An apparatus for immobilizing a pane having a circumferential side edge within a positional tolerance on a carrier mold, wherein the apparatus includes a stopper, which is movable between a first position and a second position, which has a free end and an end opposite the free end that is connected to a device for moving the stopper between the first position and the second position. In the second position, the free end of the stopper is directed toward the side edge of the pane to be immobilized and the distance between the free end of the stopper and the side edge corresponds at most to the positional tolerance. In the first position, the free end of the stopper is offset back and/or upward in the plane of the pane compared to the second position.

A device for supporting a sheet of glass, in a contact band between the edge and up to 200 mm from the edge of the glass, includes first and second supports that each include a chassis and a support system for supporting the glass connected to the chassis, the support system of each support including a surface for supporting the glass including a fibrous material able to contact the glass in the contact band at a temperature between 400 and 600° C., the two supports being movable in a transfer vertical relative movement enabling the support surface of one to pass over or under the support surface of the other in order to transfer the glass from one support to the other, the support system of the first support including a passage to allow to pass an arm connected to the second support during the transfer vertical relative movement.

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 vacuum mold shuttle system in a glass sheet forming system includes a vacuum mold mounted on a support frame. A shuttle frame including a pair of generally parallel elongate beams for receiving and supporting the mold support frame thereon. A vacuum source is mounted on the shuttle frame near the end of the beams opposite to the end supporting the mold, a conduit and coupling port for releasably connecting the mold to the vacuum source. At least one guide element is mounted on the support surface of one of the beams for receiving and fixing the position of the mold support frame relative to the shuttle frame to align and prevent movement of the mold support frame with respect to the shuttle frame in any direction as the mold support frame is supported thereon.

The present disclosure relates to a thermoforming method, a thermoforming mold, and a thermoforming device. The method comprises: providing a glass sheet to be processed at a softening point temperature and above; providing a thermoforming mold which comprises a male mold, a female mold arranged above the male mold and matched therewith, and a limiting block for limiting the female mold from deviate from the male mold, wherein the female mold comprises a central body module and a female mold frame surrounding the central body module and matched therewith; a first pressurizing process, wherein the central body module and the male mold are matched to press a central plane portion of the glass sheet; and a second pressurizing process, wherein the female mold frame and the male mold are matched to press a peripheral portion of the glass sheet so that the peripheral portion is bent and molded relative to the central plane portion; wherein the central plane portion is always pressed by the central body module in the second pressurizing process. The method improves the quality of a molded glass product and enhances the manufacturing yield of the glass product.

A method for bending panes, includes providing a pane heated to bending temperature, securing the pane against a contact surface of the first bending mould, positioning a press frame for the pane in a first press frame position associated with the first bending mould, transporting the pane on the press frame to a second press frame position associated with the second bending mould, securing the pane against a contact surface of the second bending mould, wherein the press frame is attached to a carrier introduced into the bending zone by a delivery module, and wherein the press frame is moved laterally relative to the first and second bending mould by moving the carrier between the first press frame position and the second press frame position.

A support structure for supporting a heated glass sheet in connection with a bending operation includes a frame, a support ring adjustably supported on the frame for supporting a peripheral portion of the glass sheet, and multiple rib assemblies associated with the frame. Each rib assembly includes a laterally extending rib supported on the frame and multiple spaced apart support members connected to the rib and configured such that at least a portion of each support member is adjustable with respect to the rib. Furthermore, each support member is configured to contact a respective inner portion of the glass sheet to support the respective inner portion of the glass sheet until the glass sheet has been sufficiently cooled.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for coating a surface of a porous substrate, and according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for coating a surface of a porous substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, which comprises: a first supply part for supplying a source gas to the first surface of the porous substrate; a first pumping part for generating a air flow inside the porous substrate in the direction from the first surface of the porous substrate toward the second surface; a second supply part for supplying the source gas to the second surface of the porous substrate; a second pumping part for generating an air flow inside the porous substrate in the direction from the second surface of the porous substrate toward the first surface; and a substrate carrier for transporting the substrate.

A device for heating objects and a method that has recourse to the device, particularly for heating and/or bending one or more glass panes positioned one on top of the other, covering each other. The device includes a furnace line, plural supports, particularly transport molds that transport and/or bend the objects, the objects being placed on the supports positioned on transport carriages, a drive device that progresses the transport carriages through the furnace line and plural heating elements provided above the objects in the furnace line. In the device the heating elements are positioned on the whole above the entire furnace line and the heating elements can be operated and regulated so as to form heating zones suited to dimensions of the objects.

An apparatus for locating a preform on a mold includes a preform handling tool and a force sensor coupled to the preform handling tool such that the force sensor is capable of sensing forces applied to the preform during handling of the preform by the preform handling tool. The apparatus includes a control device that is arranged and operable to move the preform handling tool relative to the mold. A method of locating the preform on the mold includes picking up the preform using the preform handling tool and placing the preform in a vicinity of the mold. Positions on the mold are mapped with an edge of the preform with the aid of the force sensor. The preform is paced on the mold according to the mapped positions.