A method for processing glass tube ends is provided. The method includes providing a glass tube blank that has at least two tube end portions; actively cooling at least one tube end portion by a cooling station; and processing the at least one of the tube end portion.

With a method of cutting a tube glass (G1) according to the present invention, the tube glass (G1) is irradiated with laser light (L) having a focal point (F) adjusted to an inside of the tube glass (G1), to thereby form an inner crack region (C1) including one or more cracks in a portion of the tube glass (G1) in a circumferential direction of the tube glass (G1) through multiphoton absorption that occurs in an irradiation region of the laser light (L). Then, in the tube glass (G1), there is generated a stress that urges the one or more cracks in the inner crack region (C1) to propagate in the circumferential direction of the tube glass (G1) to cause the one or more cracks to propagate throughout an entire circumference of the tube glass (G1), to thereby cut the tube glass (G1).

A tapered tip for being attached to a wrapper containing a smokeable substance. The tip is formed by a tube having a conical frustrum shape having two ends forming first and second openings at opposite ends of the tube. The openings are fluidly connected to each other by a chamber disposed between the two ends. The chamber and the two are axially aligned. The tip is formed by rotating a tube while applying heat to a section. The heated section is squeezed and a pivoting rod is inserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is squeezed a second time and the rod is reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is again squeezed and the pivoting rod is again reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied to the end of the tube.

A tapered tip for being attached to a wrapper containing a smokeable substance. The tip is formed by a tube having a conical frustrum shape having two ends forming first and second openings at opposite ends of the tube. The openings are fluidly connected to each other by a chamber disposed between the two ends. The chamber and the two are axially aligned. The tip is formed by rotating a tube while applying heat to a section. The heated section is squeezed and a pivoting rod is inserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is squeezed a second time and the rod is reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied. The heated portion is again squeezed and the pivoting rod is again reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied to the end of the tube.

A method and apparatus for producing glass products from tubular glass precursors is provided. In particular, a method and apparatus for separating tube glass into sized glass tube portions, produced glass tube portions, glass precursor portions, or glass product portions, and their use as pharmaceutical packaging are provided. The tube glass or the glass precursor or the glass product is provided with filaments along predetermined breaking planes. The filaments extend obliquely to the local wall radius and allow for clean separation of the tube glass or the glass precursor or the glass product.

A method and apparatus for producing glass products from tubular glass precursors is provided. In particular, a method and apparatus for separating tube glass into sized glass tube portions, produced glass tube portions, glass precursor portions, or glass product portions, and their use as pharmaceutical packaging are provided. The tube glass or the glass precursor or the glass product is provided with filaments along predetermined breaking planes. The filaments extend obliquely to the local wall radius and allow for clean separation of the tube glass or the glass precursor or the glass product.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

The invention relates to a method and a device for separating the excess glass (32) in the production of hollow glass products (12), wherein the method comprises: centring a hollow glass product (12) in a receiving device (10), which is designed to hold the hollow glass (12) and to rotate about a rotational axis in such a way that a separation line (24) along which the excess glass (32) is to be separated from the hollow glass product (12) to be produced is centred in relation to the rotational axis; processing the hollow glass product (12) in a plurality of positions along the separation line (24) by means of a laser beam in order to generate local filaments with a weakened glass structure during a rotation of the hollow glass product (12) about the rotational axis; and introducing energy along the separation line (24) in order to separate the excess glass (32) along the weakened glass structure.

The invention relates to a method and a device for separating the excess glass (32) in the production of hollow glass products (12), wherein the method comprises: centring a hollow glass product (12) in a receiving device (10), which is designed to hold the hollow glass (12) and to rotate about a rotational axis in such a way that a separation line (24) along which the excess glass (32) is to be separated from the hollow glass product (12) to be produced is centred in relation to the rotational axis; processing the hollow glass product (12) in a plurality of positions along the separation line (24) by means of a laser beam in order to generate local filaments with a weakened glass structure during a rotation of the hollow glass product (12) about the rotational axis; and introducing energy along the separation line (24) in order to separate the excess glass (32) along the weakened glass structure.