Apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets are described. The methods and apparatus described include positioning an auxiliary heater between a furnace and an entrance to glass bending station and/or positioning a downstream auxiliary heater between a glass bending station and a quench station. Also described are apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets by compensating for heat loss and maintaining the glass viscosity within a workable range for the bending or forming operation. Auxiliary heating elements can be placed in locations that would otherwise provide for excessive heat loss.

Provided is a bending device of a simple configuration with which it is possible to perform bending processing while suppressing damage to the material being bent. The bending device 1 is equipped with a base portion 11 having an arcuate cross-section and having a moving surface 11a on which a material to be bent P is moved along the circumferential direction, and a plurality of bend correction plates 12 arranged to face the moving surface 11a with a predetermined distance therebetween and lined up side by side along the moving direction D of the material to be bent P.

A conveyance device for glass sheets advancing them one after the other, includes at least one roller including a glass sheet conveyance area, the device including actuators located on either side of the conveyance area capable of bending the roller within its elastic deformation domain while leaving it able to be driven in rotation around fixed centers of its sections, wherein the roller includes a shaft and a plurality of bending rings into which the shaft is inserted.

A conveyance device for glass sheets advancing them one after the other, includes at least one roller including a glass sheet conveyance area, the device including actuators located on either side of the conveyance area capable of bending the roller within its elastic deformation domain while leaving it able to be driven in rotation around fixed centers of its sections, wherein the roller includes a shaft and a plurality of bending rings into which the shaft is inserted.

The principles and embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to complexly curved glass articles and methods of cold forming complexly curved glass articles, such as complexly curved glass articles having a first bend region with a set of first bend line segments, and a second bend region with a set of second bend line segments, wherein the first bend line segments and the second bend line segments are independent, are not parallel, and do not intersect.

The principles and embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to complexly curved glass articles and methods of cold forming complexly curved glass articles, such as complexly curved glass articles having a first bend region with a set of first bend line segments, and a second bend region with a set of second bend line segments, wherein the first bend line segments and the second bend line segments are independent, are not parallel, and do not intersect.

A glass substrate molding method includes: preparing a rotatable or wheelable molding die having a die surface and contacting the die surface with one of a pair of principal surfaces of a glass substrate made of a glass material containing an alkali metal oxide, the die having conductivity; keeping the one of principal surfaces contacted with the die surface at a temperature over 100 C. and equal to or lower than Tg+50 C.; applying direct-current voltage to the substrate to be higher voltage on the contacted one of principal surfaces than voltage on an opposite surface of the contacted one of principal surfaces; and rotating or wheeling the die and simultaneously moving the die or the substrate in a direction parallel to the contacted one of principal surfaces in conformity with rotation or wheeling speed of the die, to mold the contacted one of principal surfaces of the substrate.

A glass substrate molding method includes: preparing a rotatable or wheelable molding die having a die surface and contacting the die surface with one of a pair of principal surfaces of a glass substrate made of a glass material containing an alkali metal oxide, the die having conductivity; keeping the one of principal surfaces contacted with the die surface at a temperature over 100 C. and equal to or lower than Tg+50 C.; applying direct-current voltage to the substrate to be higher voltage on the contacted one of principal surfaces than voltage on an opposite surface of the contacted one of principal surfaces; and rotating or wheeling the die and simultaneously moving the die or the substrate in a direction parallel to the contacted one of principal surfaces in conformity with rotation or wheeling speed of the die, to mold the contacted one of principal surfaces of the substrate.

Apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets are described. The methods and apparatus described include positioning an auxiliary heater between a furnace and an entrance to glass bending station and/or positioning a downstream auxiliary heater between a glass bending station and a quench station. Also described are apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets by compensating for heat loss and maintaining the glass viscosity within a workable range for the bending or forming operation. Auxiliary heating elements can be placed in locations that would otherwise provide for excessive heat loss.

Apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets are described. The methods and apparatus described include positioning an auxiliary heater between a furnace and an entrance to glass bending station and/or positioning a downstream auxiliary heater between a glass bending station and a quench station. Also described are apparatus and methods for bending thin glass sheets by compensating for heat loss and maintaining the glass viscosity within a workable range for the bending or forming operation. Auxiliary heating elements can be placed in locations that would otherwise provide for excessive heat loss.