Methods for producing a glass sheet are provided. The methods can include forming a glass ribbon from molten glass, applying a polymer precursor to at least a portion of a first or second major surface of the glass ribbon, curing the polymer precursor to form a polymer coating, and separating the glass ribbon to produce at least one glass sheet. Glass ribbons and glass sheets produced by these methods are also disclosed.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass sheet, which comprises a conveying step of conveying a glass sheet (G3) by holding an upper part of the glass sheet (G3) in a vertical posture. The conveying step comprises a first conveying step of conveying the glass sheet (G3) in a first direction along a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the glass sheet (G3), and a second conveying step of conveying the glass sheet (G3) in a second direction along a direction parallel to the main surface after the first conveying step. When a conveying direction of the glass sheet is changed from the first direction to the second direction, a lower part of the main surface (G3y) is supported by a roller (41) of a support portion (4) from a forward side in the conveying direction of the glass sheet (G3) conveyed in the first direction.

The present invention relates to a laser cutting technology for cutting and separating thin substrates of transparent materials, for example to cutting of display glass compositions mainly used for production of Thin Film Transistors (TFT) devices. The described laser process can be used to make straight cuts, for example at a speed of >1 m/sec, to cut sharp radii outer corners (<1 mm), and to create arbitrary curved shapes including forming interior holes and slots. A method of laser processing an alkaline earth boro-aluminosilicate glass composite workpiece includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a focal line. The focal line is directed into the glass composite workpiece, generating induced absorption within the material. The workpiece and the laser beam are translated relative to each other to form a plurality of defect lines along a contour, with adjacent defect lines have a spacing of 0.1-20 microns.

Methods of producing a glass sheet each comprise the step of creating a vacuum to force the entire lateral portion of the glass ribbon to engage an anvil portion of a breaking device in the elastic zone. The vacuum is provided by a plurality of pressure zones that are operated independent from one another, wherein each pressure zone is provided with a set of suction cups. In further examples, glass ribbon breaking devices each include a plurality of pressure zones that are configured to be operated independent from one another with each pressure zone being provided with set of suction cups.

A glass manufacturing system including a scoring assembly. The scoring assembly including a scoring device disposed along a first surface of a glass ribbon and a backing device disposed along a second surface of the glass ribbon directly opposite the scoring device. The scoring assembly is configured to delineate a peripheral region from a central region of the glass ribbon by forming a vertical score line along the first surface as the glass ribbon moves downward in a y-axial direction between the scoring device and the backing device.

Apparatus for manufacturing glass including a forming body configured to form a glass ribbon and a glass scoring apparatus positioned below the forming body. The glass scoring apparatus includes a frame, a cross-member assembly and a movable scoring unit coupled thereto. At least four drive assemblies are mounted on the frame, each drive assembly including a threaded shaft, a drive motor coupled to the threaded shaft and configured to rotate the threaded shaft, and a ball nut assembly engaged with threads of the threaded shaft and coupled to the cross-member assembly such that rotation of the threaded shafts by the drive motors causes the cross-member assembly to vertically rise or lower. Multiple scoring devices are provided to enable bidirectional scoring of the glass ribbon.

A glass manufacturing apparatus can include a first elongated member, a second elongated member, and an elongated anvil member aligned with a space disposed between the first elongated member and the second elongated member. Methods can include rotating the first elongated member and the second elongated member while the elongated anvil member contacts a first major surface of the glass ribbon. In another embodiment, a glass manufacturing apparatus can include a first and second row of suction cups, and an elongated anvil member. The elongated anvil member can be engaged with a first major surface of the glass ribbon between the first and second row of suction cups that are attached to the first major surface of the glass ribbon. The glass manufacturing apparatus is configured to produce a score line on the second major surface of the glass ribbon along the elongated anvil member.

The present invention relates to a laser cutting technology for cutting and separating thin substrates of transparent materials, for example to cutting of display glass compositions mainly used for production of Thin Film Transistors (TFT) devices. The described laser process can be used to make straight cuts, for example at a speed of >0.25 m/sec, to cut sharp radii outer corners (<1 mm), and to create arbitrary curved shapes including forming interior holes and slots. A method of laser processing an alkaline earth boro-aluminosilicate glass composite workpiece includes focusing a pulsed laser beam into a focal line. The pulsed laser produces pulse bursts with 5-20 pulses per pulse burst and pulse burst energy of 300-600 micro Joules per burst. The focal line is directed into the glass composite workpiece, generating induced absorption within the material. The workpiece and the laser beam are translated relative to each other to form a plurality of defect lines along a contour, with adjacent defect lines have a spacing of 5-15 microns.

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.

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.