A curved glass manufacturing method includes: successively stacking a lower mold, flat glass, and an upper mold, thereby forming a mold assembly; moving the mold assembly to a first chamber and then heating the same; moving the mold assembly from the first chamber to a second chamber and then pressurizing the upper mold so as to move the upper mold downward, thereby molding the flat glass in a curved shape; moving the mold assembly from the second chamber to a third chamber and then slowly cooling the molded glass; and moving the mold assembly from the third chamber to a fourth chamber and then cooling the molded glass. An elastic member is arranged between the lower mold and the upper mold and configured to define a space between the upper mold and the flat glass, and the elastic member is compressed when the upper mold is pressurized.

A foldable glass substrate includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface. The side surface includes a first side surface extending at a first angle from the top surface, a second side surface extending at a second angle from the bottom surface, and a third side surface extending from each of the first side surface and the second side surface. A length of the third side surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface is equal to or greater than about 0.3 times and equal to or less than about 0.7 times of a minimum distance between the top surface and the bottom surface. The minimum distance is equal to or greater than about 15 micrometers (μm) and equal to or less than about 100 μm.

A foldable glass substrate includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface. The side surface includes a first side surface extending at a first angle from the top surface, a second side surface extending at a second angle from the bottom surface, and a third side surface extending from each of the first side surface and the second side surface. A length of the third side surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface is equal to or greater than about 0.3 times and equal to or less than about 0.7 times of a minimum distance between the top surface and the bottom surface. The minimum distance is equal to or greater than about 15 micrometers (μm) and equal to or less than about 100 μm.

A device for picking up, shaping, and placing a thin glass pane, includes a frame with an upper side and a lower side, which is suitable to be directed at a glass pane with a thickness of less than 1 mm, and which is provided with a plurality of picking up pins that are arranged substantially parallel to one another and whose end directed at the glass pane is equipped with a suction cup, wherein the picking up pins are movable along their direction of extension independent of one another in order to adapt the arrangement of the suction cups to an intended shape of the glass pane.

A device for picking up, shaping, and placing a thin glass pane, includes a frame with an upper side and a lower side, which is suitable to be directed at a glass pane with a thickness of less than 1 mm, and which is provided with a plurality of picking up pins that are arranged substantially parallel to one another and whose end directed at the glass pane is equipped with a suction cup, wherein the picking up pins are movable along their direction of extension independent of one another in order to adapt the arrangement of the suction cups to an intended shape of the glass pane.

Described are molds that include a ceramic material at a surface, as well as methods of forming the molds, and methods of using the molds; the ceramic material is constituted substantially, mostly, or entirely of three elemental components designated M, A, and X; the “M” component is at least one transition metal; the “A” component is one or a combination of Si, Al, Ge, Pb, Sn, Ga, P, S, In, As, Tl, and Cd; and the “X” component is carbon, nitrogen, or a combination thereof.

A process comprises cold-forming a flat glass substrate into a non-planar shape using a die. The cold-formed glass substrate is bonded to a non-planar rigid support structure at a plurality of non-planar points using the die. Bonding methods include injection molding the non-planar rigid support structure, and direct bonding. An article is also provided, comprising a cold-formed glass substrate having opposing major surfaces and a curved shape, the opposing major surfaces comprising a surface stress that differ from one another. The cold-formed glass substrate is attached to a rigid support structure having the curved shape. The cold-formed glass substrate includes an open region not in direct contact with the non-planar rigid support structure, and the open region has a curved shape maintained by the non-planar rigid support structure.

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.

Embodiments of an article comprising a cold-formed glass substrate in a curved shape, a plurality of separate mechanical retainers, and a frame are disclosed. The cold-formed glass substrate has a first major surface, and a second major surface opposing the first major surface. In one more embodiments, the plurality of separate mechanical retainers are attached to the second major surface of the cold-formed glass substrate. The mechanical retainers may be attached to the frame to define a position for each of the plurality of mechanical retainers, such that the mechanical retainers define the curved shape. Embodiments of processes to form such articles are also provided. Such processes can include attaching a plurality of separate mechanical retainers to a flexible glass substrate such that the glass substrate maintains its flexibility, and attaching the mechanical retainers to a frame, such that the mechanical retainers attached to the frame define a cold-formed curved shape for the flexible glass substrate.

Embodiments of an article comprising a cold-formed glass substrate in a curved shape, a plurality of separate mechanical retainers, and a frame are disclosed. The cold-formed glass substrate has a first major surface, and a second major surface opposing the first major surface. In one more embodiments, the plurality of separate mechanical retainers are attached to the second major surface of the cold-formed glass substrate. The mechanical retainers may be attached to the frame to define a position for each of the plurality of mechanical retainers, such that the mechanical retainers define the curved shape. Embodiments of processes to form such articles are also provided. Such processes can include attaching a plurality of separate mechanical retainers to a flexible glass substrate such that the glass substrate maintains its flexibility, and attaching the mechanical retainers to a frame, such that the mechanical retainers attached to the frame define a cold-formed curved shape for the flexible glass substrate.