Apparatus and methods for processing a glass sheet can include a coating chamber including a dispensing port to dispense a coating on a major surface of the glass sheet. In some embodiments, an apparatus can include a fog chamber including an enclosure, a fog generator to provide fog to the enclosure, and a passage in the enclosure from which fog can exit the enclosure to contact a major surface of the glass sheet. In some embodiments a method can include providing a glass sheet to a coating chamber, and dispensing a coating on a major surface of the glass sheet. In some embodiments, a method can include providing a glass sheet to a fog chamber, providing fog to an enclosure of the fog chamber, and contacting a major surface of the glass sheet with the fog by passing the fog from the enclosure through a passage in the enclosure.

A method for separating a glass sheet from a glass ribbon is provided in which the glass ribbon has a bead region and a quality region. The method includes scoring a score line across a surface of the quality region and applying an energy source, such as a burner or laser, to at least one surface of the bead region so as to generate a thermal gradient between the surface and the center of the bead region in the thickness direction.

Method and apparatus for processing a glass sheet having opposing, first and second major surfaces. The glass sheet is delivered to a pre-positioning station. The pre-positioning station is operated to spray a liquid onto the first major surface to stabilize the glass sheet. The stabilized glass sheet is delivered to a washing station. The washing station is operated to wash the glass sheet. The washed glass sheet is delivered to a drying station. The drying station is operated to dry the glass sheet. With some methods of the present disclosure, by stabilizing the glass sheet at the pre-positioning station immediately prior to the washing station, the likelihood of physical contact between the glass sheet and components of the washing station are minimized.

Apparatus and methods for processing a glass sheet are disclosed. A first plurality of fluid outlets are directed at a first major surface of a glass sheet and a second plurality of fluid nozzles are directed at a second major surface of the glass sheet. The first plurality of fluid nozzles and second plurality of fluid nozzles are spaced apart at an adjustable gap, and the gap can be increased or decreased during processing the glass sheet. The apparatus and methods can be used to reduce bow in a glass sheet.

Apparatuses and methods for heating moving continuous glass ribbons at desired lines of separation and/or for separating glass sheets from continuous glass ribbons are disclosed. An apparatus includes a translatable support portion and a heating apparatus coupled to the support portion. The heating apparatus is configured to contact the continuous glass ribbon across at least a portion of a width of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the support portion moves in a draw direction, thereby preferentially applying heat to a first side of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the continuous glass ribbon moves in the draw direction.

Glass separation systems for separating glass substrates from a continuous glass ribbon are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may include an A-surface nosing bar positioned on a first side of a glass conveyance pathway. A long axis of the A-surface nosing bar may be substantially orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the glass conveyance pathway. The glass separation system may further comprise a B-surface nosing bar positioned on a second side of the glass conveyance pathway and opposite the A-surface nosing bar. A long axis of the B-surface nosing bar may be substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the glass conveyance pathway. The A-surface nosing bar and the B-surface nosing bar may be pivotable about axes of rotation parallel to the conveyance direction of the glass conveyance pathway.

A method for processing glass elements is provided. The method includes introducing a perforation line for parting a glass element introduced into the glass element during or after a hot processing process at an elevated temperature of at least 100 C. Spaced-apart filamentary flaws are introduced into the glass element along the predetermined course of the perforation line by a pulsed laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser, and, during or after the introduction of the filamentary flaws, the glass element is cooled down so as to produce a temperature gradient, which induces a mechanical stress at the filamentary flaws, whereby the breaking force required for parting the glass element along the perforation line is reduced.

A full body of a glass sheet (G) is cut by forming an initial crack (6a) on a preset cutting line (5) of the glass sheet (G) that is supported by a support member (2 (8)) from a back surface side of the glass sheet (G), followed by propagating the initial crack (6a) while passing through the glass sheet from a front surface to the back surface thereof due to a stress generated through localized heating along the preset cutting line (5) and cooling of a heated region that is formed through the localized heating, the glass sheet (G) being supported by the support member (2 (8)) from the back surface side through an intermediation of an elastic sheet (E) having low thermal conductivity.

Bead removal apparatus and methods of separating beads from glass sheets with glass engaging units are disclosed. The bead removal apparatus includes a forming body from which a continuous glass ribbon is drawn in a draw direction and a bead removal station adjacent to and laterally offset from the forming body. The bead removal station includes a heating element configured to heat a desired line of bead separation of a glass sheet to a temperature within a range of about 400 C. to about 600 C., and a crack initiation device configured to initiate a crack in the glass sheet at the desired line of bead separation. The bead removal apparatus further includes a glass engaging unit configured to move the glass sheet from the continuous glass ribbon to the bead removal station.

Apparatuses and methods for heating moving continuous glass ribbons at desired lines of separation and/or for separating glass sheets from continuous glass ribbons are disclosed. An apparatus includes a translatable support portion and a heating apparatus coupled to the support portion. The heating apparatus is configured to contact the continuous glass ribbon across at least a portion of a width of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the support portion moves in a draw direction, thereby preferentially applying heat to a first side of the continuous glass ribbon at the desired line of separation as the continuous glass ribbon moves in the draw direction.