A glass sheet processing apparatus includes a first gantry assembly that extends across a glass sheet in a cross-machine direction. The first gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the first gantry assembly and includes a laser comprising an optical arrangement positioned in a beam path of the laser providing a laser beam focal line that is formed on a beam output side of the optical arrangement. A second gantry assembly extends across the glass sheet in the cross-machine direction. The second gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the second gantry assembly.

A glass sheet processing apparatus includes a first gantry assembly that extends across a glass sheet in a cross-machine direction. The first gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the first gantry assembly and includes a laser comprising an optical arrangement positioned in a beam path of the laser providing a laser beam focal line that is formed on a beam output side of the optical arrangement. A second gantry assembly extends across the glass sheet in the cross-machine direction. The second gantry assembly includes a processing head that moves along a length of the second gantry assembly.

The present invention relates to a cutting method and a cutting device for the superficial scoring of, preferably plate-shaped, components made of glass or ceramics, preferably of glass sheets, and to a method for dividing of, preferably plate-shaped, components made of glass or ceramics, preferably of glass sheets, for example of float glass sheets or laminated glass sheets, in particular laminated safety glass sheets, into individual component cuttings, preferably glass sheet cuttings.

The present invention relates to a cutting method and a cutting device for the superficial scoring of, preferably plate-shaped, components made of glass or ceramics, preferably of glass sheets, and to a method for dividing of, preferably plate-shaped, components made of glass or ceramics, preferably of glass sheets, for example of float glass sheets or laminated glass sheets, in particular laminated safety glass sheets, into individual component cuttings, preferably glass sheet cuttings.

A bundle includes five or more cut elongated glass elements. Each cut elongated glass element includes a first end, a cylindrical portion, and a second end. At least one of the following equations is fulfilled: i) (I.sub.center(max)−I.sub.center(min))/I.sub.center(mean)≤4.0×10.sup.−2 [μm/μm]; or ii) (I.sub.continuous(max)−I.sub.continuous(min))/I.sub.center(mean)≤4.0×10.sup.−2 [μm/μm]. I.sub.center(max) is a maximum center inner diameter of the cylindrical portions of all cut elongated glass elements; I.sub.center(min) is a minimum center inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of all cut elongated glass elements; I.sub.center(mean) is a mean of inner diameters at a center of the cylindrical portions of all cut elongated glass elements; I.sub.continuous(max) is a maximum continuous inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of any single cut elongated glass element; and I.sub.continuous(min) is a minimum continuous inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of the single cut elongated glass element.

After a glass sheet (G) having a scribe line (S) formed thereon is placed on a placement table (10) and positioned so that the scribe line (S) is positioned in a bending stress applying portion (15) of the placement table (10), when the glass sheet (G) is split along the scribe line (S) by applying a bending stress to a formation region of the scribe line (S) by the bending stress applying portion (15), the glass sheet (G) is positioned by laying a resin sheet (9) under the glass sheet (G) on the placement table (10) and aligning one side (G1) of the glass sheet (G) extending in a direction along the scribe line (S) with marks (Ma to Nd) projected onto a protruding portion (9a) of the resin sheet (9) by laser markers (16a to 16d).

A method of separating an edge portion from a glass substrate includes applying a scoring tool of a scoring apparatus to a glass substrate to cause the scoring tool to score the glass substrate along a score line as the glass substrate moves relative to the scoring apparatus and applying a breaker bar of a breaker apparatus to the glass substrate as the glass substrate moves relative to the breaker bar to separate an edge portion from the glass substrate along the score line.

A method of separating an edge portion from a glass substrate includes applying a scoring tool of a scoring apparatus to a glass substrate to cause the scoring tool to score the glass substrate along a score line as the glass substrate moves relative to the scoring apparatus and applying a breaker bar of a breaker apparatus to the glass substrate as the glass substrate moves relative to the breaker bar to separate an edge portion from the glass substrate along the score line.

A method of manufacturing a glass sheet includes: an initial crack forming step of forming an initial crack on a mother glass sheet (MG); and a cleaving step of causing a crack (CR) to propagate in a direction along a preset cleaving line (CL) and in a thickness direction of the mother glass sheet (MG), the crack starting from the initial crack, through use of a thermal stress generated by heating of an irradiation region (SP) of laser light (L) and cooling of a cooling region (CP). The cleaving step includes heating a surface layer (SL) and an inner portion (IL) of the mother glass sheet (MG) with the laser light (L) in the irradiation region (SP) and setting a difference ΔT between a highest temperature in the irradiation region (SP) and a lowest temperature in the cooling region to 575° C. or more.

A method of manufacturing a glass sheet includes: an initial crack forming step of forming an initial crack on a mother glass sheet (MG); and a cleaving step of causing a crack (CR) to propagate in a direction along a preset cleaving line (CL) and in a thickness direction of the mother glass sheet (MG), the crack starting from the initial crack, through use of a thermal stress generated by heating of an irradiation region (SP) of laser light (L) and cooling of a cooling region (CP). The cleaving step includes heating a surface layer (SL) and an inner portion (IL) of the mother glass sheet (MG) with the laser light (L) in the irradiation region (SP) and setting a difference ΔT between a highest temperature in the irradiation region (SP) and a lowest temperature in the cooling region to 575° C. or more.