Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
  • B65D85/30—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
  • B65D85/48—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure for glass sheets
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
  • B65D81/02—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
  • B65D81/05—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents
  • B65D81/053—Corner, edge or end protectors
  • B65D81/055—Protectors contacting three surfaces of the packaged article, e.g. three-sided edge protectors
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
  • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
  • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/24—Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
  • Y10T428/24777—Edge feature

Definitions

• the present invention relates to edge-protected product comprising a sheet material and edge-protecting webs, and finishing method therefor.
• the present invention relates to edge-protected thin glass sheet product comprising a glass sheet and edge-protecting webs bonded to the peripheral regions of the major surfaces in an intermittent fashion, and finishing method therefor.
• the present invention is useful, e.g., in making and finishing ultra-thin glass sheet products for use in display devices.
• Thin sheet materials such as glass plates, glass-ceramic plates, ceramic plates and crystalline wafers, and the like, are used widely in many processes and devices.
• Each piece of sheet material typically comprises at least two major, opposing surfaces joined by edge surfaces.
• edge surfaces During the manufacture, handling, transpotation and use of these sheet materials, they are subjected to contact with other sheet materials, equipment, tools and accordingly the impact of various external forces.
• the mechanically weakest parts of the sheet material are the edge surfaces and the peripheral regions of the major surfaces. Without protection of these weak areas, the sheet material are prone to failure such as chipping, cracking and even rupture when the external force exceeds a certain limit.
• glass sheet materials especially thin glass sheets having a thickness of less than 1 mm, in certain embodiments at most 500 ⁇ , in certain embodiments at most 300 ⁇ , which have found extensive use in making display devices, e.g., as TFT and color filter substrates in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light- emitting diode (OLED) display substrates, display cover sheets, and the like.
• LCDs liquid crystal displays
• OLED organic light- emitting diode
• These glass materials tend to have high surface quality, especially those made by using the overflow down-draw process, a technology pioneered by Corning Incorporated, Corning, New York, U.S.A.
• Edge protection via encapsulation by using a relatively soft material was found especially conducive to reduced product cracking and other failure for thin glass sheets products.
• a particularly interesting ultra-thin glass sheet product is in the form of a spool, in which a long thin glass ribbon, such as one having a thickness of 100//m or even lower, is wound onto a mandrel to form a roll.
• the roll of glass ribbon may be unrolled into flat shape, subjected to surface processing such as coating deposition, semiconductor device formation, and the like, and then re-wound into a roll.
• This roll-to-roll process can be particularly advantageous for making various opto-electronic devices such as e-ink-based displays, photovoltaics, and the like.
• the glass ribbon is subjected to compressive stress on one side, and tensile stress on the other. Any edge defect or edge impact can easily lead to chipping and/or breakage. Thus, edge protection is particularly important for such glass spool.
• US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0023548A1 discloses an edge- protected glass sheet product, in which the edge surface and the peripheral regions of the main surface of the glass sheet are protected by a continuous web material such as polyimide and the like bonded to the peripheral regions. It is disclosed in this reference that the edge protection web can be used for protecting the edges of a spooled glass ribbon. While the continuous web material provides adequate protection to the glass sheet, it poses technical challenges during subsequent finishing step when the glass sheet or ribbon is cut into multiple pieces, and when the web material is removed. It was found that mechanical cutting of the web material can be difficult to align with the separation line of the glass sheet. In the case of laser cutting by using a CO 2 laser beam, which is advantageously used for cutting thin glass sheets, exposure of the organic web material in air to the laser beam can lead to combustion, toxic fume formation, and charring of the glass surface.
• a continuous web material such as polyimide and the like
• each aspect is illustrated by a number of embodiments, which, in turn, can include one or more specific embodiments. It is to be understood that the embodiments may or may not overlap with each other. Thus, part of one embodiment, or specific embodiments thereof, may or may not fall within the ambit of another embodiment, or specific
• a first aspect of the present disclosure relates to an edge-protected product comprising:
• A2 a second major surface opposing the first major surface, comprising a third peripheral region and a fourth peripheral region, wherein the first and third peripheral regions are in opposing relationship, and the second and fourth peripheral regions are in opposing relationship;
• the sheet material is substantially planar or curved.
• the sheet material is curved and the product is in the form of a spool, wherein the first peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the third peripheral region due to the presence of the first web, and the second peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the fourth peripheral region due to the presence of the second web.
• the sheet material is a glass, a glass-ceramic, ceramic or crystalline material.
• the sheet material has a thickness of at most 300 ⁇ .
• the first and second webs extend from the first and second edge surfaces, respectively, by a distance of at least 1 mm.
• the first and second webs independently comprise a tape, a coating, or a film.
• the first and second webs independently comprises a plastic material, a metal foil, a fabric, or a paper material.
• the first and second webs are bonded to the peripheral regions by an adhesive material.
• the first and second webs are polyimide tapes.
• the second edge surface is continuously encapsulated by the second web.
• the first edge surface is intermittently encapsulated by the first web.
• the second edge surface is intermittently encapsulated by the second web.
• the first intermittent bonding locations and the second intermittent bonding locations are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center line of the sheet material.
• the first intermittent bonding locations are formed on both the first and third peripheral regions, and the second intermittent bonding locations are formed on both the second and the fourth peripheral regions.
• the first intermittent bonding locations on the first and third peripheral regions are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center plane between the first and third peripheral regions, and the second intermittent bonding locations on the second and fourth portions are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center plane between the second and fourth peripheral regions.
• the first web comprises registration marks indicating the locations of at least part of the first intermittent bonding locations and/or the parts of the web between adjacent first intermittent bonding locations.
• the second web comprises registration marks indicating the locations of at least part of the second intermittent bonding locations and/or the parts of the second web between adjacent second intermittent bonding locations.
• the first and/or the second peripheral regions comprise registration marks indicating the locations of at least part of the second intermittent bonding locations and/or the parts of the second web between adjacent second intermittent bonding locations.
• a second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for finishing an edge-protected product, comprising the following steps:
• A2 a second major surface opposing the first major surface, comprising a third peripheral region and a fourth peripheral region, wherein the first and third peripheral regions are in opposing relationship, and the second and fourth peripheral regions are in opposing relationship; [00043] (A3) a first edge surface connecting the first and the third peripheral regions;
• step (II) precedes step (III).
• step (III) precedes step (II).
• steps ( ⁇ ) and ( ⁇ ) are carried out substantially simultaneously.
• step (II) the separation line is substantially transversal to the first edge surface and/or the second edge surface.
• step (II) the separation line is substantially linear.
• step (II) the first major surface in the vicinity of the separation line is curved in the direction
• step (II) the sheet material is placed on a curved air bar.
• step (II) comprises:
• step (lib) results in the formation of a score-line, which is at least part of the separation line; and the method further comprises:
• step (lib) a full-body cutting is obtained along the separation line.
• step (Ha) the initiation defect is formed at a location in the first peripheral region that is not bonded to the first web.
• the initiation defect is formed either by mechanical scribing or by laser ablation.
• step (lib) the first and second webs are not subjected to laser irradiation.
• step ( ⁇ ) the first web or the second web is cut by a laser beam in the presence of an inert atmosphere.
• the process further comprises the following step (IV) after the completion of steps (II) and ( ⁇ ):
• step (IV) laser cutting is used, and during laser cutting, the scoring laser beam does not irradiate the first web or the second web.
• the sheet material is substantially planar or curved.
• the sheet material is curved and the product is in the form of a spool, wherein the first peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the third peripheral region due to the presence of the first web, and the second peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the fourth peripheral region due to the presence of the second web.
• step (II) further comprises:
• the sheet material is a glass, a glass-ceramic, ceramic or crystalline material.
• the sheet material has a thickness of at most 300 ⁇ .
• the first and second webs extend from the first and second edge surfaces, respectively, by a distance of at least 1 mm.
• the first and second webs independently comprise a tape, a coating, or a film.
• the first and second webs independently comprises a plastic material, a metal foil, a fabric, a coating, or a paper material.
• the first and second webs are bonded to the peripheral regions by an adhesive material.
• the first and second webs are polyimide tapes.
• the first edge surface is continuously encapsulated by the first web.
• the second edge surface is continuously encapsulated by the second web.
• the first edge surface is intermittently encapsulated by the first web.
• the second edge surface is intermittently encapsulated by the second web.
• the first intermittent bonding locations and the second intermittent bonding locations are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center line of the sheet material.
• the first intermittent bonding locations are formed on both the first and third peripheral regions, and the second intermittent bonding locations are formed on both the second and the fourth peripheral regions.
• the first intermittent bonding locations on the first and third peripheral regions are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center plane between the first and third peripheral regions, and the second intermittent bonding locations on the second and fourth portions are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center plane between the second and fourth peripheral regions.
• the first web comprises registration marks indicating the locations of at least part of the first intermittent bonding locations and/or the parts of the web between adjacent first intermittent bonding locations.
• the second web comprises registration marks indicating the locations of at least part of the second intermittent bonding locations and/or the parts of the second web between adjacent second intermittent bonding locations.
• the registration marks on the first and/or second webs, and/or on the first and/or second peripheral regions guide the initiation of step (II) and/or step (III).
• One or more embodiments of the various aspects of the present disclosure has one or more of the following advantages.
• Second, even without continuous bonding the web to the peripheral regions of the major surfaces of the sheet material sufficient protection of the peripheral regions and the edge surfaces can be achieved, thereby preventing direct, significant impact of the edge surfaces and the peripheral regions.
• the edge-protected product and finishing process therefor are particularly advantageous for rolled, thin glass sheet products in the form of spools.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the cross-sectional view of an edge- protected sheet product according to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the cross -sectional view of an edge- protected sheet product in the form of a spool according to another embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• FIGS. 3 to 5 are schematic illustrations of the top-view of edge-protected sheet products according to various embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the enlarged area AA illustrated in FIG. 5.
• a first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an edge-protected product comprising:
• A2 a second major surface opposing the first major surface, comprising a third peripheral region and a fourth peripheral region, wherein the first and third peripheral regions are in opposing relationship, and the second and fourth peripheral regions are in opposing relationship;
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the cross-sectional view of an edge-protected product 101 according to one embodiment of the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• the product comprise:
• a sheet material having: a first major surface 103 comprising a first peripheral region 107 on one side and a second peripheral region 109 on the other;
• a second major surface 105 comprising a third peripheral region 1 1 1 on one side and a fourth peripheral region 113 on the other;
• a first web 127 comprising an upper tongue structure 119 bonding with the first peripheral region 107, a lower tongue structure 123 bonding with the third peripheral region 1 11, and a wing structure extending beyond the first edge surface;
• a second web 129 comprising an upper tongue structure 121 bonding with the second peripheral region 109, a lower tongue structure 125 bonding with the fourth peripheral region 1 13, and a wing structure extending beyond the second edge surface.
• the first and second webs encapsulate, at least in the vicinity of the bonding locations, the peripheral regions and the first and second edge surfaces.
• the edge-protected product according to the first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a sheet material to be protected, and two webs protecting two edge surfaces and the adjacent peripheral regions of the first and second major surfaces.
• the sheet material can be substantially planar or curved. Where the sheet material is curved, it can take various shapes, such as the external surface of a cone, or a part thereof, the external surface of a cylinder, or a part thereof, a loose roll where the two major surfaces are separated by a substantial distance, or a compact roll where the two major surfaces are separated by a small distance.
• the edge-protected product takes the form of a spool, which is essentially a compact roll product, where a glass ribbon is wound on a center mandrel to form multiple layers.
• the first peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the third peripheral region due to the presence of the first web
• the second peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the fourth peripheral region due to the presence of the second web.
• FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the cross-sectional view of an edge-protected product in the form of a spool according to certain embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• a long ribbon of a sheet material 203 is wound into a roll.
• the peripheral regions of both major surfaces of the sheet material are bonded intermittently to the first web 205 and the second web 206, respectively.
• an interleaf material 207 is inserted between the first and second major surfaces.
• the edge-protecting webs 205 and 206 protect the edge surfaces and the peripheral regions from direct contact with handling tool and equipment, thereby reducing probability of chipping, cracking and rupture.
• the rolled product may be unrolled, stretched and flattened to allow surface of the sheet material to be processed to form surface coatings, semiconductive material deposition and device fabrication, and then taken up into another roll.
• the sheet material protected in the edge-protected product according to the first aspect of the present disclosure can be a glass, a glass-ceramic, a ceramic or a crystalline material, or other materials.
• the sheet material consists essentially of a glass.
• the sheet material may comprise a single layer of substantially homogeneous material, or multiple layers of different materials.
• the sheet material consists of a single layer of glass.
• the sheet material comprise a core layer of glass and two cladding layers of glass with differing compositions and differing CTE from the core layer.
• the sheet material comprise a glass substrate coated with a thin layer of a different material, such as a metal, an amorphous semiconductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor.
• the sheet material is a thin wafer of single crystalline material, such as silicon.
• the first and second webs advantageously extend from the edge surface by an adequate distance such as at least 1 mm.
• the first and second webs may cover peripheral regions as wide as 50 mm or even wider.
• the first and second webs may be made of the same or different materials, and may have substantially the same or different geometry and dimensions. In certain
• the first and second webs may independently comprise a tape, a coating, a film, a fabric, and the like. It is desired that the web material is soft and flexible, so that impact thereon can be absorbed or alleviated without being transferred to the protected edge surfaces and peripheral regions at a proportion detrimental thereto.
• the first and second web material may be an organic plastic, a metal foil such as an aluminum foil, a fabric such as
• first and second webs are bonded to the peripheral regions by, e.g., an adhesive.
• a particularly advantageous example of the first and second webs is polyimide tape comprising a layer of acrylic adhesive bonding with the peripheral regions.
• the first and second webs are also bonded to the first and second edge surfaces, respectively, intermittently. In another embodiment, the first and second webs are not bonded to the first and second edge surfaces.
• the first and second webs are bonded to the relevant peripheral regions only in an intermittent manner according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• FIGS. 3 and 4 schematically illustrate the front views of certain embodiments of the edge-protected products 301 and 401 according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• FIG. 3 schematically illustrate the front views of certain embodiments of the edge-protected products 301 and 401 according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• the edge-protected product 301 comprises a sheet material having a first major surface 303 comprising a first peripheral region 304a and as second peripheral region 304b, a first edge surface 306a and a second edge surface 306b, a first web 305 comprising a series of protruding tongue structures 309 bonded to the first peripheral region 304a at a plurality of first bonding locations, and a second web 307 comprising a series of protruding tongue structures 311 bonded to the second peripheral region 304b at a plurality of second bonding locations.
• the adjacent tongue structures 309 on the first web 305 and 311 on the second web 307 are separated from each other by a distance, the first bonding locations between the first web and the first peripheral region are intermittent and discontinuous, and so are the second bonding locations between the second web and the second peripheral region.
• scoring and breaking or laser separation operations may be carried out along the separation lines 315a, 315b, 315c, 315d, 315e, 315f, and the like to effect the separation of the sheet material 303, and the first and second web materials in the vicinity of the separation lines, not bonded to the peripheral regions of the major surfaces of the sheet material, can be cut by shearing using a pair of scissors, a knife, or laser beam irradiation.
• score - and-break or laser scoring, or other cutting methods may be used to extract sheet material pieces without edge protection along the dotted perimeters, shown in FIG. 3 as 317a, 317b, 317c, 317d and 317e, from the individual edge-protected pieces.
• the protruding tongue structures bonding to the first and second peripheral regions are substantially rectangular in FIG. 3.
• other tongue shapes such as serrated tooth shape, shown in FIG. 4 as 409 and 41 1, semicircular, elliptical, and the like, are also possible.
• the first intermittent bonding locations may be on only one of the first and second major surfaces of the sheet material, or they may be present on both major surfaces. In the latter case, it is desired that the first web provides intermittent capsulation of the first edge surface. Such intermittent capsulation can be effected by using a first web having two tongues corresponding to the same location of the first edge surface, each bonded to the first and third peripheral regions, respectively.
• the second intermittent bonding locations may be on only one of the first and second major surfaces of the sheet material, or they may be present on both major surfaces. In the latter case, it is desired that the second web provides intermittent capsulation of the second edge surface. Such intermittent capsulation can be effected by using a second web having two tongues corresponding to the same location of the second edge surface, each bonded to the second and fourth peripheral regions, respectively.
• a band of the first peripheral region next to the first edge surface and/or the second edge surface is continuously encapsulated by the first and/or second webs, respectively.
• FIG. 5 schematically show an example of this embodiment, where the first web 505 and the second web 507 comprise a plurality of tongue structures 509 and 51 1 bonding with the first and second peripheral regions of the first major surface 503 of the sheet material, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, described supra.
• the first webs 505 and second web 507 further comprise a part substantially continuously covering part of the first and second peripheral regions.
• FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the dotted line area AA in FIG. 5.
• the second web comprises tongs 511 directly forming the second intermittent bonding locations with the second peripheral region 504b, a substantially continuous portion 507a covering a continuous narrow band of the second peripheral region next to the second edge surface, and an outer portion 507b extending beyond the second edge surface.
• a band of the first and third peripheral regions next to the first edge surface, and a band of the second and fourth peripheral regions next to the second edge surface are continuously encapsulated by the first and second webs, resulting in complete encapsulation of both the first and second edge surfaces.
• the continuous first and/or second web parts covering the peripheral bands next to the edge surfaces are not bonded to the peripheral regions of the major surface between the adjacent tongues.
• this full edge surface encapsulation design provides especially robust protection of the edge surfaces and the adjacent peripheral regions of the major surfaces to substantially the same degree of the full -bonded web design disclosed in United States Patent Application Publication No. 201 1/0023548A1 by preventing the edge surfaces from coming into direct contact with each other or tools and equipment, without the drawbacks thereof mentioned supra.
• first intermittent bonding locations and the second intermittent bonding locations are substantially symmetrical with respect to a center line of the sheet material.
• This symmetrical distribution of the first and second intermittent bonding locations can facilitate the severance of the sheet material and the first and second webs along a separation line substantially transversal to the first and/or second edge surfaces, such as those shown in FIG. 3, which can be particularly advantageous for extracting rectangular sheet materials from the product in a finishing step.
• the first intermittent bonding locations are present on both the first and third peripheral regions, and that they are distributed substantially symmetrically with respect to a center plane between the first and third peripheral regions.
• This embodiment provides the intermittent encapsulation of the first edge surface described supra.
• the second intermittent bonding locations are present on both the second and fourth peripheral regions, and that they are distributed substantially symmetrically with respect to a center plane between the second and forth peripheral regions.
• This embodiment provides the intermittent encapsulation of the second edge surface described supra.
• it is desirable that intermittent encapsulation of both the first and second edge surfaces are provided by the first and second intermittent bonding locations.
• registration marks and/or fiduciary marks on the first and/or second web, and/or on the first, second, third and/or fourth peripheral regions of the sheet material.
• registration marks can be mechanical perforation, indentation or printed marks of various geometry and/or dimension.
• FIGs. 3, 4 and 5 show registration marks 313, 413 and 513 on both the first and second webs in the form of perforations. These perforations may serve additional functions such as engagement with conveyer rollers having surface protrusions to provide the driving force needed for moving the product on a production line.
• the bonding and affixation of the first web and the second web to the intended peripheral regions can be achieved by various means.
• a fluidic precursor coating material can be applied to the intended peripheral regions on one or both sides of the major surface extending beyond the edge surface, and allowed to cure into a soft, solid web by heating or exposure to UV irradiation.
• a pre-formed tape having pressure-sensitive adhesives pre-applied on one side thereof can be diced into the geometry of the first and second webs shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and then applied to the first and second peripheral regions by pressing the protruding tongue structures onto the respective first and second intermittent bonding locations, where the pressure-sensitive adhesive provides the desired level of bonding with the peripheral regions.
• a single piece of tape comprising press-sensitive adhesive on one side thereof is diced on both edges to form the protruding tongue structures, folded along its centerline to obtain a Y-shape structure, and then affixed to the opposing peripheral regions of the two opposing major surfaces as shown in FIG. 1.
• a second aspect of the present disclosure is a method for finishing an edge- protected product according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, comprising the following steps:
• step (II) may precede step ( ⁇ ) in certain embodiments
• step (III) may precede step (II) in certain other embodiments
• steps (II) and (III) may be carried out substantially simultaneously or in an overlapping fashion in certain other embodiments.
• the separation line is advantageously transversal relative to the first and/or second edge surfaces.
• the separation line may be substantially linear, or curved, to suit the different needs of the subsequent steps or use of the cut product.
• the first major surface of the sheet material may be curved in the direction perpendicular to the separation line in the vicinity thereof.
• the curvature of the sheet material can provide the stiffness in the direction of the separation line desired for successful cutting and separation of the sheet material along the separation line.
• Step (II) of the process according to the second aspect of the present disclosure may comprise a mechanical scribe-and-break step, in which a mechanical scribing wheel first scribes the first major surface along the separation line to form a score-line, and the sheet material is then broken along the score-line by subjecting it to a separation force enabling the complete separation of the sheet material along the separation line.
• laser cutting broadly includes a score-and-break process where a laser beam is used to create the score-line such as a process described in United States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/417998 filed on November 30, 2010 and entitled "METHODS FOR SEPARATING A SHEET OF BRITTLE
• a laser process can advantageously comprise:
• an initiation defect is typically first formed by mechanical scribing using a scribing wheel, a scratching tool with a diamond tip, or laser ablation, and the like, in the vicinity of the separation line. Subsequently, a laser beam is irradiated to the score-line in the vicinity of the initiation defect. Subsequent cooling of the exposed area, by an air jet, a water jet, or natural cooling by ambient air, results in a tensile stress along the score-line, which causes the initiation defect to extend along the score-line to form a vent, which may extend through the full width of the separation line, or part of it. Subsequently, a step (lie) is carried out:
• the breaking force can be a force that imparts a bending moment to the sheet material along the separation line, which causes the vent in the score-line to extend throughout the thickness of the sheet material, effecting the separation of the sheet material.
• full laser cutting may be effectively and advantageously used to achieve the separation of the sheet material along the separation line.
• the full body laser cutting process also typically starts with the formation of an initiation defect on the first major surface in the vicinity of the separation line as well.
• the extending direction of the initiation defect can be in the same as, or different from, the direction of the separation line.
• the initiation defect is formed at a location in the peripheral region that is not bonded to the first web.
• Such choice of initiation defect location can ensure the separation line extends from a location in proximity to the first edge that is not bonded to the first web to a location in proximity to the second edge surface that is not bonded to the second web.
• a main advantage of the present disclosure lies in the fact that the separation of the edge-protected product is possible and relatively convenient without having the technical difficulty of severing the web material continuously bonded to the peripheral regions of the sheet material surfaces.
• step (III) This avoids the formation of fume and charring to the sheet material surface when the web material melts, disintegrates, oxidizes and/or burns due to the high temperature caused by laser irradiation.
• a shearing device such as a pair of scissors, or a slicing tool, such as a knife, a doctor blade, and the like, before, during or after step (II).
• the first and/or the second webs are cut by a laser beam in the presence of an inert atmosphere such as CO 2 , N 2 , H 2 0, Ar, and mixtures of at least two thereof.
• an inert atmosphere such as CO 2 , N 2 , H 2 0, Ar, and mixtures of at least two thereof.
• Step (IV) can be carried out using a technique the same as or different from that used in step (II), described in detailed supra. If laser irradiation is used in step (IV), it is desired that the laser irradiation is not delivered directly to the first and/or second web materials.
• the method according to the second aspect of the present disclosure can be used for finishing an edge-protected product comprising a sheet material that is substantially planar or curved, described supra in connection with the first aspect of the present disclosure.
• a curved product it can take various shapes, such as the external surface of a cone, or a part thereof, the external surface of a cylinder, or a part thereof, a loose roll where the two major surfaces are separated by a substantial distance, or a compact roll where the two major surfaces are separated by a small distance.
• the edge-protected product takes the form of a spool, which is essentially a compact roll product, where a glass ribbon is wound on a center mandrel to form multiple layers.
• the first peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the third peripheral region due to the presence of the first web
• the second peripheral region is prevented from direct contact with the fourth peripheral region due to the presence of the second web.
• there may be an additional interleaf material made of paper, plastic, fabric, metal foil, or other material, that further separates the two major surfaces to prevent them from direct contact with each other. Due to the presence of the first and second webs, direct contact between the first and second major surfaces may be prevented without an interleaf material at all, especially in
• step (II) and/or (III) are then carried out.
• This finishing process may be carried out continuously to obtain multiple discrete, smaller pieces of sheet materials.
• steps ( ⁇ ) and (III) are carried out, in a spooled product comprising interleaf material as shown in FIG. 2, it is highly desired that the interleaf material is partially removed from the spool to reveal the area where the desired separation line is located, so that scoring and/or cutting can be conducted directly on the surface of the first major surface.
• the registration marks formed on the first and/or second webs, and/or on the peripheral regions of the first and/or second major surfaces, of the edge-protected glass products can be advantageously used in guiding the processing of the product such as surface coating formation, crystalline material deposition, surface device fabrication, and the like, by enabling precise positioning of the sheet material, even in a continuous process.
• the registration marks by providing information of the first and/or intermittent bonding locations, and/or the locations of the areas of the peripheral regions not bonded to the web material, can be advantageously used in the finishing process according to the second aspect of the present disclosure as well.
• the registration marks can be used to control the timing and location of the formation of the initiation defects, the onset of the scoring and/or cutting step, and the speed of a scoring wheel or the scanning speed of a laser.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Buffer Packaging (AREA)
• Packaging Frangible Articles (AREA)
• Re-Forming, After-Treatment, Cutting And Transporting Of Glass Products (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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• 2011
  • 2011-05-27 US US13/117,564 patent/US9034458B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2012
  • 2012-05-02 JP JP2014513517A patent/JP5930555B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2012-05-02 CN CN201280025604.0A patent/CN103562090B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2012-05-02 KR KR1020137030272A patent/KR101830468B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2012-05-02 WO PCT/US2012/036080 patent/WO2012166276A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2012-05-02 KR KR1020187001735A patent/KR20180012337A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-05-08 TW TW101116369A patent/TWI534109B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

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