A method for producing, without a mold, a shaped glass article having a predefined geometry is provided. The method includes providing a starting glass, supporting the starting glass, heating a portion of the starting glass so that in the portion a predetermined spatial viscosity distribution of the starting glass is obtained from 10.sup.9 to 10.sup.4 dPa.Math.s and so that at points where the starting glass is supported a predetermined spatial viscosity distribution of the starting glass does not fall below 10.sup.13 dPa.Math.s, and deforming the heated starting glass by action of an external force until the predefined geometry of the glass article is obtained.

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a glass article having a three-dimensional shape includes heating a glass article blank to a temperature above a setting temperature and coupling the glass article blank to an open-faced mold. The open-faced mold includes a molding region that has a three-dimensional shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the glass article and has an anisothermal temperature profile within the molding region. The method further includes maintaining an anisothermal temperature profile along the glass article blank and cooling the glass article blank while the glass article blank is coupled to the molding region of the open-faced mold to set the shape of the glass article.

A glass sheet forming and annealing system disclosed provides control of edge stresses by maintaining a press formed glass sheet on an annealing ring (72) below a heated upper forming mold (58) within a forming station (12) for slow cooling toward the glass strain point temperature.

A method of forming a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on a mold such that a first glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a first mold surface area of the mold and a second glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a second mold surface area of the mold. The first glass area and the second glass area are heated such that the viscosity of the second glass area is 8 poise or more lower than the viscosity of the first glass area. A force is applied to the glass sheet to conform the glass sheet to the mold surface. During the heating of the second glass area, the first mold surface area is locally cooled to induce a thermal gradient on the mold.

A material includes a substrate with a thin-film multilayer coated on at least one surface of the substrate, the thin-film multilayer including at least two films based on a transparent electrically conductive oxide. The at least two films are separated by at least one dielectric intermediate film having a physical thickness of at most 50 nm. No metal films is deposited between the at least two films based on a transparent electrically conductive oxide. The thin-film multilayer further includes at least one oxygen barrier film located above the film located furthest from the substrate of the at least two films based on a transparent electrically conductive oxide. Each film of the at least two films based on a transparent electrically conductive oxide has a physical thickness in a range of from 20 to 80 nm.

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a glass article having a three-dimensional shape includes heating a glass article blank to a temperature above a setting temperature and coupling the glass article blank to an open-faced mold. The open-faced mold includes a molding region that has a three-dimensional shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the glass article and has an anisothermal temperature profile within the molding region. The method further includes maintaining an anisothermal temperature profile along the glass article blank and cooling the glass article blank while the glass article blank is coupled to the molding region of the open-faced mold to set the shape of the glass article.

A method of forming a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on a mold such that a first glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a first mold surface area of the mold and a second glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a second mold surface area of the mold. The first glass area and the second glass area are heated such that the viscosity of the second glass area is 8 poise or more lower than the viscosity of the first glass area. A force is applied to the glass sheet to conform the glass sheet to the mold surface. During the heating of the second glass area, the first mold surface area is locally cooled to induce a thermal gradient on the mold.

The present invention concerns a method to produce a bent and/or tempered glazing offering improved thermal comfort, comprising the following steps (a) Providing a glass sheet having an outer-side surface and an interior-side surface, (b) Applying a thermal radiation reflective coating over at least a layer of the surface of the interior-side surface of the glass sheet, (c) Applying a black ceramic layer on at least a portion of at least the interior-side surface of the glass sheet, the black ceramic layer covering at least partially the thermal radiation reflective coating and/or running alongside the area covered by the thermal radiation reflective coating, (d) Hot bending and/or tempering the glass sheet. According to the present invention, the black ceramic layer has a pattern that mitigates the contrast in emissivity during the step d. between the area where the thermal radiation reflective coating is not covered by the black layer and the area where the black ceramic layer covers at least partially the thermal radiation reflective coating and/or the black ceramic layer runs alongside the area covered by the thermal radiation reflective coating.

A tooling for forming a sheet of glass includes a forming die made of electrically conductive material and a heating unit, distant from the forming die. The forming die includes a molding surface, a support to hold a sheet of glass away from and opposite the molding surface, and an induction circuit having an inductor extending in a cavity in the forming die. The heating unit includes a surface configured to produce thermal radiation opposite the molding surface, and an induction circuit having an inductor extending in a cavity of the heating unit. A connector connects the induction circuits to a high-frequency current generator.

Methods and apparatus provide for modification of a work-piece at elevated temperatures. A carrier may be provided and operable to support the work-piece. A support mechanism may be provided that is movable via gross translation between a retracted position such that a distal end thereof is away from the carrier, and an extended position such that the distal end thereof is at least proximate to the carrier. A work-piece modification system may be coupled to, and disposed proximate to, the distal end of the support mechanism, and operating to facilitate modifying the work-piece at an elevated temperature. A precision tuning mechanism may couple the work-piece modification system to the support mechanism, and may operate to provide fine adjustments to an orientation, and a distance, of the work-piece modification system relative to the work-piece.