JP4671159B2 - Method and apparatus for bending glass plate - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a glass plate bending method and apparatus, and more particularly to a bending method and apparatus using a mold and a press ring.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When a glass plate such as a window glass for an automobile is bent and formed, a flat glass plate is heated and softened and press-molded to form a window glass having a predetermined curved shape.
[0003]
For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-170468, “a plate-shaped material is heated in a heating furnace and conveyed in the heating furnace, and the plate-shaped material unloaded from the heating furnace is conveyed to the lower part of the mold by a conveying roller of a molding unit. The plate-like material is disposed below the mold and the transport mechanism is operated to raise the ring that can come into contact with the peripheral surface of the plate-like material housed below the transport roller, thereby removing the plate-like material. It is placed on the ring and bent by pressing the plate-like material against the mold.
[0004]
After completion of the bending process, the mold is raised, then the transport mechanism is operated to move the ring from the lower part of the mold to the cooling part, and the bent material is placed in the cooling part. Cool the material. Is described.
[0005]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of such a glass plate bending apparatus. 4A and 4B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of a split press ring used in a conventional glass plate forming apparatus.
[0006]
The glass plate forming apparatus 1 cools a heating furnace 3 that heats and softens the glass plate 2 to be formed, a forming portion 4 that press-forms the softened glass plate 2, and a glass plate that is press-formed by the forming portion 4. And the cooling unit 5 to be operated. In the heating furnace 3, the glass plate 2 is heated above the softening point and softened by an electric heater (not shown) or the like while being conveyed by the roller conveyor 6 as indicated by an arrow A. The glass plate that has been softened and exited from the heating furnace 3 is transferred onto the roller conveyor 7 of the molding unit 4. A mold 8 having a curved press-molding surface to be molded on the lower surface is provided above the roller conveyor 7 of the molding unit 4. A split press ring 9 is disposed under the roller conveyor 7 below the mold 8. The divided press ring 9 can move up and down through the interval of the roller conveyor 7.
[0007]
The cooling unit 5 includes an upper blowing port 10 and a lower blowing port 11 that blow out room temperature air. The cooling ring 12 moves as indicated by an arrow and receives a glass plate press-molded by the mold 8 to receive the upper blowing port 10 and the lower blowing port. A glass plate is transferred between 11 and cooled and solidified, and a strengthening action by rapid cooling is applied.
[0008]
As shown in FIG. 4, the divided press ring 9 is formed in a frame shape along the shape of the glass plate 2 to be molded, and the glass plate 2 is placed on the ring frame and pressed. The split press ring 9 is divided so that it can be bent by a dividing line 13 at its left and right side tilt portions (deep bent portions) 9a. A split state (dotted line) that is a state in which the tilting portion 9a is folded (a state in which the molding surface is opened) is rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown) using the dividing line 13 as a hinge shaft, and the tilting portion 9a rises and shifts between a rebate state (solid line) in which a predetermined molding surface is formed.
[0009]
The split press ring 9 is disposed below the roller conveyor 7 below the mold 8 in a split state where the molding surface is bent. When the softened glass plate 2 is transferred onto the roller conveyor 7, the divided press ring 9 rises as indicated by an arrow C (FIG. 3) and places the glass plate 2 on the divided divided press ring 9. Subsequently, the tilting portion 9a (FIG. 4) of the divided press ring 9 is raised (arrow D in FIG. 3) to shift to the rebate state. The glass plate 2 softened in the rebate state is pressed against the molding surface of the mold 8 to press-mold the glass plate 2 into a predetermined shape.
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above conventional glass plate forming method, the softened glass plate is mounted on the split press ring in a split state in which the forming surface is bent and bent. There were problems such as remaining marks, distortion, or formation of scratches.
[0011]
The present invention is based on the above prior art, and when a softened glass plate is placed on a split press ring and press-molded by a mold, local deformation or distortion caused by abutment of a bending point on the glass plate. Alternatively, it is an object to provide a method and an apparatus for bending a glass plate that prevent formation of scratches and the like.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a glass plate bending method in which a press ring and a sub ring are arranged below a mold, and a softened glass plate is placed on the press ring and press molded by the mold. The press ring has a molding surface having a predetermined curved shape to be molded, and a split state in which the molding surface is bent and opened via a bending point, and a split state in which the predetermined molding surface is formed. The sub-ring has a flat surface or a smooth shape without a bending point, and the bending point of the split pressing ring in the split state is (A) a step of heat-softening the glass plate, and (b) a glass plate of the sub-ring. Comprising the step of placing the mounting surface, and in the step of transferring the glass sheet gradually onto said press ring from the subrings from a state equipped with a glass plate on the glass mounting surface of the (c) the sub-ring, the split press There is provided a method for bending a glass plate , wherein the ring is shifted from a split state to a split-back state, and the softened glass plate is engaged with a split press ring having a predetermined forming curved surface .
Further, the sub-ring has a shape along the outer periphery or inner periphery of the divided press ring in a plan view, and is provided so that the position can be interchanged with the divided press ring in the vertical direction. In the delivery step of the softened glass plate to the split press ring, the split press ring has a predetermined forming curved surface that does not have a bending point that comes into contact with the softened glass plate.
Further, the sub-ring and the split press ring are arranged such that the bending point of the split press ring in the split state is below the glass mounting surface of the sub-ring and below the roller conveyor of the forming portion of the glass plate forming apparatus. It is preferable to be disposed.
Furthermore, in the divided press ring, it is preferable that the left and right side tilt portions can be shifted between the split state and the split state with the bending point as a hinge axis.
[0013]
According to this configuration, the softened glass plate is once placed on a smooth flat or curved sub-ring having no bending point, and is gradually transferred from the sub-ring to a press ring having a predetermined forming curved surface. Even if the press ring is a split press ring, it can be mounted on the split press ring without bringing the bending point into contact with the glass plate. Occurrence and damage are prevented.
[0015]
According to this configuration, after the glass plate is softened, the split press ring placed on the sub-ring and disposed below the sub-ring shifts to the split-back state while moving to the sub-ring. The glass plate on the ring is transferred onto the split press ring. For this reason, the dividing point (bending point) of the split press ring in the split state does not contact the softened glass plate, and deformation, distortion, and damage due to the bending point do not occur.
[0016]
In the present invention, as a bending apparatus for carrying out the above-described method for bending a glass plate, a heating furnace for softening the glass plate, a mold for press forming, a divided press ring disposed below the mold, a plane in a shape along the outer or inner periphery of the divided press ring in view, it possesses a sub-ring in which the divided press ring and vertically position is provided to be input is instead, the press ring is to be formed A split press having a molding surface with a predetermined curved surface shape and having a shape that changes between a split state in which the molding surface is bent and opened through a bending point and a split state in which the predetermined molding surface is formed A ring, and at the delivery position of the softened glass plate from the sub-ring to the split press ring in the replacement of the position, the split press ring is Glass sheet bending apparatus, characterized in that it comprises a phased and glass plate a predetermined mold curved surface with no bending point of contact.
[0017]
According to this configuration, the glass plate softened in the heating furnace is once placed on the sub-ring at the lower position of the mold, and the split press ring having the same shape as the sub-ring is lifted as viewed from above, and is split. By changing the position of the sub-ring and the sub-ring while shifting to the rebating state, the glass plate is transferred from the sub-ring onto the divided press ring without contacting the bending point.
[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view and a side view of a divided press ring and a sub ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The split press ring 14 itself of this embodiment has the same configuration as the split press ring 9 of FIG. 4 described above, and the left and right side tilt portions (deep bent portions) 14a are split with the split line 15 as a hinge axis (solid line). ) And the rebate state (dotted line).
[0019]
The sub-ring 16 has a shape along the inner peripheral edge of the divided press ring 14 in a plan view, and the glass mounting surface (upper surface) is entirely flat. The sub ring 16 and the split press ring 14 are in a state where the bending point (split line 15) of the split press ring 14 in the split state is below the glass mounting surface of the sub ring 16 (the state of FIG. 1B). It arrange | positions under the roller conveyor 7 of the shaping | molding part 4 of the glass plate shaping | molding apparatus 1 shown in the above-mentioned FIG.
[0020]
2A to 2C are side views showing the glass plate bending process using the sub-ring 16 and the divided press ring 14 in order. In this process, in the glass plate forming apparatus 1 of FIG. 3 described above, an assembly of the sub ring 16 and the divided press ring 14 is provided in place of the conventional configuration of the divided press ring 9 alone.
[0021]
The glass plate 2 to be molded is heated and softened in the heating furnace 3. The softened glass plate 2 is transferred onto the roller conveyor 7 of the molding unit 4. Here, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), the softened glass plate 2 is shown in FIG. 2 (A) by raising these rings while the upper surface of the sub-ring 16 is above the bending point of the split press ring 14. Then, it is placed on the sub-ring 16.
[0022]
From this state, as shown by an arrow F in FIG. 2B, the tilting portion 14a of the divided press ring 14 is gradually raised to shift to the rebate state. During this transition, the portion 14a is engaged with the glass plate 2 and bent gradually. The split press ring 14 rises with the transition from the split state to the split state (or the sub-ring 16 descends), and the glass plate 2 is gradually transferred onto the split press ring 14.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 2 (C), when the divided press ring 14 is finally brought into the split state, the sub-ring 16 is switched to a position below the divided press ring 14, and the glass plate 2 is completely separated from the divided press ring 14. On top. In this state, the glass plate 2 is pressed against the mold 8 and press-molded.
[0024]
The glass plate mounting surface of the sub-ring 16 is not limited to a flat shape, and may be a smooth curved surface with no bending point as a whole. The glass plate forming apparatus is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, and can be applied to a forming apparatus in which the mold 8 is provided in the heating furnace 3. Moreover, the molding surface of the mold 8 can be made into a vacuum adsorption type, and the glass plate 2 can also be firmly stuck to the mold surface.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, the softened glass plate is once placed on a smooth flat or curved sub-ring having no bending point, and gradually from the sub-ring onto a press ring having a predetermined curved surface. Because it is delivered, even if the press ring is a split press ring, it can be mounted on the split press ring without bringing the bending point into contact with the glass plate. Generation of deformation and distortion, damage, and the like are prevented, and a high-quality curved glass plate can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a divided press ring and a sub ring according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a glass plate bending process according to the embodiment of FIG.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional glass plate bending process.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration and operation of a split press ring.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: glass plate forming apparatus, 2: glass plate, 3: heating furnace, 4: forming part, 5: cooling part,
6, 7: Roller conveyor, 8: Mold, 9: Divided press ring,
9a: tilt part, 10: upper air outlet, 11: lower air outlet, 12: cooling ring,
13: division line, 14: division press ring, 14a: tilt part,
15: division line, 16: sub-ring.

Claims (4)

In a bending method of a glass plate in which a press ring and a sub-ring are arranged below the mold, and a softened glass plate is placed on the press ring and press-molded by the mold,
The press ring has a molding surface having a predetermined curved shape to be molded, and a split state in which the molding surface is bent and opened via a bending point, and a split state in which the predetermined molding surface is formed. It is a divided press ring whose shape changes between
The sub-ring has a flat shape or a smooth shape with no bending point on the glass mounting surface,
The bending point of the split press ring in the split state is disposed below the glass mounting surface of the sub ring,
(A) heating and softening the glass plate;
(B) placing the softened glass plate on the glass mounting surface of the sub-ring,
(C) In the step of gradually transferring the glass plate from the sub ring to the press ring from the state where the glass plate is mounted on the glass mounting surface of the sub ring,
The split press ring is shifted from the split state to the split state, and the softened glass plate is engaged with the split press ring having a predetermined forming curved surface ,
The sub-ring has a shape along the outer periphery or inner periphery of the divided press ring in plan view, and is provided so that the position can be interchanged with the divided press ring in the vertical direction,
In the delivery step of the softened glass plate from the sub-ring to the split press ring in the replacement of the position, a predetermined forming curved surface having no bending point at which the split press ring contacts the softened glass plate. A method for bending a glass sheet, comprising: The sub-ring and the split press ring are disposed below the roller conveyor of the forming section of the glass plate forming apparatus, with the bending point of the split press ring in the split state being below the glass mounting surface of the sub-ring. The glass plate bending method according to claim 1 , wherein the glass plate is bent. 3. The glass plate according to claim 1, wherein the split press ring is capable of shifting between a split state and a split state with the bent portions on the left and right sides using the bending point as a hinge axis. 4. Bending method. A heating furnace that softens the glass plate;
A mold for press molding;
A split press ring disposed below the mold;
In a shape along the outer periphery or inner periphery of the divided press ring in plan view, the divided press ring and a sub-ring provided so that the position can be interchanged in the vertical direction;
The press ring has a molding surface having a predetermined curved shape to be molded, and a split state in which the molding surface is bent and opened via a bending point, and a split state in which the predetermined molding surface is formed. It is a divided press ring whose shape changes between
In the transfer position of the softened glass plate from the sub-ring to the split press ring in the replacement of the position, the split press ring has a predetermined forming curved surface that does not have a bending point that contacts the softened glass plate. A glass sheet bending apparatus characterized by the above.

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