Methods and apparatus provide for: conveying a glass web from a source toward a destination in a transport direction; scoring the glass web in a width direction thereof to produce a score line having a plurality of separated score segments, thereby defining a section of the glass web between the score line and a leading edge of the glass web; supporting the glass web such that an increasing portion of the section of the glass web becomes cantilevered as the glass web is conveyed such that the portion of the section of the glass web is sufficiently large to generate stress in the respective score segments and drive respective cracks through the thickness of the glass web; and permitting the section of the glass web to separate from the glass web along the score line.

A manufacturing method for a glass roll includes cutting a glass ribbon along a longitudinal direction thereof in a cutting region on a conveyance path while conveying the glass ribbon, and taking up the cut glass ribbon around a roll core at a downstream end of the conveyance path. A conveyance-mode changeable region is provided between the cutting region and the downstream end of the conveyance path. The conveyance-mode changeable region enables a change in conveyance mode between a first mode of conveying the glass ribbon in a tensioned state and a second mode of conveying the glass ribbon in a loosened state. After the leading end portion of the glass ribbon is wound around the roll core in the first conveyance mode, the conveyance mode is shifted from the first conveyance mode to the second conveyance mode.

A glass manufacturing apparatus may be configured to facilitate a process of separating a glass ribbon along a separation path extending across a width of the glass ribbon. In one example, the glass manufacturing apparatus comprises at least one anvil-side vacuum port defined by an elongated nose and an elongated anvil member. The anvil-side vacuum port is configured to remove glass debris during the process of separating the glass ribbon. In another example, the glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a scoring device and a score-side vacuum port configured to remove glass debris generated during the process of separating the glass ribbon.

A glass roll of band-shaped glass film is free of skew and single slack when a roll-to-roll mode is used. The band-shaped glass film is wound into a roll shape and has creases formed thereon. The band-shaped glass film includes an effective section with two side edges in a width direction extending parallel to each other, and leading and trailing end portions extending parallel to the width direction. When a length from the leading end portion to the trailing end portion along a surface of the effective section is measured along each of a first position along one side edge and a second position along another side edge, a difference between the first and second measurement lengths is 400 ppm or less of a longer measurement length of the first and second measurement lengths.

Provided is a method comprises: continuously forming an elongated, glass film having marginal portions from molten glass into a given shape having two marginal portions, in width-directional opposite edge regions thereof, wherein the glass film having marginal portions has the marginal portions, and an effective portion formed in a width-directional central region of the glass film having marginal portions; annealing the glass film having marginal portions; continuously forming resin tapes on the glass film having marginal portions at positions adjacent to and away by a given distance from the respective marginal portions, to extend in a length direction of the glass film having marginal portions; and continuously removing each of the marginal portions from the glass film having marginal portions, along a position between the marginal portion and a corresponding one of the resin tapes, or at a given width-directional position within the corresponding resin tape.

A method for cutting a thin glass including the steps of guiding, by a transport device, the thin glass ribbon over a levitation support, and directing, within a range of the levitation support, a laser beam onto the thin glass ribbon, which heats up the thin glass ribbon at an impingement point of the laser beam. The method also includes the step of blowing, by a cooling jet generator, a cooling fluid onto the track heated by the laser beam so that a region heated by the laser beam is cooled down and a mechanical stress is created. The cooling fluid contains vapor of a liquid at a saturation ratio of at least 0.5 or a plurality of liquid droplets. The liquid droplets form a contact angle on a surface of the thin glass ribbon which is smaller than that of water on the same surface.

A method for forming a glass sheet includes forming a glass ribbon. A robot arm is operated to move an end effector through a preprogrammed cycle. The cycle includes engaging a segment of the glass ribbon with the end effector, separating the engaged segment from the glass ribbon to generate a glass sheet, and moving the glass sheet away from the glass ribbon. The preprogrammed cycle designates predetermined positions of the end effector at predetermined points in time. While the robot arm is operating through the preprogrammed cycle, a parameter indicative of a force being exerted on the glass ribbon by the end effector is sensed. A position of the end effector is altered to differ from the predetermined position at the corresponding point in time when the sensed parameter deviates from a target value. An excessive force applied to the glass ribbon can be reduced in real-time.

A sheet-like glass element has a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 mm and an edge with an edge face intersecting opposite glass faces along two edge lines. The edge face has strip-like sections with each one adjoining a respective one of the edge lines. The strip-like sections interface along a boundary line that extends between the edge lines. The strip-like sections have a first section with a width ranging from 2 ?m to 8 ?m and have a first waviness that is lower than a second waviness of a second strip-like section. The second waviness decreases towards the edge line

A method of manufacturing a glass film includes a forming step of forming a band-shaped glass film by pulling down a glass ribbon flowing down from a forming trough while sandwiching the glass ribbon from both front and back sides through use of roller pairs and a conveyance direction changing step of changing a conveyance direction of the glass film from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction by conveying the glass film along a conveyance path having an arc shape while supporting the glass film from a back surface side with a roller conveyor so that a front surface of the glass film after having passed through the conveyance path faces upward. A first roller to be brought into abutment against the glass film from the front surface side is arranged between a roller pair arranged in a lowermost stage and the roller conveyor.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass film, including: a forming step of forming a band-shaped glass film (1); a conveyance direction changing step of changing a conveyance direction of the band-shaped glass film (1) from a vertically downward direction to a horizontal direction by conveying the band-shaped glass film (1) along a curved conveyance path (R1); and a horizontal conveyance step of conveying the band-shaped glass film (1) in the horizontal direction along a horizontal conveyance path (R2), wherein, when some sections of the band-shaped glass film (1) are to be discarded, the method involves: a separating step of separating a discard glass part (1x) from the band-shaped glass film (1) on the horizontal conveyance path (R2); and a discarding step of discarding the separated discard glass part (1x) by causing the discard glass part (1x) to leave the horizontal conveyance path (R2) downward.