METHOD AND DEVICE FOR BENDING PANES

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method for bending panes in a bending zone having a first bending mould and a second bending mould, comprising: 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.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the delivery module is movable and is delivered to the bending zone.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one tool connectable to the first bending mould and/or to the second bending mould is transported on the carrier between the delivery module and the bending zone.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one tool is heated in the delivery module.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is downwardly supported in the first press frame position and/or the second press frame position.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pane is secured against the contact surface of the first bending mould and against the contact surface of the second bending mould by blowing on the pane with a gaseous fluid, as a result of which the pane is raised and is pressed against the contact surface of the bending mould, and/or sucking the pane against the contact surface.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, while the pane is secured against the contact surface of the second bending mould, a tempering frame for supporting the pane is transported to a first tempering frame position associated with the second bending mould, the pane is placed on the tempering frame, and the tempering frame carrying the pane is moved laterally relative to the second bending mould to a second tempering frame position for tempering the pane.

8. A device for bending panes, for carrying out the method according to claim 1, which comprises: a bending zone with a first bending mould and a second bending mould, a delivery module that is delivered to the bending zone such that a carrier with a press frame for a pane can be introduced into the bending zone, wherein the press frame is movable laterally relative to the first and second bending mould by moving the carrier between a first press frame position associated with the first bending mould and a second press frame position associated with the second bending mould.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the delivery module is movable relative to the bending zone.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the bending zone is implemented as a bending chamber with a bending chamber hollow space, wherein the first bending mould and the second bending mould are arranged in the bending chamber hollow space, and wherein the delivery module is implemented as a delivery chamber with a delivery chamber hollow space, wherein the carrier with press frame can be arranged completely in the delivery chamber hollow space.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the delivery chamber hollow space is heatable.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein a carrier movement mechanism for moving the carrier s arranged at least partially outside the heatable delivery chamber hollow space.

13. The device according to claim 8, wherein at least one too connectable to the first and/or second bending mould is transportable on the carrier, wherein the tool is laterally movable relative to the first and second bending mould by moving the carrier between the bending zone and a first tool position associated with the first bending mould and/or a second tool position associated with the second bending mould.

14. The device according to claim 8, wherein at least one support device for supporting the press frame and/or the carrier is arranged in the first press frame position and/or in the second press frame position.

15. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a preheating zone with a heating device for heating panes to a bending temperature, as well as a transport mechanism for transporting panes from the preheating zone to the bending zone, and/or a tempering zone with a cooling device for the thermal tempering of a pane, wherein a tempering frame is movable laterally relative to the second bending mould for transporting a pane from a first tempering frame position associated with the second bending mould to a second tempering frame position in the tempering zone.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the transport mechanism is a roller bed.

Description

[0059] The invention is explained in detail using exemplary embodiments and referring to the accompanying figures. They depict, in simplified, not-to-scale representation;

[0060] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention for bending panes, in cross-section;

[0061] FIG. 2-3 further schematic representations of the device of FIG. 1 in different phases of the method according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 4-10 the device according to the invention for bending panes of FIG. 1 without a delivery module at different times;

[0063] FIG. 11A-11B schematic representations for illustrating the pressing of a pane between the first bending tool and the press frame;

[0064] FIG. 12 a flowchart of the method according to the invention for producing a pane.

[0065] Consider first FIGS. 1 and 4, which illustrate, using schematic representations, an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention in a cross-sectional view. Referring to FIG. 1, essential components of the device for bending panes referenced as a whole with the reference number 1 are described. FIG. 4 represents an enlarged detail of the device 1 for bending panes of FIG. 1 without the delivery module 38.

[0066] The device 1 comprises a bending zone, which is implemented here, for example, as a closed or closable bending chamber 2 for bending (glass) panes 5, a preheating zone 3 arranged to the side of the of the bending chamber 2, with a heating device for heating the panes 5 to bending temperature, which is not shown in detail since in the views depicted, it is situated behind the bending chamber 2, and a tempering zone 4 for cooling or tempering bent panes 5, arranged to the side of the bending chamber 2. The tempering zone 4 is coupled on the right side to the bending chamber 2. The preheating zone 3 and the tempering zone 4 are, viewed from above, arranged at an angle of 90 to the bending chamber 2 and are functionally coupled thereto. The preheating zone 3, bending chamber 2, and tempering zone 4 are implemented here in each case as spatially separate regions of the device. The bending chamber 2 is provided with an insulating bending chamber wall 36, which separates a hollow space of the bending chamber 2, referred to in the following as bending chamber hollow space 37, from the external environment. As a result, the bending chamber hollow space 38 can be heated to and kept at a temperature (bending temperature) suitable for the bending operation of the panes 5. For heating the bending chamber hollow space 37, the bending chamber 2 has a heating device, which is not shown in detail in FIG. 1.

[0067] In the device 1, the panes 5 can be transported successively from the preheating zone 3 into the bending chamber 2 and, finally, into the tempering zone 4. Provided for transport of the panes 5 from the preheating zone 3 into the bending chamber 2 is a pane transport mechanism 6, comprising, here, for example, a roller bed 7 with cylindrical rollers 8 for flat support of panes 5. The rollers 8 are actively and/or passively rotatably mounted, with their horizontally oriented axes of rotation, here, for example, parallel to the x-direction. By means of the rollers 8, panes 5 heated to bending temperature in the preheating zone 3 can be brought in each case individually and successively into a removal position 22 in the bending chamber hollow space 37 of the bending chamber 2. The transport direction for the pane 5 is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

[0068] The bending chamber 2 has, in the bending chamber hollow space 37, two spatially separated bending stations 9, 9, with a first bending station 9 and a second bending station 9 arranged offset from one another in the horizontal x-direction. In the description of the two bending stations 9, 9, the reference characters with refer in each case to a component of the second bending station 9, with components of the second bending station also possibly not having , when this seems appropriate. For easier reference, all components of the second bending station 9 are also referred to as second components, in contrast to the components of the first bending station 9, which are also referred to as first components.

[0069] The bending stations 9, 9 have in each case a vertical holder 10, 10 for releasable attachment of a bending tool 11, 11. The holders 10, 10 are in each case vertically displaceable by a holder moving mechanism 13, 13 (not depicted in detail). Optionally, the holders 10, 10 are laterally displaceable by the holder moving mechanism 13, 13 in each case also with at least one horizontal movement component, in particular in the positive or negative x-direction. The bending tool 11, 11 is in each case detachably mounted at the lower end of the holders 10, 10. Each bending tool 11, 11 has a downward-directed, convex contact surface 14, 14 for the flat contact of a pane 5. With appropriate contact pressure, the pane 5 can be bent on the respective contact surface 14, 14. The two contact surfaces 14, 14 have, for this purpose, in each case an end or edge outer surface section 15, 15 and an inner surface section 16, 16 with mutually different surface contours (surface shapes), wherein the inner surface section 16, 16 is completely surrounded (bordered) by the outer surface section 15, 15.

[0070] In addition to the mutually different surface contours of an outer surface section 15, 15 and an inner surface section 16, 16 of one and the same bending tools 11, 11, the contact surfaces 14, 14 of the two bending tools 11, 11 also have different surface contours. Specifically, the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11 has a surface contour that is adapted to a desired edge final bending, i.e., final bending, in a (for example, strip-shaped) edge region 17 of the pane 5, or, in further processing, enables such final bending. The end edge region 17 of the pane 5 is adjacent a pane (cut) edge 19 arranged perpendicular to the two opposing pane primary surfaces. The inner surface section 16 of the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11 has a surface contour that corresponds to a surface pre-bending, i.e., non-final bending, in an inner region 18 of the pane 5 completely surrounded by the edge region 17. The outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14 of the second bending tool 11 has a same surface contour as the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11 and has a surface contour that is adapted to the desired edge final bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5. In contrast to the inner surface section 16 of the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11, the inner surface section 16 of the contact surface 14 of the second bending tool 11 has a surface contour that is adapted to a surface final bending, i.e., a final or quasi-final bending, in the inner region 18 of the pane 5, or enables this in further processing. The first holder 10 forms, together with the first bending tool 11, a first bending mould 12. In a corresponding manner, the second holder 10 forms, together with the second bending tool 11, a second bending mould 12.

[0071] The two bending stations 9, 9 are in each case provided with a suction device 20, 20 for sucking a pane 5 against the contact surface 14, 14. For this purpose, the contact surfaces 14, 14 can, for example, be provided with evenly distributed suction holes (not shown) and/or an apron positioned at the edge. By means of a negative pressure or a vacuum that is produced, a pane 5 can be pulled against the contact surface 14, 14.

[0072] The first bending station 9 further has a blowing device 21 (not shown in detail) by means of which a flowing gaseous fluid, for example, an air flow 33, can be produced in a vertical direction through the roller bed 7. As a result, a pane 5 situated in the removal position 22 can be raised in the direction of the first bending mould 12. The removal position 22 is situated in a vertical direction directly below the bending tool 11 of the first bending mould 12.

[0073] The device 1 further includes a movable (mobile) delivery chamber 38, which is arranged opposite the tempering zone 4 on the outside of the bending chamber 2. Like the bending chamber 2, the delivery chamber 38 is implemented in the form of a closed or closable chamber. The delivery chamber 38 includes, for this purpose, an insulating delivery chamber wall 39, which delimits a hollow space of the delivery chamber 38, referred to in the following as delivery chamber hollow space 40, relative to the external environment. The delivery chamber hollow space 40 is accessible from the outside through at least one delivery chamber opening 43 into the delivery chamber hollow space 40. The delivery chamber opening 43 is closable by means of a delivery chamber door 44 such that the delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be opened and closed relative to the external environment. As shown in FIG. 1, the delivery chamber 38 is arranged outside the bending chamber 2, with the delivery chamber opening 43 in a position opposite a first bending chamber opening 45 of the bending chamber hollow space 37. The bending chamber hollow space 37 is accessible from the outside through the first bending chamber opening 45 into the bending chamber hollow space 37. The first bending chamber opening 45 is closable by means of a first bending chamber door 46.

[0074] When the delivery chamber 38 is arranged at the bending chamber 2, the bending chamber hollow space 37 and the delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be spatially connected to one another by opening both the delivery chamber door 44 and the first bending chamber door 46. On the other hand, the delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be spatially separated from the bending chamber hollow space 37 by closing the delivery chamber door 44 and/or the first bending chamber door 46.

[0075] The delivery chamber 38 is movable relative to the bending chamber 2 and has, for this purpose, an actively or passively drivable delivery chamber movement mechanism 42 for moving the delivery chamber 38, which is implemented in the present exemplary embodiment by air cushion platforms 47, which can be subjected to pressurised air for generating air cushions below the delivery chamber 38, on which the delivery chamber 38 can float. It would, however, also be conceivable to implement the delivery chamber movement mechanism 42, for example, in the form of a roller mounting. By means of the delivery chamber movement mechanism 42, the delivery chamber 38 can be delivered to the bending chamber 2 or moved away from the bending chamber 2.

[0076] The delivery chamber hollow space 40 is delimited by an insulating delivery chamber wall 39. Thus, the delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be heated to and kept at a desired temperature. For example, the delivery chamber hollow space 40 is, like the bending chamber 2, heated to and kept at a temperature suitable for the bending operation of the panes 5 (bending temperature). For heating the delivery chamber hollow space 40, the delivery chamber 38 has a delivery chamber heating device 41, implemented in the embodiment of FIG. 1 as radiant heaters. The radiant heaters are arranged distributed in multiple radiant heater arrays.

[0077] The delivery chamber 38 further has an elongated carrier 27 for a press frame 25. The carrier 27 is movable by means of a carrier movement mechanism 26. The carrier movement mechanism 26 includes a carriage 48, on which the carrier 27 is mounted, with the carriage 48 movable along an elongated carriage guide 49 that is completely accommodated in the delivery chamber hollow space 40. The carrier movement mechanism 26 further includes a drive device 50 that can move the carriage 48 together with the carrier 27 along the carriage guide 49 reciprocally and translationally. As shown in FIG. 1, the carriage guide 49 extends to the bending chamber 2, wherein a section of the carrier 27 can be introduced into the bending chamber hollow space 37 with an opened delivery chamber door 44 and an opened bending chamber door 46 by moving the carriage 48 along the carriage guide 49 in the direction toward the bending chamber 2. On the other hand, the carrier 27 can be removed from the bending chamber hollow space 37 by moving the carriage 48 in the opposite direction and can be completely accommodated in the delivery chamber hollow space 40. The drive device 50 for the carrier 27 is arranged outside the heatable delivery chamber hollow space 40 (in FIG. 1 below the delivery chamber hollow space 40). The drive device 50 can, in principle, be implemented in any desired manner so long as precise positioning of the carrier 27 is enabled. In the exemplary embodiment depicted, the drive device 50 is implemented in the form of a sprocket chain mechanism equipped with a driven pinion, which is known to the person skilled in the art and need not be explained in detail. In the situation shown in FIG. 1, the carrier 27 is introduced into the bending chamber 2 and is thus situated partially in the delivery chamber hollow space 40 and partially in the bending chamber hollow space 37. The delivery chamber door 44 and the bending chamber door 46 are, in each case, in an open position. Of course, the delivery chamber 38 and the bending chamber 2, including their components, are implemented such that a section of the carrier 27 carrying the press frame 25 can be introduced from the delivery chamber hollow space 40 into the bending chamber hollow space 37.

[0078] The press frame 25, which is used for transporting a pane 5, is fixedly mounted at the free end of the carrier 27, For this, the carrier 27 includes, for example, two parallel carrier arms 52, between which the press frame 25 is attached. When the carrier 27 has been (partially) introduced into the bending chamber hollow space 37, the press frame 25 can be moved laterally within the bending chamber hollow space 37 (reciprocally and translationally) relative to the first and second bending mould 12, 12 by moving the carrier 27. In particular, the press frame 25 can be moved by moving the carrier 27 between a first press frame position 23 associated with the first bending mould 12 and a second press frame position 24 associated with the second bending mould 12, Preferably, the first press frame position 23 is situated vertically (e.g., directly) below the first bending mould 12 and the second press frame position 24 is situated vertically (e.g., directly) below the second bending mould 12. FIG. 1 depicts a situation in which the transport frame 25 is situated in the first press frame position 23. A tempering frame 30 is situated in the second press frame position 24. Here, the second press frame position 24 is identical to a first tempering frame position, wherein the tempering frame 30 is movable translationally and reciprocally within the tempering zone 4 by means of a tempering frame movement mechanism 31 between the first tempering frame position 24 and a second tempering frame position 32.

[0079] With the device 1 according to the invention, movement of the press frame 25 within the bending chamber 2 is done by the carrier 27 delivered from outside the bending chamber 2, with the drive device 50 for the carrier 27 arranged outside the heatable delivery chamber hollow space 40, enabling, in a particularly advantageous manner, very accurate positioning of the press frame 25.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 1, both in the first press frame position 23 and in the second press frame position 24, a support device 51, 51 is arranged for supporting the carrier 27 downward. Here, the support device 51, 51 is, for example, implemented in each case as a hydraulic or pneumatic support device. As a result, the press frame 25 can be positioned very accurately in the first press frame position 23 or in the second press frame position 24 without any position change, in particular due to physical contact with the first bending mould 12 or the second bending mould 12, in order to further improve the accuracy of the pane processing. FIG. 1 depicts a situation in which the press frame 25 or the carrier 27 is supported in the first press frame position 23 by the support device 51.

[0081] Reference is now made to FIG. 2, wherein the device 1 for bending panes 5 is shown in a process situation different from FIG. 1. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, only the differences relative to FIG. 1 are explained, and, otherwise, reference is made to the statements above. In the situation of FIG. 2, the tempering frame 30 has been moved within the tempering zone 4 from the first tempering frame position 24 into the second tempering frame position 32. The press frame 25 has been moved from the first press frame position 23 by moving the carrier 27 into the second press frame position 24. In the second press frame position 24, the press frame 25 or the carrier 27 is supported downward by the second support device 51.

[0082] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, wherein the device 1 for bending panes 5 is shown in a process situation different from FIG. 2. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, only the differences relative to FIG. 1 are explained, and, otherwise, reference is made to the above statements. In the situation of FIG. 3, the carrier 27 has been driven back by moving the carriage 48 on the carriage guide 49 completely into the delivery chamber hollow space 40. The two tools 11, 11 of the first and second bending mould 12, 12 are placed on the carrier 27. For example, the tool 11 of the first bending mould 12 is placed on a tool support 53 (not shown in detail) on the carrier 27. The other tool 11 of the second bending mould 12 is, for example, placed on the press frame 25, which serves as tool support 53. For this purpose, the carrier 27 was moved such that the tool 11 could be placed on the first tool support 53 and the tool 11 could be placed on the second tool support 53. Here, the first tool support 53 was brought into a first tool position that is identical to the first press frame position 23. Correspondingly, the second tool support 53 was brought into a second tool position that is identical to the second press frame position 24. The first tool support 53 and the second tool support 53 are, for this purpose, arranged on the carrier 27 with a distance between them that corresponds to the distance between the first press frame position 23 and the second press frame position 24. For placing the two tools 11, 11, the two bending moulds 12, 12 were, in each case, moved vertically downward. Then, the carrier 27 with the tools 11, 11 placed thereon was moved completely into the delivery chamber hollow space 40. The capability of transporting the two tools 11, 11 by means of the carrier 27 enables a simple and fast tool change on the two bending moulds 12, 12. Particularly advantageously, tools can be heated in the delivery chamber hollow space 40 prior to equipping the two bending moulds 12, 12, as a result of which time-consuming heating in the bending chamber hollow space 37 can be avoided. In addition, simple maintenance of tools is enabled. The delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be closed to the external environment by closing the delivery chamber door 44, enabling fast heating of tools in the delivery chamber hollow space 40. Especially advantageously, the bending chamber hollow space 37 of the bending chamber 2 can be closed by closing the first bending chamber door 46. Since the bending chamber 2 is closed, a delivery module can be moved away from the bending chamber 2 in a simple manner without the bending chamber hollow space 37 being exposed to the external environment, making it possible, in particular, to avoid a greater temperature drop in the bending chamber hollow space. Accordingly, a different delivery module can be coupled in a simple manner to the bending chamber 2. With a closed delivery chamber hollow space 40, the tools accommodated in the delivery chamber hollow space 40 can be heated efficiently and quickly. Thus, a quick change of delivery modules is enabled at the bending chamber, in particular in order to quickly and economically bring different tools to the bending moulds 12, 12 for use.

[0083] In the device 1, the press frame 25 is used for pressing and transporting a pane 5. The press frame 25 has, for this purpose, an edge-positioned (for example, strip-shaped) press surface 28 (see FIGS. 11A and 11B), whose surface contour is complementary to the surface contour of the outer surface sections 14, 14 of the bending tools 11, 11 of the first bending mould 12 and the second bending mould 12. The upward facing press surface 28 is suitable for pressing a pane 5 resting thereon in the edge region 17. The press frame 25 is not implemented full surface, but, instead, has an inner opening, which also enables gravity pre-bending of the surface of the inner region 18 of a pane 5 placed thereon.

[0084] The tempering zone 4 laterally coupled to the bending chamber 2 has two so-called tempering boxes 29, which are arranged offset from one another in the vertical direction. By means of the two tempering boxes 29, a flow of air can be generated in each case for air cooling a pane 5 situated between the two tempering boxes 29 in order to temper the bent pane 5. The tempering frame 30 is used for transporting and storing during the tempering of a bent pane 5. The tempering frame 30 can be displaced laterally by a tempering frame movement mechanism 31 (not shown in detail here) along at least one horizontal movement component relative to the bending station 2. Specifically, the tempering frame 30 can be moved back and forth in a horizontal plane between the first tempering frame position 24 and the second tempering frame position 32, which is situated between the two tempering boxes 29 of the tempering zone 4. The bending chamber hollow space 37 is accessible from the outside through a second bending chamber opening 54 into the bending chamber hollow space 37. The second bending chamber opening 54 is closable by a second bending chamber door 35 such that the bending chamber hollow space 37 can be opened to the outside and can be closed against the external environment. The tempering frame 35 can be transported through the opened second bending chamber opening 54 into the bending chamber hollow space 37 in order to accommodate a fully bent pane 5 and to transport it into the tempering zone 4. From there, the pane 5 can be removed in a simple manner and further processed.

[0085] Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 to 10, wherein the device 1 for bending panes 5 of FIG. 1 is depicted in each case at different successive times during a bending process in order to describe an exemplary method for bending panes 5. For better clarity, only selected components of the device 1 are provided with reference numbers. In addition, the device 1 is depicted without the delivery module 38.

[0086] FIG. 4 depicts a situation during the bending process wherein a pane 5 has been brought into the removal position 22 of the first bending station 9. The first bending mould 12 is situated in a raised position above the pane 5. The second bending mould 12 is situated at approx. the same height as the first bending mould 12. Below the second bending mould 12, the press frame 25 is situated in the second press frame position 24 of the second bending station 9 with a further pane 5 placed thereon. The tempering frame 30 is situated in the second tempering frame position 32 of the tempering zone 4 between the two tempering boxes 29.

[0087] FIG. 5 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 1. The first bending mould 12 is driven downward in the direction of the pane 5 from the raised position into a first lowered position. The pane 5 has been raised by blowing with the blowing device air flow 33 (symbolically represented by arrows) generated by the blowing device 21 on its lower side in the vertical direction from the removal position 22 in the direction toward the first bending mould 12 and is pressed by the blowing device air flow 33 against the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11. In the first lowered position of the first bending mould 12, the contact surface 14 is lowered far enough for the pane 5 to be able to be pressed by the blowing device air flow 33 against the contact surface 14. In addition, the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 by suction by means of the suction device 20. The suction device air flow 34 producing a negative pressure on the contact surface 14 is also symbolically represented by arrows. As a result of the typically incomplete contact against the contact surface 14, a pre-bending of the pane 5 occurs only in the edge region 17. Generally, the pressing pressure from the blowing device air flow 33 is not sufficient to produce a edge final bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5. On the other hand, the sucking action of the suction device 20 serves substantially only for holding the pane 5 against the contact surface 14, until the press frame 25 has traveled under the pane 5, and has only a slight influence on the bending of the pane 5. Nevertheless, bubbles in the pane 5 can be removed thereby. In the inner region 18 of the pane 5, only pre-bending of the surface is still possible as result of the contact surface 14. FIG. 2 depicts a situation in which the pane 5 is already secured against the contact surface 14.

[0088] The second bending mould 12 has been brought from the raised position into a lowered position in which there is surface contact between the contact surface 14 and the pane 5 positioned on the press frame 25. Here, the pane 5 is pressed in the edge region 17 between the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14 of the bending tool 11 and the press surface 28 of the press frame 25 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B). The press surface 28 has a shape complementary to the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14. As a result, the edge region 17 of the pane 5 is preferably fully bent, in other words, receives its edge final bending. It is, however, also possible for the edge region 17 to only be pre-bent. Subsequently, the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 by suction by means of the suction device 20. It is conceivable for the contact surface 14 to, alternatively, have a small distance from the pane 5, if suction of the pane 5 over a certain distance is possible. The suction device air flow 34 generating negative pressure on the contact surface 14 is symbolically represented by arrows. In contrast to the first bending mould 12 where only holding of the pane 5 is intended and the negative pressure thus causes no bending (at least no notable bending) of the pane 5, the suction of the pane 5 against the contact surface 14 can also serve for bending the pane 5, in other words, sufficient mechanical pressure to bend the pane 5 as desired is generated by the suction. Thus, the pane 5 is pre-bent on the second contact surface 14 in the inner region 18 of the pane 5. In addition, a previously produced edge final bending in the edge region 17 can be maintained on the pane 5. The tempering frame 30 is still situated in the tempering device 4 between the two tempering boxes 29.

[0089] FIG. 6 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 5. The first bending mould 12 has again been moved upward into its raised position, wherein the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 by the suction device air flow 34. The second bending mould 12 has also been moved upward into its raised position, wherein the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 by the suction device air flow 34. The press frame 25 is pane-free and is situated below the second bending mould 12. The tempering frame 30 is still situated in the tempering device 4 between the two tempering boxes 29.

[0090] FIG. 7 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 6. The first bending mould 12 is depicted in a situation wherein it has moved downward on the way into a second lowered position above the first lowered position. The pane 5 is still secured against the contact surface 14 by the suction device air flow 34. The press frame 25 has been moved translationally by means of the carrier movement mechanism 26 on the carrier 27 in a horizontal direction (negative x-direction) from the second press frame position 24 to the first press frame position 23 and is situated below the first bending mould 12. The second bending mould 12 is still situated in its raised position, wherein the pane is secured against the contact surface 14 by the suction device air flow 34. The tempering frame 30 has been moved from the tempering position 32 into the second press frame position 24 of the second bending station 9 and is situated below the second bending mould 12.

[0091] FIG. 8 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 7. The first bending mould 12 has now been moved into the second lowered position, wherein the pane 5 comes into contact with the press frame 25. Here, the pane 5 is pressed in the edge region 17 between the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14 of the bending tool 11 and the press surface 28 of the press frame 25 (see FIGS. 11A and 11B). The press surface 28 has a shape complementary to the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14. The edge region 17 of the pane 5 is, thereby, pre-bent or fully bent. A major advantage of the pressing of the pane 5 against the press frame 25 is a resultant very precise definition of the position of the pane 5 on the press frame 5 with precise contact of the edge region 17 of the pane 5 on the press surface 28 of the press frame 25. This enables precise positional fixation of the pane 5 on the press frame 25 by means of the stop (not shown in detail) resting against the pane 5. Thus, particularly high production accuracy and good optical quality of the bent pane can be achieved. The second bending mould 12 has been moved into its lowered position, wherein the pane 5 is placed on the tempering frame 30.

[0092] FIG. 9 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 8. The first bending mould 12 and second bending mould 12 have, in each case, been moved back into their raised position. The press frame 25 has been moved translationally in a horizontal direction (positive x-direction) from the first press frame position 23 to the second press frame position 24 and is situated below the second bending mould 12. In particular, during transport, the pane 5 situated on the press frame 25 is pre-bent in the inner region 18 by gravity. As a result of the pressing in the edge region 17, the surface pre-bending by means of gravity is limited in the inner region 18. The tempering frame 30 with the pane 5 placed thereupon has been moved from the second press frame position 24 of the second bending station 9 into the tempering position 32 and is situated between the two tempering boxes 29. To enable exit from the bending zone 2, the door 35 was opened for a short time. Thus, an appreciable temperature loss in the bending zone 2 can be prevented. During transport on the tempering frame 30, an edge final bending of the edges and a surface final bending of the pane 5 can be done by gravity. The tempering frame 30 has, for this purpose, an upwardly directed frame surface 55 for contact with the pane 5, which is suitably designed for an edge final bending. In addition, the tempering frame 30 is suitably designed for a surface final bending by gravitation.

[0093] FIG. 10 depicts the device 1 for bending panes 5 at a later time than FIG. 9. The first bending mould 12 and second bending mould 12 are still situated in the raised position. A new pane 5 has been brought into the removal position 22 of the first bending station 9. The pane 5 situated on the press frame 25 can be pressed and suctioned by the second bending mould 12. The pane 5 situated in the tempering zone 32 is cooled by an air flow for tempering, as illustrated by arrows. The situation of FIG. 10 thus resembles the situation of FIG. 1. In this manner, the bending process can be carried out continuously.

[0094] FIGS. 11A and 11B depict the pressing of the pane 5 between the press frame 25 and the contact surface 14 of the first bending tool 11. Discernibly, the contact surface 14 has an outer surface section 15 and an inner surface section 16 with different surface contours. The outer surface section 15 has a surface contour that corresponds to the desired edge final bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5 or enables such bending. The inner surface section 16 has a surface contour that corresponds to a surface pre-bending in the inner region 18 of the pane 5 or enables such pre-bending. The press surface 28 of the press frame 25 has a surface contour that is complementary to the surface contour of the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14. FIG. 11A depicts a situation in which the inner region 18 of the pane 5 comes to rest against the inner surface section 16 (first contact). This can already be construed as pressing. In FIG. 11B, the pane 5 has, even in the edge region 17, made complete contact against the outer surface section 15 of the contact surface 14, with the desired edge final bending in the edge region 17 having been produced.

[0095] FIG. 12 illustrates, referring to a flowchart, the successive steps of the method for producing the pane 5 using the device 1. Therein, in a first step I, a pane 5 heated to bending temperature is provided in the removal position 22. In a second step II, the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 of the first bending mould 12. In a third step III, the press frame 25 for the pane 5 is positioned in the first press frame position 23. In a fourth step IV, the pane 5 is placed on the press frame 25. In a fifth step V, the pane 5 is transported on the press frame 25 to the second second press frame position 24. In a sixth VI, the pane 5 is secured against the contact surface 14 of the second bending mould 12.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, edge pre-bending in the edge region of the pane 5 is done by means of pressing the pane 5 between the first bending mould 12 and the press frame 25, and edge pre-bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5 is done by means of pressing the pane 5 between the second bending mould 12 and the press frame 25, wherein an edge final bending of the edges is done during transport on the tempering frame 30. During transport on the press frame 25, surface pre-bending is done in the inner region of the pane 5 by gravity. During transport on the tempering frame 30, surface final bending is done in the inner region of the pane 5 by gravity. The pane thus receives its final shape only on the tempering frame.

[0097] In another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, edge pre-bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5 is done by means of pressing the pane 5 between the first bending mould 12 and the press frame 25 and an edge final bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5 is done by means of pressing the pane 5 between the second bending mould 12 and the press frame 25. During transport on the tempering frame 30, a further edge final bending is done only in the sense that the already present edge final bending is not lost, i.e., the edge final bending is maintained. During transport on the press frame 25, surface pre-bending in the inner region of the pane 5 is done by gravity. During transport on the tempering frame 30, a surface final bending in the inner region of the pane 5 is done by gravity. The pane 5 thus receives its final shape in the edge region 17 already by means of the second bending mould 12. The pane 5 receives its final shape in the inner region only on the tempering frame 30.

[0098] In another exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, an edge final bending in the edge region 17 of the pane 5 is done by pressing the pane 5 between the first bending mould 12 and the press frame 25. During transport on the press frame 25 and tempering frame 30, a further edge final bending is done only in the sense that the already present edge final bending is not lost, i.e., the edge final bending is maintained. During transport on the press frame 25, surface pre-bending in the inner region of the pane 5 is done by gravity. During transport on the tempering frame 30, a surface final bending in the inner region of the pane 5 is done by gravity. The pane 5 thus receives its final shape in the edge region 17 already by means of the first bending mould 12. The pane 5 receives its final shape in the inner region only on the tempering frame 30.

[0099] In all embodiments of the method, edge pre-bending and/or surface pre-bending can be done by securing the pane 5 against the first bending mould 12 or the second bending mould 12. In addition, surface final bending can be done by securing the pane 5 against the second bending mould 12.

[0100] From the above, it is clear that the invention provides a method as well as a compact device for producing panes by means of which a simple and economical production of panes with short cycle times is enabled. In particular, it can increase the throughput with complex glass designs. Particularly advantageously, the transport time on the press frame between the two bending moulds can be used for gravity bending in the inner region of the surface. By means of the delivery chamber with a carrier and a press frame mounted thereon, the press frame can be positioned with particularly high accuracy. The accuracy of the positioning of the pane on the press frame can be even further improved by the pressing of the pane between the first bending mould and the press frame in the edge region of the pane, wherein the pane is pre-bent or final bent in the edge region. Thus, panes with particularly high quality requirements are producible. In addition, by means of the delivery chamber and tools transported on the carrier, the tools of the two bending moulds can be easily and economically changed and/or serviced. Particularly advantageously, the tools can be heated before equipping the bending moulds such that the processing of panes can be quickly continued after a tool change. The invention thus enables a particularly economical production of panes with relatively short cycle times and particularly high quality requirements.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0101] 1 device [0102] 2 bending chamber [0103] 3 preheating zone [0104] 4 tempering zone [0105] 5 pane [0106] 6 pane transport mechanism [0107] 7 roller bed [0108] 8 roller [0109] 9,9 bending station [0110] 10,10 holder [0111] 11,11 bending tool [0112] 12,12 bending mould [0113] 13,13 holder movement mechanism [0114] 14,14 contact surface [0115] 15,15 outer surface section [0116] 16,16 inner surface section [0117] 17 edge region [0118] 18 inner region [0119] 19 pane edge [0120] 20,20 suction device [0121] 21 blowing device [0122] 22 removal position [0123] 23 first press frame position/tool position [0124] 24 second press frame position f tool position, first tempering frame position [0125] 25 press frame [0126] 26 carrier movement mechanism [0127] 27 carrier [0128] 28 press surface [0129] 29 tempering box [0130] 30 tempering frame [0131] 31 tempering frame movement mechanism [0132] 32 second tempering frame position [0133] 33 blowing device air flow [0134] 34,34 suction device air flow [0135] 35 second bending chamber door [0136] 36 bending chamber wall [0137] 37 bending chamber hollow space [0138] 38 delivery chamber [0139] 39 delivery chamber wall [0140] 40 delivery chamber hollow space [0141] 41 delivery chamber heating device [0142] 42 delivery chamber movement mechanism [0143] 43 delivery chamber opening [0144] 44 delivery chamber door [0145] 45 first bending chamber opening [0146] 46 first bending chamber door [0147] 47 air cushion platform [0148] 48 carriage [0149] 49 carriage guide [0150] 50 drive device [0151] 51,51 support device [0152] 52 carrier arm [0153] 53,53 tool support [0154] 54 second bending chamber opening [0155] 55 frame surface