A method for manufacturing a formed glass includes using a heating apparatus. The heating apparatus includes a heating element and a heat reservoir having a transmittance of 50% or more in a wavelength of 0.5 m to 2.5 m. The heat reservoir is arranged between the heating element and a glass substrate as an object to be heated. The glass substrate is heated with the heating element, and the glass substrate is formed into a desired shape.

A process for manufacturing a bent individual glass sheet including a peripheral compression belt, the process including heating a glass sheet to its bending temperature in a furnace, performing an individual bending of the glass sheet, and performing a general cooling of the heated glass sheet, applying to one zone of the glass sheet at least partially inside the peripheral compression belt, which forms a locally cooled zone, after the heating of the glass sheet, a local cooling faster than the general cooling, when the glass sheet is at a temperature of at least 530? C.

The present invention provides a flexible glass and manufacturing method thereof. The flexible glass includes a first straight part and a second straight part on two opposite ends thereof, a recess formed between the first straight part and the second straight part, and a pre-bent curve connection part disposed corresponding to the recess. The first straight part and the second straight part are not arranged on the same plane. The flexible glass has a first lateral side and a second lateral side, and the recess sinks from the first lateral side toward the second lateral side. Therefore, the flexible glass is provided with a greater bendability.

A method of shaping a glass sheet includes heating the glass sheet to a temperature for shaping, positioning the glass sheet on a shaping support, and shaping the glass sheet on the shaping support, wherein during the shaping of the glass sheet at least one portion of the glass sheet is deliberately cooled. The shaping of the glass sheet involves press bending a heat softened glass sheet between a lower shaping support and an upper shaping member, wherein during the shaping of the glass sheet on the shaping support only a portion of the major surface of the glass sheet facing the lower shaping support is cooled by directing one or more jets of air onto said portion.

There is provided an apparatus for molding a glass substrate, the apparatus including a pre-heating unit, a molding unit, and a cooling unit sequentially arranged, wherein the pre-heating unit includes a pre-heating body and a glass substrate holder, wherein the molding unit includes: a molding body having a vacuum port, a molding support on the molding body, the molding support being configured to support an edge of a glass substrate, and a heating element configured to heat the molding body, and wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling body and a cooling plate.

Provided herein are methods of heating and tempering glass using a microwave generator, such as a gyrotron. Also provided herein are systems comprising an microwave generator, such as a gyrotron, used to heat glass to a tempering temperature.

The present invention discloses a vehicle glazing having a sharply curved portion and the method for bending such glazing. The sharply curved portion of the glass may extend along the surface of the glass. The sharply curved portion is obtained by locally heating by means of a laser source, heating the portion of the glass to a temperature sufficiently high enough to allow said portion of glass to bend. In preferred embodiments, the sharply curved portion comprises a first bent portion described by a first radius and a second bent portion described by a second radius, wherein the point where the radiuses of the first and second bent portions change their orientation generate an inflection point. The radius of curvature of the first and second bent portions is of less than 150 mm.

An apparatus for manufacturing a glass article includes a chamber defining an inner space that accommodates a molten salt for molding and chemical strengthening the glass article, a first electrode disposed in the inner space of the chamber and in contact with the molten salt, a second electrode disposed in the inner space of the chamber, in contact with the molten salt, and facing the first electrode, and a power supply connected to the first electrode and the second electrode.

A shaping tool includes a membrane made of a polymer material, the membrane having a shaping surface, and a thermalization system inserted into the membrane. Moreover, a method for constructing a membrane of a shaping tool includes providing a mold with a shape of the membrane to be made and a polymer material that constitutes the membrane; pouring the material into the mold; cross-linking the material; providing a thermalization device and providing a device for increasing thermal conductivity.

A method of processing a window member according to an embodiment includes applying a protective coating agent including at least one of a siloxane derivative and an inorganic sol compound onto a glass substrate, performing a heat treatment on the applied protective coating agent to form a protective layer on the glass substrate, thermoforming the glass substrate, and removing the protective layer, so as to process the window member without degradation of optical characteristics and without surface damages of the glass substrate.