Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B23/00—Re-forming shaped glass
  • C03B23/02—Re-forming glass sheets
  • C03B23/023—Re-forming glass sheets by bending
  • C03B23/025—Re-forming glass sheets by bending by gravity
  • C03B23/0258—Gravity bending involving applying local or additional heating, cooling or insulating means
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B29/00—Reheating glass products for softening or fusing their surfaces; Fire-polishing; Fusing of margins
  • C03B29/04—Reheating glass products for softening or fusing their surfaces; Fire-polishing; Fusing of margins in a continuous way
  • C03B29/06—Reheating glass products for softening or fusing their surfaces; Fire-polishing; Fusing of margins in a continuous way with horizontal displacement of the products
  • C03B29/08—Glass sheets
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B35/00—Transporting of glass products during their manufacture, e.g. hot glass lenses, prisms
  • C03B35/14—Transporting hot glass sheets or ribbons, e.g. by heat-resistant conveyor belts or bands
  • C03B35/20—Transporting hot glass sheets or ribbons, e.g. by heat-resistant conveyor belts or bands by gripping tongs or supporting frames
  • C03B35/202—Transporting hot glass sheets or ribbons, e.g. by heat-resistant conveyor belts or bands by gripping tongs or supporting frames by supporting frames

Definitions

• This invention reiates to a heating and bending (and/or shaping) system using microwave focused beam heating, and more particularly, to a glass line having at least two, for example, at least three, heating furnaces.
• the first heating furnace is used to preheat one or more giass substrates to a first temperature;
• the second heating furnace being a giass forming furnace, maintains the substrates at the first temperature and heats and bends selected portions of the one or more glass substrates using microwave focused beam heating, and the first heating furnace, or a third furnace, controiiabfy cools the one or more giass substrates.
• Bending devices commonly referred to in the bending art as bending irons or shaping irons, are well known in the art for shaping one or more giass sheets for use in the manufacture of monoiifhic and laminated transparencies for land, water, air and space vehicles.
• the method for shaping the glass substrates or sheets for use in the manufacture of transparencies for fend and water vehides usually includes providing one or more giass sheets having seamed or smoothed edges and a predetermined size; moving the giass sheets supported on a bending iron through a furnace to heat soften the giass sheets; shaping the glass sheets; controliabl cooiing the shaped giass sheets to anneai or thermally temper the shaped glass sheets, and using the shaped glass sheets in the manufacture of a transparency for a iand or water vehicle.
• the method for shaping glass substrates or sheets for use in the manufacture of transparencies for air and space vehicles usually includes providing one or more glass sheets having seamed or smoothed edges and a predetermined size; moving the glass sheets supported on a bending iron through a furnace to heat soften the glass sheets; shaping the glass sheets; controllably cooling the shaped glass sheets to anneal the shaped glass sheets; cutting the shaped glass sheets to a second predetermined size; seaming or smoothing the edges of the shaped glass sheets; chemically tempering the shaped glass sheets, or thermally tempering the shaped glass sheets, and using the tempered shaped glass sheets in the manufacture of a transparency for an air or space vehicle.
• the cut-to-siz ⁇ process allows cutting of the glass sheet to the exact size desired prior to the heating and bending of the glass sheet, However, the cut-to-size process does not account for any possible marring that may occur on the surface of the glass sheet, which can make the optical quality of the glass sheet and subsequently formed transparency unacceptable,
• [000 ⁇ ] St would also be advantageous, to eliminate the process of "cut- after-bend" by providing system and method that allow for the efficient and effective heating, and/or shaping into complex shapes, and/or cooling of a sheet of glass.
• O0I 3 Provided herein are methods and systems. for shaping, and/or, bending a giass sheet comprising; preheating a glass sheet on a bending iron to a preheating temperature ranging from 800T to 1000°F; increasing the temperature of the sheet to a temperature ranging from greater than the preheating temperature to less than a temperature at which the glass sags, for example in a temperature range of, but not limited to, 1100°F to 125G°F, Bending the giass sheet by: I.) selectively heating a portion of the giass sheet with a gyrotron beam controlled by a computer-implemented protocol to a temperature at which at least a portion of the glass sheet sags; si.) scanning at least a portion of the glass sheet with one or more infrared (IR) scanners at one or more time points during or after the selective heating step and obtaining from data obtained from the one or more I scanners a temperature distribution in
• a system comprising: a first furnace, also herein referred to as the glass preheating chamber/oven, comprising infrared heaters and temperature sensors; a second furnace, also herein referred to as the glass shaping, glass bending, and/or glass forming furnace, comprising infrared heaters, a gyrofron system comprising a gyrotron device, or other device that can produce u3 ⁇ 4ra-high frequency, e.g., at least 20 GHz (gigahertz), for example ranging from 20 GHz to 300 GHz, and high- power, e.g., at Ieast 5 kW (kilowatt) electromagnetic waves within the microwave spectrum, and an optical system for controlling shape, location and movement of a beam of the gyrotron device to a glass sheet on a bending iron within the second furnace, and one or more infrared (IR) imaging sensors; a conveyor system for carrying a glass sheet on a bending
• IR infrared
• the system optionally contains a third heating furnace to controiiably cool the glass sheet.
• the third furnace comprising IR heaters, a forced cool air convection system, and air fans. If a third furnace is not present, then the first furnace will contain all of these features.
• this invention relates to a method of operating a furnace system to shape a glass sheet for, e.g., an aircraft transparency, the method includes, among other things: a) placing a flat glass sheet on a bending iron having a fixed shaping rail and a shaping rail on an articulating arm defined as a moveable shaping rail;
• e based on a predetermined heat (power and speed) profile as reference, directing, using a computer-implemented method, a beam of microwave energy from the gyrotron, or other suitable source, to heat portions of the giass sheet to match the one or more reference thermal images, and optionally to match the one or more reference shape profiie images, repeating the analyzing and comparing steps until the one or more thermal images match the one or more reference thermal images, and optionally until the one or more shape profile images matches the one or more reference shape profile images;
• Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a laminated aircraft transparency illustrating the laminated structure of the transparency.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of shaped sheets that are shaped in accordance to the teachings of the invention.
• Fig, 3 is a perspective view of flat sheets that can be shaped in accordance to the teachings of the invention to, among other things, provide the shaped sheets of Fig, 2.
• Fig, 4 is perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of a bending device that can be used in the practice of the invention to, among other things, shape glass sheets, e.g., but not limited to, the sheets of Fig. 3, to the shaped sheets shown in Fig. 2.
• shape glass sheets e.g., but not limited to, the sheets of Fig. 3, to the shaped sheets shown in Fig. 2.
• FIG. 5 is perspective view of a non-limiting embodiment of a furnace system that can be used In the practice of the Invention to, among other things, heat and shape giass sheets, e.g., but not limited to, heating and shaping the sheets of Fig. 3 to the shaped sheets shown in Fig. 2 in accordance to the teachings of the invention,
• Fig. 6 Is an etevated cross sectional view of the furnace shown in Fig. 5.
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a furnace door having portions removed for purposes of clarity incorporating features of the invention to reduce heat loss between adjacent interiors of the furnace system shown in Figs, 5 and 8.
• Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a carriage for supporting the bending iron, e.g., but not limited to, the bending iron shown in Fig, 4 and a moveable conveyor section to move the carriage into the entrance end of the furnace shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
• Fig. 9 illustrates a microprocessor for receiving signals from sensors and acting on the signals in accordance to the teachings of the invention.
• Fig. 10 is a schematic partially in cross section showing a gyrotron that can be used in the practice of invention to heat selected portions of a glass sheet.
• Fig. 11 is a plan view showing the path of the microwave beam of the gyrotron to selectively heat portions of a stack of one or more glass sheets.
• Fig, 12 is an elevated cross sectional side view of a furnace system incorporating features of the invention that can be used in the practice of the invention to, among other things, heat and shape glass sheets.
• Fig, 13 is an elevated plan view of a furnace system incorporating features of the invention that can be used in the practice of the invention to, among other things, heat and shape glass sheets.
• Fig. 1 is an elevated cross sectional view of a furnace of the invention that can be used In the practice of the invention to, among other things, heat and shape glass sheets.
• Fig. 15 is an elevated cross sectional view of a furnace system of the invention.
• Fig. 16 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of shaping a glass sheet in accordance with the invention.
• the term, "over” means on but not necessarily in contact with the surface.
• a first substrate ""over" a second substrate does not preclude the presence of one or more other substrates of the same or different composition iocated between the first and the second substrates.
• the term "glass shaping” refers to the concept of glass bending and/or glass forming. These terms are used interchangeably throughout the instant application.
• the invention is not limited to the material of the sheet, e.g, the sheet can be, but is not limited to, a glass sheet or a plastic sheet, in the broad practice of the invention, the sheet can be made of any desired material having any desired characteristics, For example, the sheet can be opaque, transparent or translucent to visible light.
• opaque is meant having visible light transmission of 0%.
• transparent is meant having visible light transmission in the range of greater than 0% to 100%.
• the sheet is a transparent glass sheet.
• the glass sheet can include conventional soda-lime-silica glass, borosilicate glass, or iithia-alumina-silica giass.
• the glass can be clear glass.
• clear glass is meant non-tinted or non-colored glass.
• the glass can be tinted or otherwise colored glass, The glass can be annealed, heat-treated or chemically tempered.
• the giass can be conventional float glass, and can be of any composition having any optical properties, e.g., any vaiue of visible transmission, ultraviolet transmission, infrared transmission, and/or total solar energy transmission,
• float glass is meant glass formed by a conventional float process. Examples of float glass processes are disclosed in U.S. Patent Has. 4,744,809 and 6,094,942, which patents are hereby incorporated by reference.
• the glass was a dear !iihia- alumina-silsca glass of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Mo. 8,062,749, and in another example of the invention the glass was a clear soda-lime-silica glass of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent Has. 4,192,689; 5,565,388, and 7,585,801.
• the glass sheet can be used in the manufacture of shaped monolithic or shaped laminated transparencies for an aircraft
• the shaped glass sheets of the invention can be used in the manufacture of any type of transparency, such as but not limited to windshields, windows, rear lights, sunroofs and moon roofs; laminated or non-laminated residential and/or commercial windows; insulating glass units, and/or transparencies for land, air, space, above water and underwater vehicles.
• Non- limrting examples of vehicle transparencies, residential and commercial transparencies, and aircraft transparencies and methods of making the same are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,820,902; 5,028,759, 6,301 ,858 and 8,155,816, which patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
• FIG. 1 Shown in Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary laminated aircraft windshield 20 that has components that can be made by the practice of the invention.
• the windshield 20 includes a first glass sheet 22 secured to a vinyl-interlayer or sheet 28 by a first urethane interlayer 30, and the vinyl-interlayer 28 Is secured to a eatable member 32 by a second urethane interiayer 34.
• An edge member or moisture barrier 38 of the type used in the art e.g., but not limited to, a silicone rubber or other flexible durable moisture resistant material, is secured to (1) a peripheral edge 38 of the windshield 20, i.e., the peripheral edge 38 of the vinyl-interlayer 28; of the first and second urethan ⁇ inferiayers 30, 34 and of the heatable member 32; (2) margins or marginal edges 40 of an outer surface 42 of the windshield 20, i.e., the margins 40 of the outer surface 42 of the first glass sheet 22 of the windshield 20, and (3) margins or marginal edges 44 of an outer surface 48 of the windshiefcf 20, i.e. margins of the outer surface 48 of the heatable member 32,
• the first glass sheet 22, the vinyl-interiayer 28, and the first urethane interlayer 30 form the structural part, or inner segment, of the windshield 20,
• the outer surface 42 of the windshield 20 faces the interior of the vehicle, e.g. an aircraft (not shown).
• the urethane iayer34 and the heatable member 32 form the non-structural part, or outer segment, of the windshield 20,
• the surface 46 of the windshield 20 faces the exterior of the aircraft.
• the heatable member 32 provides heat to remove fog from, and/or to melt ice on, the outer surface 48 of the windshield 20,
• Fig. 2 Shown in Fig. 2, are two pieces of shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 shaped in accordance to the teachings of the invention.
• Each of the glass sheets 80 and 61 have curved end portions 82 and 64, and a shaped intermediate portion 66.
• the shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 can be shaped from fiat glass sheets 88 and 89 shown in Fig, 3 using the bending iron 70 shown in Fig. 4,
• the bending irons disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/714,494, entitled Bending Device For Shaping Glass For Use In Aircraft Transparencies filed on December 4, 2012 can be used in the practice of the invention.
• FIGs. 5 and 8 show an exemplary furnace 74, e.g., but not limited to, a furnace system, or apparatus of the invention for heating and shaping glass sheets, e.g., but not limited to, the shaped glass sheets 88 and 69.
• the furnace 74 includes a first chamber 76 or furnace and a second chamber 78 or furnace.
• the first chamber 76 preheats a glass sheet, e.g. but not limited to the flat glass sheet 68 or fiat glass sheets 68 and 69 (see Fig. 3), supported or positioned on the bending iron 70 (Fig. 4), and controllably cools the shaped glass sheet, e.g.
• the second chamber 78 selectively heats portions of the flat glass sheets 8 ⁇ and 69 m accordance to the teachings of the invention to shape the glass sheets 68 and 89 to a desired shape, e.g., but not limiting to the invention, to the shape of the shaped glass sheets 80 and 81 shown in Fig. 2.
• the first chamber 76 has a first opening 80 (also referred to as the "entrance 80" of the first chamber 78) end a second opening 82 (also referred to as the "exit 82" of the first chamber 76) opposite to and spaced from the first opening 80 (second opening clearly shown in Fig. 8).
• the second chamber 78 has a first opening 84 (also referred to as the "entrance 84" of the second chamber 78) and a second opening 88 (also referred to as the "exit 86 s of the second chamber 78) opposite to and spaced from the first opening 84 of the second chamber 78,
• the flat sheets 88 and 69 supported on the bending iron 70 are moved through the first opening 80 of the first chamber 76 into an interior 88 (see Fig. 8) of the first chamber 76 to preheat the glass sheets 88 and 69.
• the preheated glass sheets 88 and 69 are moved through the second opening 82 of the first chamber 78 and through the first opening 84 of the second chamber 78 into an interior 90 (see Fig.
• the heated shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 are moved from the interior 90 of the second chamber 78 through the first opening 84 of the second chamber 78 and the second opening 82 of the first chamber 78 into the interior 88 of the first chamber 78 to coniroHably cool the shaped glass sheets, Thereafter, the shaped glass sheets 80 and 61 are moved from the interior 88 of the first chamber 78 through the first opening 80 of the first chamber 78.
• the interior 88 of the first chamber 76 and the interior 90 of the second chamber 78 are separated from one another and from the environment exterior of the furnace 74 by providing a door 92 at the entrance 80 of the first chamber 76, a door 94 at the entrance 84 of the second chamber 78, and a door 98 at the exit 88 of the second chamber 78.
• the invention is not limited to the type of doors 92, 94, 98 provided at the entrance 80 f entrance 84, and exit 86, respectively, and any door design and/or construction can be used in the practice of the invention,
• the doors 92 and ⁇ 6 can be similar in design and construction, in view of the forgoing, the discussion is now directed to the design and construction of the door 92 with the understanding that the discussion, unless indicated otherwise, is directed to the door 96.
• the door 92 has sides 98 and 100 mounted in tracks 102 and 104 for reciprocal vertical movement to move upwardly to open the entrance 80, and to move downwardly to dose the entrance 80, of the chamber 76, and for the door 98 to move upwardly to open the opening 86, and to move downwardly to close the opening 86,
• the opening 88 of the furnace 78 is used for, among other things, making repairs to, and performing maintenance on, the furnace 78; cleaning out the interior 90 of the furnace 78, e,g, but not limited to removing broken glass, and for expansion of the furnace 74 discussed in detail below.
• the doors 92 and 96 are moved along the reciprocating verticai path designated by double headed arrow 106 by a pul!ey arrangement 108 including a pair wheels 110 and 112 spaced from one another and mounted on a rotating shaft 114.
• Cables 116, 118 have one end 120 secured to top side 121 adjacent to the sides 98, 100 of the doors 92 and 96, respectively (cieariy shown for door 92 ⁇ and opposite end 122, 124 of the cables 1 16, 118, respectively, connected to an air cylinder 126 (clearly shown for doors 92 and 96 in Fig.
• the doors 92 and 94 can be each made of an outer metal housing 127 having one side 128 made of steel, and the opposite side 129 facing the interior of its respective one of the furnaces made of stainless steel.
• the interior of the housing 127 can be fied with Kaowool insuiation 130 (cieady shown in Fig. 5).
• the shaped giass sheets 80 and 61 are moved into the first furnace and annealed.
• the method of annealing glass sheets is we!i known in the art, e,g, see U.S. Patent 7,240,519, which patent in its entirety is hereby incorporated by reference, and no further discussion is deemed necessary.
• the door 92 is lifted and the shaped giass sheets are removed from the first furnace 76,
• the temperature differentia! between the first furnace 76 and the second furnace 78 when the shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 are removed from the first furnace 78 can reach temperatures in the range of 800-1000°F.
• the temperature of the first furnace 76 can be as low as 200°F, the temperature the annealed shaped glass sheets 60 and 81 are removed on the moveable conveyor 202 from the first furnace 78, whereas the temperature of the second furnace 78 can be greater than 1GQG°F, the glass preheat temperature.
• the door 94 can have a thermal conductivity of toss than 0,80 BTU/fhr fPF).
• the exemplary door 94 includes a pipe frame 94a having a stainless steel 11 gage sheet 94b secured to side 94c of the pipe frame 94a and a stainless steel 11 gage sheet 94d secured to side 94e of the pipe frame 94a.
• a layer 133 of insulating material sold under the registered trademark Super Firetemp ® having a thickness of 1 1/2 inches was provided within the pipe frame 94a between the stainless steel sheets 94b and 94d.
• a layer 94g of insulating material is provided over the steel sheet 94d and covered with 0.008-0.010 inch thick stainless steel foil 94h,
• the door 94 is mounted with the stainless steel sheet 94h facing the interior of the furnace 78, Opening 94i and 94J are connected to a compressor (not shown) to move room temperature compressed air through the pipe from 94a to cool the door ⁇ 4 to prevent warping of the pipe frame 94a and sheets 94b and 94d.
• the peripheral edge of the layers 94g is covered by the foil 94h.
• the door 94 is connected to a vertically reciprocating inverted U shaped member 136 (clearly shown in Fig. 5). More particularly, the door 94 is connected to a middle leg 137 of the U-shaped member 138 by rods 138, and outer legs 139 and 140 are mounted for reciprocal vertical movement in vertical tracks 141 and 142, respectively (see Fig. 5) in any convenient manner, The U-shaped member is moved vertically upwardly and downwardly by an electric motor 145 (shown only in Fig. ⁇ ). With the door 94 in the down position, the entrance 84 of the furnace 78 is closed, and with the door 94 in the up position, the entrance 84 of the furnace 78 is open.
• the door 94 In the up position, as shown in Fig, 8 S the door 94 is moved into an envelope 148 formed on one side by a vertical extension 148 of a metal roof 150 of the furnace 78 (see Fig. 8) and another side 152 of the envelope 148 is made of a ceramic or metal wall secured between the tracks 140 and 142 (see Fig. 5).
• the design and construction of the first furnace 78 is not limiting to the invention and any type of furnace for heating or preheating a glass sheet to a desired temperature, e.g. a temperature below the softening, or sagging, temperature of the flat glass sheets 88 and 89 to avoid marring of the surface of the glass sheets and for cont oilably cooling the shaped glass sheet, e.g. but not limited to the shaped glass sheets 80 and 81
• a preheat temperature in the range of 60Q ⁇ 9GG°F is provided for a Hthium-soda-Hme glass sheet
• a preheat temperature in the range of 900-1025*F is provided for a soda-lime-sillca glass sheet.
• the first furnace 76 can include a side wall 180 (see Fig, 8) and an opposite sidewall 162 (see Fig, 5) f a top wall or ceiling 184, and a bottom wall 168 to provide the interior 88 of the furnace 78.
• Stub rolls 188 extended through the sldewalls 180 and 162 into the interior 88 of the first furnace 78 for moving a carriage 170 (see Fig, 8) into and out of the interior 88 of the first furnace 76, in a manner discussed below.
• Infrared heaters 172 are provided on interior surface 1 4 of the sidewalls 160 and 182 (only sidewall 162 shown in Fig.
• the first furnace comprises thermocouples 191 to measure the heat of the furnace.
• the design and construction of the second furnace 78 is not limiting to the invention and any type of furnace for heating a glass sheet to a desired temperature, e.g. but not limiting to the invention, a heating temperature above 900 ⁇ ⁇ for a !ithium-soda-lime glass sheet, and a heating temperature above 1025°F for a soda-lime-silica glass sheet.
• Heat temperatures for glass sagging are preferred, such as in the range of 1100°F to 1250°F.
• the second furnace 78 is similar in construction to the first furnace 78, and includes a side w if 181 (see Fig. 6) and an opposite ssdewall 182 (see Fig.
• the stub rolls 168 extend through the sidewal!s 180 and 182 into the interior ⁇ 0 of the second furnace 78 for moving the carnage 170 (see Fig, 7) into and out of the interior 90 of the second furnace 78, in a manner discussed below.
• the infrared heaters 172 can be provided on an interior surface 188 of the s!dewafls 180 and 182 (the side-wall 181 shown in Fig.
• interior surface 190 of the ceiling 184 and the bottom wall 186 to heat the interior 90 of the second furnace 78 to a desired temperature.
• the interior 90 of the furnace 78 was heated to a temperature within the range of BQG-OQO ⁇ F and for soda-lime-siiicate glass sheets, the interior 90 of the furnace 78 was heated to a temperature within the range of 900-1000°F.
• the preheat temperature of the furnace 78 and the temperature of the furnace 78 with the gyrotron de-energized are similar such that the temperature attained by the glass sheets in the furnace 78 is maintained in the furnace 78.
• thermocouples 191 The temperature of the interiors 88 and 90 of the furnaces 76 and 78, respectively was measured by thermocouples 191.
• the thermocouples 191 forward a signal to a computer microprocessor system 193 (see Fig, 9).
• the computer microprocessor system 193 acts on the signal to determine the temperature of the interiors 88 and 90 of the furnaces 78 and 78, respectively. If the temperature of one or both of the furnace interiors is (are) below a set temperature, a signal is forwarded along line 195 to increase the heat input of the furnace. On the other hand, if the temperature of one or both of the furnace interiors 88 and 90 is (are) too high, a signal is forwarded along the Sine 195 to decrease the heat mput to the furnace. If the temperature of the furnace interior is in an acceptable range no action is taken.
• the conveyor system for the furnace 74 includes the stub conveyor rolls 168 of the first furnace 76 driven by a gearing arrangement 1 2 (see Fig. 5) including a shaft for rotating the stub rolls and a motor to power the shaft (the shaft and motor of the gearing arrangement 192 are not shown), and Includes the stub conveyor rolls 168 of the second furnace 78 driven by a gearing arrangement 194 (see Fig. 5 ⁇ including a shaft for rotating the stub roils and a motor to power the shaft, the shaft and motor of the gearing arrangement 194 are not shown.
• a gearing arrangement 1 2 see Fig. 5
• a gearing arrangement 194 see Fig. 5 ⁇ including a shaft for rotating the stub roils and a motor to power the shaft, the shaft and motor of the gearing arrangement 194 are not shown.
• a loading station (not shown) one or more giass sheets are positioned on a bending iron, e.g. the bending iron 70 shown in Fig, 4.
• a bending iron e.g. the bending iron 70 shown in Fig, 4.
• Two glass sheets e.g. the glass sheets 68 and 69 (see Fig, 3) are positioned on the bending iron 70, optionally ceramic dust (not shown) can be used to prevent sticking of the shaped glass sheets 80 and 81.
• the bending iron 70, having the sheets 68 and 69, is positioned on the carnage 170 (Fig. 8) and the carriage 170 is placed on stub rolls 200 of a moveable conveyor 202.
• the moveable conveyor 202 is moved from the ioading area to the furnace area.
• the door 92 of the first furnace 76 is opened (see Figs. 5 and 8) and the moveable conveyor 202 is moved into the opening 80 to aiign the stub rolls 200 of the moveable conveyor 202 with the stub rolls 168 of the first furnace 76,
• the carriage 170 is then moved into engagement with adjacent stub rolls 168 of the first furnace 76, and the carriage 1 0 is moved into the inferior 88 of the furnace 76 by the stub rolls 168 of the first furnace 78.
• the rotation of the stub rolls 168 ss stopped when the carriage 170 is in the predetermined position in the interior 88 of the first furnace 78, which is usually the hottest position in the first furnace 78, After the rotation of the stub rolls 168 stops, the carriage 170 having the bending iron 70 and the glass sheets 68 and 89 remains in the first furnace 76 until the glass sheets 88 and 89 reach the desired temperature, e.g.
• the temperature for a iithsum-aluminum-silicate giass is within the range of 8Q0-900°F, and the temperature for a soda-lime-silica glass ss within the range of 900-1000°F,
• the carriage 170 can be moved slightly upstream and downstream along the conveyor movement path to circulate the heated air in the furnace around the sheets 68 and 69.
• the temperature of the giass sheets can be monitored in any convenient manner, e.g., the temperature of the giass sheets 68 and 69 are monitored by a an optioai pyrometer, or an optical thermal scanner, such as optical pyrometer or optical thermal scanner manufactured by Land Instruments
• a pyrometer or thermal scanner 204 is mounted on the roof 164 of the first furnace 76 (see Fig. 5), More particu arly, a pyrometer or thermal scanner 204, e.g. but not limited to an optical thermal scanner (made by Land), measures the temperature of the glass as the carriage 170 moves toward the door 94 separating the furnaces 78 and 78. A signal is forwarded along line 204a to the compute microprocessor system 193 (see Fig.
• the carriage 170 If the temperature of the glass is within an acceptable preheat temperature range, e.g., at a temperature just below the temperature at which the glass sags, the carriage 170 is moved into the furnace 78, If the glass is not within the acceptable shaping temperature range, the carriage 170 is not moved into the shaping furnace 78 and appropriate action, e.g., but not limited to, increasing the temperature of the furnace 78 if the glass temperature is too low or decreasing the tB emture of the furnace 76 if the glass temperature is too high, is taken.
• an acceptable preheat temperature range e.g., at a temperature just below the temperature at which the glass sags
• the door 94 of the second furnace 78 is opened, and the stub rolls 188 of the first furnace 76 and the second furnace 78 are energized to move the carriage 170 through the opening 84 of the second furnace 78 to a designated shaping position in the interior 90 of the second furnace 78, to be discussed in detail below.
• the door 94 of the second furnace 78 can be closed at any time after the carriage 170 has passed into the interior of the second furnace 78.
• the door ⁇ 4 is ciosed, and the shaping process of the invention using the gyrofron 177 discussed in detail below is practiced.
• the gyrotron 177 is de-energized or deactivated, and the door 94 of the second furnace 78 is opened.
• the stub rolls 188 of the first and the second furnaces 78 and 78, respectively, are energized to move the carriage 170 having the shaped sheet 80 and 61 from the interior 90 of the second furnace, through the opening 84 of the second furnace 78 and into the interior 88 of the first Furnace 74.
• the door 94 of the second furnace 78 is closed.
• the shaped glass sheets are controllabfy cooled to anneal the sheets.
• the door 92 of the first furnace 76 is opened and the moveable conveyor 202 (see Fig, 8) is moved into the opening 80 of the first furnace 78 into alignment with the stub fulls 168 of the first furnace 76,
• the stub rolls 188 of the first furnace are energized to move the carriage 170 out of the interior 88 of the first furnace 78 onto the moveable conveyor 202.
• the moveable conveyor having the carriage 170 is moved to an unload station ⁇ not shown) and the shaped glass sheets are removed from the bending iron 70 in any usual manner,
• the present application describes the use of a gyrotron system.
• the gyrotron is a non-limiting example and any suitable system that might be employed to spot-heat a glass sheet through a thickness of the sheet, Including exterior surfaces and the interior of the sheet Suitable systems include systems that produce ultra-high frequency, e.g., at least 20 GHz ⁇ gigahertz ⁇ , and high-power, e.g., at least 5 kW (kilowatt) electromagnetic waves within the microwave spectrum.
• glass for aircraft transparencies are made using the cut ⁇ after ⁇ faend process to remove portions of the glass sheets having optical distortions, e.g. but not limiting thereto resulting from long periods of time required for the glass sheets to rest on the bending iron to attain the desired temperature for bending.
• optical distortions e.g. but not limiting thereto resulting from long periods of time required for the glass sheets to rest on the bending iron to attain the desired temperature for bending.
• Glass sheet surface temperature can be reduced by 30-40% using a gyrotron to internally heat selected portions of the glass sheets to their bending or shaping temperature.
• a gyrotron to internally heat selected portions of the glass sheets to their bending or shaping temperature.
• a gyrotron is a high-powered linear beam vacuum tube capable of generating high-power, high-frequency electromagnetic radiation approaching the edge of the infrared terahertz (THz) spectrum, its operation is based on the stimulated cydotron radiation of electrons oscillating in a strong magnetic field, e.g. as provided by a superconducting magnet.
• Any suitable microwave generator capable of generating high-power, high-frequency electromagnetic waves such as a microwave generator having an output frequency ranging from 20GHz to 300GHz, and having a power output of at least 5 kW, would be suitable.
• a schematic, indicating the various parts of the gyrotron 177 is shown in Fig. 10.
• gyrotron 177 In general and not limiting to the invention, in the operation of the gyrotron 177, electrons that are emitted by a cathode 206 surrounded by gun coil magnets 208, are accelerated in a strong magnetic field of a superconducting magnet 210. While an electron beam 212 travels through the intense magnetic field 210, the electrons start to gyrate at a specific frequency given by the strength of the magnetic field. In a cavity 214, located at the position with the highest magnetic field strength, the THz radiation is strongly amplified. !vlode converter 21 ⁇ is used to form free-gaussian beams 217 that leave the gyrotron 177 through a window 222 and is coupled to a waveguide 224. The operation of gyrotrons is well known in the art and no further discussion is deemed necessary, Gyrotrons are commercially available from, e.g., Gyrotron Technology, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• the free-gaussian beams 21 pass through the waveguide 224 to the optical box 178,
• the optical box 178 has mirrors (not shown) arranged as is known in the art to coilimate the free- gaussian beams 217 into a single beam 225 and control the size, e.g. the diameter, of the beam 225.
• the eoHimated beam 225 leaves the optical box 178 through waveguide 228 and passes into the mirror box 179.
• the mirror box 179 has one or more moveable mirrors 228 (one mirror shown in phantom in Fig. 10) to move the beam 225 through a predetermined area defined by a cone 230 (see Figs. 6 and 10).
• the beams 225 moving through the cone 230 are incident on the flat g!ass sheet, e.g. the flat glass sheets 68 and 69 positioned on a bending iron, e.g. the bending iron 70 (Fig. 4).
• the sheets 88 and 89 and the bending iron 70 are shown in block diagram in Fig, 10.
• the portions 236 of the fiat glass sheets 88 and 69 are shaped by the fixed shaping rails 238 to the portions 236 of the shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 .
• the portions 232 and 236 of the glass sheets 62 are heated by the beams 225 from the gyrotron 1 7 to quickly reach the bending temperature in the range of 1000 to 1100° F for Isthium-aiuminurn-silicate giass and in the range of 1100 to 1200° F for soda-lime-si!icate-g!ass.
• the microprocessor or computer system 193 (Fig. 9) is programmed e.g., but not limited to a signal sent along wire 239, to control the operation of the mirrors of the optical box 178 to set the size of the beam 225 incident on the portions of the glass sheets being shaped, the movement of the mirror 228 of the mirror box 179 to control the direction of movement and speed of movement of the beam 225 in the zone 230 (se Fig. 10), and the energy of the beam 225 by altering the anode voltage, strength of the magnetic field and/or the voltage applied to the system of the gyrotron.
• the mirror 228 operated by the microprocessor 193 moves the beam 225 along a predetermined path 244 on surface 246 of the top glass sheet, e.g. top glass sheet 68 facing the mirror box 179.
• the energy beam 225 as it moves along the path 244 in the area of the sheets designated by the number 232 see Fig.
• pyrometers 250 (see Fig. 8) to monitor the temperature of the giass.
• the pyrometers 250 are connected to the microprocessor or computer 193 by wires 251 to send a signal to the microprocessor 193, and the microprocessor forwards a sign along the wire 239 to maintain the temperature of the selected portions of the giass within a desired temperature range by altering the speed of the beam 225 along the path 244 and/or by altering the energy of the beam as discussed above. More particularly, decreasing the speed of the beam 225 Increases the temperature of the glass and vice versa, and increasing the anode voltage, the magnetic field, and/or the appiied voltage, increases the temperature of the giass and vice versa,
• the carriage 170 having the heated glass sheets 88 and 89 is moved by the stub rolls 188 of the first furnace 78 and the second furnace 78 into the interior 90 of the second furnace 78 and positioned within the area of the cone 230 (see Figs 8 and 1 ).
• the temperature of the interior 90 of the second furnace 78 is generally the same temperature as the interior 88 of the first furnace 76, i.e. a temperature below the shaping temperature of the giass sheets on the bending iron 70. At this temperature, the glass sheets positioned on the bending iron have not been shaped.
• the carriage 170 positions the sheet within the corse 230, the gyrotron 177, the optical box 178, and the mirror box 179, are energized to move the beam 225 along the scan path 244 (see Fig, 10). As the beam 225 moves along the scan path 244, the gyrotron 177 is in a work mode.
• the beam is In the work mode to heat the segment 232 of the sheet 68.
• the sheet segment softens and the weight 240 of the bending iron moves the articulating rail 238 upwardly to shape the portion 232 of the sheet 288, After the sheets are shaped, power to the gyrotron 1 7 is reduced or disconnected to put the gyrotron and beam 225 in the idle mode.
• the stub rolls 168 of the second and first furnaces 78 and 76 respectively, move the carriage 170 having the shaped sheets 60 and 61 from the Interior 90 of the second furnace 78 into the interior 88 of the first furnace 76.
• the shaped sheets in the first furnace 78 are controllably cooled to anneal the shaped glass sheets. Thereafter the carriage 170 is moved by the stub rolls 188 of the first furnace 78 onto the moveable conveyor 202, and the moveable conveyor moved to an unload area (not shown).
• tracking sensors 300, 302 and 304 were used to track the position of the carnage 170 as it moved through the furnaces 76 and 78.
• each of the tracking sensors 300, 302 and 304 included a generated continuous light beam, e.g., but not limited to, a laser generated beam of iight incident on a detector.
• the beam was directed away from the detector and the defector sends a signal along a cable 306 to the microprocessor 193 indicating that the light beam was not incident on the detector.
• the computer microprocessor system 193 sends a signal aiong a wire 308 to open or close the door 92 or the door 94.
• the tracking detector 300 is positioned in the furnace 76 spaced from the door 92 a distance greater than the width of the carnage 17Glois The travel of the beam of Sight is transverse to the path of travel of the carriage 170.
• the carriage 170 interrupts the fight beam by directing the beam away from the detector of the sensor 300.
• the detector of the tracking sensor 300 sends a signal along the cable 306 to the microprocessor 193 indicating that the light beam is not impinging on the detector and the microprocessor sends a signal along cable 30 ⁇ to energize the motor 124 (see Fig. 5) to close the door 92.
• the glass sheets 88 and 89 are heated as the carriage 170 moves through the furnace 76, or the glass sheets 88 and 69 are moved to the center of the furnace and stopped to heat the sheets. After the glass sheets are heated, the glass sheets 68 and 09 (see Fig. 3) and the carriage 1 0 are moved toward the door 94 separating the furnaces 76 and 78.
• the carriage interrupts the light beam of the sensor 302 and a signal is forwarded along the cable 308 to computer microprocessor system 193 to energize the motor 145 to raise the door 94, The system is timed such that the carriage 103 can continuously move from the first furnace 76 Into the second furnace 78 without any interruptions.
• the carnage 170 moves into the furnace 78 and after completely entering the furnace 78 interrupts the light beam of the sensor 304.
• the sensor 304 forwards a signal along cable 308 to the microprocessor 193 to close the door 94; the microprocessor 193 forwards a signal along the cable 308 to energize the motor to close the door 94.
• the carriage 170 is moved into the shaping position and the conveyor stops.
• the distance from the shaping position to the beam of light of the detector 304, and the speed of the carriage 1 0 are known, and in this fashion the motion of the conveyor can be stopped when the carriage and the glass sheets are in the shaping position.
• a tracking sensor 309 shown in phantom and only shown in Fig.
• a signai is forwarded, e.g. along the cable 308 to the computer microprocessor system 193 and the computer microprocessor system forwards a signal, e.g. along the cabie 308 to stop the rotation of stud rolls to position the carriage 170 and the glass sheets in the shaping position.
• the sensor 309 and the timing of the computer microprocessor system can be used for positioning the carriage relative to the beams,
• the carriage 170 and the shaped sheets are moved out of the furnace 74. More particularly and not limiting to the invention, the carriage 170 deflecting or Interrupting the Iight beam of the sensor 304 opens the door 94, interrupting the light beam of the detector 302 closes the door 94, and interrupting the Sight beam of the detector 300 opens the door 92.
• the invention is not limited to the design of the furnace 74, and the invention contemplates practicing the invention with any type of furnace such as, but not limited to the furnaces shown in Figs. 5 and 8 discussed above, and Figs. 12 - 15 discussed below. More particularly, shown in Fig, 12 is a furnace 258 having the first and second furnaces 78 and 78, respectively, discussed above and a furnace 260 attached to the second opening 86 of the second furnace 78 (see Figs, 5, 8 and 12), The furnace 280 is similar, if not identical, to the first furnace 76, With the furnace arrangement shown in Fig.
• the carriage 170 having the bending iron 70 having the sheets 68 and 89 can move along the path designated by the arrow 270 through the furnace 76 to preheat the glass sheets 88 and ⁇ 9, through the furnace 78 to shape the glass sheet 68, and through the furnace 260 to anneal the shaped glass sheets 60 and 61 as discussed above for the first furnace 76,
• the furnace 258 can shape the glass sheets 68 and 80 using the first and second furnaces 76 and 78, respectively, as discussed above by moving the carriage 170 having the bending iron 70 and the glass sheets 68 and 69 along a reciprocating path designated by the arrow 272 and shaping second group of glass sheets 88 and 69 using the furnaces 78 and 280 In a similar manner as the furnaces 78 and 78, and moving the second group of glass sheets along a reciprocating path designated by the arrow 274,
• the furnace 281 includes the furnaces 76, 78 and 260 (see Rg. 12 ⁇ and furnaces 282 and 284.
• the shaping furnace 78 is between the fumaces 262 and 284.
• the glass processed using the furnace 281 has paths of travel 270 and 278 in the horizontal direction and paths of travel 270a and 278a in the vertical direction, as viewed in Fig. 13; the reciprocal paths of travel 272 and 274, and reciprocal paths of travel 275 and 276 in the vertical direction as viewed in Fig. 13.
• the glass sheets moving along the path of travel 278 can move into and out of the furnaces 262 and 78, and the fumaces 284 and 78.
• the conveying system for the furnace 78 shown in Fig. 13 is adjustabie or provided with a two tier conveying system to move the carriage along the path 278 through the furnaces 282, 78 and 282, and to move the carriage along the path 278a through the fumaces 78, 78 and 260,
• the furnace 280 includes a first tunnel furnace 282 to preheat the flat glass sheets 68 and 69 as they move in the direction of the arrow 284.
• the glass sheets 88 and 89 can be positioned on the bending iron 70, or as discussed above, the bending iron 70 can be positioned in the carriage 170.
• Shaping furnace 288 positioned at exit end 287 of the tunnel furnace 282 can have any number of gyrotrons to provide any number of shaping zones, e.g.
• a second tunnel furnace 288 is connected to exit end 289 of the shaping furnace 288 to controi!abiy cool the shaped glass sheets 80 and ⁇ 1. Additionally depicted are thermal sensor 324 and positional sensors 320 and 321.
• Thermal sensor 324 is any sensor or scanning device, such as an IR scanner or IR imaging sensor, able to produce data representing the temperature of one or more portions of a glass sheet, such as a charged- coupled device (CCD), an infrared laser-light sensor device, a thermal imaging device or a thermal scanner, as are broadly known and commercially available.
• a glass sheet can be produced by a computer implemented process, by assembling data, such as raw CCD data f obtained from the thermal sensor, and producing a two-dimensional or three-dimensional temperature profile of at least a portion of the glass sheet.
• the thermal data obtained from the thermal sensor, and the temperature profile produced from thai data is compared to a reference temperature profile in a computer- impromented process, and any differences between the produced temperature profile and the reference temperature profile are triggers selective heating of the glass sheet by the gyrotron to match the temperature profile of the glass sheet with that of the reference temperature profile.
• Computer-implemented processes to perform these tasks, as well as any task indicated herein are readily devised and implemented by those of ordinary skill in the computer imaging and process control arts.
• One or more thermal sensors can be used, and more than one different type of sensor may be employed to obtain an accurate and useful real-time thermal profile of a glass sheet.
• Positional sensors 320 and 321 are any device able to produce data representing the shape of a glass sheet.
• positional sensors are CCDs and laser-light sensors, as are broadly known and commercially available.
• Data is obtained from the positional sensors 320 and 321 and is assembled by a computer-implemented process to produce a shape profile of a glass sheet in the furnace 78, As indicated below, the positional data obtained from the positional sensor, and the shape profile produced from thai data is compared to a reference shape profile in a computer- implemented process, and any differences between the produced shape profile and the reference shape profile triggers selective heating of the glass sheet by the gyrotron to match the shape profile of the glass sheet with that of the reference shape profile.
• positional sensors can be used, so long as meaningful data is obtained relating to the real-time shape profile of the glass sheet during the bending process.
• more than one type of positional sensor can be used to obtain the produced shape profile so as to obtain an accurate and useful real-time representation of the glass sheet during the bending process.
• two CCDs may be used to generate a stereoscopic shape profile of a glass sheet, while one or more laser distance sensor is used to determine the spatial location or orientation of one or more points on the surface of the glass sheet in order to best determine the degree of bending of the glass sheet at any time.
• the obtaining and processing of thermal and shape data, and the use of those data to produce temperature and shape profiles may be repeated one or more times during the bending process, e.g., at intervals ranging from every 0.0001 to 80 seconds, including every 0.0001 , 0.001 , 0,01 , 0.1 , 0.5, 1 , 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 80 seconds " including any increment therebetween. Even shorter time intervals are contemplated, and are only limited by the throughput (e.g. , processing power) of the computer system.
• the gyrotron system may not be able to respond to the computer system as quickly as the computer system can anal ze data, so scanning intervals may be set based on the responsiveness of the gyrotron system. That said, the scanning and analyzing of thermal and optionally spatial profiles can be performed at faster rates than the controlling of the gyrotron, within limits of the pertinent hardware.
• the entrance opening 290 of the first tunnel furnace 282 and the exit opening 292 of the second tunnel furnace 288 can remain open.
• the doors to enter and leave the shaping furnace 288 are preferably opened to move the glass sheets to be shaped into and out of the furnace 288, and during the shaping of the glass sheets In the shaping furnace 288, the doors (see Figs 5 and 6 ⁇ are closed to minimize heat loss during the sheet shaping process.
• the doors of the tunnel furnace can remain open for continuous movement of the glass sheets through the tunnel furnace to shape the glass sheets.
• Fig. 15 shows schematically an example of the furnace system of Fig. 6. Details of Fig. 6 that are unnecessary to show operational and structural differences between the furnace of Fig. 8 and that of Fig. 15 are omitted for ease of visualization, but are included in Fig. 15.
• the furnace system 74 of Fig. 15 includes a first chamber 78, a second chamber 78, and a door 94 supported by a U-shaped member 136.
• the first chamber 76 preheats, through the use of infrared heaters, a glass sheet carried on conveyor 202, to a temperature within the range of 9GQ-10G0 8 F ; although other suitable preheat temperatures may be utilized depending on the material of the glass sheet.
• the glass sheet is supported or positioned on a bending iron (not shown, but as depicted and described herein).
• the second chamber 78 also herein referred to as a shaping chamber, selectively heats portions of the flat glass sheets to achieve a desired shape of the glass sheet
• Infrared heaters of the second chamber 78 maintain the temperature of the chamber to about 1000-1 100°F ! or any temperature Just below a shaping or sag temperature of the glass sheet.
• Specific portions of the sheet of glass are selectively heated in the second chamber 78 by a gyrotron beam system, including a gyrotron 177, an optical box 178, and a mirror box 179.
• a benefit of the use of a high-energy microwave system described herein is that the microwave source, e.g., gyrotron, heats the glass sheet internally, and at precise locations on the glass sheet.
• the microwave source e.g., gyrotron
• traditional infrared heaters heat only the glass surface and through heat conduction, the energy passes into the glass.
• the gyrotron beam system is directed to heat specific areas, portions, or locations of the glass to cause the glass sheet to sag, to produce a desired shape.
• the first chamber 76 also serves as a cooling chamber for annealing the glass sheet, such that once the glass sheet is shaped in the second chamber 78, it is returned to the first chamber 78, where it is cooled in a controlled manner
• the furnace system 74 can include a third chamber on an opposite side of the second chamber 78 from the first chamber 78, and the conveyor 202 passes the glass sequentially from the first chamber 76, through the second chamber 78, to the third furnace.
• the furnace system 280 of Fig. 14 depicts an analogous orientation. Inclusion of a third furnace may simplify the process in that the glass sheet is able to move through the system in a linear manner.
• the third furnace is a cooling chamber which is able to controllably cool the shaped glass sheet to anneal the shaped glass sheet.
• the third furnace may be modified such that the shaped glass sheet can be thermally tempered or heat strengthened.
• an infrared sensor 324 can be provided.
• the pyrometer 204 and/or the infrared sensor 324 monitor the temperature of the whole sheet of glass and/or specific portions of the glass.
• a "portion" is an amount less than a whole or 100% of an object and can be a point, line, area, region, etc. on and/or in an object, such as a glass sheet.
• a computer or computer system can take any physical form, such as a personal computer (PC), credit-card computer, personal digital assistant (PDA) t smartphone, tablet, workstation, server, mainframe/enterprise server, etc,
• PC personal computer
• PDA personal digital assistant
• a computer includes one or more processors, e.g. a central processing unit (CPU), which carries out instructions for the computer.
• CPU central processing unit
• a computer also includes memory, e.g., RAM and ROM (storing, e.g., the UEFI or BIOS), connected to the processor by any suitable structure such as a system bus.
• Computers also comprise non-transient storage for storing programming and data, in the form of computer readable medium/media, such as a hard drive, a solid state drive (SSD), an optical drive, a tape drive, flash memory (e.g., a non-volatile computer storage chip), a cartridge drive, and control elements for loading new software.
• Computer systems as described herein are not limited by any topology or by the relative location of the various hardware elements, recognizing the varied physical and virtual structures those of ordinary skill employ In implementing a computer system.
• Data, protocols, controllers, software, programs, etc. may be stored locally in the computer, e.g., in a hard drive or SSD; within a local or wide-area network, e.g., in the form of a server, a network associated drive (NAS); or remotely, such that connection is made over an internet connection, e.g., via remote access.
• Data such as images, temperature profiles or shape profiles produced or used by the methods and systems described herein may be organized on computer readable media in a database, which is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes.
• exemplary hardware that form elements of a typical computer, include input/output devices/ports, such as, without limitation: Universal Serial Bus (USB), SATA, eSATA, SCSI, Thunderbolt, display (e.g., DVi or HDMI) and Ethernet ports, as are broadly known, and graphics adaptors, which may be an integral part of the CPU, a subsystem of the motherboard, or as separate hardware device, such as a graphics card.
• USB Universal Serial Bus
• SATA Serial Bus
• eSATA Serial Bus
• SCSI Serial Bus
• Thunderbolt Thunderbolt
• display e.g., DVi or HDMI
• Ethernet ports e.g., DVi or HDMI
• graphics adaptors which may be an integral part of the CPU, a subsystem of the motherboard, or as separate hardware device, such as a graphics card.
• Wireless communications hardware and software such as Wi-Fi
• the computer having storage and memory capabilities, can include controller aspects that alow for the design, storage, and execution of instructions, executable for independently or collectively instructing the computer system to interact and operate as programmed, referred to herein as "programming instructions", in the context of computing, a computer- implemented process (I.e., program), broadly speaking, refers to any computer- implemented activity that generates an outcome, such as implementation of a mathematical or logical formula or operation, algorithm, etc.
• programming instructions in the context of computing, a computer- implemented process (I.e., program), broadly speaking, refers to any computer- implemented activity that generates an outcome, such as implementation of a mathematical or logical formula or operation, algorithm, etc.
• controller Is a software application (for example, basic input/output system (BIOS), unified extensible firmware interface (LIEFi), operating system, browser application, client application, server application, proxy application, on-line service provider application, and/or private network application) installed on the computer system for directing execution of instructions.
• the controller is a WINDOWSTM ⁇ based operating system.
• the controller may be implemented by utilizing any suitable computer language (e.g., C ⁇ C++, UNIX SHELL SCRIPT, PERL, JAVATM, JAVASCRIPT, HTMUDHT UX L, FLASH, WINDOWS NT, UNIX/LINUX, APACHE, DB!VfS including ORACLE, INFORMIX, and MySQL) and/or object-oriented techniques.
• suitable computer language e.g., C ⁇ C++, UNIX SHELL SCRIPT, PERL, JAVATM, JAVASCRIPT, HTMUDHT UX L, FLASH, WINDOWS NT, UNIX/LINUX, APACHE, DB!VfS including ORACLE, INFORMIX, and MySQL
• object-oriented techniques e.g., C ⁇ C++, UNIX SHELL SCRIPT, PERL, JAVATM, JAVASCRIPT, HTMUDHT UX L, FLASH, WINDOWS NT,
• the controller can be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, storage medium, or propagated signal capable of delivering instructions to the computer system.
• the controller e.g., software application, and/or computer program
• the controller may be stored on any suitable computer readable media (e.g., disk, device, or propagated signal), readable by the computer system, such that if the computer system reads the storage medium, the functions described herein are performed.
• the computer contains a "protocol", that is instructions and data that control e.g., the bending process for a glass sheet
• Various modeling techniques may be used to develop protocols and may be implemented as part of a computer-implemented protocol
• Mo eling techniques include scientific and mathematical models, specific for glass bending processes, which are able to determine the required temperatures at different stages of the process necessary to achieve a final glass sheet of high-quality. For example, the preheat temperature at the exit of the first furnace, glass forming/bending temperature profile in the glass forming furnace, exit giass temperature once the forming process is complete, and the glass annealing temperature.
• the protocol controls the gyrotron beam system to establish a heating profile to achieve a specific shape for a giass sheet.
• ⁇ gyrotron beam can be manipulated in various ways, such as, altering the path, speed, width, shape, frequency, dwell time at a location (position on the glass sheet), or intensity/energy (e.g., kilowatts, k ) of the gyrotron beam.
• beam width, beam shape, intensity/energy and frequency is constant, but the location, path, speed and/or dwell time at a location of gyrotron beam are altered to provide a desired heating profile on the sheet.
• the gyrotron beam's electrical power can be manipulated, while the beam is moving at a constant speed across the surface of the glass sheet to produce desired heat profile, !n another example, one can change both the electrical power and beam speed to achieve the same effect.
• the protocol comprises instructions at least for controlling any or all possible parameters of the gyrotron beam, such as: location, path, intensity/energy, speed, beam shape, beam diameter, and output frequency, which may be controlled by the gyrotrors unit or the post-gyrotron optics. As such, a protocol controls the heat-profile and/or heat distribution on a glass sheet for attaining a desired shape and size of the sheet of glass.
• the computer receives and processes real-time data from the thermal and positional sensors, particularly the thermal sensor and, optionally the positional sensor.
• the computer then produces a temperature profile, and optionally a shape profile from the realtime data.
• the temperature profile and shape profile are merely representations in the computer that can be compared to reference temperature and shape profiles stored in association with the bending protocol.
• the computer system compares produced profiles to the reference profiles to determine differences between the produced profiles and the reference profiles at one or more locations on the glass sheet, and.
• the computer controls one or more parameters of the gyrotron beam to selectively heat a portion of the glass sheet to correct those differences.
• the computer receives additional temperature data from one or more temperature sensors, such as thermocouples or IR scanners of one or more chambers and/or furnaces of the system according to any examples described herein, and acts as a thermostat, monitoring and adjusting the ambient temperature of the chamber, e.g., by adjusting the output of IR heaters, blowers, etc. utilized in the system.
• thermocouples e.g., as shown in Fig.
• the computer uses computer-Implemented processes for example as described above, compares the actual ambient temperature of the second furnace 7 ⁇ to a stored reference ambient temperature for the second furnace 78, and automatically adjusts the heat of the second furnace 78 in order to reach the stored reference ambient temperature.
• ambient temperature in reference to the furnaces described herein, it is meant the temperature of the atmosphere at one or more points within the furnace, and does not refer to the temperature of the glass sheet,
• the thermal sensor 324 is an IR laser-light sensor that captures an IR image of the glass sheet being bent, which is sent to the computer, which compares the captured image to a reference image stored as part of a glass bending protocol for the particular glass sheet, and, if a position on the glass is at a temperature lower than that of the same position in the image stored as part of a glass bending protocol, the gyrotron beam is directed to heat that position until the temperature of the position matches the reference temperature of the image stored as part of a glass bending protocol.
• a protocol for producing a specific shape from a glass sheet contains one or more reference temperature distribution profiles and shape profiles for the specific shape and giass sheet at one or more time points during the bending process.
• Fag. 15 also depicts optional positional sensors 320.
• a suitable light source to provide illumination of the glass sheet to the extent necessary to permit imaging also may be employed, though heated glass typically emits enough light for imaging purposes.
• the positional sensor ⁇ s) comprises a single unit or multiple units thai allow for either Image capture or capture of data in real time, indicating the spatial position of one or more positions on the glass sheet.
• a non-limiting example is a positional sensor obtained from Rockwell Automation (Allen Bradly), for example, the 42CM 18 mm LaserSight or the 42EF LaserSight RightSight are suitable positional sensors,
• the positional sensor can be an imaging sensor such as one or more CCD and/or laser-light sensor devices housed either together or at separate locations within the chamber 78.
• CCD and/or laser-light sensor devices sensor devices output 2D images that are processed within the computer or within the device.
• the images can be used in their 2D form, or can be processed to form a 30 Image by the computer to produce a profile of the glass sheet that indicates the realtime spatial position and shape of any portion or point on the glass sheet, and then compares that 2D profile to a reference profile associated with the protocol, and adjusts heating with the gyroiron beam to match the shape profile of the glass sheet with the reference profile.
• a large variety of position, distance, measurement, displacement, profile, 2D, and 3D sensors, e.g., laser sensors are commercially available, for example and without limitation from Rockwell Automation (Allen Bradly), Emerson Electric of St. Louis Missouri, Schmitl Industries, Inc.
• the positional sensor is connected to the computer, and data obtained from the positional sensor, optionall in coordination with the IR data described above, and that data is compared to reference data associated with a protocol for bending a particular giass sheet, and the temperature of any portion of the glass sheet can be adjusted using the gyrotron beam.
• a composite 3D image or set of images of the glass sheet at any given time point can be generated by a computer implemented process so as to evaluate the shape of the glass sheet at any time point.
• the computer system generated 3D image, composite image, or set of images of the glass sheet and/or a portion thereof can be compared to values of the reference shape profile of the protocol, and if a deviation from the desired shape stored in the protocol is present, the computer system controls the gyrotron 177 and/or ambient temperature of the second furnace 78, optionally in combination with infrared image data from the 2D infrared imaging sensor 324 to heat the glass sheet, or portions thereof, to shape the glass sheet to meet the requirements of the recipe.
• Fig. 18 provides a flowchart illustrating a non-limiting embodiment of the methods described herein employing two or three chambers as discussed In relation to Fig. 15.
• a gyrotron beam can be manipulated in various ways, such as, altering the path, speed, width, frequency, dwell time at a location, or energy intensity or electrical power of the gyrotron beam.
• beam width, energy and frequency is constant, but the location, path, speed and/or dwell time at a location of gyrotron beam are altered to provide a desired heating profile on the sheet.
• a "temperature profile” or “temperature distribution profile” refers to the temperature of any portion or portions of a specific glass sheet at any time point or points during the process of heating, bending and cooling that sheet of glass.
• a “reference temperature profile” refers to a temperature distribution profile for any specific glass sheet stored locally in or remotely from the computer system in association with a protocol for bending that specific glass sheet, The reference temperature profile is created or developed by any method, such as by formula and/or thaf-and-srror, to produce a specific shape of the specific glass sheet
• the reference temperature distribution profile for producing a desired shape from a glass sheet will depend on a variety of factors, including, among other factors: the composition of the glass sheet, the desired shape, and the bending iron shapes and functionality.
• shape profile refers to the 2D or 3D shape of a glass sheet at any time point or points during the process of heating, bending and cooling a sheet of glass.
• a “reference shape profile” refers to a shape profiie for any specific glass sheet for any time point in the glass forming process stored locally in or remotely from the computer system sn association with a protocol for bending that specific glass sheet.
• the reference shape protocol Is created or developed by any method, such as by formula and/or trial-and-error, to produce a specific shape of the specific glass sheet.
• the reference shape profile for producing a desired shape from a glass sheet will depend on a variety of factors, including, among other factors: the composition of the glass sheet, the desired shape i the bending iron shapes and functionality.
• the invention further contemplates the use of safety equipment to limit or prevent damage to the persons operating the equipment, and/or to prevent or limit damage to the equipment.
• the equipment includes an arc defector 330.
• the arc detector 330 is mounted in the furnace 78 and Included a photocell connected to the microprocessor 193 by way of the cable 308.
• the arcing as is known in the art ss ionized matter, e.g. but not limited to an air born pocket of dost and appears as a burst of light.
• the arcing phenomenon is well known in the art and no further discussion is deemed necessary.
• the photocell of the defector 330 senses the arcing and forwards a signal along the cable 305.
• the microprocessor 193 forwards a signal along the cable 308 to shut the gyrofron down to prevent damage to the personnel around the furnace 78 and to the gyrotron equipment.
• Clause 2 The method of clause 1, wherein the device producing ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic waves (177) is a gyrotron.
• Clause 3 The method of clauses 1 or 2, further comprising repeating steps ii, through iv. of the bending step until the obtained temperature distribution matches the reference temperature distribution of the computer- implemented protocol.
• Clause 4 The method of any one of clauses 1-3 S in which bending step c. further comprises:
• Clause 8 The method of clauses 4 or 5, wherein comparing steps Hi, and vi, are performed substantially concurrently.
• Clause 7 The method of any of clauses 4 to 6, in which one or more of the positional sensors (320 and 321 ) is a camera or charge-coupled device (CCD) bombard
• Clause 9 The method of clause 7, wherein the shape profile is a three-dimensional shape profile assembled from data obtained from a plurality of laser-light sensors.
• Clause 10 The method of any of clauses 4 to 9, wherein one or more of the one or more positional sensors (320 and 321) are laser-light sensors.
• Clause 1 1 The method of any of clauses 1 to 10, wherein the glass sheet is cut-to-size prior to heating and shaping.
• Clause 12 The method of any of clauses 1 to 11 , In which the thermal sensor (324) Is an IR scanner or and !R imaging sensor, optionally a laser-light sensor.
• a first furnace comprising Infrared heaters (172) and temperature sensors (191 ); and
• a second furnace comprising infrared heaters (1 72), a device that produces ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic waves (177), and an optical system for controlling shape, location and movement of a beam of the device to a glass sheet on a bending iron within the second furnace (78), and one or more infrared (IR) imaging sensors;
• a conveyor system for carrying a glass sheet on a bending iron (70) through the first and second furnaces (76 and 78);
• a computer system connected to the one or more IR imaging sensors and the ultra-high frequency, high-power device (177), comprising a processor and instructions for controlling bending of a glass sheet in the second furnace (78) by selective heating by the ultra-high frequency, high-power device (1 7), the instructions comprising a computer-implemented protocol for heating and bending a glass sheet in the second furnace (78), where the computer system obtains a temperature profile of the glass sheet at one or more time points during the bending of the glass data from the one or more IR imaging sensors (324), compares the obtained temperature profile to a reference temperature distribution of the computer-impiemented protocol, and controls the ultra-high frequency, high-power device (1 7) to selectively heat the glass sheet to match the reference temperature distribution; and
• a third heating furnace to controllably cool the glass sheet, comprising IR heaters, a forced cool air convection system, and air fans.
• Clause 14 The system of clause 13, wherein the device producing ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic waves (177) is a gyrotron.
• Clause 15 The system of clauses 13 or 14, further comprising one or more positional sensors (230 and 231) in the second furnace (78) arranged to obtain positional data for one or mora portions of the glass sheet during bending, wherein the positional sensors (230 and 231 ) are connecied to the computer system and the computer system:
• a. obtains data from the one or more positional sensors ⁇ 230 and 231 ) at one or more time points during the bending of the glass sheet;
• c ⁇ compares the obtained shape profite to a reference shape profile of the computer-implemented protocol; and d. controls the uitra-high frequency, high-power device (177 ⁇ to selectively heat the glass sheet to match a shape profile of the giass sheet to the reference shape profile.
• Clause 17 The system of clause 16, comprising a plurality of
• the shape profile is a three-dimensional shape profile assembled from data obtained from the plurality of CCDs.
• Clause 18 The system of any of cl uses 15 to 17, wherein one or more of the one or more positional sensors (230 and 231) are laser-light sensors.
• Clause 21 The system of any of clauses 13 to 20, further comprising a third furnace (260) having IR heaters, and wherein the conveyor system further carries the giass sheet through the third furnace.
• Clause 22 The system of clause 21 , wheresn the first, second and third furnaces (78, 78 and 260) form & single tunnel. [0 ⁇ 112]
• Clause 23 The system of clause 22, comprising doors between the first and second furnaces (76 and 78) and between the second and third furnaces (78 and 280).
• Clause 24 The system of any of clauses 13 to 23, In which the computer system obtains a temperature of the first furnace and adjusts the temperature of the first furnace (78) using the IR heaters to match a preheating temperature according to the computer-implemented protocol.
• Clause 25 The system of any of clauses 13 to 24, ire which the computer system obtains an ambient temperature of the second fyrnace (78) and adjusts the temperature of the second furnace (78) using the IR heaters to match a temperature ranging from greater than the preheating temperature to (ess than a temperature at which the glass sags.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Re-Forming, After-Treatment, Cutting And Transporting Of Glass Products (AREA)

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• 2016
  • 2016-06-22 EP EP16736966.9A patent/EP3331831A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-06-22 WO PCT/US2016/038738 patent/WO2017023436A1/en unknown
  • 2016-06-22 JP JP2018505718A patent/JP6592586B2/ja active Active
  • 2016-06-22 CN CN201680046080.1A patent/CN107848864B/zh active Active
  • 2016-06-22 BR BR112018002494A patent/BR112018002494A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2016-06-22 CA CA2994524A patent/CA2994524C/en active Active
  • 2016-08-03 TW TW105124671A patent/TWI625309B/zh active

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