KR20130024887A - Low run-out edge rollers for use with glass ribbons - Google Patents

Abstract

An edge roller 26 for the glass ribbon 20 is disclosed where a part of the run-out creation of the bearing assembly 50 of the roller is located inside the edge of the ribbon, for example the edge portion 34 of the ribbon. Such a position reduces the increase in run-out that occurs with conventional edge roller configurations. By eliminating the augmentation, for example, run-out at the surface of the ribbon can is reduced from 1-3 mm to 0.05-0.15 mm. In order to withstand the elevated temperatures present inside the ribbon edge, the edge roller assembly may employ gas or ceramic bearings.

Description

LOW RUN-OUT EDGE ROLLERS FOR USE WITH GLASS RIBBONS}

This application claims the benefit of priority of US provisional application 61 / 304,890, filed February 16, 2010.

The present application relates to edge rollers used in glass ribbons, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for reducing run-out caused by such rollers.

One method of forming a thin glass sheet is by a drawing process in which the glass ribbon is drawn from a reservoir of molten glass. This can be done, for example, via an up-draw process in which the ribbon is drawn upwards from the reservoir (e.g. Foucault or Colburn), or the ribbon is conventional Can be carried out by a down-draw process (eg, slot or fusion) which is drawn down from the molded body. Once the glass ribbon is formed, the individual sheets of glass are cut from the ribbon.

In a conventional downdraw process, molten glass is formed in a glass ribbon contained in a draw chamber formed by a lid surrounding a ribbon. In particular, the lid makes it possible to maintain a constant thermal environment within the area formed by the lid. The roller pairs pass through the cover and contact the ribbon near its edge. Such edge rollers may be used to apply a pulling force to the ribbon, apply a transverse tension to the ribbon, or sometimes guide the ribbon. Thus, the rotational force is applied to the roll by the motor, or the roller is free-wheeling and the rotational force is applied to the roller by the descending ribbon. In any case, the rolls rotate.

Roller mechanisms of manufacture typically cause the roller to move horizontally and / or vertically from the glass contact area. The roller axes move to accommodate the roller's geometrical tolerances, run-out during driving and tolerance variations with a general change in glass thickness. In addition, roller mechanisms of manufacture typically allow the rollers to move away from the glass for maintenance access, process restarts and other practical considerations.

Friction forces impede the free movement of the edge rollers across the ribbon during manufacturing, and the roller support mechanism often changes the frictional force that the roller exerts on the glass ribbon, which clearly leads to undesirable disturbances or stress changes in the ribbon, thus When glass transitions from viscous material to elastic material, it sticks to the glass. In particular, the kinetics of the edge rollers can affect the geometry and stress uniformity of the glass ribbon as well as the sheet cut from the ribbon. Any roller rotation defect will also cause the movement of the glass ribbon. The movement of the ribbon may have an amplitude region of 1 mm to 3 mm, for example, which disturbs the sheet forming process and affects its geometry in the transition region, such glass during drawing gradually converts from viscous to elastic. The importance of minimizing ribbon movement for low stress and very precise flatness is understood from modeling and experience with LCD glass.

Although high quality materials, including high quality bearing assemblies, are routinely used in the manufacture of edge rollers and run out from the manufacturing system during operation is not unusually high, process impact from run out is detectable and thinner, It is becoming more important in longer and wider molding operations. As mentioned below, the present invention refers to the run-out level exhibited by conventional edge rollers by: (1) an edge roller structure for identifying the source of the run-out and (2) removing the source. By providing a, it is possible to achieve reduced levels of run-out compared to rollers having comparable inherent run-outs but not using such disclosed structures.

Although such reduced run-out rollers can be used for glass ribbons of any size or thickness, they are particularly effective when the ribbon strength is low. Process policies that reduce strength include thinner products, wider products, and longer processes. All of these policies meet the market desire for thinner and wider glass sheets, for example those market desires relate to glass sheets used as substrates in the manufacture of display products such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Thus, the advantages associated with the edge roller structure presented here are expected to be even more valuable when the glass manufacturing process continues to meet such market needs.

According to the first aspect,

(A) a support (38) forming a longitudinal axis (39);

(B) a bearing assembly 50 comprising a portion to create a run-out; And

(C) has a head 36 having an outer surface comprising a glass-fastening portion 37,

(i) the head 36 is rotatably mounted to the support 38 by the bearing assembly 50, the rotation of which is about the longitudinal axis 39;

(ii) the glass-fastening portion 37 of the head 36 and the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly 50 are both inside the edge of the glass ribbon 20 during use of the edge roller assembly 26. An edge roller assembly 26 for use with a glass ribbon 20 disposed in position along the longitudinal axis 39 is disclosed.

According to the second aspect,

(A) manufacturing a glass ribbon 20 using a drawing process; And

(B) cutting the sheet from the glass ribbon 20,

(i) the glass ribbon 20 has an edge portion 34;

(ii) step (A) comprises contacting the edge portion 34 of the ribbon to the glass-fastening surface 37 of the edge roller assembly 26;

(iii) the edge roller assembly 26 includes a bearing assembly 50;

(iv) Disclosed is a method of making a glass sheet having a position across the ribbon where at least a portion of the bearing assembly 50 creating a run-out lies within the edge portion 34 of the ribbon.

It should be understood that the reference numerals used in the above summaries of various aspects of the present invention are merely for the convenience of the reader and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and characteristics of the present invention.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in light of the following detailed description, and in part are apparent from the detailed description, and are readily apparent to those skilled in the art or are practiced by the invention when embodied by the description. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. It is to be understood that this specification and the various features of the invention shown in this figure can be used in any and all combinations. By not limiting the embodiment, various features of the invention may be combined in the following additional aspects.

According to a third aspect, the ribbon has an edge portion, and the glass-fastening portion of the head and the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly have the length so as to have a position across the ribbon lying within the edge portion during use of the edge roller assembly. An edge roller assembly of a first side for use in a glass ribbon, which is arranged at a position along a direction axis, is provided.

According to a fourth aspect, (a) the edge roller assembly has a second bearing assembly comprising a second head comprising a glass-fastening portion and a portion creating run-out;

(b) the second head is rotatably mounted to be supported by the second bearing assembly, the rotation of which is about a longitudinal axis;

(c) the glass-fastening portion of the second head and the run-out generating portion of the second bearing assembly are disposed in a position along the longitudinal axis such that both during use of the edge roller assembly are inside the edge of the glass ribbon. An edge roller assembly of the first or third side is provided.

According to a fifth aspect, the ribbon has two edge portions, each glass-fastening portion and each run-out generating portion along a longitudinal axis such that it has a position across the ribbon that lies within the edge portion during use of the edge roller assembly. An edge roller assembly of a fourth side is provided for use in a glass ribbon disposed in position.

According to a sixth aspect, there is provided an edge roller assembly of any one of the first or third to fifth aspects, wherein the bearing assembly employs a gas cushion.

According to a seventh aspect, an edge roller assembly is provided, wherein the gas of the gas cushion is air.

According to an eighth aspect, the bearing assembly is provided with an edge roller assembly of the sixth or seventh aspect, characterized in that it comprises a sub-assembly preventing movement of the head along the longitudinal axis.

According to a ninth aspect, the sub-assembly is provided with an edge roller assembly.

According to a tenth aspect, there is provided an edge roller assembly of any one of the first or third to ninth aspects, wherein the head is insulated to reduce heat transfer from the glass ribbon during use of the assembly.

According to an eleventh aspect, there is provided an edge roller assembly of any one of the first or three to ten sides, wherein the far end of the head comprises a ceramic cap.

According to a twelfth aspect, there is provided a glass sheet manufacturing apparatus of any one of the first or three to eleventh aspects by a drawing process for producing a glass ribbon comprising an edge roller assembly.

According to a thirteenth aspect, there is provided a second edge roller assembly according to any one of the first or three to ten sides, wherein two edge roller assemblies are fastened to each opposite side of the glass ribbon during use of the device. The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus of the twelfth aspect is provided.

According to a fourteenth aspect, the bearing assembly employs a gas cushion and the glass sheet manufacturing method includes passing gas through an edge roller assembly to form a gas cushion. A manufacturing method is provided.

According to a fifteenth aspect, there is provided a glass sheet manufacturing method according to the fourteenth aspect, characterized in that the bearing assembly comprises a sub-assembly that prevents movement across the ribbon of the vitreous surface of the edge roller assembly.

According to a sixteenth aspect, the sub-assembly employs a gas cushion and the glass sheet manufacturing method includes passing gas through the edge roller assembly to form a gas cushion. A glass sheet manufacturing method is provided.

According to a seventeenth aspect, wherein the edge roller assembly comprises a ceramic end cap for reducing heat transfer from the glass ribbon to the assembly. Is provided.

According to an eighteenth aspect, there is provided a glass sheet manufacturing method according to any one of the second or fourteenth to seventeenth aspects, wherein the drawing process is a fusion downdraw process.

The present application relates to edge rollers used in glass ribbons, and in particular, can provide a method and apparatus for reducing run-out caused by such rollers.

1 is a schematic side stereoscopic view of a preferred fusion downdrawing process according to an embodiment of the invention.
2 is a schematic edge view of a portion of a glass ribbon formed through a downdraw process, wherein the edge of the ribbon is fastened between a pair of opposite edge rollers.
3 is a schematic diagram showing a criterion of excessive run-out of a conventional edge roller.
4 is a schematic side elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the edge roll assembly of the present invention.
5 is a schematic side sectional view, partially in cross section, of a preferred embodiment of the edge roll assembly of the present invention employing a gas bearing.
6 is a schematic side elevational view in full section of the embodiment of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a schematic side sectional view, partly in cross section, of a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 5 with an idler roll rather than a roller driven roll; FIG.
8 is a schematic side sectional view, partially in cross section, of a preferred embodiment of the edge roll assembly of the present invention employing a ceramic bearing.

Drawing of thin ribbon ribbon materials to form glass sheets having a thickness of about 2 millimeters or less for the demanding standards of flatness required for modern display applications, such as televisions and computer monitors, requires careful control of all aspects of the manufacturing process. However, particular care is required during the transition of the glass ribbon from the viscous state to the elastic state. In particular, even small force fluctuations on the ribbon from the force applied to the roll contact surface closest to the glass transition temperature can represent them as the first, planar disturbance.

In a preferred fusion-type downdraw process, the molten glass is fed to a shaped body having channels that open at the top of the top surface of the body. The molten glass flows above the channel wall and below the converging outer wall of the molded body until the individual flows meet in a line along the converging coalescing portion (ie "root"). There, the individual flows merge or dissolve to form one glass ribbon flowing down from the shaped body. The various rollers (or “rolls”) may draw (or pull) the ribbon down and / or apply tension to the ribbon to help maintain the width of the ribbon and / or simply completely or partially reposition the ribbon within the process. It is arranged along the edge of the ribbon to help limit. That is, some rollers are rotated by a motor while others are free-wheeling.

As the ribbon descends from the molded body, the molten material transitions from a viscous state to a viscoelastic state at the bottom of the molded body and finally becomes elastic. As the ribbon cools to its elastic state, the ribbon is scored across its width and separated along the scoreline to produce individual glass sheets.

While the ribbon becomes viscous in liquid, the stress added to the molten material is immediately relaxed. However, as the ribbon cools and the viscosity increases, the added stresses are greatly increased until the temperature range is reached where (1) applied stresses are maintained by the glass and (2) the ribbon shape can be maintained in the glass. It does not ease quickly. Both are sources of undesirably maintained stresses and distortion of the final product. Therefore, it is desirable that forces be applied to the glass ribbon and the ribbon shape as consistently as possible during the period in which stress and shape can be fixed to the glass. One cause of such force fluctuations comes from edge rollers (notice that force fluctuations from edge rollers can also cause fluctuations in glass thickness and other product characteristics). Experience has shown that force and position coherence are important for achieving extremely low stress and high flatness requirements, for example, of LCD substrate sheets.

Although the edge rollers are of different shapes, in each case a pair of rollers tighten or grasp the ribbon. Several pairs of rollers are positioned at opposite edges of the ribbon for a specific vertical position (ie distance from the root) along the length of the ribbon, and two pairs of edge rollers are commonly used. The edge roller may be driven by an electric or hydraulic motor or the like, or may be freewheeled. The edge rollers of opposite edges may share a common support structure (eg, a coaxial axis) that extends beyond the width of the ribbon, or each edge roller may also have its own, and an individual support structure (its Axis) extends only as necessary to position the contact surface associated with the head of the roller at the desired lateral position on the glass ribbon, ie the portion of the edge between the vaginal region of the ribbon and the edge of the ribbon. This contact surface is sometimes designed to withstand long lasting high temperatures in excess of 900 ° C. occurring in contact with the glass ribbon, preferably using a ceramic material, for example, the contact surface is generally a disk of ceramic fiber material. Is done. In addition, the longitudinal axis of the edge roller assembly need not be horizontal (transverse to the draw direction), but can be inclined relative to the horizontal to increase the tension across the width of the ribbon.

The placement and support mechanism for each pair of edge rollers is designed to involve changing the gap between the contact surfaces of the rollers. For example, the rollers involve disturbing the glass thickness of the ribbon edges. Roll shafts are not perfectly dated and will sometimes be distorted by heat. Roll faces are often not perfectly round or centered. Roll material properties can change roll rotation. In addition, the roll material runs out over time and the diameter decreases and sometimes the roll material properties change with the roll age. The function of the roll support mechanism is to allow the roller pairs to be separated horizontally, and then draws closer together as the rollers operate.

While the manufacturing edge roller mechanism is designed to allow this movement during roller drive, it is attempted to maintain a constant pinch force applied to the glass. Thus, the roller is generally pressed inward toward the plane of the glass ribbon by a biasing force. The pinch force between the roller pairs is assisted to minimize roll slip and is a major cause for the horizontal and vertical tension applied to the glass ribbon by the rollers. The mechanism for applying this deflection force must involve inward and outward movements (widening the gap between the edge roll pairs) from the above mentioned causes. For example, the edge rollers may include levers and fulcrums that deliver the edge roller supports laterally. Counter force can be used to apply sufficient force to the lever and the edge roller contact surface can hold the glass ribbon and still move the roller transversely to the ribbon plane, for example against varying contact surface eccentricities. To be. However, other methods of applying a biasing force may be used, such as a spring arranged to pull or push the roller assembly along a predetermined copper wire.

1 shows a preferred fusion downdraw apparatus 10 having a shaped body 12 comprising a channel or trough 14 and a converging face 16. Convergent shaping face 16 meets at root 18. The trough 14 is fed from a source (not shown) with molten glass flowing over the face of the trough and descends along the outer surface of the shaped body as a separate stream. Individual streams of molten glass flowing over the converging face 16 meet at the root 18 and form a glass ribbon 20.

When the glass ribbon 20 reaches its final thickness and viscosity, the ribbon separates beyond its width to provide an independent glass sheet or plate. As the molten glass is continuously fed into the molded body and the ribbon lengthens, additional glass sheets are separated from the ribbon.

The lid 22 is engaged with the upper seal 24 surrounding the molded body 12 surrounding the upper portion of the ribbon 20 under the root 19. The lid 22 assists with a platform with various heating and / or cooling devices that can be arranged to regulate the temperature of the ribbon. Because of the buoyancy of the warmer air in the interior 30 of the lid with the hottest temperature of the top of the lid extension, the internal pressure rises above the height of the lid. Openings and outflows on the face of the cover create an upward air flow from the base of the cover and typically have a significant impact on the thermal environment within the cover. Therefore, it is desirable that the openings and outflows are minimized and remain constant over time.

The edge roller assembly 26 is disposed at a predetermined vertical position below the root 18 and moves in the direction of the arrow 21 of FIG. 1 including a driven edge roller provided for applying a pulling force to the ribbon. Or the non-driven idler rollers guide the ribbon and limit its movement and / or help maintain tension across the ribbon width. As mentioned above, the rollers share a common support structure that extends the ribbon width, and each roller may have a respective support structure. As mentioned above, the edge rollers are typically arranged in pairs and each roller of the roller pair is arranged on opposite sides of the edge of the ribbon (see FIG. 2). Additionally, as also mentioned above, edge roller pairs are often arranged in pairs by themselves, with a pair of rollers corresponding to a ribbon edge at a given vertical position.

As mentioned above, one aspect of the present invention relates to the discovery of the cause of the high level of run-out observed with conventional edge rollers. 3 shows this finding. In this figure, 42 is a bearing assembly of a conventional roller, 44 is its rotating shaft, and 46 is a head abutting the edge 34 of the ribbon inside the rounded edge 48 of the ribbon. As shown in this figure, the bearing assembly 42 is separated from the contact patch between the head of the roller and the glass ribbon by a distance 40. In practice, this distance is typically 1/3 or 1/2 meters. As a result of this distance, the inherent run-out of the edge roller assembly is very enlarged in the glass ribbon. This magnification induces a variation in the contact position of the type shown in the four figures which in turn form part of the right side of FIG. 3. In particular, these first and last figures show the nominal contact positions of the heads of the rollers with glass ribbons 20, with the two figures in the middle showing periodic changes in the contact positions resulting from the enlarged run-out. . This change in contact position exerts a motion directly on the glass ribbon. In addition, the friction in the seal, the pivot and slide mechanism of the production roll system lead to the variability of the pinch force actually transmitted to the roll side. This in turn results in changes in the horizontal and vertical tensions applied to the glass ribbon. Both force changes and movements disturb the ribbon drawing process and affect final sheet stress and warpage.

4 shows an edge roller structure according to the present invention which reduces run-out compared to the conventional edge roller of FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the edge roller assembly 26 includes a support 38 defining a longitudinal axis 39, a bearing assembly 50, and a glass-fastening portion 37 on its outer wall. (36). As shown in FIGS. 4-8, the support 38 is in the form of an axis, although other shapes may be used as the support if desired. The support 38 is typically stationary, but if desired, can rotate to minimize shaft sag or warping when operated at high process temperatures. The head 36 is rotated by the bearing assembly 50 and fastened to the support 38, the rotation being about the longitudinal axis 39. The glass fastening portion 37 and the bearing assembly of the outer surface of the head are located adjacent to the same end of the edge roller assembly. In this way, as shown in FIG. 4, during use, they are both located inside the flat edge 48 of the ribbon, in particular they are both located within the edge 34 of the ribbon.

Although in some embodiments, the entire bearing assembly is, in practice, inside the rounded edge of the ribbon, only the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly (ie, the bearing surface on which rotation occurs) is needed inside the edge of the ribbon. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 5-7 mentioned below, only bearing surfaces and gas cushions are needed inside the edges of the ribbon, while bearing assemblies, for example gas ports, adjoining gas passages, radial bearings The remnant of the back may be placed at the major distance of the outer edge of the ribbon without creating an excessive level of run-out. By placing the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly inside the edge of the ribbon, the amplification effect caused by the distance 40 of FIG. 3 is substantially reduced or depends on the construction of the roller assembly and is completely eliminated. The reduction in run-out is dramatic. For example, a typical run-out for the system of FIG. 3 is approximately 1-3 millimeters. On the other hand, with the system of Figures 4-8 this value is in the range of 0.05-0.15 millimeters, for example.

The portion of the bearing assembly located inside the edge of the ribbon needs to withstand the high operating temperatures associated with that location. 5 and 6 show an edge roller assembly employing a gas cushion bearing system capable of withstanding such temperatures. Although other gases, such as nitrogen, can be used to prevent contamination with oils common in compressed air systems, the gas used in these bearings will typically be air.

The overall layout of the components of the system is shown in FIG. As shown here, a cell 60 comprising a glass contact material 61 on its outer surface for fastening the edges of the glass ribbon is mounted to the support 38 by means of a gas bearing 62, one surface of which is supported. It is formed as part of the far end. The glass contact material 61 is typically ceramic and may be in the form of a ceramic fiber disk or a ceramic integral body. To prevent axial motion, the system includes a radial gas bearing 63. This bearing supports the axial force from the tension of the ribbon, especially in the case of an edge roller assembly tilted down.

As shown in FIG. 6, the support 38 includes gas passages 64, 65, 66, 67 for introducing and removing gas from the assembly. In particular, as shown by arrow 68, the compressed gas enters the assembly of port 69 and is distributed by passage 64 to passages 65, 66. As indicated by arrows 70 and 71, the passage 65 provides gas to the radial bearing 63. As indicated by arrow 72, passage 66 provides the primary gas cushion of the bearing assembly at gap 73. After passing through the gap 73, as indicated by arrow 74, the gas is removed from the bearing assembly through the passage 67 and vacuumed to minimize the introduction of gas into the lid 22 at the position of the edge roller assembly. It may be fastened to a collector (not shown). Such gases may affect, for example, the ribbon's temperature distribution as well as the ribbon's cleanliness, which in turn may affect the ribbon's stress distribution and / or its shape.

In order to minimize the effect of the edge rollers on the temperature distribution of the ribbon, the far end 75 of the roller assembly, in particular the far end of the head of the embodiment of FIG. 6, has a low thermal conductivity (see eg reference 76 of FIG. 6). It may be made of a ceramic material having a). In this way, cooling of the far end of the edge roller assembly by the gas passing through the assembly is less pronounced such that the edge roller assembly does not achieve a strong heat sink as seen from the ribbon. If desired, the sub-assembly comprising the ceramic end cap or the end cap can be made replaceable. Since the tip of the edge roller assembly may be damaged by dropping the glass in the case of a crack in the glass ribbon, such a replacement possibility may reduce operating costs and make maintenance operation useful. In addition or alternatively to the ceramic end cap, thermal insulation 79 may be incorporated into the assembly to reduce the thermal effects of the roller assembly.

5-6 include an elongated cell 60 suitable for attachment to an electric or hydraulic motor (not shown). In conventional fusion downdraw apparatus, most of the edge rollers are idler rollers that are not driven by a motor. In such a case, the cell can be made substantially shorter as shown in FIG. 7. Such shorter shapes can reduce the cost of the assembly. In addition, the cell 60 may be made of graphite, but then a non-oxygen containing protective gas is required.

Instead of gas bearings, high temperature ceramic bearings available from various manufacturers may also be used, for example bearings having a driving surface, for example made of zirconia or alumina. 8 shows an embodiment employing this type of bearing. For such an embodiment, the ball 77 and the race 78 will be made of a high temperature ceramic material, which is the same or different for the ball and the race.

Although the edge roller assembly shown in FIGS. 4-8 employs one head, the technique of reducing run-out shown here is equally applicable to the assembly and one or more heads are represented by the best edge roller assembly of FIG. 1. It is rotatably mounted to the support 38 as shown.

The low run-out edge rollers shown here generate various advantages in the manufacture of glass sheets. As mentioned above, conventional rollers produce high fluctuation forces and also impart movement to the ribbon and can produce warping, stress and / or thickness variations. By reducing run-out at the surface of the ribbon, the force change by the rollers and the movement on the glass can be reduced. As indicated above, run-out reductions that may be made with the edge roller assembly shown herein may have a coefficient of about 20, for example, from 1-3 mm to 0.05-0.15 mm. Similar reductions in force fluctuations can be realized from run-out reductions. Importantly, the combination of force fluctuations and ribbon motion reduction results in vacancy benefits due to reduced warpage, reduced stress fluctuations, and / or reduced thickness and is greater than one can realize.

In addition to their run-out advantages, the edge roller assembly shown here can have a simpler and more robust configuration that includes fewer components and results in a smaller overall size than conventional edge rollers. In addition, the size of the glass-fastening portion of the head of the assembly can be smaller than that used with conventional rollers, which can reduce the thermal effect adjacent to the roll, which produces stress and polarization effects in the finished product.

In addition, in a typical embodiment the insertion depth of the head of the edge roller assembly can be changed more easily by changing the depth of the support, particularly to involve a specific diameter of the forming draw, since the support 38 does not rotate. This can be done, for example, by dividing the support into two or more sections. In this way, for manufacturing where different forming processes are used, a general head section can be used with different length supports, thus reducing the number of specific parts associated with the edge roller assembly of a given glass making apparatus. Such configurations can also make maintenance useful by making mounting and detaching the edge roller assembly easier. In practice, the configuration can be used to allow the pair of edge roller assemblies to be removed and assisted while the glass ribbon continues to be driven by the other assembly.

Various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The following claims are intended to cover the specific embodiments shown herein, as well as modifications, variations and equivalents of such embodiments.

10: fusion downdraw apparatus 12: molded body
14: Trough 16: Convergence Face
20: glass ribbon 22: cover
26: edge roller assembly 34: edge portion
36: head 37: glass-fastening
38: support 39: longitudinal axis
50: bearing assembly

Claims (18)

(A) a support forming a longitudinal axis;
(B) a bearing assembly comprising a portion to create a run-out; And
(C) has a head having an outer surface comprising a glass-fastening portion,
(i) the head is rotatably mounted to a support by the bearing assembly, the rotation of which is about the longitudinal axis;
(ii) the glass-fastening portion of the head and the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly are arranged in a glass ribbon disposed at a position along the longitudinal axis such that both during use of the edge roller assembly are inside the edge of the glass ribbon. Using edge roller assembly. The method according to claim 1,
The ribbon has an edge portion, and the glass-fastening portion of the head and the run-out generating portion of the bearing assembly, during use of the edge roller assembly, at a position along the longitudinal axis to have a position across the ribbon lying within the edge portion. An edge roller assembly for use in a glass ribbon, characterized in that disposed. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
(a) the edge roller assembly has a second bearing assembly comprising a second head comprising a glass-fastening portion and a portion creating run-out;
(b) the second head is rotatably mounted to be supported by the second bearing assembly, the rotation of which is about a longitudinal axis;
(c) the glass-fastening portion of the second head and the run-out generating portion of the second bearing assembly are disposed in a position along the longitudinal axis such that both during use of the edge roller assembly are inside the edge of the glass ribbon. Edge roller assembly for glass ribbons. The method according to claim 3,
The ribbon has two edge portions, each glass-fastening portion and each run-out generating portion being positioned at a position along the longitudinal axis so as to have a position across the ribbon that lies within the edge portion during use of the edge roller assembly. Used for edge roller assembly. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Edge bearing assembly for use in the glass ribbon, characterized in that the bearing assembly employs a gas cushion. The method according to claim 5,
Edge gas assembly for the glass ribbon, characterized in that the gas of the gas cushion is air. The method according to claim 5 or 6,
And the bearing assembly comprises a sub-assembly that prevents movement of the head along the longitudinal axis. The method of claim 7,
And the sub-assembly employs a gas cushion. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8,
And the head is insulated to reduce heat transfer from the glass ribbon during use of the assembly. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
And the far end of the head comprises a ceramic cap. Glass sheet manufacturing apparatus by a drawing process for producing a glass ribbon comprising the edge roller assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The method of claim 11,
A glass sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising a second edge roller assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein two edge roller assemblies are fastened to each opposite side of the glass ribbon during use of the apparatus. (A) preparing a glass ribbon using a drawing process; And
(B) cutting a sheet from the glass ribbon,
(i) the glass ribbon has an edge portion;
(ii) step (A) comprises contacting the edge portion of the ribbon to the glass-fastening surface of the edge roller assembly;
(iii) the edge roller assembly comprises a bearing assembly;
(iv) at least a portion of the bearing assembly creating a run-out has a position across the ribbon that lies within an edge of the ribbon. The method according to claim 13,
The bearing assembly employs a gas cushion and the glass sheet manufacturing method includes passing gas through an edge roller assembly to form a gas cushion. The method according to claim 14,
And the bearing assembly comprises a sub-assembly that prevents movement across the ribbon of the glass engagement surface of the edge roller assembly. The method according to claim 15,
Wherein said sub-assembly employs a gas cushion and said glass sheet manufacturing method comprises passing gas through said edge roller assembly to form a gas cushion. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 16,
The edge roller assembly comprises a ceramic end cap that reduces heat transfer from the glass ribbon to the assembly. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17,
The drawing process is a glass sheet manufacturing method, characterized in that the fusion down draw process.

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