441 moves down the upper plate heater 410 to cause the upper mold part 450 to adsorb the glass plate, and the second lift moving part 442 moves the lower plate The heater 420 is raised to blow the hot gas to the glass plate to bend the glass plate. At this time, the jig 620a moves away from the position so that the upper mold part and the lower mold part are closely located to perform the molding operation.

When the molding is completed, the transfer unit 60 transfers the glass plate to the cooling unit 50.

The cooling section 50 may be a multi-stage configuration including a first cooling device 50a, a second cooling device 50b, and a third cooling device 50c. Each of the cooling devices 50a, 50b, and 50c sets the cooling target temperatures to be different from each other, thereby gradually cooling the formed glass plate. In this case, the first elevation driving unit 441 and the second elevation driving unit 442 can precisely control the temperature by positioning the upper plate heater 410 and the lower plate heater 420 at predetermined heights, respectively, in each cooling step . When the cooling is completed, the glass plate is transferred to the unloading portion 70 by the second transfer device 60b.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments.

Claims (8)

A curved glass molding apparatus comprising:
An upper mold part capable of adsorbing a glass plate; And
And a lower mold part capable of injecting a hot gas onto the glass plate,
Wherein a heated glass plate is bending-molded by a hot gas injected from the lower mold part while being adsorbed to the upper mold part.
A curved glass molding device.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the upper mold part is mounted on the frame so as to be able to move up and down by a first lifting /
Wherein the lower mold part is installed on the frame so as to be able to move up and down by the second lifting and lowering part.
A curved glass molding device.
[3] The apparatus of claim 2,
Body; And
And a first porous core member joined to form a first space portion in the body and providing a molding shape,
Wherein a vacuum line portion is connected to the first space portion and the glass plate is adsorbed on an upper surface of the first porous core member when a suction operation of the vacuum line portion is performed,
A curved glass molding device.
[4] The apparatus of claim 3,
Body;
And a second porous core member coupled to the body while forming a second space part,
Wherein the high temperature gas injection line portion is connected to the second space portion and the high temperature gas injection line portion is injected into the glass plate adsorbed to the first porous core member of the upper mold portion,
A curved glass molding device.
The method of claim 3,
Wherein an upper plate heater is connected to the first lifting and lowering drive part, and the upper mold part is installed to the upper plate heater.
A curved glass molding device.
The method of claim 4,
A lower plate heater is connected to the second lifting and lowering driving part, and the lower mold part is installed to the lower plate heater.
A curved glass molding device.
The method according to claim 5 or 6,
When the transfer device draws the glass plate in the lateral direction into the working position, the upper mold part is lowered to attract the glass plate,
Wherein when the transfer device is displaced from the working position, the lower mold part rises and injects the hot gas to the glass plate.
A curved glass molding device.
The method of claim 7,
Wherein the glass plate is maintained at the working temperature by the upper plate heater and the lower plate heater.
A curved glass molding device.

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