TW202010716A - Continuous methods of making glass ribbon and as-drawn glass articles from the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for making a glass ribbon that includes: flowing a glass into a caster having a width (Wcast) from about 100 mm to about 5 m and a thickness (t) from about 1 mm to about 500 mm to form an a cast glass; cooling the cast glass in the caster to a viscosity of at least 10<SP>8</SP> Poise; conveying the cast glass from the caster; drawing the cast glass, the drawing comprising heating the cast glass to an average viscosity of less than 10<SP>7</SP> Poise and drawing the cast glass into a glass ribbon having a width (Wribbon) that is less than Wcast, and thereafter cooling the glass ribbon to ambient temperature. Further, the cast glass during the cooling, conveying and drawing steps is about 50 DEG C or higher.

Description

Continuous method for manufacturing glass strips and glass objects drawn by it

The present disclosure contains a large system of methods for manufacturing glass ribbons, and more specifically, a continuous method for manufacturing glass ribbons with high dimensional stability from glass compositions having relatively low liquidus viscosity.

Conventional methods for manufacturing lenses and other optical components from glass compositions with low liquidus viscosity (including compositions with high refractive index) are very costly and have low utilization of molten glass produced by these methods. Typically, such methods include casting the composition into a strip having a thickness that is substantially greater than the thickness of one of the final products. That is, the production of these forming methods requires additional processing to obtain one of the cast bars in the final product form and size.

The extra processing of these cast bars is often expensive. In detail, the cast strip is then sawed into discs. Next, the discs are ground to polish their outer diameter to the final outer dimensions of the final product lens. The discs are then wire sawed to approximately one thickness of the final product of the final lens, and then subjected to a series of important grinding and polishing steps to achieve the desired warpage and dimensional uniformity of the final product lens. Therefore, the conventional manufacturing process for forming lenses and other optical components from these glass compositions is costly and the utilization rate of molten glass is low.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a glass strip is provided, including: flowing a glass to have a width ( W _cast ) from about 100 mm to about 5 m and from about 1 mm to about 500 within one mm thickness (t) of a casting machine to form a cast glass; the cast glass was cooled to the casting machine at least one of the viscosity of ¹⁰⁸ poise; from the casting machine to transmit the cast glass; drawn the casting glass, which comprises drawing the cast glass was heated to an average of less than one ¹⁰⁷ poise and the viscosity pull made of cast glass having a width of less than one W _cast (W _ribbon) of a glass ribbon; and after the The glass strip is cooled to ambient temperature. In addition, the cast glass during the cooling, conveying, and drawing steps is at about 50°C or higher.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a glass object is provided, including: an unpolished glass strip having a thickness from about 1 mm to about 25 mm and a width from 25 mm to about 200 mm. The strip includes a glass selected from the group consisting of: borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphoric acid Salt glass, thiophosphate glass, germanate glass, vanadate glass, borate glass and phosphate glass. In addition, the composition contains an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise. In addition, the glass strip can be sliced into a glass wafer having a thickness variation from about 0.01 μm to about 50 μm and warping from about 0.01 μm to about 200 μm.

According to some aspects of the present disclosure, a glass object is provided, including: an unpolished glass wafer having a thickness from about 1 mm to about 25 mm and a width from 100 mm to about 200 mm. The strip includes a glass selected from the group consisting of: borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphoric acid Salt glass, thiophosphate glass, germanate glass, vanadate glass, borate glass and phosphate glass. In addition, the composition contains an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise. In addition, the glass wafer has a thickness variation from about 0.01 μm to about 50 μm and a warpage from about 0.01 μm to about 200 μm.

Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description that follows, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from their own descriptions, or will be recognized by practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description that follows, Scope of patent application and accompanying drawings.

It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description describe various embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and characteristics of the claimed subject matter.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of various embodiments, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate various embodiments described herein, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the claimed subject matter.

Additional features and advantages will be described in the following detailed description, and from this description, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, or by practice as described in the following description together with the scope of the patent application and the accompanying drawings. Come to know.

As used herein, the term "and/or" when used in a list of two or more items means that any one of the listed items can be used by itself, or one of the listed items can be used Any combination of two or more. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C, the composition may contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A combined with B; A combined with C; B combined with C; or A, B and C are combined.

In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like are only used to distinguish one entity or action from another entity, and do not necessarily need or imply any of these entities or actions Actually this relationship or order.

The modification of the content of this disclosure will come to mind for those who are familiar with this technology and those who make or use this content. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, which is covered by the following patent applications (including The dogma of equivalent content) definition.

As used herein, the term "approximately" means that the quantity, size, formula, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be accurate, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller as necessary, reflecting tolerances, conversions Factors, rounding, measurement errors and the like and other factors known to those skilled in the art. When the term "about" is used in describing a range of values or endpoints, the disclosure should be understood to include the specific value or endpoint mentioned. Regardless of whether a value or endpoint of a range in the specification is described as "about", the value or endpoint of a range is intended to include two embodiments: the embodiment modified by "about" and not by "about" Modified embodiment. It should be further understood that the endpoint of each of these ranges is important with respect to and independent of the other endpoint.

As used herein, the term "substantially, substantially" and its variations are intended to indicate that the features of a description are equal to or substantially equal to a value or description. For example, a "substantially flat" surface is intended to mean a flat or substantially flat surface. In addition, "substantially" is intended to mean that two values are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, "substantially" may represent values within about 10% of each other, such as within about 5% of each other, or within about 2% of each other.

Directional terms as used herein (eg, up, down, right, left, front, back, top, bottom) are only made with reference to the drawing as drawn, and are not intended to imply absolute orientation.

As used herein, the terms "the", "one (a or an)" mean "at least one" and should not be limited to "only one" unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, for example, reference to "a component" includes embodiments having two or more such components, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, the terms "upper limit liquidus viscosity" and "upper limit liquidus temperature" refer to the respective viscosities and temperatures of the glass used in the objects and methods of the present disclosure. At these viscosities and temperatures, the glass Form a homogeneous melt without crystals. In addition, the terms "upper limit liquidus viscosity" and "liquid line viscosity" are used interchangeably herein; and the terms "upper limit liquidus temperature" and "liquid line temperature" are also used interchangeably herein.

As also used herein, the terms "lower liquidus viscosity" and "lower liquidus temperature" refer to the respective viscosities and temperatures of the glass used in the objects and methods of this disclosure, at which viscosities and temperatures, Glass can easily grow with one or more crystalline phases.

As used herein, the “devitrification zone” of the glass used in the objects and methods of the present disclosure is the temperature range given from the upper liquidus temperature to the lower liquidus temperature, for example, the glass experiences higher than The temperature range for the production of crystals with one or more crystalline phases of 0.01 μm/min.

As used herein, the "average viscosity" of the glass used in the objects and methods of this disclosure refers to the viscosity of the glass, glass ribbon, glass flakes, or other objects of this disclosure, such as the mentioned processes or methods Measured during a step (eg, drawing) on an area of the object and over a duration sufficient to determine the average viscosity value according to analysis and measurement methods understood by those skilled in the art who are familiar with the disclosure.

As used herein, the term "continuous" refers to methods of the disclosure configured to form glass sheets, ribbons, and other objects without any intermediate and/or post-cooling heat treatment (such as annealing or redrawing) And process. In other words, the processes and methods of the present disclosure are configured to form glass sheets, glass strips, and other objects that were not cut or sliced before their drawing step.

As used herein, "maximum crystal growth rate" refers to the maximum growth rate of any crystalline phase of the glass used in the objects and methods of the present disclosure at a reference temperature or within a reference temperature range, for example, The unit is μm/min. As used herein, "crystal growth rate" refers to the growth rate of any crystalline phase of the glass used in the objects and methods of the present disclosure at a reference temperature or within a reference temperature range, for example, in μm /min is the unit.

As used herein, the "thickness change" of glass wafers, glass strips, glass flakes or other objects of the present disclosure is by a mechanical contact caliper or micrometer or a non-contact laser caliper (For objects with a thickness of 1 mm or greater) Determine the difference between the minimum thickness and maximum thickness of glass wafers, glass strips, glass flakes, or other objects to measure.

As used herein, the "warpage" of glass wafers, glass strips, glass flakes, or other objects of this disclosure is measured based on the distance between two planes containing the object minus the average thickness of the object . For glass strips, glass flakes, and other glass objects having a substantially rectangular shape of the present disclosure, the warpage is measured according to principles understood by those skilled in the art who are familiar with the disclosure. In detail, warpage is evaluated from a square measurement area having a length defined by the quality area between the beads of the object minus five (5) mm from the inner edge of each of the beads. Similarly, for a glass wafer having a substantially disc-like shape of the present disclosure, the warpage is also measured according to the principles understood by those skilled in the art who are familiar with the disclosure. In detail, warpage is evaluated from a circular measurement area with a radius defined by the outer radius of the wafer minus one (5) mm.

As used herein, the "critical cooling rate" of glass, glass ribbon, glass flakes, or other objects of the present disclosure is achieved by cooling and melting multiple samples of glass, glass flakes, or other objects at various selected cooling rates to The glass transition temperature is determined. The samples were then cross-sectioned according to standard slicing and polishing techniques, and evaluated by optical microscopy at 100x to determine in the block and on its free surface (i.e., having a crucible or similar The existence of crystals at the top surface, exposed surface and bottom surface of an interface). The critical cooling rate corresponds to the sample with the lowest cooling rate of crystals not exhibiting on its surface and bulk.

Referring generally to these drawings, and specifically to FIG. 1, it should be understood that these drawings are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed attached patent applications. These drawings are not necessarily to scale, and some features and some views of these drawings may be exaggeratedly shown in scale or in schematic diagrams for clarity and conciseness.

Described in this disclosure as a method of manufacturing glass ribbons, and more specifically, a glass composition having a relatively low liquidus viscosity (eg,> 5×10 ⁵ poise) and/or a relatively high refractive index A continuous method of manufacturing glass strips for lenses and other optical components. The glass strips produced according to these methods have high dimensional stability and low warpage, and are produced at a final size comparable to the size of the intended final product. As a result, glass strips produced according to the method of the present disclosure require limited post-processing. Therefore, the method of the present disclosure has a significantly lower manufacturing cost compared to conventional glass forming processes used when manufacturing lenses from glass compositions with low liquidus viscosity. In addition, the method of the present disclosure has a significantly higher utilization of the melted glass, with low waste.

Notably, the method of manufacturing a glass strip of the present disclosure is continuous in the sense that it does not require any post-production annealing or other post-production heat treatment. These methods use cooling through the devitrification zone to a temperature above the environment (eg, >50°C), for example, by transferring the cast glass through a casting machine. After cooling the glass to a temperature higher than one of the surroundings, these methods use an additional drawing step with some reheating into the devitrified zone. This drawing step results in a glass strip having a thickness dimension approximately the thickness dimension intended in the final product, for example, a wafer, lens, or other optical component with a high refractive index. In addition, at a temperature where the viscosity of the glass minimizes or eliminates any possibility of devitrification, the drawing step is advantageously performed for a limited duration. In addition, these methods do not require any post-cooling (ie, after reaching ambient temperature) and heat treatment (such as annealing or redrawing) to obtain the final product (eg, glass strip, wafer, lens, or other glass object) ) Is particularly advantageous in the sense. It is also advantageous that the aspect of the method of the present disclosure results in glass ribbons, wafers, lenses or glass bands that do not require any additional mechanical treatment (eg, polishing, grinding, etc.) to conform to the warpage and/or thickness variation levels of optical components Other glass objects.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a method 100 for manufacturing a glass strip 30b is provided. As shown in FIG. 1, a method 100 for manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b is provided, which includes the following step 110: flowing a glass 30 from the melting apparatus 10 to have a width ( W from about 200 mm to about 5 m) _cast ) 22 and a thickness ( t ) 24 of 1 mm or more (see FIG. 2) in the casting machine 20 to form a cast glass 30a. The method of manufacturing a glass strip of tape 100 further comprises 30b 20 in the cast glass was cooled to the casting machine 30a least one viscosity ¹⁰⁸ poise and no less than one of the steps a temperature of 50 deg.] C of 120. The method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b also includes a step 130 of transferring the cast glass 30a from the casting machine 20. Further, a method for producing a glass ribbon of 30b in the casting 100 further includes a lower glass ¹⁰⁷ is less than one poise viscosity average pull 30a is made having a width (W _cast) 22 of a width (W _ribbon) is less than the cast glass 30a 32 and a step 140 of a glass strip 30b with a final thickness of 24 ( t ). Further, the drawing step 140 comprises cast glass 30a is heated to an average of less than one ¹⁰⁷ poises viscosity. The method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b further includes a step 150 of cooling the glass strip 30b to ambient temperature.

With respect to the step 110 shown in FIG. 1 of flowing glass, a suitable melting device 10 can transfer the glass 30 via an outlet element 4 having a maximum size 12 which is the glass 30 as it leaves the melting device 10 and flows The approximate width when it reaches the casting machine 20. Depending on the viscosity of the glass 30 flowing from the melting device 10, it may have a width approximately the same as or smaller than the maximum dimension 12 of the outlet element 4. According to some embodiments of the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b, the maximum dimension 12 of the outlet element 4 is less than or equal to the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20. In other embodiments, the maximum dimension 12 of the outlet element 4 may be greater than the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20, for example, for glass 30 having a relatively low upper limit liquidus viscosity (eg, 5 poise to 5000 poise) Composition. In detail, after melting, these glasses can "neck" when they exit the outlet element 4 of the melting apparatus 10, thereby allowing it to flow to a portion having a size 12 that is smaller than the maximum dimension 12 of the outlet element 4 of the melting apparatus 10 Inside the casting machine 20 of width 22.

Referring again to the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the melting apparatus 10 includes an overflow forming device (where the outlet element 4 is used to distribute the glass 30) or a melter (having a An outlet element in the form of an orifice 4). In the latter embodiment, the melting apparatus 10 may include an overflow weir that allows the glass 30 to overflow and spread along an outlet element 4 in the form of an overflow trough (see, for example, Figures 3A and 3B). The overflow forming device of the overflow trough depicted in ). In these embodiments, the glass 30 may be spread on one or both sides of the overflow channel. As for the former embodiment, the melting apparatus 10 may include a melter having an orifice that distributes the molten glass 30 when it leaves the melting apparatus 10. In addition, those skilled in the art who are familiar with the disclosure can construct other melting equipment 10 suitable for use in the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b.

In the embodiment of the method 100 for manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the glass 30 is derived from a glass composition including the following: borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminum Silicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphate glass, thiophosphate glass, germanate glass, vanadate glass, borate glass and phosphate glass. According to an embodiment, the glass 30 is freely derived from any of the glass compositions that exhibit optical properties (eg, transmittance, refractive index, thermal expansion coefficient, etc.) suitable for lenses and optical components. According to an embodiment, the glass 30 is derived from the following glass composition (referred to herein as "glass A"): 40.2 mole% SiO ₂ ; 2.4 mole% B ₂ O ₃ ; 11.3 mole% Li ₂ O ; 22.9 mole% CaO; 5.4 mole% La ₂ O ₃ ; 3.8 mole% ZrO ₂ ; 4.8 mole% Nb ₂ O ₅ ; and 9.3 mole% TiO ₂ . According to another embodiment, the glass 30 is derived from the following glass composition (referred to herein as "glass B"): 42.7 mole% SiO ₂ ; 3.9 mole% B ₂ O ₃ ; 4.7 mole% BaO; 26.6 mole% CaO; 4.5 mole% La ₂ O ₃ ; 2.2 mole% ZrO ₃ ; 6.1 mole% Nb ₂ O ₅ ; and 9.3 mole% TiO ₂ .

In some embodiments of the method 100 for manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the glass 30 includes an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise. According to some implementations, the glass 30 may be composed of a composition exhibiting one of the following upper liquidus viscosity: less than 5×10 ⁵ poise, less than 1×10 ⁵ poise, less than 5×10 ⁴ poise, less than 1×10 ⁴ poise, less than 5×10 ³ parking, less than 1×10 ³ parking, less than 5×10 ² parking, less than 100 parking, less than 50 parking, less than 40 parking, less than 30 parking, less than 20 parking, less than 10 parking and between these levels All upper liquidus viscosity. According to some implementations of the method, the upper liquidus viscosity of glass 30 during step 110 ranges from about 5 poise to about 50,000 poise. Additionally, in some implementations of method 100, glass 30 is derived from a glass composition having a refractive index from about 1.5 to about 2.1. In some embodiments, the glass 30 is a glass having a refractive index from about 1.6 to about 2.0, from about 1.65 to about 1.9, from about 1.7 to about 1.85, and all refractive index values between these levels Composition export.

Referring now to the flow step 110 of the method 100 for manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b depicted in FIG. 1, this step may be performed so that the glass 30 flows at a temperature of 1000°C or more. The glass 30 may be at a temperature from about 1000°C to about 1500°C, from about 1000°C to about 1400°C, from about 1000°C to about 1300°C, from about 1000°C to about 1250°C, from about 1000°C to about 1200°C, from It flows at a temperature of about 1000°C to about 1150°C and all values between these levels. This flow step 110 may be performed so that the glass 30 has a viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁴ poises when it flows from the melting device 10. In some implementations, the glass 30 has one of the following viscosities as it leaves the outlet element 4 of the melting apparatus 10 and flows into the casting machine 20: less than 5×10 ⁴ poise, less than 1×10 ⁴ poise, less than 5×10 ³ Poise, less than 1×10 ³ poise, less than 5×10 ² poise, less than 100 poise, less than 50 poise, less than 40 poise, less than 30 poise, less than 20 poise, less than 10 poise and all viscosities between these levels. According to some implementations of the method 100, the glass 30 has a viscosity ranging from about 10 poises to about 1000 poises or from about 10 poises to about 50,000 poises during step 110 as it leaves the melting apparatus 10.

Referring again to step 110 of the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the step includes flowing the glass 30 to have a width ( W _cast ) 22 of from about 200 mm to about 5 meters (m) And a casting machine 20 having a thickness ( t ) 24 of from about 1 mm to about 500 mm to form a cast glass 30a (see FIG. 2). In some embodiments, the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20 is from about 200 mm to about 5 meters (m), from about 250 mm to about 5 m, from about 300 mm to about 5 m, from about 350 mm to about 5 m, from about 400 mm to about 5 m, from about 450 mm to about 5 m, from about 500 mm to about 5 m, and all width values between these levels. According to some implementations, the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20 is from about 200 mm to about 5 m, from about 200 mm to about 4 m, from about 200 mm to about 3 m, from about 200 mm to about 2 m , From about 200 mm to about 1 m, from about 200 mm to about 0.9 m, from about 200 mm to about 0.8 m, from about 200 mm to about 0.7 m, from about 200 mm to about 0.6 m, from about 200 mm All width values up to about 0.5 m and between these levels. In addition, in some embodiments, the thickness ( t ) 24 (see FIG. 2) of the casting machine 20 is about 1 mm or more, about 2 mm or more, about 3 mm or more, about 4 mm or more Large, about 5 mm or more, about 7 mm or more, about 8 mm or more, about 9 mm or more, about 10 mm or more, about 15 mm or more, about 20 mm or more , About 25 mm or more, about 30 mm or more, about 35 mm or more, about 40 mm or more, about 45 mm or more, about 50 mm or more, or up to about 500 mm thickness.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of manufacture depicted in step 100 of the method 30b of a glass strip 120, this step 20, the system for casting machine 30a cast glass was cooled to ¹⁰⁸ poise at least one of a viscosity of not lower than 50 deg.] C, and One temperature. Thus, the casting machine 20 may have, for example, a varying configuration of various materials with or without additional cooling capacity, as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art of this disclosure, with the restrictive condition that the configuration can be devitrified via it The cooling glass 30 is stripped to cool the cast glass 30a to a temperature not lower than 50°C, for example, when it is being transported by the traction machine 40 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. The step 120 of cooling the cast glass 30a may be performed so that the maximum growth rate of any crystalline phase is from the upper liquidus viscosity to the lower liquidus viscosity of the glass 30a (also referred to herein as the "devitrification zone") of less than 10 μm/min. In some implementations, the step 120 of cooling the cast glass 30a is performed such that the maximum growth rate of the glass 30 via any crystalline phase of the devitrified zone is less than 10 μm/min, less than 9 μm/min, less than 8 μm/min, less than 7 μm/min, less than 6 μm/min, less than 5 μm/min, less than 4 μm/min, less than 3 μm/min, less than 2 μm/min, less than 1 μm/min, less than 0.5 μm/min, less than 0.1 μm/ min, less than 0.01 μm/min and below these rates and/or all growth rates between these rates. Notably, the maximum crystal growth rate (Vmax) of the glass A and glass B compositions is about 6-7 μm/min at 1030°C and about 2-3 μm/min at 1050°C, respectively. Therefore, the aspect of the method 100 includes performing the cooling step 120 so that when manufactured from the glass A or glass B composition, the crystal growth rate of the glass 30 is less than these maximum crystal growth rate (Vmax) values.

According to another aspect of the method 100 for manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the cooling step 120 may be performed to cool the cast glass 30a to a temperature at or above a critical cooling rate of the cast glass 30a ( That is, not less than 50 ℃). As used herein, the "critical cooling rate" is determined by cooling and melting multiple samples of a given glass composition to their glass transition temperatures at various selected cooling rates. The samples were then cross-sectioned according to standard slicing and polishing techniques, and evaluated by optical microscopy at 100x to determine in the block and on its free surface (i.e., having a crucible or similar The existence of crystals at the top surface, exposed surface and bottom surface of an interface). The critical cooling rate corresponds to the sample with the slowest cooling rate of crystals not exhibiting on its surface and bulk.

According to an embodiment, the traction machine 40 includes one or more rollers for controlling the speed of the cast glass 30a as it travels through and exits the casting machine 20 during the cooling step 120 and the conveying step 130, respectively. Advantageously, the cooling step 120 is performed in a manner to ensure that the cast glass 30a does not fall below 50°C to ensure that the method 100 can be kept continuous (in view of the additional heating that occurs during the subsequent transfer step 130 and drawing step 140, respectively) . In some aspects, the remaining thermal energy in the cast glass 30a after the cooling step 120 is used to reheat the cast glass 30a from its core toward its surface during the subsequent transfer step 130 and drawing step 140, respectively.

In some implementations of the method 100 depicted in Figure 1, the temperature during the cooling step 120 is not lower than 50°C, not lower than 100°C, not lower than 150°C, not lower than 200°C, not lower than 250°C , Not lower than 300 ℃, not lower than 350 ℃, not lower than 400 ℃, not lower than 450 ℃, not lower than 500 ℃ and all temperature values between these lower limit threshold levels. In one implementation of the method 100, the cooling step 120 includes cooling the cast glass 30a in the casting machine 20 to a temperature of less than 800°C and not less than 50°C. According to one of the methods 100, the flow, cooling, pulling, and drawing steps 110-140 are performed so that the cast glass 30a does not reach a temperature below 50°C, for example, to ensure that the method 100 can be performed in a continuous manner. Embodiment of a method 100 of some of the step of cooling of 120 is carried out so that the casting machine 20 of the cast glass 30a is at least ¹⁰⁸ poise, at least 5 × 10 ⁸ poise, at least ¹⁰⁹ poise, at least 5 × 10 ⁹ poise, at least 10 One viscosity of ¹⁰ poises, at least 5×10 ¹⁰ poises or higher. In some aspects of the method 100 of making a glass strip 30b, the cooling step 120 is performed so as to maintain the cast glass 30a at a temperature between about 650°C and about 750°C and a viscosity of at least ¹⁰⁹ poises .

Referring again to the method 100 for manufacturing a glass strip 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the method further includes a transfer step 130 for transferring the cast glass 30a from the casting machine 20. The transmission pattern of step 130 can be partially realized by the action of the traction machine 40. In detail, during step 130, the cast glass 30a can be moved or otherwise conveyed by the traction machine 40 from the end of the casting machine 20 toward a set of optional heaters 50 and edge rollers 60. According to an embodiment of the method 100, the transferring step 130 may be performed to control the speed of the cast glass 30a, for example, such that the flow rate of the cast glass 30a varies by no more than 1%.

Manufacturing a ribbon of glass 30b also includes a step 100 of the method of 30a at 30a viscosity is less than one in step 130 transmitted an average viscosity of cast glass (e.g., at an average of less than one viscosity ¹⁰⁷ poises) drawn cast glass 140. Step 140 also includes the cast glass 30a is heated to less than ¹⁰⁷ poise one of average viscosity, e.g., by the set of optional heater 50. When present, the heater 50 may include a glass 30a is heated to the cast by any one of a variety of structures and components of less than ¹⁰⁷ poise the viscosity of the average, including but not limited to resistive heating element, inductive heating element, an infrared heating element And other components as understood by those of ordinary skill in the art of this disclosure. In some embodiments, it involves casting glass 30a is heated to a one step less than the average viscosity of ¹⁰⁷ poise state of comp 140 does not impart any additional cast glass 30a heat. For example, the drawing step 140 may be performed such that the core 30a of the cast glass casting surface at least a portion of the glass 30a is heated to an average of less than one ¹⁰⁷ poises viscosity.

In addition, the drawing step 140 for drawing the cast glass 30a is performed to draw the cast glass 30a into a width 32 ( W _ribbon ) having a width 22 ( W _cast ) less than or equal to the width 22 ( W _cast ) of the casting machine 20 and less than or equal to the cast glass A glass strip 30b with a final thickness ( t ) 34 of a thickness ( t ) 24 of 30a. In some aspects, the width 32 ( W _ribbon ) of the glass ribbon 30b is from about 10 mm to about 5 mm, from about 20 mm to about 5 mm, from about 30 mm to about 5 mm, from about 40 mm to About 5 mm, from about 50 mm to about 5 mm, from about 100 mm to about 5 mm, from about 200 mm to about 5 mm, from about 250 mm to about 5 mm, from about 300 mm to about 5 mm, from All width values from about 350 mm to about 5 mm, from about 400 mm to about 5 mm, and between these grades. The step 140 of drawing the cast glass 30a into a strip 30b may be partially achieved by the action of the edge roller 60 depicted in FIG.

According to some implementations of the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b, the drawing step 140 is performed on the cast glass 30a for no more than 30 minutes (ie, in the step 120 for cooling the cast glass 30a and for transferring the cast glass 30a After step 130, and before one of the subsequent steps 150 for cooling the glass strip 30b to ambient temperature). It should be understood that according to method 100, during each of steps 110-140, cast glass 30a is at a temperature of about 50°C or higher. In some implementations, the drawing step 140 can be performed for 30 minutes or less, 25 minutes or less, 20 minutes or less, 15 minutes or less, 10 minutes or less, 5 minutes or less and less These upper limit threshold duration values simultaneously maintain all durations of a duration of at least 30 seconds. As noted earlier, the method 100 of manufacturing a glass strip 30b is performed such that the temperature and/or time during the drawing step 140 is advantageously minimized to ensure that the cast glass 30a does not experience any or very small crystallization , While maintaining the cast glass 30a at a sufficiently low viscosity to achieve the drawing state of this step-that is, transforming the cast glass 30a into a glass strip having a width 32 that is less than the width 22 of the cast glass 30a 30b.

A method of manufacturing a tape 30b of the glass article depicted in FIG. 1 in some embodiments of 100, 130 and the transmitting step 140 is performed such that the drawing step 30a was cast glass maintained at less than ¹⁰⁷ poise, less than 5 × 10 ⁶ poise, less than ¹⁰⁶ poise, less than 5 × 10 ⁵ poise, less than ¹⁰⁵ poise, less than 5 × 10 ⁴ poise while not less than ¹⁰⁴ poise and the viscosity of one of the average of all the average viscosity between these levels. Some embodiments of the method 100, during the transfer step 130 and step 140 will be drawing an average viscosity of the glass 30a of the casting is maintained between ¹⁰⁶ poise and ¹⁰⁴ poise, at a temperature between about 750 deg.] C and 900 ℃.

Referring again to the method 100 for manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b depicted in FIG. 1, the final cooling step 150 of the method may include cooling the glass ribbon 30b to ambient temperature. As noted earlier, an embodiment of the method 100 is performed such that during steps 110-140, the glass 30 and the cast glass 30a are maintained at a temperature of not less than 50°C, thus ensuring that the method 100 can be performed in a continuous manner. According to some embodiments of the method 100, steps 110-140 are not less than 50°C, not less than 75°C, not less than 100°C, not less than 150°C, not less than 200°C, not less than 250°C, The temperature shall not be less than one of 300℃ and all lower limit temperature thresholds between these lower limit temperature limits. In addition, as generally understood by those skilled in the art of this disclosure, step 150 for cooling the glass ribbon 30b may be performed with or without external cooling. Additionally, in some embodiments of the method 100, the edge roller 60 may include one of the cooling capabilities for achieving some or all of the cooling within the cooling step 150.

Still referring to the method 100 for manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b depicted in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the method 100 is performed such that the glass ribbon 30b has a thickness variation of less than 200 μm. According to some embodiments, the glass strip 30b may have less than 200 μm, less than 150 μm, less than 100 μm, less than 75 μm, less than 50 μm, less than 40 μm, less than 30 μm, less than 20 μm, less than 10 μm, less than 5 μm , Less than 4 μm, less than 3 μm, less than 2 μm, less than 1 μm, less than 0.5 μm thickness change, and all thickness change levels between these levels. From a practical point of view, the glass strip 30b manufactured according to the method 100 may have a thickness variation as low as 0.01 μm. In some implementations of the method 100, the glass ribbon 30b produced by the method 100 has a warpage of less than 500 μm. According to some implementations, the glass ribbon 30b produced by the method 100 has less than 500 μm, less than 400 μm, less than 300 μm, less than 200 μm, less than 150 μm, less than 100 μm, less than 50 μm, less than 40 μm, less than 30 μm , Less than 20 μm, less than 10 μm, less than 5 μm, less than 0.1 μm, more than 0.05 μm warpage, and all warpage values between these levels. From a practical point of view, the glass ribbon 30b manufactured according to the method 100 may have a warpage as low as 0.01 μm. Still further, some embodiments of the method 100 are performed such that the glass strip 30b has a surface roughness (Ra) of less than 5 μm (as measured before any post-processing). According to some implementations, the glass ribbon 30b produced by the method 100 has less than 5 μm, less than 4 μm, less than 3 μm, less than 2 μm, less than 1 μm, less than 0.75 μm, less than 0.5 μm, less than 0.25 μm, less than 0.1 μm , A surface roughness (Ra) of less than 50 nm and a low of 10 nm, and all surface roughness values between these levels. According to an embodiment, the glass strip 30b produced by the method 100 has less than 1 μm, less than 0.9 μm, less than 0.8 μm, less than 0.7 μm, less than 0.6 μm, less than 0.5 μm, less than 0.4 μm, less than 0.3 μm, less than 0.2 μm, low 0.1 μm, less than 90 nm, less than 80 nm, less than 70 nm, less than 60 nm, less than 50 nm, less than 40 nm, less than 30 nm, less than 20 nm, low is one of 10 nm surface roughness (Ra ), and all surface roughness values between these levels.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram of equipment that can be used according to the method 100 (see FIG. 1) of manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b according to the present disclosure is provided. In detail, FIG. 2 depicts a melting apparatus 10a having an orifice 4a, a casting machine 20, and a heater 50, plus other features. In all other aspects, the equipment depicted in FIG. 2 is the same or substantially the same as the equipment depicted in FIG. 1 for the method 100 (see FIG. 1 and earlier description) for manufacturing a glass strip 30b Similar. Therefore, the similarly numbered elements in FIG. 2 have the same or substantially similar functions and structures as the similarly numbered elements described in FIG. 1. In addition, according to one embodiment of the method 100 (see FIG. 1), an opening of the melting apparatus 10a (see FIG. 2) having a maximum size 12 of less than 5 meters (m) can be obtained from the glass 30 4a flow to perform flow step 110. The maximum dimension 12 of the opening 4a may be less than or equal to the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20. In addition, the width 14 of the orifice 4a may be about 1 mm or more, about 2 mm or more, about 3 mm or more, about 4 mm or more, about 5 mm or more, about 7 mm or more Large, about 8 mm or more, about 9 mm or more, about 10 mm or more, about 15 mm or more, about 20 mm or more, about 25 mm or more, about 30 mm or more , About 35 mm or more, about 40 mm or more, about 45 mm or more, about 50 mm or more, or any width up to about 500 mm.

Referring again to FIG. 2, depending on the viscosity of the glass 30 flowing from the melting device 10a during the flow step 110 (see FIG. 1), the glass 30 may have approximately the same or greater than the maximum size 12 of the orifice 4a Small one width. Therefore, the maximum dimension 12 of the orifice 4a may be less than or equal to the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20. In other embodiments, the maximum size 12 of the orifice 4a may be larger than the width ( W _cast ) 22 of the casting machine 20, for example, for a glass 30 with a relatively low upper limit liquidus viscosity (eg, 5 poise to 50000 poise) Thing. In detail, after melting, these glasses can "neck" when they leave the orifice 4a of the melting apparatus 10a, thereby allowing them to flow to a size having a maximum size 12 smaller than the orifice 4a of the melting apparatus 10a Inside the casting machine 20 of width 22.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the glass ribbon 30b may be sliced to have a range ranging from substantially equivalent to the width 32 ( W _ribbon ) of the glass ribbon 30b to about 50% of the width 32 of the glass ribbon 30b The diameter of the wafer 36. In an embodiment, the step of slicing the wafer 36 from the glass strip 30b may be performed after the cooling step 150 of the method 100 outlined earlier and shown in FIG. 1. As shown in the exemplary form in FIG. 2, the wafer 36 is in the form of a dish. However, the wafer 36 may take any of a variety of shapes, including but not limited to square, rectangle, circle, ellipse, and others. According to some embodiments, the wafer 36 may have a thickness 34( t ) of about 2 mm or less and a maximum size (eg, diameter, width, or other maximum size) of about 100 mm to about 500 mm. In some aspects, the wafer 36 has a thickness 34( t ) of about 1 mm or less and a maximum dimension of 150 mm to about 300 mm. The wafer 36 may also have a thickness ranging from about 1 mm to about 50 mm or about 1 mm to about 25 mm. The wafer 36 may also have a maximum size ranging from about 25 mm to about 300 mm, from about 50 mm to about 250 mm, from about 50 mm to about 200 mm, or from about 100 mm to about 200 mm. Advantageously, the wafer 36 formed according to the method 100 can exhibit the same thickness variation level, surface roughness, and/or warpage level outlined earlier in conjunction with the glass strip 30b without any additional surface polishing. In an embodiment, the wafer 36 may undergo some limited grinding and polishing of its outer diameter to obtain the final size of the final product (eg, lens for optical applications).

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, according to an embodiment, there is provided an overflow tank 8 for flowing the glass 30 as used in the method 100 (see FIG. 1) of manufacturing a glass ribbon 30b A schematic diagram of an overflow melting device 10b. In detail, during the step 110 of flowing the glass 30, the overflow melting apparatus 10b may be used. According to an embodiment, the glass 30 can be melted according to a melting state of the method 100 and flows from the tank 6 into the overflow tank 8. The trough 6 includes any of a variety of heating elements understood by those of ordinary skill in the art for melting glass. When the glass 30 overflows from the overflow weir or the like of the overflow tank 8, it flows over the overflow tank 8 and down into the casting machine 20 (not shown). As shown in an exemplary form in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the overflow melting apparatus 10b may include an overflow weir within the overflow tank 8 that allows the glass 30 to overflow and along the outside of the overflow tank 8 Surface spread. In these embodiments, the glass 30 may be spread on one or both sides of the overflow channel 8 to a width of 4b. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the overflow groove 8 has one side at an angle of 9 to the vertical line. Typically, the angle 9 is between about 0° and 30°, preferably, 0° to 20°. According to one embodiment of the method 100 (see FIG. 1) for manufacturing a glass strip 30b, the overflow melting device 10b has a width 4b of less than 5 m, which is less than or equal to the width 22 ( W _cast ) of the casting machine 20.

Although the illustrative embodiments and examples have been described for illustrative purposes, the foregoing description is by no means intended to limit the scope of the disclosure and accompanying patent applications. Therefore, changes and modifications to the embodiments and examples described above can be made without substantially departing from the spirit and various principles of the present disclosure. Within the scope of this disclosure, all such modifications and changes are intended to be included herein and are protected by the following patent applications.

4: export components 4a: Orifice 4b: width 6: slot 8: overflow tank 9: Angle 10: Melting equipment 10a: melting equipment 10b: Overflow melting equipment 12: Maximum size 14: Width of orifice 20: Casting machine 22: Width 24: thickness 30: glass 30a: Cast glass 30b: glass strip 32: width 34: final thickness 36: Wafer 40: Traction machine 50: heater 60: edge roller 100: Method for manufacturing glass strip 110: Flow step 120: cooling step 130: Transmission steps 140: drawing steps 150: final cooling step

The following is a description of the figures in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the drawings may be exaggeratedly shown in scale or in schematic diagrams for clarity and conciseness.

In the diagram:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method of manufacturing a glass strip according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus that can be used according to a method of manufacturing a glass strip according to an embodiment, specifically, a melting apparatus having an orifice, a casting machine, and a heating apparatus.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of an overflow forming device having an isopipe for flowing glass as used in a method of manufacturing a glass ribbon according to an embodiment.

When read in conjunction with the drawings, the foregoing summary of the invention and a detailed description of some of the following inventive techniques will be better understood. It should be understood that the scope of these patent applications is not limited to the arrangements and means shown in the figures. In addition, the appearance shown in these figures is one of many decorative appearances that can be used to achieve the stated functions of the device.

Domestic storage information (please note in order of storage institution, date, number) no

Overseas hosting information (please note in order of hosting country, institution, date, number) no

4: export components

10: Melting equipment

12: Maximum size

20: Casting machine

22: Width

30: glass

30a: Cast glass

30b: glass strip

32: width

40: Traction machine

50: heater

60: edge roller

100: Method for manufacturing glass strip

110: Flow step

120: cooling step

130: Transmission steps

140: drawing steps

150: final cooling step

Claims (10)

A method for manufacturing a glass strip, comprising: flowing a glass to have a width ( W _cast ) from about 100 mm to about 5 m and a thickness ( t ) from about 1 mm to about 500 mm within a casting machine to form a cast glass; the cast glass was cooled to the casting machine in at least one of the viscosity of ¹⁰⁸ poise; from the casting machine to transmit the cast glass; drawn from the casting machine the molding glass, the the drawing comprises one of cast glass was heated to less than the average viscosity of ¹⁰⁷ poise and drawn into the cast glass has less than one _cast width W (W _ribbon) of a glass ribbon; and after the glass strips Cool to ambient temperature, where the cast glass during the cooling step, the transferring step, and the drawing step is at about 50°C or higher. The method of claim 1, wherein: (i) the flowing step includes flowing the glass at a viscosity of about 50,000 poises to about 10 poises; and/or (ii) in the cooling step, the transferring step And the cast glass during the drawing step is at about 200°C or higher; and/or (iii) the step of cooling the cast glass is performed so that the cast glass in the casting machine is cooled to at least ¹⁰⁹ poise a viscosity; and / or (iv) the drawing step was carried out so that the cast glass was heated to less than ¹⁰⁶ poise one average viscosity; and / or (v) at the flow step comprises one or more 1000 ℃ The glass at temperature flows, and the step of cooling the cast glass includes cooling the cast glass in the casting machine to a temperature of less than 800°C and not less than 50°C; and/or (vi) the drawing step After the step of cooling the cast glass is performed on the cast glass from about 30 seconds to about 30 minutes; and/or (vii) the drawing is performed so that a core of the cast glass makes a surface of the cast glass At least partially heated to an average viscosity of less than 10 ⁷ poises. The method of claim 1, wherein the glass contains an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise. The method of claim 3, wherein the glass comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, and fluorosilicate Glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphate glass, thiophosphate glass, germanate glass, vanadate glass, borate glass and phosphate glass. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the glass ribbon has a thickness variation of from about 0.01 μm to about 50 μm. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the glass ribbon has a warpage of from about 0.01 μm to about 100 μm. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flow step is performed by flowing a glass from an orifice of a melting apparatus having a width of from about 100 mm to about 5 m, The width of the orifice is less than or equal to the width of the casting machine ( W _cast ). The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein during the steps of cooling, conveying and drawing the cast glass, one of the maximum crystal growth rate of any crystalline phase of the cast glass is from about 0.01 μm /min to about 10 μm/min. A glass object comprising: an unpolished glass strip having a thickness from about 1 mm to about 25 mm and a width from 25 mm to about 200 mm, wherein the glass strip comprises a material selected from the group consisting of One component of the group: borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphate glass, thiophosphate glass, germanic acid Salt glass, vanadate glass, phosphate glass and borate glass, wherein the composition further includes an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise, and further wherein the glass strip can be sliced to have Glass wafers with a thickness variation from 0.01 μm to about 50 μm and warping from about 0.01 μm to about 200 μm. A glass object, comprising: an unpolished glass wafer having a thickness from about 1 mm to about 25 mm and a width from 100 mm to about 200 mm, wherein the glass wafer includes a member selected from the group consisting of One component of the group: borosilicate glass, aluminoborosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, fluorosilicate glass, phosphosilicate glass, fluorophosphate glass, thiophosphate glass, germanic acid Salt glass, vanadate glass, phosphate glass and borate glass, wherein the composition further includes an upper limit liquidus viscosity of less than 5×10 ⁵ poise, and further wherein the glass wafer has from about 0.01 μm to about The thickness of one of 50 μm varies and the warpage of from about 0.01 μm to about 200 μm.

Images