A glass bending device is presented. The glass bending device includes a bending chamber, a tool for holding at least one glass pane by means of a suction effect, including a downward-directed frame-like, convex contact surface and a cover with a peripheral air-guiding plate surrounding the contact surface at least in regions. The tool is suitable for sweeping the edge of the glass pane at least in sections with an air flow and thereby pressing the glass pane against the contact surface. The glass bending device further includes a fan, which is connected to the bending chamber via a feed line and a return line and is suitable for extracting air from the bending chamber via the tool and the feed line to produce the air flow and for returning air back into the bending chamber via the return line. The return line is connected to the bending chamber above the tool.

A method for supporting a heated glass sheet in connection with a glass processing operation may include adjusting a support structure so that multiple spaced apart support members of the support structure cooperate to define a shape that corresponds to a desired end shape of the glass sheet. The method may further include contacting the glass sheet with the support members until the glass sheet has been sufficiently cooled. Furthermore, the support structure may include a frame and a support assembly associated with the frame, the support assembly including the support members and a support connected to the support members such that at least a portion of each support member is adjustable with respect to the support. The support may further be connected to the frame at two locations on the frame such that the support spans an open area between the two locations on the frame.

A method for supporting a heated glass sheet in connection with a glass processing operation may include adjusting a support structure so that multiple spaced apart support members of the support structure cooperate to define a shape that corresponds to a desired end shape of the glass sheet. The method may further include contacting the glass sheet with the support members until the glass sheet has been sufficiently cooled. Furthermore, the support structure may include a frame and a support assembly associated with the frame, the support assembly including the support members and a support connected to the support members such that at least a portion of each support member is adjustable with respect to the support. The support may further be connected to the frame at two locations on the frame such that the support spans an open area between the two locations on the frame.

A method for fabricating three-dimensional microstructures is presented. The method includes: disposing a substantially planar reflow material between two molds; heating the reflow material while the reflow material is disposed between the two molds; and reflowing the reflow material towards the bottom surface of one of the molds by creating a pressure gradient across the reflow material. At least one of molds includes geometrics features that help to shape the reflow material and thereby form a complex three-dimensional microstructure.

An apparatus for forming a window of a display panel includes a mold configured to hold a plate in a concave portion, wherein the concave portion has a predetermined shape, and a transfer part configured to sequentially transfer the mold to a heating part, a forming part, and a cooling part. The heating part includes first and second heating modules respectively positioned on top and bottom portions of the mold and configured to apply heat to the top and bottom portions of the mold. The forming part is positioned above the mold and configured to jet a high-temperature gas onto the heated plate. The cooling part includes first and second cooling modules respectively positioned on the top and bottom portions of the mold and configured to cool the top and bottom portions of the heated plate. The mold is tilted at a predetermined angle relative to a horizontal plane.

Disclosed here are a glass forming apparatus and a method of forming a glass. A glass forming apparatus of the present invention includes a transfer unit which moves a material, a preheating unit which preheats the material supplied by the transfer unit, a curved surface forming unit which forms the material in a curved shape, and a cooling unit which cools the material in the curved shape transformed by the curved surface forming unit, wherein the curved surface forming unit includes a moving mold in which a plurality of curved surface-shaped cores configured to seat the preheated material are formed and the moving mold is provided to be movable, a first mold disposed to face the moving mold, a plurality of cavities formed between the moving mold and the first mold, and a pneumatic device which generates a vacuum pressure in the plurality of cavities to adhere the material to the curved surface-shaped cores.

A coated article is provided which may be heat treated (e.g., thermally tempered) and/or heat bent in certain example instances. In certain example embodiments, a zinc stannate based layer is provided between a tin oxide based layer and a silicon nitride based layer, and this has been found to significantly reduce undesirable mottling damage upon heat treatment/bending. This results in significantly improved bendability of the coated article in applications such as vehicle windshields and the like.

Methods of making a laminated glazing having reduced optical distortion when installed in a vehicle are described. The laminated glazing has first and second sheets of glazing material each separately shaped between a pair of shaping members that are then laminated together. The position for bending the first sheet of glazing material may be deliberately offset from the position for bending the second sheet of glazing material. During the lamination step, the first sheet of glazing material may be displaced relative to the second sheet of glazing material by a lateral and/or longitudinal positional displacement. The first and/or second sheet of glazing material may have been cut such that after lamination at least a portion of the peripheral edges thereof are aligned. Apparatus for shaping a sheet of glazing material for carrying out the aforementioned methods is also described, as is a resulting laminated glazing.

Methods of making a laminated glazing having reduced optical distortion when installed in a vehicle are described. The laminated glazing has first and second sheets of glazing material each separately shaped between a pair of shaping members that are then laminated together. The position for bending the first sheet of glazing material may be deliberately offset from the position for bending the second sheet of glazing material. During the lamination step, the first sheet of glazing material may be displaced relative to the second sheet of glazing material by a lateral and/or longitudinal positional displacement. The first and/or second sheet of glazing material may have been cut such that after lamination at least a portion of the peripheral edges thereof are aligned. Apparatus for shaping a sheet of glazing material for carrying out the aforementioned methods is also described, as is a resulting laminated glazing.

A method for producing a shaped glass article may include heating at least a portion of a mold-facing surface of the glass article to a forming temperature, shaping the glass article in a mold, and removing the multilayer coating from the glass article. The glass article may be coated with a multi-layer removable coating including an inner layer in contact with the glass article and an outer layer disposed over the inner layer. The mold may be in direct contact with the outer layer during shaping. The inner layer may include a first glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. less than a softening point of the glass article. The outer layer may include a second glass having a softening point of at least about 50° C. greater than the softening point of the glass article.