TW201529499A - Method and apparatus for producing glass plate - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a method and an apparatus for producing a glass plate, in which a glass ribbon can be processed without causing breaking or cracking. Scribed lines (C) are processed at regular intervals in the length direction in selvage parts (G2) of a glass ribbon (G) in a tear line processing section (30) (a tear line processing step). Subsequently, both edge parts of the glass ribbon (G) are cut out continuously in the length direction to separate the selvage parts (G2) in strip-like shapes from the glass ribbon (G) in a selvage part separation section (46) (a selvage part separation step). Subsequently, the selvage parts (G2) are broken along the scribed lines (C) to break the selvage parts (G2) roughly in a selvage part breakage section (50) (a selvage part breakage step).

Description

Glass plate manufacturing method and manufacturing device Field of invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing a glass sheet for processing a strip-shaped glass ribbon.

Background of the invention

A glass ribbon (belt-shaped glass plate) manufactured by a general manufacturing method such as a float method or a melting method is a field in which thickness is uneven in both edges in the width direction. Such a field in which the thickness is not uniform is generally referred to as an ear portion, which is pulverized after being removed from the glass ribbon and reused as raw material glass swarf.

In the method of removing the ear from the glass ribbon, Patent Document 1 describes a method of cutting and removing the ear by laser processing. In this method, the laser beam is irradiated on both edges of the glass ribbon conveyed in the longitudinal direction, and the glass ribbon is cut at the boundary between the product portion and the ear portion to remove the ear portion. The ears thus removed are separated from the product portion of the glass ribbon in a strip shape. Then, it is conveyed toward the edge breaking device and broken into end edge sheets.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that the treatment of the ear portion (end edge portion) requires great attention, and the treatment of the ear portion may even cause damage to the edge portion, and the damage of the edge portion acts on the cutting. The starting point causes the overall loss of the strip-shaped plate glass. In addition, there are records that can be relative The track of the product portion (effective glass portion) after the cutting of the strip-shaped plate-shaped glass track before cutting is adapted to the track of the ear portion (end edge glass portion) so that the progress of the crack from the starting point of the cutting is The right state.

Advanced technical literature Patent literature

Patent Document 1 Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-335928

Patent Document 2 Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-144093

Summary of invention

If the separated ear portion is conventionally subjected to the processing of being crushed by the crusher or being conveyed to the fracture machine and being broken, the vibration during processing is transmitted to the product portion and the ear portion of the glass ribbon. There is a disadvantage that the cut portion or the product portion is cracked or defective. In other words, since the ear portion is thick and has high rigidity, the vibration and stress at the time of the crushing are transmitted to the upstream side as it is, and there is a disadvantage that the product portion is cracked or broken during the cutting portion during processing. In particular, the thin glass of the product portion has a problem that the product portion is easily broken when the cutting portion during processing is affected by vibration or stress.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the invention is to provide a method and a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet which can separate a glass ribbon into a product portion and an ear portion without causing cracks or defects in the product portion.

The means to solve the problem are as follows.

The first aspect is that the product portion is provided in the center in the width direction. a method for manufacturing a glass plate in which a strip-shaped glass ribbon having both ears is continuously conveyed in a longitudinal direction and processing the glass ribbon being conveyed, the method for manufacturing the processed glass sheet having an ear separation step, The two edges of the glass ribbon are continuously cut in the longitudinal direction, and the glass ribbon is separated into the product portion and the ear portion; the predetermined step of the fracture is processed, and the length direction of the ear portion is crossed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion. The predetermined line of fracture is machined in the ear; the ear is broken, and the separated ear is broken along the predetermined line of the fracture.

The foregoing ear separation step, fracture predetermined line processing step, and ear fracture step may be performed in this order, or the fracture predetermined line processing step, the ear separation step, and the ear breaking step may be performed in this order.

According to this aspect, the predetermined line of fracture is processed at a certain interval in the longitudinal direction of the ear. The ear is separated and sequentially bent along a predetermined line of fracture, and is broken into an elongated shape (so-called rough cut). Thereby, it is possible to prevent vibration and stress accompanying the treatment of the ear portion from being transmitted to the cut portion of the ear portion, and it is possible to prevent cracking or chipping in the product portion. That is, the separated ear portion is not broken in a state where it is not separated from the upstream glass ribbon, and the vibration and stress accompanying the treatment can be prevented from being transmitted to the cut portion of the ear by the rough cutting, thereby preventing the product from being wounded. The part is cracked and defective.

Incidentally, the predetermined line of fracture is processed at least before the ear is broken. Therefore, as described above, it may be processed after the ear is cut, or may be processed before the ear is cut.

Further, although the ear portion is broken by being bent at a predetermined line of fracture, not all of the portions of the predetermined line of the fracture must be bent. Further, the broken ear portion is followed by a glass swarf treatment such as pulverization.

The second aspect is the method of manufacturing the glass sheet according to the first aspect, wherein the ear breaking step is to break the ear portion along the predetermined line of the break during the conveyance of the ear portion and the product portion in the same direction.

According to this aspect, the ear portion is broken after being separated from the product portion and being conveyed in the same direction as the product portion. That is, the ear is broken between short distances after separation. Thereby, the space required for processing can be made small.

The third aspect is the method for producing a glass sheet according to the first aspect, wherein the ear breaking step is to break the ear portion along the predetermined line of fracture after switching the conveying direction of either the ear portion and the product portion.

According to this aspect, the ear portion is broken after being separated from the product portion and switched to a different conveyance direction from the product portion. That is, it is possible to carry the ear separately from the product portion, and the degree of freedom of the arrangement of the ear breaking step and the breaking timing of the separation of the ear portion and the product portion is improved.

The fourth aspect is a method of manufacturing a glass sheet according to the first to third aspects, wherein the ear breaking step is to blow a gas to the ear to cause the ear to break along a predetermined line of fracture.

According to this aspect, the ear is broken along the predetermined line of fracture by the action of blowing the gas onto the ear. Since the gas is blown to the ear and broken, the ear can be broken by non-contact. Thereby, the influence of the vibration transmitted to the glass ribbon at the time of the fracture can be made small, and the fracture speed and the stress applied to the glass can be easily adjusted, so that the fracture with high efficiency and high degree of freedom becomes possible. Further, it is also expected to remove the effect of the glass swarf generated when the glass is cut by blowing the gas.

The fifth aspect is the manufacture of a glass plate according to any of the first to fourth aspects. The method wherein the predetermined line of fracture processing step is to machine a predetermined line of fracture at a portion of the ear.

According to this aspect, the predetermined line of fracture is machined in one part of the ear. As long as a part of the ear has a planned fracture line, it can be easily bent with the predetermined line of fracture. Therefore, the predetermined line of fracture does not have to be processed in the entire width direction, and a part of it can be processed. Thereby, the processing of the predetermined line of fracture can be easily performed.

The sixth aspect is the method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the predetermined line processing step of breaking is to process the predetermined line of the fracture at the full width of the ear portion.

According to this aspect, the predetermined line of fracture is machined to the full width of the ear. Thereby, the ear can be easily broken.

The seventh aspect is a method of manufacturing a glass sheet according to the fifth aspect, wherein the predetermined line processing step of breaking is to process the predetermined line of fracture at the portion where the thickness of the ear portion is the thickest.

According to this aspect, the predetermined line of fracture is processed in the thickest portion of the ear. Thereby, when the ear is bent, the ear can be easily and surely bent, and the process of bending the ear can be performed stably.

The eighth aspect is the method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the ear separation step is to irradiate the laser to both edge portions of the glass ribbon to cut the glass ribbon and separate into a product portion. With the ear.

According to this aspect, the glass ribbon is cut using a laser and separated into a product portion and an ear portion. Thereby, it is possible to further reduce the cracking and the defect of the product portion which is generated when the vibration is transmitted to the cut portion in the processing. Product department The separation from the ear can be performed by, for example, cutting with a cutter in addition to the cutting of the laser. However, when the cutting of the cutter is used, if the vibration and the stress are transmitted to the abutment position of the cutter, the excessive is excessive. The stress acts on the glass ribbon, and the risk of cracking and defecting becomes high. By the action of cutting by laser, the risk of cracking and defecting in the product portion when vibration and stress are transmitted is further reduced.

The ninth aspect is the method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the glass ribbon which is continuously conveyed from the molded portion for molding the molten glass into a glass ribbon is subjected to the aforementioned processing.

According to this aspect, the glass ribbon formed in the forming portion is continuously conveyed and processed. Thereby, the glass ribbon can be processed efficiently.

The tenth aspect is the method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the product portion of the glass ribbon has a thickness of 0.01 mm to 3.00 mm.

According to this aspect, the glass ribbon having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 3.00 mm in the product portion is processed. In the product portion of the glass ribbon, the thinner the plate thickness, the more likely it is to crack or break. However, even in the case where the glass ribbon having a thin plate thickness is used as a processing target, the glass ribbon can be formed without causing cracking or defect in the product portion by using the above-described various processing methods. Processing.

The eleventh aspect is the method for processing a glass ribbon according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, further comprising: a second ear separation step of continuously cutting both edges of the separated product portion in the longitudinal direction The product portion (first product portion) obtained is separated into the second product portion and the second ear portion.

According to this aspect, the ear portion (the second ear portion) is separated from the product portion. That is, the second stage is divided into glass strips to remove the ears. Thereby, the ear can be removed with further precision and stability. That is, if there is a thick ear, it will be difficult to be stable and accurately cut, but the ear can be cut off and removed after cutting the thick ear in advance, and the accuracy and stability will be Ear removal.

The twelfth aspect is the method for processing a glass ribbon according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, further comprising: a step of processing the cross-cut predetermined line, and the length direction of the product portion is spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the product portion The orthogonal cross-cut predetermined line is processed in the product part.

According to this aspect, after the ear portion is separated, the product portion is processed by a transversely-cut predetermined line orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the product portion is cut along the transverse line. Thereby, the glass plate is cut out. Thereby, the glass plate of the desired size can be cut out with high precision.

The thirteenth aspect is a glass plate manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a conveying means that has a product portion in the center in the width direction, and a glass belt having an ear portion at both edges is continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction; the ear separation portion and the glass are separated The two edge portions of the belt are continuously cut in the longitudinal direction, and the glass ribbon is separated into a product portion and an ear portion; and the predetermined line processing portion is broken, and the length direction of the ear portion is intersected at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion. The predetermined line of fracture is machined at the ear; the ear is broken, and the separated ear is broken along the predetermined line of the fracture.

According to this aspect, the glass ribbon is continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction by the transport means, and the ear portion is continuously separated by the ear separation portion during the transport. Further, in the conveyance process, the predetermined line of fracture is processed at a predetermined interval in the ear portion by breaking the predetermined line processing portion. The ear is separated by the ear The fracture portion breaks along the predetermined line of fracture. Thereby, the separated ear portion can be treated without giving an adverse effect on the cut portion of the ear portion.

The fourteenth aspect is the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to the thirteenth aspect, wherein the ear fracture portion is provided with a gas blowing means for blowing a gas to the ear portion to break the ear portion.

According to this aspect, the ear breaking means blows the gas to the ear to bend the ear. Thereby, even if the position of the predetermined line to be broken is unstable, the bending stress acts effectively on the position of the predetermined line to be broken, so that the glass sheet can be surely bent. Furthermore, since the processing can be performed in a non-contact manner, the processing speed can be improved.

The fifteenth aspect is the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect, wherein the ear separation portion is a laser cutter that irradiates a laser beam to the glass ribbon to cut the glass ribbon.

According to this aspect, the glass ribbon is cut by laser irradiation at both edges, and is separated into a product portion and an ear portion. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the cutting of the laser stably due to the adverse effects such as the vibration of the laser irradiation position, the unnecessary stress, and the positional fluctuation of the glass ribbon caused by the treatment of the ear portion.

According to the present invention, the glass ribbon can be separated into the product portion and the ear portion without causing cracking or defect in the product portion.

1‧‧‧Manufacture of glass plates

10‧‧‧Roller conveyor

12‧‧‧Roller

30‧‧‧Breaked line processing department

32‧‧‧Marking processing device

40‧‧‧Rotating frame

40A‧‧‧Rotary axis

42‧‧‧Tools

44‧‧‧ Shock absorbers

46‧‧‧ Ear separation

48‧‧‧Laser slitting machine

50‧‧‧ Ear fracture

52‧‧‧ ear transport roller conveyor

54‧‧‧ Ear fracture machine

56‧‧‧ Ear handling roller

62‧‧‧Pushing roller

64‧‧‧Air nozzle

66‧‧‧ funnel

100‧‧‧ glass plate manufacturing equipment

110‧‧‧Second Ear Separation Department

200‧‧‧ glass plate manufacturing equipment

210‧‧‧ Glass Plate Processing Department

300‧‧‧ glass plate manufacturing equipment

310‧‧‧ glass plate ear separation

A1‧‧‧ arrow

A2‧‧‧ arrow

A3‧‧‧ arrow

B‧‧‧Track

C‧‧‧ scribing (scheduled line)

C1‧‧‧ vertical line

G‧‧‧glass ribbon

G1‧‧‧Products of Glass Belt (1st Product Division)

G2‧‧‧ Ears of glass ribbon (1st ear)

G2A‧‧‧ Ears

G3‧‧‧The second product department of the glass ribbon

G4‧‧‧2nd ear of glass ribbon

Ge‧‧‧ glass ribbon outer edge

G‧‧‧glass plate

G1‧‧‧Products of Glass Sheets (Glass Board Products Division)

G2‧‧‧ glass plate ear (glass plate ear) L‧‧ ‧ laser

P‧‧‧ The thickest part of the ear

S‧‧‧Processing space

T‧‧‧ plate thickness

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet.

Figure 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet Figure.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing a portion of the line to be broken.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ear of the glass ribbon.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a third embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet.

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet.

Form for implementing the invention

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

"The composition of the glass plate manufacturing device"

1 and 2 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, showing an embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet.

The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in the figure has a product portion G1 (first product portion) in the center in the width direction and a glass ribbon G having an ear portion G2 (first ear portion) on both sides in the longitudinal direction. The apparatus is continuously conveyed and the ear portion G2 is continuously cut and removed during transportation.

The glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 mainly includes a roller conveyor 10, a predetermined line processing unit 30, an ear separation unit 46, an ear breaking unit 50, and a control unit (not shown).

The roller conveyor 10 is a conveyance glass ribbon G.

The fracture planned line processing unit 30 processes the scribe line (predetermined line to break) C in the ear portion G2 with a predetermined interval therebetween. That is, the predetermined line of the break is engraved on the surface of the ear portion G2.

The scribing ear separation portion 46 continuously cuts both edge portions of the glass ribbon G during conveyance in the longitudinal direction, and separates the glass ribbon G into the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2.

The ear fracture portion 50 is such that the separated ear portion G2 is sequentially broken along the scribe line C, and the ear portion G2 is roughly broken (rough cut).

The control unit is an action that collectively controls the whole.

<Roller conveyor>

The drum conveyor 10 as an example of the conveyance means has a plurality of rollers 12 arranged at a constant pitch along the conveyance path. Each of the rollers 12 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown). Further, each of the rollers 12 is driven to rotate by a rotation driving means (not shown). The glass ribbon G is placed on the drum 12, and is continuously conveyed at a constant speed in the longitudinal direction along the conveyance direction indicated by an arrow A1 in Figs. 1 and 2 .

<Fracture line processing section>

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing a portion of the line to be broken.

The planned fracture line processing unit 30 has a pair of right and left scribe line processing devices 32, and the scribe lines C are processed on the left and right edge portions G2 of the glass ribbon G by the pair of left and right scribe line processing devices 32. At this time, the scribe line C is processed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2 at intervals in the longitudinal direction by the cutter 42, and is preferably processed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

The scribing processing device 32 mainly includes a rotating frame 40 and rotation The casing 40 is configured by a pair of cutters 42. The scribing processing device 32 is provided in a casing (not shown). The housing is provided with an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the installation position of the scribing processing device 32.

The rotating housing 40 is driven by a motor (not shown) and rotates around the rotating shaft 40A.

The cutter 42 may be attached to the rotating housing 40 through a telescopic shock absorber 44.

The damper 44 maintains the cutter 42 at a stress that can process the scribing line C and is freely retractable. Thereby, the set height of the cutter 42 (the height from the drum 12 at the lowest point) can be adjusted autonomously.

The cutter 42 can adjust the length of the scribing line C processed by the glass ribbon G by adjusting the height of the setting, and the lower the setting height is, the longer the length of the processed scribing line C can be made longer. In other words, the more the height of the cutter 42 is lowered, the longer the distance from the glass ribbon G can be made longer, and the length of the processed score line C can be made longer.

The scribing machine 32 constructed as described above rotates the cutter 42 at a constant cycle by driving the motor. In Fig. 3, the circle B shown by the one-dot chain line is the movement locus of the cutter 42. As shown in the figure, the cutter 42 is rotated on a circular orbit centered on the rotating shaft 40A by driving the motor. The rotating cutter 42 is formed by abutting the ear portion G2 of the glass ribbon G so that the scribe line C orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2 is processed at a constant interval in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2.

The scribing line C thus processed is processed in one part of the ear portion G2, but the processing position and length thereof are preferably set as follows.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the ear of the glass ribbon. As shown in the figure, the ear portion G2 has a plate thickness T which is not uniform. The scribe line C is set such that the ear portion G2 whose thickness T is not uniform is processed at the position P where the thickness T is the thickest.

It is preferable to adjust the position where the scribing processing device 32 is disposed and the installation height of the cutter 42 to adjust the scribing C to a position where the thickness T of the ear portion G2 is at least the thickest.

Further, it is preferable that the cutter 42 set its rotation direction so that the scribing line C is machined from the inner side of the glass ribbon G to the outer side. That is, it is rotated in the direction of rotation indicated by arrows A2, A3 in FIG. By thus processing the scribing line C from the inner side of the glass ribbon G to the outside, it is possible to prevent the cutter 42 from coming into contact with the outer edge Ge of the glass ribbon G and stopping or the glass ribbon G being displaced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the cutter 42 from coming into contact with the ear portion G2, the cutter 42 is too deep into the ear portion G2, the rotation speed is changed, the ear portion G2 is cracked, and the like, and the processing accompanying the scribing line C can be prevented. The glass belt G is cracked and defective.

<ear separation unit>

The ear separation portion 46 is provided with a pair of right and left laser slitters (laser cutters) 48 at predetermined portions on both sides in the conveyance direction of the glass ribbon G. The ear separation portion 46 illuminates the glass ribbon G by cutting the laser beam L emitted from the pair of right and left laser slitters 48 to cut the glass ribbon G to separate the glass ribbon G into a product. Part G1 and ear G2.

The laser slitter 48 preferably illuminates the laser L slightly perpendicular to the glass ribbon G.

The irradiation position of the laser beam L is set in the product part G1 of the glass ribbon G. With the realm of the ear G2. The illumination position of the laser L can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the laser slitter 48.

The glass ribbon G irradiated by the laser light L is cut at the irradiation position of the laser light L. By irradiating the laser beam L to the glass ribbon G being conveyed, both edge portions of the glass ribbon G are continuously cut in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the glass ribbon G is separated into the product part G1 and the ear part G2. At this time, the ears G2 are continuously separated in a strip shape.

<ear breakage>

The ear rupture portion 50 is a scribe line C formed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2 so as to be separated from the product portion G1 and the band-shaped ear portion G2 is broken, and the ear portion G2 is broken into an elongated shape.

The ear rupture portion 50 mainly includes a pair of left and right ear transport roller conveyors 52 that transport the left and right ear portions G2, and a pair of left and right ears that are bent along the left and right ear portions G2 along the scribe line C. The portion is formed by a fracture machine 54.

Incidentally, in the ear breaking portion 50, the roller conveyor 10 is set to reduce its width (i.e., set to be slightly narrower than the width of the product portion G1).

Further, the roller conveyor 10 slightly raises the conveyance level (the height of the conveyance surface (the surface on which the glass ribbon G is conveyed) in the ear breakage portion 50. Therefore, in the ear breaking portion 50, the glass ribbon G is lifted up slightly and transported. Only the ear fracture portion 50 is pulled up at the conveyance level, and the downstream side of the ear fracture portion 50 is returned to the original conveyance level. Incidentally, although the example in which the conveyance level of the ear fracture portion 50 is slightly raised is shown here, as long as it is cut The product portion of the glass ribbon after the breakage may not be in contact with the ear portion, and the conveyance level may be lowered or left in the left-right direction, or the glass may be bent and left.

[Tear transport roller conveyor]

The ear transport roller conveyor 52 is configured as an example of the ear transport means, and conveys the ear portion G2 separated from the glass ribbon G in the same direction as the glass ribbon G. The ear portion G2 separated from the glass ribbon G is placed on the ear transport roller 56 and continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction.

Here, the ear transport roller conveyor 52 conveys the ear portion G2 until the width of the roller conveyor 10 is reduced. The end position of the ear transport roller conveyor 52 is provided with a machining space S for bending the ear portion G2 along the scribe line C. The ear portion G2 conveyed by the ear transport roller conveyor 52 is continuously sent out to the processing space S.

[ear break machine]

The pair of right and left ear breaking machines 54 as an example of the ear breaking means are a pressing roller 62 having the ear portion G2, and an air nozzle (gas blowing means) for blowing air (gas) to the ear portion G2. And the funnel 66 of the folded ear is recovered.

The ear breaker 54 is provided in a casing (not shown). The casing is provided with a mechanism for adjusting the installation position by moving the ear breaker 54 in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the glass ribbon G.

The pressing roller 62 is disposed on the conveyance path of the ear portion G2 conveyed by the ear conveyance roller conveyor 52, and presses the ear portion G2 toward the ear conveyance roller 56 to prevent the ear portion G2 from floating. The pressing roller 62 is rotatably Supported and arranged in parallel with the ear transport roller 56. Further, the pressing roller 62 is disposed almost on the ear conveying roller 56. In other words, the pressing roller 62 is disposed so as to sandwich the ear portion G2 with the ear carrying roller 56.

The air nozzles 64 are arranged in the processing space S. Further, the air nozzle 64 is preferably provided on the downstream side of the pressing roller 62, that is, on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the glass ribbon. Each of the air nozzles 64 has a slit-shaped air injection port. Each of the air nozzles 64 is ejected from the ear portion G2 that is continuously sent from the ear transport roller conveyor 52 to the processing space S. The nozzle attachment portion is provided with an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the installation direction and the installation angle of the air nozzles 64. The air nozzle 64 adjusts the setting direction and the angle by the adjustment mechanism to blow air to the ear portion G2.

Incidentally, the air is set to be blown to the entire width direction of the ear portion G2. Therefore, the number of air nozzles 64 used is increased or decreased in response to the width of the ear portion G2. Alternatively, the width of the air injection port is enlarged and reduced.

In addition, air is intermittently sprayed. This air injection control is performed using a solenoid valve. That is, an electromagnetic ray (not shown) is provided in a pipe (not shown) that connects the air nozzle 64 and the air source (not shown), and the injection of the air is controlled by controlling the opening and closing of the electromagnetic valve.

Further, the pressure of the air is set to a pressure at least to the extent that the ear portion G2 is bent. Therefore, the air does not have to use compressed air, and the air generated by the blower can also be used.

Further, although the example in which compressed air is used as the gas is shown here, the gas of the present invention is not limited thereto, and an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon may be used. In addition, a small amount of liquid can be mixed in the gas, or mixed It is blown by an individual such as a powder.

The funnel 66 is disposed below the drum conveyor 10 to recover the fine pieces of the bent ear portion G2. The fine piece of the ear portion G2 recovered by the funnel 66 is then finely pulverized by a crusher.

<Control Department>

The control unit (not shown) is an overall operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for controlling the glass sheet. The control unit is constituted by a computer, and controls each unit in accordance with a control program, thereby collectively controlling the overall operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for the glass sheet.

"The role of the glass plate manufacturing device (glass ribbon processing method)"

Next, a method of processing the glass ribbon G by the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 will be described, that is, the ear separation processing for separating the glass ribbon into the first product portion and the second ear portion will be described. The predetermined line for breaking in the longitudinal direction is a processing method for processing an ear portion which is subjected to a predetermined line processing of the ear portion and a broken portion of the ear portion which is separated along the predetermined line of the fracture.

The glass ribbon G is directly conveyed toward the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present invention by the glass ribbon G formed of the molten glass in the forming section. The method for producing the glass ribbon G is not particularly limited, and it can be produced by a general method for producing a glass ribbon. As for the manufacturing method of the glass ribbon G, there are, for example, a down draw method, a melting method, a slot down method, a redraw method, a roll forming method, and a roll out. ), law, etc.

For example, in the case of the glass ribbon G produced by the float method, the glass ribbon G taken out from the float bath and slowly cooled in the slow cooling portion is transported to the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1.

The glass ribbon G conveyed toward the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 is rolled by The drum conveyor 10 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction (for example, it is conveyed at a speed of 400 m/h).

The glass ribbon G first processes the scribing line C at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the fracture-predetermined line processing unit 30 (predetermined line processing step).

The scribe line C is processed in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction by the rotating cutter 42, more preferably in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and is processed at a position where the thickness T is the thickest.

The glass ribbon G is then cut by irradiating the laser beam L with the line to be cut along both edges of the width direction of the ear separation portion 46, and is separated into the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2 (the ear portion is separated step).

The laser light L is irradiated on the boundary between the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2. This laser beam L is continuously irradiated to the glass ribbon G during conveyance, whereby the glass ribbon G is continuously cut in the longitudinal direction, and the glass ribbon G is separated into the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2.

The product portion G1 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction by the roller conveyor 10 as it is. Further, the separated ear portion G2 is also conveyed in the longitudinal direction by the roller conveyor 10. In other words, the separated ear portion G2 is transported by the roller conveyor 10 after separation, and is carried in the longitudinal direction on the drum conveyor 10 in parallel with the product portion G1.

The ear portion G2 separated from the product portion G1 is transported to the ear portion rupture portion 50, and the ear portion rupture portion 50 is bent along the scribe line C to be roughly broken into an elongated shape (the ear rupture step).

Here, the ear rupture portion 50 is an ear portion G2 that is continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction by the ear transport roller conveyor 52, and is continuously conveyed in the longitudinal direction while being pushed up by the urging roller 62. Then, by the air nozzle 64 intermittently blowing air to the ear portion G2 that is continuously sent from the ear transport roller conveyor 52 to the processing space S, whereby the bending moment acts on the ear portion G2, and the ear portion G2 is along the scribe line C. Bending and breaking. The fine piece G2A of the broken ear portion G2 is dropped by its own weight and is recovered in the funnel 66.

As described above, according to the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the scribe line C is processed on the ear portion G2, and the detached ear portion G2 is bent along the scribe line C to be broken. As a result, the vibration is not transmitted to the processing portion of the laser beam L when the pulverizer is directly pulverized, and the glass ribbon G can be processed without causing cracking or chipping of the product portion G1.

Incidentally, the fine piece G2A of the ear portion G2 recovered by the funnel 66 is then pulverized by a pulverizer.

Further, the separated product portion G1 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction and the next step is carried out. For example, the step of winding into a roll shape and the step of cutting out the glass plate are carried out.

"Modification"

<Modification of Ear Separation Portion>

In the above embodiment, the glass ribbon G is separated into the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2 by laser processing. However, the method of separating the glass ribbon G into the product portion G1 and the ear portion G2 is not limited thereto. The cutting method of the glass ribbon G can be carried out by using a known cutting method such as cutting by a known bending stress, using heat cutting, melting, or ablation, without damaging the effects of the present invention.

<Modification of the planned portion of the fracture line processing>

In the above embodiment, the scribing line C is processed at a certain interval in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2 by the cutter 42 rotating on the circular orbit at a fixed period. The configuration is not limited to the means for processing the scribe line C. Other configurations such as a configuration in which the scribing C is processed by laser processing and a scribing C is processed by a linear reciprocating tool may be employed.

In addition, the interval of the scribe lines C can be set at desired intervals. For example, the pattern of the uneven intervals may be repeated, or the upper limit and the lower limit of the interval of the line C may be irregularly processed, or may be processed completely irregularly.

Further, when the tool 42 is rotated on the circular orbit as in the above embodiment, the number of the tools 42 to be rotated, the number of rotations, and the like can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the object to be processed, the machining speed, the machining interval, and the like.

In addition, the length of the scribing line C and the processing interval can be appropriately adjusted in accordance with the object to be processed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the scribing line C is processed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the ear portion G2 (a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction), but it is not necessarily orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The scribe line C may be formed so as to be formed in a pair of strip-shaped ears G2 in a direction crossing the longitudinal direction and can be bent along the scribe line C.

Further, in the above embodiment, the scribing line C is processed at the position where the thickness T of the ear portion G2 is the thickest, but the processing position is not limited thereto. The scribing line C may be processed in one of the portions of the thickest portion including the ear portion, or the scribing line C may be processed across the full width of the ear portion. However, as described above, by processing the scribe line C at the position where the thickness T of the ear portion G2 is the thickest, the ear portion G2 can be easily bent when the ear portion rupture portion 50 is bent, and stability can be performed. deal with.

Incidentally, as the above-described embodiment, when the scribing line C is processed by the cutter 42 rotating on the circular orbit, the scribing line C is preferably processed at a position away from the end portion by a predetermined distance. This is because if the end portion is to be processed, there may be a case where the cutter 42 comes into contact with the outer edge Ge of the glass ribbon G, the cutter 42 falls out, or the glass ribbon G is displaced. The case where the glass ribbon G is not in contact with the air.

The scribing C is, for example, processed in a length of 5 to 50 mm (the target is about 15 mm), and is processed at a position of 10 to 50 mm from the end portion, unless otherwise specified. In addition, the processing interval is 100 to 300 mm (for example, 200 mm). This processing interval is set in accordance with the size of the processing space S, the ability of the scribing processing device 32, the length of the broken ear portion (the length of the thin piece G2A), and the like.

Here, the length of the broken ear portion G2 is the same as the processing interval of the scribe line C. The longer the length of the broken ear portion G2, the larger the space required to provide the ear fracture portion 50. Therefore, the processing interval of the scribe line C is preferably set in consideration of the space required to provide the ear rupture portion 50. Thereby, the overall size of the device can be reduced.

<Modification of Ear Breaking Section>

In the above embodiment, the air is blown to the entire width direction of the ear portion G2 of the processed scribing line C. However, as long as the ear portion G2 may be broken, it is not necessary to blow the air throughout the entire area, and the air may be selectively or concentrated. The ground is sprayed on a part of the ear G2 to be broken.

Further, in the above embodiment, the ear portion G2 is bent along the scribe line C by blowing air to the ear portion G2 of the processed scribe line C, but the ear portion G2 is bent along the scribe line C. The method of bending the ear portion G2 is not limited to this. As long as the bending moment can be imparted to the ear portion G2. Therefore, for example, a configuration in which the ear portion G2 is pressed by the cylinder to be bent, a configuration in which the roller is abutted against the ear portion G2, a structure in which the roller is bent, and a structure in which the vibration is flexed can be employed. In addition, it can also be constructed by bending its own weight. Incidentally, it is possible to break by blowing gas, and it is possible to break by non-contact, which can reduce the influence of the vibration of the glass ribbon, and the breaking speed and the stress applied to the glass are easily adjusted, so that efficiency and freedom are obtained. A high degree of break will be possible. Further, it is also expected to remove the effect of the glass swarf generated when the glass is cut by blowing the gas.

When a gas such as air is used, the size, the number, the ejection direction, the ejection angle, and the like of the nozzle to be used are appropriately selected in accordance with the width of the ear portion G2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the air is intermittently ejected to bend the ear portion G2. However, the ear portion G2 may be continuously ejected to bend the ear portion G2, and the pressure may be changed in accordance with the conveyance of the ear portion. . Incidentally, in the present invention, "intermittently" is a concept including strength and weakness, and may include a state in which the compressed gas does not completely stop being ejected. That is to say, in addition to the fact that it will be opened and closed in a certain period of time, it also includes the strong and weak reversal in a certain period.

Further, the process of breaking the ear portion G2 is not necessarily performed at the same interval as the scribe line C. That is, it is not necessary to rupture along all the scribe lines C that have been processed. For example, it may be configured to be broken near the scribe line C or broken by a plurality of scribe lines C.

In addition, although the above embodiment is to take the separated ear G2 The ear portion G2 is conveyed in the same direction as the product portion G1, but the ear portion G2 is switched in the direction in which the conveyance direction of the ear portion G2 is switched. In addition, the conveyance direction of the ear portion G2 may be switched, and the cutting process may be performed after the conveyance direction of the product portion G1 is switched to be separated from the ear portion G2. For example, when the glass ribbon G is conveyed in the vertical direction as in the following manner, the product portion G1 can be switched to be conveyed in the horizontal direction without changing the conveyance direction of the separated ear portion G2. When the conveying direction of either the product portion G1 or the ear portion G2 is switched, it is possible to transport the ear portion independently of the product portion, and the arrangement of the ear breaking step and the break timing after separation from the product portion are possible. Increased freedom. For example, it is also possible to separate the product portion G1 in the desired conveyance direction while moving the ear portion G2 toward the vertical by gravity.

However, when the conveyance direction of the ear portion G2 is switched, the conveyance distance of the ear portion G2 is extended, and the space required for the rupture process of the ear portion G2 is increased. Therefore, it is preferable to be in the same direction as the glass ribbon G as in the above embodiment. The ear portion G2 is broken during handling. That is, it is preferred to carry out the fracture treatment immediately after the separation.

<Modification of processing order>

In the above embodiment, the ear portion G2 is separated after the scribing line C is processed on the ear portion G2. However, the scribing line C may be processed after the ear portion G2 is separated.

<Other Modifications>

The composition of the glass ribbon G to be processed is not particularly limited, but the glass ribbon having a thinner thickness of the product portion G1 is the glass sheet of the present embodiment. The more the manufacturing apparatus 1 can be effectively utilized. In other words, when the thickness of the glass ribbon is thinner, the product portion is more likely to be cracked by the influence of vibration during processing, and the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment can be handled by the processing of the ear portion G2. Since the influence of the vibration is reduced, the glass ribbon having a small thickness in the product portion (for example, a thin glass ribbon G having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 3.00 mm in the product portion G1) is processed (that is, the ear is separated, It can be particularly effectively exhibited in the case of processing of the predetermined line of fracture and processing of the ear fracture.

As an example, when the thickness of the product portion G1 is 0.1 mm, the thickness of the ear portion G2 is approximately 1.2 mm. Further, when the thickness of the product portion G1 is 0.2 mm, the thickness of the ear portion G2 is approximately 1.4 mm. Further, when the thickness of the product portion G1 is 0.5 mm, the thickness of the ear portion G2 is approximately 2.0 mm.

"Second Embodiment"

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a second embodiment of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass sheet.

The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the product portion G1 (first product portion) from which the ear portion G2 (the first ear portion) has been separated is further separated from the ear portion. Therefore, the second ear separation portion 110 for separating the ear portion from the product portion G1 that has separated the ear portion G2 is provided. In other words, the second ear separation step is further performed, and both edge portions of the separated product portion G1 are continuously cut in the longitudinal direction, and the product portion G1 is separated into the second product portion G3 and the second ear portion G4. . Incidentally, the configuration of the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 described above may be the same as that of the above-described glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 1 except for the second ear separation unit 110. Therefore, the detailed description is omitted.

<Modification>

When the first product portion G1 is separated into the second product portion G3 and the second ear portion G4, the timing of processing the vertical line C1 is not limited to the fracture of the first ear portion G2. It can be processed at least before slitting. Therefore, for example, the vertical line C1 may be processed simultaneously with the separation of the first ear portion G2.

Further, the second ear portion G4 that has been separated may be subjected to a fracture process in the same manner as the first ear portion G2. In other words, after the separation from the glass ribbon G, the scribe line C may be processed at a constant interval in the longitudinal direction on the second ear portion G4, and may be broken along the scribe line C.

"Third Embodiment"

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a third embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet.

The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment includes a glass sheet processing unit 210 in which a glass sheet g is cut out from the glass strip G separated from the ear portion G2. In other words, the processing step of the scribing line C is performed by processing the scribing line C orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the product portion G1 at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the product portion in the product portion G1; The scribe line C cuts the product portion G1 to cut out the glass plate g; the glass plate is slit in the step of cutting the glass plate g along the longitudinal fracture predetermined line to remove the ear portion from the glass plate g.

Incidentally, the configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for the glass sheet described above is the same except that the glass sheet processing unit 210 is provided. Further, in the cross-cutting step of the glass sheet processing portion 210, a known cross-cutting device such as cutting by bending stress, laser cutting, laser fusing, or the like can be used. Therefore, the detailed explanation is omitted.

As described above, in the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, the glass sheet g is cut out from the product portion G1 from which the ear portion G2 is separated. Thereby, the glass plate g can be processed continuously from the glass ribbon G.

"Fourth Embodiment"

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet.

In the apparatus 3 for manufacturing a glass sheet according to the present embodiment, the glass sheet g is cut out from the product portion G1 after the ear portion G2 is separated, and the ear portion g2 is removed from the cut glass sheet g (hereinafter referred to as a glass sheet ear portion g2). The glass plate ear separation portion 310.

Incidentally, the configuration of the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 200 according to the third embodiment described above is the same as that of the glass sheet ear separation portion 310. Therefore, the detailed explanation is omitted.

As described above, in the glass sheet manufacturing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment, the glass ribbon g is separated from the glass ribbon G separated from the ear portion G2, and further, the glass sheet ear portion g2 is separated from the cut glass sheet g. Thereby, the ear can be removed from the glass plate with high precision and stability. That is, since the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment also removes the ear portion in two steps, the ear portion can be removed with high precision and stability.

<Modification>

Further, in the case where the glass sheet g is separated into the glass sheet product portion g1 and the glass sheet ear portion g2 by cutting, the timing of processing the vertical line C1 is not limited to the breakage of the ear portion G2 of the glass ribbon G. . It can be processed at least before slitting. So, for example, it can also be separated from the ear G2 of the glass ribbon G. The vertical line C1 is processed.

Industrial utilization

According to the present invention, it is possible to separate the glass ribbon into the product portion and the ear portion without causing cracking or defect in the product portion, and in particular, it is possible to perform cutting, separating, and breaking of the ear portion with effect on the glass having a small thickness.

Incidentally, the entire contents of the specification, the drawings, the drawings and the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-266841, filed on Dec.

1‧‧‧Manufacture of glass plates

10‧‧‧Roller conveyor

12‧‧‧Roller

30‧‧‧Breaked line processing department

40‧‧‧Rotating frame

40A‧‧‧Rotary axis

42‧‧‧Tools

44‧‧‧ Shock absorbers

46‧‧‧ Ear separation

48‧‧‧Laser slitting machine

50‧‧‧ Ear fracture

52‧‧‧ ear transport roller conveyor

54‧‧‧ Ear fracture machine

56‧‧‧ Ear handling roller

62‧‧‧Pushing roller

64‧‧‧Air nozzle

66‧‧‧ funnel

A1‧‧‧ arrow

G‧‧‧glass ribbon

G1‧‧‧Products of Glass Belt (1st Product Division)

G2‧‧‧ Ears of glass ribbon (1st ear)

G2A‧‧‧ Ears

L‧‧‧Laser

S‧‧‧Processing space

Claims (15)

A method for producing a glass sheet is a glass sheet having a product portion in the center in the width direction, a strip-shaped glass ribbon having ears at both edges, and a glass sheet which is processed in the longitudinal direction and processed during the conveyance of the glass ribbon. The manufacturing method includes: an ear separation step of continuously cutting the edge portions of the glass ribbon in the longitudinal direction, and separating the glass ribbon into the product portion and the ear portion; and a predetermined breaking line processing step, A predetermined line of fracture intersecting the longitudinal direction of the ear portion is formed in the ear portion at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion, and the ear portion is broken along the predetermined line of the fracture. The method of producing a glass sheet according to claim 1, wherein the ear breaking step is to break the ear portion along the predetermined breaking line while the ear portion is conveyed in the same direction as the product portion. The method for producing a glass sheet according to claim 1, wherein the ear breaking step is to break the ear portion along the predetermined line of fracture after switching the conveying direction of either the ear portion and the product portion. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ear rupture step is to blow a gas to the ear portion to cause the ear portion to be broken along the predetermined line of fracture. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The predetermined line of fracture processing step is to machine the aforementioned predetermined line of fracture in a portion of the aforementioned ear portion. The method of producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined step of breaking the line is to process the predetermined line of fracture to the full width of the ear portion. The method of producing a glass sheet according to claim 5, wherein the step of processing the predetermined breaking line is to machine the predetermined line of fracture to a portion having the thickest portion of the ear portion. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the ear separation step is performed by irradiating a laser beam on both edge portions of the glass ribbon to cut the glass ribbon and separating the product portion into The aforementioned ear. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the glass sheet is produced by performing the above-described processing on a glass ribbon continuously conveyed from a molding portion for molding molten glass into a glass ribbon. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the thickness of the product portion of the glass ribbon is 0.01 mm to 3.00 mm. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: a second ear separation step of continuously cutting both edges of the separated product portion in the longitudinal direction, and The product portion is separated into a second product portion and a second ear portion. The method for producing a glass sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: a step of processing a transverse line to be orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the product portion at intervals in a longitudinal direction of the product portion Cross-cutting a predetermined line to be processed in the aforementioned product portion; and a cross-cutting step along the aforementioned cross-cutting The above-mentioned product portion is cut by the alignment, and the glass plate is cut out. A glass plate manufacturing apparatus comprising: a conveying means, wherein a product portion is provided in a center in a width direction, and a glass ribbon having an ear portion at both edges is continuously conveyed in a longitudinal direction; and an ear separation portion is provided on both edges of the glass ribbon The portion is continuously cut in the longitudinal direction, and the glass ribbon is separated into the product portion and the ear portion; the predetermined line processing portion is broken, and the length direction of the ear portion is crossed at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the ear portion The predetermined line of fracture is machined in the ear portion; the ear portion is broken, and the ear portion separated is broken along the predetermined line of the fracture. In the apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to claim 13, the ear rupture portion includes a gas blowing means for blowing a gas onto the ear portion to break the ear portion. The apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the ear separation unit is a laser cutting machine that irradiates a laser beam to the glass ribbon to cut the glass ribbon.