A press station (12) and system (10) for forming glass sheets that are initially formed with an upwardly concave curved shape with end portions (86) and an intermediate portion (88) having straight line elements that are subsequently formed with curved shapes to provide curvature along transverse directions. The forming is performed by initially providing curvature to the straight line elements of the glass sheet end portions (86) while the intermediate portion (88) still has the straight line elements. The glass sheet intermediate portion is subsequently formed to provide curvature to its straight line elements so the entire glass sheet has curvature in transverse directions.

A device for bending sheets of glass, includes conveying rollers that convey the sheets one after another in a longitudinal direction, carrying them under an upper bending die and onto a receiving surface formed by the upper level of the rollers under the die. The device includes an intermediate support including a contact path for supporting the sheet of glass to be pressed lying under the die. The contact path has, parallel to the edge of the sheet to be pressed, a curvature that is less accentuated than the curvature that is to be imparted by the upper die. The intermediate support can rise above the receiving surface and support the sheet to be pressed until the sheet breaks contact with the rollers. The intermediate support can be lowered down below the receiving surface. A sheet-pressing system can press the periphery of the sheet against the upper bending die.

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.

The present disclosure relates to a rotary transition section and a tempering and forming apparatus for forming bent glass. The rotary transition section includes a main rack and an auxiliary rack. A plurality of flexible shaft rollers for forming glass are arranged at intervals on the auxiliary rack along the glass conveying direction. An end of the auxiliary rack that is closer to a heating furnace is rotatably connected to the main rack. An end of the auxiliary rack that is away from the heating furnace is connected to a traction mechanism arranged on the main rack. In the tempering and forming apparatus employing the rotary transition section, a forming and tempering section has a lifting function to achieve abutment against a roller surface after the rotation of the transition section, which in turn solves the technical problem that the edge of the glass is difficult to form.

The computer-implemented method for glass bending includes obtaining a deviation of a real shape of a glass from a desired shape of the glass, the glass is produced by a glass bending process; determining a variation of at least one parameter associated with the glass bending process, at least in part based on the deviation of the real shape from the desired shape; and adjusting the at least one parameter based on the variation for compensation of the deviation.