A glass sheet processing apparatus includes a first gantry assembly that extends across a glass sheet in a cross-machine direction. The first gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the first gantry assembly and includes a laser comprising an optical arrangement positioned in a beam path of the laser providing a laser beam focal line that is formed on a beam output side of the optical arrangement. A second gantry assembly extends across the glass sheet in the cross-machine direction. The second gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the second gantry assembly.

Process for removing peripheral portions such as bead regions of a glass sheet including a step of pushing the glass sheet in the peripheral portion using a pushing mechanism such as a pushing bar, and corresponding apparatus. As a result of the use of the pushing mechanism, the engagement completion time for suction cups, if used, are reduced significantly. A process without using suction cups is enabled with enhanced yield. The increased process stability and enlarged process window are particularly advantageous for processing glass sheets having high flexibility.

A method of cutting a glass article includes translating a laser beam relative to a first surface of the glass article. The laser beam includes a beam waist having a center. The center of the beam waist of the laser beam is positioned at or below a second surface of the glass article. The laser beam creates a plurality of defects along a score line in the glass article such that the plurality of defects extends a distance into the glass article, and at least some individual defects of the plurality of defects are non-orthogonal to the first surface of the glass article and are biased in a direction of translation of the laser beam. Glass articles having edge defects are also disclosed.

A method for separating and transporting a glass sheet from a glass ribbon includes drawing the glass ribbon along a draw path in a conveyance direction, scoring the glass ribbon with a scoring device, to produce a score line across at least a portion of a width of the glass ribbon, engaging a first edge of the glass ribbon at a first position downstream of the score line in the conveyance direction with a first robotic handling device, engaging a second edge of the glass ribbon at a second position downstream of the score line in the conveyance direction with a second robotic handling device, and synchronously moving the first robotic handling device and the second robotic handling device to bend the glass ribbon about the score line and separate the glass sheet from the glass ribbon.

In a laser irradiation apparatus 1 according to one embodiment, each of first and second flotation units 30a, 30b includes a base 31, and a porous plate 32 bonded to an upper surface of the base 31 by an adhesive layer 34, the base 31 includes a rising portion 312 protruding upward at an outer periphery facing at least the gap, and the porous plate 32 includes a cutout portion 321 configured to fit to the rising portion 312, and the adhesive layer 34 is formed along an inner wall of the rising portion 312 having fitted to the cutout portion 321.

After a glass sheet (G) having a scribe line (S) formed thereon is placed on a placement table (10) and positioned so that the scribe line (S) is positioned in a bending stress applying portion (15) of the placement table (10), when the glass sheet (G) is split along the scribe line (S) by applying a bending stress to a formation region of the scribe line (S) by the bending stress applying portion (15), the glass sheet (G) is positioned by laying a resin sheet (9) under the glass sheet (G) on the placement table (10) and aligning one side (G1) of the glass sheet (G) extending in a direction along the scribe line (S) with marks (Ma to Nd) projected onto a protruding portion (9a) of the resin sheet (9) by laser markers (16a to 16d).

A laser beam machining method and a laser beam machining device capable of cutting a work without producing a fusing and a cracking out of a predetermined cutting line on the surface of the work, wherein at pulse laser beam is radiated on the predetermined cut line on the surface of the work under the conditions causing a multiple photon absorption and with a condensed point aligned to the inside of the work, and a modified area is formed inside the work along the predetermined determined cut line by moving the condensed point along the predetermined cut line, whereby the work can be cut with a rather small force by cracking the work along the predetermined cut line starting from the modified area and, because the pulse laser beam radiated is not almost absorbed onto the surface of the work, the surface is not fused even if the modified area is formed.

A plate member reversing system adapted for sequentially reversing and transferring a plurality of plate members, includes a second delta robot, a reversing device and a second transfer device. The second delta robot is configured such that it sequentially holds the plate members and transfers and places them onto the reversing device. The reversing device, onto which the plate member is transferred and placed in a horizontal position by the second delta robot, is configured such that, while the transferred and placed plate member is being held by application of suction with its upper surface in an open state, it reverses the upper and the lower surfaces of the plate member. In addition, the second transfer device receives the reversed plate member from the reversing device and transfers it in a reversed state and in a horizontal position.

A cut-out glass plate positioning apparatus includes: a cut line forming device 4 provided in a cut line forming position 4a; a bend-breaking and separating device 6 for cutting out unworked plate glasses 5 from an unworked plate glass 2 along the cut lines 3; a pair of position and angle correcting devices 8 for effecting correction of the position and angle with respect to the unworked plate glass 5; a pair of sucking and transporting devices 9 for suckingly lifting and transporting the unworked plate glass 5 to each position and angle correcting device 8; and two CCD cameras 10 respectively installed above the position and angle correcting devices 8.

A glass-plate working apparatus 1 includes: two grinding worktables 17A and 17B which undergo NC controlled movement or angularly controlled rotation independently of each other and a grinding head 18 which undergoes NC controlled movement in correspondence with the grinding worktables 17A and 17B, wherein the grinding worktables 17A and 17B are adapted to alternately move in a planar coordinate system in cooperation with the grinding head 18 and alternately repeat operation in which while one of the grinding worktables 17A and 17B, while holding a glass plate 2, is effecting the grinding of the glass plate 2 by the grinding head 18, the other one of the grinding worktables 17A and 17B effects an operation of discharging the glass plate 2 and receiving a next glass plate 2, to thereby allow the grinding head 18 to proceed with grinding on a continual basis.