TWI472494B - Laser scoring of a moving glass ribbon having a non-constant speed - Google Patents

Description

Laser scoring of glass ribbons moving at non-fixed speeds

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for laser scoring a moving glass ribbon, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for scoring a moving glass ribbon as the ribbon speed changes over time. .

The following discussion refers to a glass ribbon that moves in a vertical direction, which is a typical application of the methods and apparatus disclosed herein. However, this direction has been assumed to be merely for the purpose of promoting the presentation and is not to be construed as limiting the disclosure.

Similarly, although one of the methods and apparatus disclosed herein is applied to variations in the speed of the glass ribbon that are not planned (not intended) (eg, due to process variations used to fabricate the glass ribbon), it is necessary to understand this The disclosed methods and apparatus can be applied equally to speed changes in the plan (meaning) related to changes such as glass composition, manufacturing speed, sheet size, or the like.

As used herein and in the context of the patent application, the term "vent" means a cut formed in the surface of a glass that passes completely through the thickness of the glass or only through the thickness of the glass. portion. Therefore, the term includes complete cracks, partial cracks, complete median cracks, and partial center cracks, where the complete and complete center cracks completely pass through the glass thickness, and some of the cracks and part of the center crack pass through the glass thickness. portion.

As used herein and in the scope of the claims, the term "lighting device" means any device that emits light, and includes an active device that produces light (eg, a laser), and receives and transmits by another device. The generated light (e.g., a device that receives a beam from a laser and shapes and/or focuses the beam).

Conventionally, mechanical tools are used to perform glass scoring. However, there is also an alternative to using laser radiation (laser radiation), e.g. having a wavelength of 10.6μm of CO ₂ laser radiation in order to heat the glass and tensile stress gradients (tensile stress) via the temperature. U.S. Patent No. 5,776,220, "Method and Apparatus for Breaking Brittle Materials", and U.S. Patent No. 6,327,875, "Controlling Center Cracks in Laser Scoring", U.S. Patent No. 6,327,875, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. depth".

As shown in FIG. 1, a crack is created on the major surface 114 of the glass 112 along the score line 115 during the laser scoring. To create a crack, a small initial crack 111 is formed on the surface of the glass near the edge, and then a laser beam 121 having a footprint 113 is propagated through the glass surface, followed by a cooling zone created by the cooling nozzle 119. The small initial crack 111 is converted into a crack. The glass is heated using a laser beam and the glass is then immediately quenched with a coolant to create a thermal energy gradient and a corresponding stress field that propagates the initial crack to form a breach.

A system for performing laser scoring of a moving glass ribbon is described in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0264994 (the '994 publication), wherein the motion carrier is moved along a linear orbit at an angle a Tilt to a line that is transverse to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon.

Figures 2 and 3 of the present invention briefly illustrate the '994 publication system. In these figures, the glass ribbon is represented by the component symbol 13, the motion carrier is represented by the component symbol 14, the linear track is represented by the component symbol 15, and the support structure (support frame) of the track is represented by the component symbol 11, and the glass ribbon is manufactured. The equipment (for example, a fusion draw machine) is represented by the symbol 9 . As discussed in the '994 publication, from the fixed reference coordinates (eg, the xyz reference coordinates in Figure 2), the glass ribbon moves in the direction of the amount 16 with the velocity S _{glass ribbon} , and the carriage is oriented at the speed S _bracket. The direction of the amount 17 moves, wherein the S _{glass ribbon} , the S _bracket, and the angle α satisfy the following relationship:

S _bracket = S _{glass ribbon} / sinα. Equation (1)

In this way, the carriage advances in unison with the glass ribbon or, more precisely, the component of the carriage speed parallel to the direction of movement of the _{glass ribbon} is equal to the S- _{glass ribbon} . Thus, from the perspective of the glass ribbon, the carriage simply moves in the direction of the vector 18, i.e., across the glass ribbon along a line 7 that is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon, and the carriage speed S is _scored as:

S- _scoring = S- _bracket cosα. Equation (2)

As described in the '994 publication, a light-emitting device that provides a laser beam is coupled to the carriage with a nozzle system that provides a flow of cooling liquid (eg, water), and is formed over the glass ribbon as the carriage moves along the linear track. The gap of the width. In some embodiments, a mechanical score head (eg, a score wheel) is also coupled to the bracket to form an initial crack in the glass ribbon. Alternatively, an initial crack may be formed by equipment that is separate from the carrier.

Figure 4 is a simplified illustration of the aspect of the '994 publication, in which the component symbols 21, 22, and 23 represent (1) the cooling liquid footprint and (2) the laser beam footprint in the primary stage of the scoring process. And (3) the position of the initial crack, and the symbol numbers 31 and 32 represent the positions of the cooling liquid coverage area and the laser beam coverage area at a point in time after completion of the start.

As discussed in the '994 publication, a control system can be used to control the carriage action, causing equation (1) to be satisfied. The control system can obtain S _{glass ribbon} information as input from a roller that guides the glass ribbon, or an independent sensor that monitors the speed of the _{glass ribbon} . The '994 publication also describes that the inclination angle α of the linear track 15 is controlled to satisfy equation (1). However, the publication does not discuss the criteria for the variation of the alpha change to the S- _bracket , and the issues associated with the formation of a crack that remains effective when the S- _bracket and/or alpha changes. The present disclosure addresses these issues and provides methods and apparatus for maintaining effective laser scoring in the face of changes in the S- _{glass ribbon} .

A method of producing a glass flake is disclosed in accordance with a first aspect, comprising the steps of:

(I) forming a moving glass ribbon (13) having a speed-varying S- _{glass ribbon} over time;

(II) Forming a slit on the surface of the glass ribbon (13) in a manner along a line (7) transverse to the direction of action of the glass ribbon, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displacing the carriage (14) carrying the illuminating device (51) and the nozzle (119) along the linear track (15) at a speed S _bracket , the linear track being inclined at an angle α with respect to the line (7), resulting in The carriage action has (i) a first component (18) parallel to the line (7), and (ii) a second component (16) parallel to the direction of action of the glass ribbon (13), and the illumination device (51) is emitted by the lightning Shooting (41) the generated beam, and the nozzle (119) emits a cooling liquid;

(b) dynamically adjusting the S- _bracket , the angle α, or both the S- _bracket and the angle α such that the second component of the action of the carriage (14) is in step with the glass ribbon (13);

(c) correcting the dynamic adjustment of step (II) (b) by changing the power P _laser that produces the laser (41) of the beam emitted by the illumination device (51);

(III) The glass flakes are separated from the glass ribbon (13) along the crack formed in the step (II).

According to the second aspect, in the method provided by the first aspect:

(i) S _{glass ribbon} is of the following type:

S _{glass ribbon} = S ₀ + ΔS ₀ ,

Where S ₀ and ΔS ₀ are the components of the nominal constant component and the ribbon speed as a function of time;

(ii) When |ΔS ₀ |>0.03S ₀ , step (II)(b) comprises the following steps: changing α.

According to the third aspect, in the method provided by the first aspect:

(i) Step (II)(b) comprises the following steps: changing α;

(ii) at the glass ribbon, the light beam emitted by the illumination device has a length L and a width W;

(iii) the illuminating device includes a first lens unit that determines L and a second lens unit that determines W;

(iv) the first lens unit comprises at least one lens element;

(v) Step (II) further comprises the step of adjusting an angular orientation of the at least one lens element to compensate for a change in the direction of the beam due to the change in α with respect to the line.

According to a fourth aspect, in the method provided by the third aspect, the second lens unit comprises at least one lens element, and the lens element remains constant with respect to the angular direction of the carriage when α changes.

According to a fifth aspect, in the method of the third aspect or the fourth aspect, each of the first lens unit and the second lens unit includes only one lens element.

According to the sixth aspect, in the method provided by the first aspect:

(i) S _{glass ribbon} is of the following type:

S _{glass ribbon} = S ₀ + ΔS ₀ ,

Where S ₀ and ΔS ₀ are the components of the nominal constant component and the ribbon speed as a function of time;

(ii) when |ΔS ₀ | At 0.03S ₀ , step (II) (b) comprises the step of keeping α constant.

According to the seventh aspect, in the method provided in the sixth aspect, the change in the P _laser in the step (II) (c) satisfies the following relationship:

dP _laser / dS _{glass ribbon} = k‧ctn (α),

Where k is a constant.

According to an eighth aspect, in the method provided by the seventh aspect, the P _laser is expressed as a percentage of the maximum laser power, and k < 1.0.

According to a ninth aspect, in the method of the first aspect, the step (II) comprises the step of transmitting laser light from the laser along a path to the illumination device, the path comprising encapsulating the laser light A flexible laser beam delivery system in a housing having a first end affixed to a laser or laser support structure and attached to a linear or linear track A second end of the support structure, the housing including at least one joint and at least one extension tube that allows rotation and displacement of the first end and the second end relative to each other in a three degree space.

According to a tenth aspect, in any of the first aspect to the ninth aspect, the glass ribbon is formed by a downdraw process.

According to an eleventh aspect, in any one of the first aspect to the tenth aspect, the glass flake is a substrate of the display device.

A method of producing a glass flake is disclosed in accordance with a twelfth aspect, comprising the steps of:

(I) forming a moving glass ribbon (13);

(II) Forming a slit in the surface of the glass ribbon (13) along a line (7) transverse to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon in a manner, the method comprising loading the light-emitting device (51) with the nozzle (119) The frame (14) is displaced along the linear track (15), and the linear track is inclined at an angle α with respect to the line (7) such that the carriage action has (i) parallel to the first component (18) of the line (7), and (ii) a second component (16) parallel to the direction of action of the glass ribbon (13), the illumination device (51) emits a beam of light generated by the laser (41), and the nozzle (119) emits a cooling liquid;

(III) separating the glass flakes from the glass ribbon (13) using the slit formed in the step (II); wherein:

(i) on the glass ribbon (13), the light beam emitted by the illumination device has a length L and a width W;

(ii) the illuminating device (51) includes a first lens unit (53) that determines L and a second lens unit (55) that determines W;

(iii) the first lens unit (53) comprises at least one lens element (81);

(iv) changing α to vary the relative magnitude of the first component and the second component (18, 16) of the action of the carriage (14);

(v) adjusting the angular direction of the at least one lens element (81) to correct the change in the beam direction with respect to the line due to the change in α.

According to a thirteenth aspect, in the method of the twelfth aspect, the second lens unit includes at least one lens element, and the angular direction of the lens element is kept constant with respect to the carriage when α changes.

According to a fourteenth aspect, in the method of the twelfth aspect, each of the first lens unit and the second lens unit includes only one lens element.

According to a fifteenth aspect, in the method of any one of the twelfth aspect to the fourteenth aspect, the glass ribbon is formed by a pull-down process.

According to a sixteenth aspect, in any one of the twelfth aspect to the fifteenth aspect, the glass flake is a substrate of the display device.

A method of producing a glass flake is disclosed in accordance with the seventeenth aspect, comprising the steps of:

(I) forming a moving glass ribbon (13);

(II) Forming a slit on the surface of the glass ribbon (13) in a manner along a line (7) transverse to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displacing the carriage (14) carrying the illuminating device (51) and the nozzle (119) along the linear track (15), the linear track being inclined at an angle α with respect to the line (7), causing the carriage action to have ( i) parallel to the first component (18) of the line (7), and (ii) parallel to the second component (16) of the direction of action of the glass ribbon (13), the illumination device (51) emits a laser beam, and the nozzle ( 119) emitting a cooling liquid;

(b) transmitting laser light (43) from the laser (41) along the path to the illumination device (51), the path comprising an adaptive laser beam delivery system for packaging the laser light (43) in a housing ( 61) the housing has a first end (65) attached to the laser (41) or laser support structure, and a second end attached to the linear track (15) or the support structure (11) of the linear track ( 67) The housing includes at least one joint (62) and at least one extension tube (64) that allows the first end and the second end (65, 67) to rotate and displace relative to each other in a three degree space. ;as well as

(III) The glass flakes are separated from the glass ribbon (13) along the slit formed in the step (II).

According to an eighteenth aspect, in the method of the seventeenth aspect, the adaptive laser beam delivery system comprises a beam expander.

According to a nineteenth aspect, in the method of any one of the seventeenth aspect or the eighteenth aspect, the glass ribbon is formed by a pull-down process.

According to a twentieth aspect, in the method of any one of the seventeenth aspect to the nineteenth aspect, the glass flake is a substrate of the display device.

Apparatus for carrying out the above method is also disclosed.

The use of the component symbols in the summary of the various aspects of the present invention is for convenience of reading and is not intended to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. More generally, the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the invention are intended to be illustrative of the invention.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the <RTIgt; </RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; </ RTI> <RTIgt; Cognition. Additional figures are provided to further understand the present invention and incorporate additional figures to form part of this specification. It is to be understood that the various features of the invention disclosed in this specification and drawings may be used in any combination and all combinations.

In general terms, the ribbon speed can be described as the offset ΔS ₀ from the nominal component S ₀ from the nominal value:

S _{glass ribbon} = S ₀ + ΔS ₀ . Equation (3)

Both S ₀ and ΔS ₀ can be a function of time. For example, S ₀ may change due to intentional, for example, manufacturing rate changes, while ΔS ₀ may change due to unintended process state changes. Generally, prompted by changing the S _{glass ribbon} variation of S _0, S compared prompted by changing the variation of _{the glass ribbon} ΔS ₀ to less frequently, although the new process, for example, during debugging (the debugging), It is necessary to test the rated glass ribbon speed sequence, and the opposite is achievable. For the following discussion, it will be assumed that S ₀ is constant over an interesting time frame, and ΔS ₀ represents the variation of the glass ribbon velocity versus S ₀ and includes both intentional and unintentional variations.

In order to advance the carriage with the _{glass ribbon as the} S- _{glass ribbon} changes, i.e., to make the carriage movement appear straight from the glass ribbon, it is necessary to change one or both of the S- _bracket and the alpha. Generally, changing the S- _bracket is simpler than changing a. However, in accordance with the present disclosure, it has been found that the S- _seat can only be varied in a limited range without sacrificing the edge quality of the glass flakes separated from the glass ribbon.

In particular, it has been found that in order to maintain the laser scoring process within an acceptable process window when the S- _bracket changes, it is desirable to control the laser power. In particular, the laser power needs to increase as the S- _bracket increases and decreases as the S- _bracket falls. However, while maintaining the system within its process window, the achievable level of laser power variation is quite limited. This effect is illustrated in Figure 5, which plots the S- _{glass strip} along the horizontal axis in mm/sec, the velocity along the left-hand vertical axis in mm/sec, and along the maximum power percentage. The vertical power of the right hand side draws the laser power. The graph illustrated in Fig. 5 is based on measurement data obtained at a value of 3.8° α.

Experiments that produced the data in Figure 5 show that the edge properties of the glass flakes separated from the glass ribbon are repeatedly accepted within a narrow range of ± 3% of the nominal rate of the glass ribbon (50 mm/sec in this case). . In other words, according to equation (3) above, when |ΔS ₀ | At 0.03‧S ₀ , the combination of the carriage speed and the adjusted laser power can be used to match the change in the speed of the glass ribbon, but when |ΔS ₀ |> 0.03‧S ₀ , the α needs to be changed to provide reliable edge quality. .

Figure 5 also shows that the change in laser power required to correct the S- _{glass ribbon} change can be a linear function of the S- _{glass ribbon} . Such linear dependence promotes control of the laser scoring process. For such a specific embodiment, the dP _laser /dS _{glass ribbon} can be rewritten as dP _laser /dS _{glass ribbon} = k‧ctn (α), where k is a constant. In other words, when the S- _bracket is increased to match the increase amount of the S- _{glass ribbon} , the rate at which the scoring speed increases is ctn(α) (that is, dS _scoring /dS _{glass ribbon} = ctn(α); see equation above ( At 1) and (2)), in order to maintain a reliable edge configuration, the increased laser power required to be less than, greater than, or equal to ctn(α) depends on the value of k. In the case of the data according to Fig. 5 (the laser power is expressed as a percentage of the maximum power), k is less than 1.0. As will be apparent, k can be used in any particular application, as well as specific values for special units of arbitrary laser power (eg, percentage of maximum power, wattage, and the like), which may already be common in the field of the invention. The intellectual decides.

Figures 6 through 9 illustrate devices that can be used to change the angle a to match the S- _{glass ribbon} variation (e.g., the amount of change > 0.03‧S ₀ ). In particular, Figure 6 briefly illustrates a comprehensive exemplary configuration of a device that can be used for this purpose, while Figures 7 through 9 illustrate a particular exemplary embodiment. In Fig. 6, the glass ribbon from which the individual glass flakes are separated is represented by the symbol 13, the linear track for the movable carriage is represented by the component symbol 15, and the equipment for manufacturing the glass ribbon (for example, the fusion pull-down machine) is The symbol 9 is represented. To simplify the demonstration, the brackets are represented by floating optical heads (51) in Figures 6 through 9, and it is to be understood that the brackets may contain other equipment, including nozzles for cooling the liquid. The floating optical head 51 receives the laser beam 43 generated by the laser 41 and directs the beam toward the glass ribbon 13. As discussed above in connection with Figures 1 through 4, the laser beam in combination with the cooling liquid extends the initial crack formed in the glass to create a crack across the width of the glass ribbon, with individual glass flakes from the crack and the glass. Belt separation.

In Fig. 6, the laser beam is guided to the floating optical head by mirrors 45 and 47, and the mirrors 45 and 47 are located in the housing 49, and the housing 49 has a suitable aperture or coupling. Couplings (not shown) to receive light from a laser and send the light to a floating optical head. The position and angular orientation of the mirrors 45 and 47 can be actively controlled to maintain the laser beam as the angle a changes, aiming the laser beam at the floating optical head. Although only two mirrors are illustrated, additional mirrors may be used if desired.

In addition to the change in alpha, the position and angular direction of the mirror can also be used to correct the relative displacement between the laser 41 and the track 15, the relative displacement being a change in temperature (eg from room temperature to the production of the glass ribbon). Increased operating temperature), mechanical vibration, and the like. Due to the required power level, the laser 41 is typically quite large, and thus the laser 41 is often placed on the support structure separated from the track 15 in a production setting environment. As a result, the laser 41 and the track 15 can be undergoed with respect to each other, thus forcing the laser beam to continuously aim at the floating optical head. The direction and/or position of the mirrors 45 and 47 can be actively changed by using a computer control system to achieve this continuous aiming, and the computer control system obtains information about the laser (and/or its support from a suitable transducer). System) Input data for the position of the linear track (and/or its supporting system).

Figures 7 through 9 illustrate specific embodiments in which the alpha change can be passively matched, as well as the relative positional changes of the laser 41 and track 15 due to temperature changes, mechanical vibrations, and the like. This particular embodiment includes an adaptive laser beam delivery system 61 that packages laser light into a housing having a first end 65 attached to a support structure of the laser 41 or laser, and attached to the linear track 15 or The second end 67 of the support structure of the linear track (for example, the support structure 11 in FIGS. 7 to 9), the attachment of the second end 67 to the linear track 15 has the advantage that when the angle α is changed, because of the track, The second end moves as a unit with the optical head as a changes in alpha, so the laser beam can remain aimed at the floating optical head 51.

As illustrated in Figures 7-9, the housing of the delivery system includes at least one joint 62, and at least one of the first end and the second end (65, 67) are allowed to rotate and displace in a three degree space relative to each other. The extension tube 64. In this manner, the first end and the second end of the delivery system may substantially not move the light input from the laser to the system or the light output to the floating optical head, but move relative to each other. This is an important advantage because it provides a robust system that can be installed and then allowed to operate during extended periods of time without operator intervention. The combination of at least one joint and at least one extension tube also facilitates the installation, alignment, and servicing of the scoring system. In this regard, it is worth noting that the requirements for beam pointing accuracy are quite strict; for example, for the deviation of the center of the beam from the center line of the floating optical head, a suitable specification can be ±100 μm or less at a distance of three meters. Or more (from the last mirror of the conveyor system).

As also illustrated in Figures 7 through 9, the adaptive laser beam delivery system 61 can include a beam expander 63 to cause the laser beam to be transmitted to the floating optical head and subsequently to the glass ribbon. See U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/220,948, the entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire content The conveyor system may also include a circular polarizer (not shown in Figures 7 through 9). The system can be constructed using equipment commercially available, such as manufactured by American Laser Enterprises of Wixom, Michigan.

The floating optical head 51 will now be discussed. As illustrated in Fig. 10, the floating optical head may include a first lens unit 53 for controlling the length of the laser beam on the glass ribbon 13, and a second lens for controlling the width of the laser beam. Unit 55, and a steering mirror 69 for directing the beam of light toward the glass ribbon. For example, the first lens unit may comprise a single negative cylindrical lens element that expands the beam in a direction along the z-axis of FIG. 2 (ie, perpendicular to the second plane of the drawing), for example, the second lens unit may A single positive cylindrical lens element that orients the beam orthogonal to the track 15 in a plane through one of the track centerlines and parallel to the xy plane in FIG. 2 is included. Of course, more lens elements can be used in either or both of the first lens unit and the second lens unit.

Figure 12 illustrates the effect of the first lens unit and the second lens unit on the propagating beam. As illustrated in this figure, the beam entering the floating optical head has a circular cross section 83 and propagates in the direction of arrow 91. The beam enters the first lens unit 53 of the dilated beam such that the beam has a configuration indicated by element symbol 85 when exiting the lens unit. Thereafter, the light beam passes through the second lens unit and is reflected by the mirror 69 to the glass ribbon. In Fig. 12, the combination of the second lens unit and the mirror is indicated by the symbol 93. If the track 15 is horizontal, the beam produced at the glass ribbon will have the configuration and orientation represented by element symbol 89 in Figure 12. However, when the track 15 is inclined at an angle α at an angle α, at the glass ribbon, the light beam assumes the direction indicated by the symbol 81 in Fig. 12. In other words, the beam is rotated upward by an angle a.

It is worth noting that if the s- _slot and a are selected to satisfy equation (1), the angled beam is still displaced across the ribbon by a straight line (e.g., line 7), but the beam axis no longer follows the line. In fact, this mismatch between the beam path and the beam's major axis has been discovered because the beam's major axis is no longer perfectly aligned with the path through which the cooling liquid and the starting crack pass, resulting in unreliable nicks and/or poor edges. quality.

To solve this problem, the first lens unit can be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 11 to allow the cylindrical axis of the lens element 81, or the cylindrical axis of the multiple lens element (if used) to be rotated, so that the beam axis direction Align with the direction of movement of the beam across the surface of the ribbon. As illustrated in Fig. 11, the lens element 53 may include a housing 73 on which the stepper motor 75 is disposed, the stepper motor 75 drives the gear 77 to drive the large gear 79 accordingly, and the lens element 81 is attached to the large Above the gear 79. The stepper motor is activated by a controller that coordinates the angle of the lens element 81 with the track 15. In particular, as illustrated in Fig. 12, the controller causes the cylindrical axis of one or more lens elements to rotate a along an axis parallel to the track 15, which causes the beam 87 to rotate, causing it to be aligned with the beam direction 89. Align.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, the second lens unit 55 can also be equipped with a stepper motor and a gear train to change the direction of the cylindrical axis of the unit. However, in fact, the misalignment between the cylindrical axis of the second lens unit and the vertical line of the score line on the glass ribbon has been found, and the alignment offset ratio between the cylindrical axis of the first lens unit and the score line is It’s not so troublesome to get up. Accordingly, for many applications, the second lens unit can have a fixed orientation relative to the carrier, thus reducing the complexity and expense of the optical system.

As will be appreciated, the apparatus illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 is merely illustrative, and various other mechanisms may be used to change the cylindrical axis direction of the lens elements of the first and second lens units. In addition, the names "first lens unit" and "second lens unit" need not be interpreted as the order of the hidden unit on the operation of the laser beam. Although the first lens unit is in front of the second lens unit as illustrated in the drawings, the unit can be reversely configured if desired. The first and second lens units can have various "prescriptions" depending on the specifications of the scoring system. For the first and second lens units, the '948 application contains examples of representative power, spacing, etc., which may be used in connection with the present disclosure. The formulation of this application was obtained using a commercially available ZEMAX Optical Design Software (ZEMAX Development Corporation, Bellevue, Washington). Similarly, the optical system formulations of the present disclosure can be obtained using ZEMAX or other commercially available or custom optical design programs.

In implementation, the various aspects of the invention described above can be combined for use in a system for automatically correcting the change in ribbon speed. For example, using input data about the S- _{glass ribbon} , the controller can simultaneously adjust (1) the S- _bracket , (2) the P _laser , (3) the angle a of the track 15 , and ( 4 ) the main axis of the laser beam ( Or the direction of both the major axis and the minor axis, so that the laser scoring and edge quality are achieved within the desired process window. By using an adaptive laser beam delivery system, such adjustments can be made without manual intervention.

As can be seen from the foregoing, the present invention provides methods and associated apparatus for facilitating laser scoring and correspondingly provides the following benefits: clean and robust edges, insensitivity to glass composition and thickness, and minimal glass belt motion disturbances . Furthermore, by increasing the orbital angle a, the laser scoring can be performed at a reduced scoring speed, which allows for deep or full body cutting.

Modifications that do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the invention. For example, as an alternative to performing a score in a single direction and then resetting to perform the next score, the system can be constructed to cause the system to perform a score in the direction of the return, such as from left to right in Figure 2 Right, then right to left, and so on. The scope of the following claims is intended to cover the modifications, variations, and equivalent embodiments of the various embodiments disclosed herein.

111. . . Initial crack

112. . . glass

113. . . Coverage area

114. . . Main surface

115. . . Scoring line

119. . . Cooling nozzle

121. . . Laser beam

7. . . line

9. . . Equipment for making glass ribbon

11. . . Linear orbital support structure

13. . . Glass belt

14. . . bracket

15. . . track

16. . . Second component

17. . . vector

18. . . First component

twenty one. . . Cooling liquid coverage area

twenty two. . . Laser beam coverage area

twenty three. . . Initial crack location

31. . . Cooling liquid coverage area

32. . . Laser beam coverage area

41. . . Laser

43. . . laser

45. . . Reflector

47. . . Reflector

49. . . case

51. . . Floating optical head

53. . . First lens unit

55. . . Second lens unit

57. . . S- _scoring on S _{glass ribbon} curve

59. . . Maximum laser power percentage curve

61. . . Adaptive laser beam delivery system

62. . . joint

63. . . Beam expander

64. . . Extension tube

65. . . First end

67. . . Second end

69. . . Steering mirror

73. . . case

75. . . Stepper motor

77. . . gear

79. . . big gear

81. . . Lens element

83. . . Circular section

85. . . beam

87. . . Beam direction

89. . . Beam direction

91. . . Arrow (direction)

93. . . Beam (combination)

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a laser scoring process;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a laser scoring system according to the '994 publication;

Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the operation of the carriage of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the cooling liquid, the laser beam, and the initial crack at one of the beginning and the end of the scoring process;

Figure 5 is a plot of (1) S- _score (left-hand vertical axis) versus S- _{glass ribbon} (horizontal axis) (curve 57), and (2) percentage of maximum laser power (right-hand vertical axis) versus S- _{glass ribbon} (horizontal axis) (curve 59) graph, S- _scoring and S- _{glass ribbon} units are in mm/sec (mm/sec), and for these curves α is equal to 3.8°;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for providing laser light to a floating optical head;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the use of an adaptive laser beam delivery system to provide laser light to a floating optical head;

Figure 8 is a side view of the system shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a plan view of the system shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the floating optical head of Figure 7 with a portion of the housing of the floating optical head removed to illustrate the first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the steering used in this embodiment. The position of the mirror;

Figure 11 is a transmission diagram of the first lens unit of the floating optical head in Figure 7;

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing the shape and direction of a laser beam passing through the floating optical head of Figure 7.

9. . . Equipment for making glass ribbon

13. . . Glass belt

15. . . track

41. . . Laser

43. . . laser

45. . . Reflector

47. . . Reflector

49. . . case

51. . . Floating optical head

53. . . First lens unit

55. . . Second lens unit

Claims (10)

A method of producing a glass flake comprising the steps of: (I) forming a moving glass ribbon having a time-varying S- _{glass ribbon} ; (II) acting in a manner transverse to the glass _ribbon the line direction is formed on a surface of one of the glass with a gap, the method comprising the steps of: (a) loading one of a light emitting device and a nozzle carrier, _{the carrier} along a linear displacement of the rail at a speed S, The linear track is inclined relative to the line at an angle a such that the action of the carriage has (i) a first component parallel to one of the lines and (ii) a second parallel to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon a component, the illuminating device emits a light beam generated by a laser, and the nozzle emits a cooling liquid; (b) dynamically adjusting the S- _bracket , the angle α, or the S- _bracket and the angle α Causing the second component of the action of the carriage to be in step with the glass ribbon; and (c) correcting the dynamic adjustment step in (II) (b) by changing the power of the _laser , P The laser produces the light beam emitted by the illumination device; and (III) along step (II) The slit is formed to separate a glass flake from the glass ribbon. The method of claim 1, wherein: (i) the S _{glass ribbon} is of the following type: S _{glass ribbon} = S ₀ + ΔS ₀ , wherein S ₀ and ΔS ₀ are respectively a nominal constant component and The component of one of the ribbon speeds as a function of time; and (ii) when |ΔS ₀ |> 0.03S ₀ , step (II)(b) comprises the step of varying α. The method of claim 1, wherein: (i) step (II) (b) comprises the steps of: changing α; (ii) at the glass ribbon, the light beam emitted by the light emitting device has a a length L and a width W; (iii) the illuminating device comprises a first lens unit for determining L and a second lens unit for determining W; (iv) the first lens unit comprises at least one lens element; And (v) step (II) further comprises the step of adjusting an angular orientation of the at least one lens element to compensate for a change in the direction of the beam relative to the line due to a change in a. The method of claim 3, wherein the second lens unit comprises at least one lens element, and the lens element remains constant with respect to the angular direction of the carrier when α changes. The method of claim 1, wherein: (i) the S _{glass ribbon} is of the following type: S _{glass ribbon} = S ₀ + ΔS ₀ , wherein S ₀ and ΔS ₀ are respectively a nominal constant component and The component of one of the ribbon speeds as a function of time; and (ii) when |ΔS ₀ | At 0.03S ₀ , step (II) (b) comprises the step of keeping α constant. The method of claim 5, wherein the change in the P _laser in the step (II) (c) satisfies the following relationship: dP _laser /dS _{glass ribbon} = k‧ctn (α), wherein k is one constant. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (II) comprises the step of transmitting laser light from the laser along a path to the illumination device, the path comprising encapsulating the laser light An adaptive laser beam delivery system in a housing having a first end affixed to the laser or one of the support structures of the laser, and attached to the linear track Or a second end of the linear track supporting structure, the housing comprising at least one joint and at least one extension allowing rotation and displacement of the first end and the second end relative to each other in a three-dimensional space tube. A method of producing a glass flake comprising the steps of: (I) forming a moving glass ribbon; (II) forming a slit on one surface of the glass ribbon in a direction along a line transverse to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon The method comprises the steps of: loading a light-emitting device and a nozzle of a nozzle along a linear track that is inclined at an angle a relative to the line such that the carriage action has (i) parallel to a first component of the line, and (ii) a second component parallel to one of the directions of movement of the glass ribbon, the illumination device emitting a beam of light generated by a laser, and the nozzle emits a cooling liquid; and (III) Using the slit formed in step (II), a glass flake is separated from the glass ribbon; wherein: (i) at the glass ribbon, the light beam emitted by the illumination device has a length L and a width W; (ii) the illuminating device comprises a first lens unit that determines one of L and a second lens unit that determines W; (iii) the first lens unit includes at least one lens element; (iv) changes α to change the The first action of the carriage The relative magnitude of the amount of the second component; and a change in the line (v) adjusting the angular direction of the at least one lens element, the correction to the beam direction change prompted by α with respect to the sum. The method of claim 8, wherein the second lens unit comprises at least one lens element, and the angular direction of the lens element remains constant relative to the carrier when α changes. A method of producing a glass flake comprising the steps of: (I) forming a moving glass ribbon; (II) forming a surface of one of the glass ribbons along a line transverse to the direction of movement of the glass ribbon in a manner A split, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displacing a illuminator and a nozzle of a nozzle along a linear track that is inclined at an angle a relative to the line, causing the cradle to act Having (i) a first component parallel to one of the lines, and (ii) a second component parallel to one of the directions of movement of the glass ribbon, the illumination device emitting a laser beam, and the nozzle emits a cooling liquid; b) transmitting laser light from a laser along a path to the illumination device, the path comprising an adaptive laser beam delivery system for packaging the laser light in a housing, the housing having an attachment to the lightning a first end of the support structure of the laser or a second end of the support structure attached to the linear track or the linear track, the housing including at least one joint and at least one of the first end The second end An extension tube that is rotated and displaced relative to each other in a three degree space; and (III) a glass sheet is separated from the glass ribbon along the slit formed in step (II).