A sheet of glass can be formed in a batch process by introducing molten glass onto a layer of molten tin within a tank. The tank may be outfitted with infrared emitters to control the amount of heat delivered to the tank while the sheet of glass is formed. A lower surface of the tank can have a three-dimensional shape, and the molten tin may be removed from the tank while the sheet of glass is ductile so that the sheet of glass is molded by the three-dimensional shape, thereby producing a shaped sheet of glass. The delivery of infrared energy to the tank may be facilitated by one or more ceramic glass surface.

Provided is a method of thermoforming a molding material to have a bent portion and a flat portion extending from the bent portion. The method includes: placing the molding material on a bending mold, the bending mold having a curved surface; and forming the bent portion of the molding material by heating a portion of the molding material at least to a fluidization temperature such that the portion of the molding material bends due to the weight of the flat portion of the molding material to form the bent portion according to a shape of the bending mold.

Provided is a method of thermoforming a molding material to have a bent portion and a flat portion extending from the bent portion. The method includes: placing the molding material on a bending mold, the bending mold having a curved surface; and forming the bent portion of the molding material by heating a portion of the molding material at least to a fluidization temperature such that the portion of the molding material bends due to the weight of the flat portion of the molding material to form the bent portion according to a shape of the bending mold.

A method for manufacturing a crystallized glass member having a curved shape includes a deforming step of deforming at least a portion of a glass plate into a curved shape by an external force that acts on the glass plate while maintaining the temperature of the glass plate within a first temperature range and precipitating crystals from the glass plate. In the method for manufacturing a crystallized glass member having a curved shape according to Claim 1, the first temperature range is from [At 40] C. to [At +40] C., wherein At ( C.) is a yield point of the glass plate.

Methods for making articles comprising crystalline material. Exemplary articles made by a method described herein include electronics enclosure (e.g., a watch case, cellular phone case, or a tablet case).

A process for manufacturing a bent laminated glazing, includes manufacturing a first bent laminated glazing including at least two glass substrates locally comprising, in each of the at least two glass substrates and facing each other in all the at least two glass substrates, a zone including compressive stresses, and cutting the first bent laminated glazing through its entire thickness along a line included in the zone in order to form local cut edges and, after cutting, a second bent laminated glazing with the local cut edges having compressive edge stresses.

A glass plate, curved around a first axis, has a first surface being concave and a second surface being convex. In a cross sectional view of a plane perpendicular to the first axis, both end portions of the second surface are chemically strengthened. Compressive stress produced by ion exchange in the both end portions of the second surface is larger than that of the first surface. An X axis includes a line segment connecting one end point and a point, most distant from the one end point, on the cross section of the second surface. A Y axis passes a center point of the line segment, and positive direction is from a first surface toward a second surface. A second-order coefficient of a quadratic curve that approximates second-order differential values of a locus of a partial shape in a positive Y value region in the cross section is negative.

A bending tool for bending at least one glass pane by suction, includes a frame-like convex contact surface and a cover having a peripheral air guide plate that surrounds the contact surface at least in regions is described. The bending tool is suitable for generating a first, reduced pressure in a first pressure region between the air guide plate and the contact surface; a second reduced pressure in a second pressure region. The second pressure is less than the first pressure; and a third pressure in a third pressure region, wherein the third pressure is greater than the first pressure.

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.

A device and a method for bending, by gravity, a sheet of glass or a stack of sheets of glass including a plurality of sides, called the glass, including a skeleton for supporting the glass in its peripheral zone by a contact track, the contact track including concave curvatures on each of the sides of the skeleton, and a counter-skeleton capable of entering into contact with the glass in the zone of the middle of at least one side of the peripheral zone of the top main face of the glass.