A strengthened glass sheet product as well as process and an apparatus for making the product. The process comprises cooling the glass sheet by non-contact thermal conduction for sufficiently long to fix a surface compression and central tension of the sheet. The process results in thermally strengthened glass sheets having improved breakage properties.

A strengthened glass sheet product as well as process and an apparatus for making the product. The process comprises cooling the glass sheet by non-contact thermal conduction for sufficiently long to fix a surface compression and central tension of the sheet. The process results in thermally strengthened glass sheets having improved breakage properties.

A system, process and related sintered article are provided. The process includes supporting a piece of inorganic material with a pressurized gas and sintering the piece of inorganic material while supported by the pressurized gas by heating the piece of inorganic material to a temperature at or above a sintering temperature of the inorganic material such that the inorganic material is at least partially sintered forming the sintered article. The inorganic material is not in contact with a solid support during sintering. The sintered article, such as a ceramic article, is thin, has high surface quality, and/or has large surface areas.

The present invention provides a non-contact vibration suppression device comprising a first ultrasonic vibration unit and a second ultrasonic vibration unit, the device being characterized in that the first ultrasonic vibration unit and the second ultrasonic vibration unit are installed to face each other while being spaced from each other such that an object can be interposed therebetween, the first ultrasonic vibration unit and the second ultrasonic vibration unit generate ultrasonic vibrations, respectively, and apply repulsive forces, which result from the ultrasonic vibrations, to the object such that the object is constrained with no contact between the first ultrasonic vibration unit and the second ultrasonic vibration unit, thereby suppressing vibration of the object. In addition, the present invention provides an object processing method characterized by comprising the steps of: suppressing vibration of the object using the non-contact vibration suppression device; and processing the object, vibration of which has been suppressed.

An apparatus for thermally strengthening a glass sheet includes a first heat sink surface, a second heat sink surface separated from said first heat sink surface by a gap between the heat sink surfaces of distance g, and a liquid feed structure positioned to be able to feed a liquid to the gap, wherein the distance g is sufficiently small relative to a thickness t of a glass sheet to be processed such that when a sheet of thickness t is positioned within the gap of distance g, thermal transfer from a first surface of the sheet facing the first heat sink surface is more than 20%, 30%, 40% or 50% or more by conduction from the first surface of the sheet through the liquid to the first heat sink surface.

An apparatus for thermally strengthening a glass sheet includes a first heat sink surface, a second heat sink surface separated from said first heat sink surface by a gap between the heat sink surfaces of distance g, and a liquid feed structure positioned to be able to feed a liquid to the gap, wherein the distance g is sufficiently small relative to a thickness t of a glass sheet to be processed such that when a sheet of thickness t is positioned within the gap of distance g, thermal transfer from a first surface of the sheet facing the first heat sink surface is more than 20%, 30%, 40% or 50% or more by conduction from the first surface of the sheet through the liquid to the first heat sink surface.

Method and apparatus are provided for the controlled transport of glass sheets (13) or glass ribbons (15) undergoing heating and/or cooling (e.g., thermal tempering) by conduction more than convection. The controlled transport is achieved by applying a gas-based force (17,19,21) to the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15). The gas-based force (17,19,21) can move the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) in a desired direction and/or cause it to acquire a desired orientation. The gas-based force (17,19,21) can also cause the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) to retain a desired position and/or a desired orientation. The gas-based force (17,19,21) can be applied to the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) continuously or intermittently. Systems for transitioning a glass sheet (13) or a glass ribbon (15) between a heating zone (27) and a quench zone (31) are also discussed.

Method and apparatus are provided for the controlled transport of glass sheets (13) or glass ribbons (15) undergoing heating and/or cooling (e.g., thermal tempering) by conduction more than convection. The controlled transport is achieved by applying a gas-based force (17,19,21) to the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15). The gas-based force (17,19,21) can move the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) in a desired direction and/or cause it to acquire a desired orientation. The gas-based force (17,19,21) can also cause the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) to retain a desired position and/or a desired orientation. The gas-based force (17,19,21) can be applied to the glass sheet (13) or glass ribbon (15) continuously or intermittently. Systems for transitioning a glass sheet (13) or a glass ribbon (15) between a heating zone (27) and a quench zone (31) are also discussed.

A strengthened glass or glass ceramic sheet has a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, an interior region between the first and second surfaces, an outer edge surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, and a thickness between the first major surface and the second major surfaces, wherein the sheet comprises a glass or glass ceramic and is thermally strengthened and wherein the first major surface has a roughness of more than 0.1 nm Ra and less than 500 nm Ra over an area of 10 m10 m and wherein PP<0.05.Math.(LL), where LL is the maximum differential optical retardation with a slow axis closer to perpendicular than to parallel to the outer edge of the sheet, measured through the sheet through the first and second major surfaces of the sheet at a measurement location on the first surface of the sheet, as the measurement location moves inward from a point at the outer edge of the sheet, to a point three times the thickness from the outer edge, and where PP is the maximum differential optical retardation with a slow axis closer to parallel than to perpendicular to the outer edge of the sheet, measured through the sheet through the first and second major surfaces of the sheet, at the measurement location as the measurement location moves inward from the point at the outer edge of the sheet, to a point three times the thickness from the outer edge.

A strengthened glass or glass ceramic sheet has a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, an interior region between the first and second surfaces, an outer edge surface extending between the first and second major surfaces, and a thickness between the first major surface and the second major surfaces, wherein the sheet comprises a glass or glass ceramic and is thermally strengthened and wherein the first major surface has a roughness of more than 0.1 nm Ra and less than 500 nm Ra over an area of 10 m10 m and wherein PP<0.05.Math.(LL), where LL is the maximum differential optical retardation with a slow axis closer to perpendicular than to parallel to the outer edge of the sheet, measured through the sheet through the first and second major surfaces of the sheet at a measurement location on the first surface of the sheet, as the measurement location moves inward from a point at the outer edge of the sheet, to a point three times the thickness from the outer edge, and where PP is the maximum differential optical retardation with a slow axis closer to parallel than to perpendicular to the outer edge of the sheet, measured through the sheet through the first and second major surfaces of the sheet, at the measurement location as the measurement location moves inward from the point at the outer edge of the sheet, to a point three times the thickness from the outer edge.