Continuous glass thermoforming method, assembly and equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a continuous glass hot forming method, component and equipment, which comprises a glass entering the bottom of a forming cavity, the temperature in the forming cavity gradually rises from bottom to top to form a temperature gradient; the glass moves from the bottom of the forming cavity to the top of the forming cavity and gradually softens; the glass is formed at the top of the forming cavity by a forming method, and after the glass is formed, the glass moves from the top of the forming cavity to the bottom of the forming cavity and gradually cools down, and the glass stays in an annealing zone near the bottom of the forming cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to glass forming equipment, and in particular to a continuous glass hot forming method, component and equipment. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the production and shaping of glass mainly involves heating, softening, shaping, cooling, secondary heating and annealing. Most of the above processes are handled in separate stations, and the glass needs to be constantly moved to the next process station, resulting in manpower consumption and time waste.

[0003] There is also a heating furnace on the market that combines the heating and softening steps with the forming steps. The glass is translated along a track in the heating furnace, and a gradually rising gradient temperature is given during the translation process to gradually soften the glass, and the forming step is performed at the terminal of the heating furnace. However, due to the principle of temperature diffusion, the gradient temperature is not easy to maintain in the heating furnace, so that the heating furnace needs to set a temperature controller between each temperature range of the gradient temperature to repeatedly adjust the temperature to maintain the temperature of each temperature range, resulting in a huge waste of energy.

[0004] There is also a single-chamber heating furnace that combines the heating and softening steps with the forming step. The glass is placed in the single-chamber heating furnace and gradually heated up and softened, and then gradually cooled down to be formed after the forming step. This process method not only causes the single-chamber heating furnace to cause equipment wear and tear due to continuous heating and cooling, but also causes energy waste. Therefore, developing a glass forming method and equipment that can reduce the wear and tear of manpower, time and equipment and energy waste is an urgent development goal in the current glass industry. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to develop a glass forming method and equipment that can reduce the loss of manpower, time and equipment and the waste of energy. The present invention provides a continuous glass heat forming method, which includes a glass entering the bottom of a forming cavity, the temperature in the forming cavity is gradually increased from bottom to top to form a temperature gradient; the glass moves from the bottom of the forming cavity to the top of the forming cavity and gradually softens; the glass is formed at the top of the forming cavity by a forming method.

[0006] After the glass is formed at the top of the forming cavity, the glass moves from the top of the forming cavity to the bottom of the forming cavity and gradually cools down. The glass stays in an annealing zone near the bottom of the forming cavity.

[0007] The forming method may be a vacuum forming method, a gravity forming method or a compression molding method.

[0008] Furthermore, the temperature gradient is distributed from 200°C to 900°C from bottom to top, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

[0009] A continuous glass thermoforming component comprises a forming cavity, which can be defined as a heating space. The forming cavity comprises a temperature device and a forming device. The temperature device is arranged in the forming cavity so that a temperature gradient gradually rising from bottom to top is formed in the heating space. The forming device is arranged at the top of the forming cavity.

[0010] Wherein, an annealing zone is arranged near the bottom of the molding cavity.

[0011] Furthermore, the temperature gradient is distributed from 200°C to 900°C from bottom to top, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

[0012] A continuous glass thermoforming device comprises a preheating chamber, a forming chamber, a cooling chamber and a conveying device. The preheating chamber, the forming chamber and the cooling chamber are connected transversely in the above order. The conveying device carries a glass and allows the glass to be preheated in the preheating chamber, softened and shaped in the forming chamber, and cooled and shaped in the cooling chamber in sequence.

[0013] The molding cavity may be defined as a heating space, and the molding cavity includes a temperature device and a molding device. The temperature device is disposed in the molding cavity so that a temperature gradient gradually increasing from bottom to top is formed in the heating space.

[0014] The forming device is arranged at the top of the forming cavity, and the forming device forms the softened glass through a forming method, and the forming method can be a vacuum forming method, a gravity forming method or a compression molding method.

[0015] The track device includes a track and two lifting devices. The two lifting devices correspond to the bottom position of the molding cavity and are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the track. The lifting devices can move up and down in the heating space.

[0016] Furthermore, an annealing zone is provided near the bottom of the molding cavity, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

[0017] Further, it comprises a plurality of the forming cavities, wherein the plurality of the forming cavities are transversely connected and arranged between the preheating chamber and the cooling chamber; the track device comprises two tracks, a trolley, a displacement device and a plurality of the lifting devices arranged in pairs, wherein the two tracks are arranged in parallel and at intervals along the connection direction of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment, the trolley moves back and forth between the preheating chamber and the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment, the trolley comprises a fork-shaped bearing portion for placing the glass, the fork-shaped bearing portion comprises two bearing arms arranged at intervals and a spacing space defined between the two bearing arms, and when the trolley enters the preheating chamber, the positions of the two bearing arms are relatively higher than the two tracks; the displacement device is arranged between the two tracks corresponding to the position of the preheating chamber, the displacement device comprises a lifting platform, the displacement device links the lifting platform to move up and down, and when the trolley enters the preheating chamber, the displacement device links the lifting platform to move up and down and passes through the spacing space; and the plurality of the lifting devices are arranged in pairs on the opposite outer sides of the two tracks corresponding to the bottom positions of the plurality of the forming cavities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 A side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a partial structural top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 It is a partial structural side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of symbols:

[0022] 10 Preheating chamber

[0023] 11. Preheating space

[0024] 20 molding cavities

[0025] 21 Heating Space

[0026] 22 Temperature device

[0027] 23 Molding device

[0028] 30 Cooling chamber

[0029] 31 Cooling space

[0030] 40Conveying equipment

[0031] 41 tracks

[0032] 42 Lifting device

[0033] 43 cars

[0034] 431 Fork-type load-bearing part

[0035] 432 Carrying Arm

[0036] 433 Interval Space

[0037] 44 displacement device

[0038] 441 Lifting Platform DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 , which is a continuous glass thermoforming method, assembly and equipment provided by the present invention, comprising a preheating chamber 10, a forming chamber 20, a cooling chamber 30 and a conveying device 40. The preheating chamber 10, the forming chamber 20 and the cooling chamber 30 are connected transversely in the above order, and the conveying device 40 carries a glass, and the glass can be preheated in the preheating chamber 10, softened and molded in the forming chamber 20, and finally cooled and molded in the cooling chamber 30 in sequence.

[0040] The continuous glass thermoforming method is as follows: the glass enters the bottom of a molding cavity 20, and the temperature in the molding cavity 20 gradually rises from bottom to top to form a temperature gradient; the glass gradually softens when moving from the bottom of the molding cavity 20 to the top of the molding cavity 20; and the glass is molded at the top of the molding cavity 20 via a molding method.

[0041] The preheating chamber 10 can be defined as a preheating space 11. A first partition door is provided between the preheating chamber 10 and the forming chamber 20. When the glass enters the preheating chamber 10 from the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment, the preheating space 11 provides the glass with a preheating temperature and a deoxygenated environment, so that the glass can be preheated and enter the subsequent heating, softening and shaping steps.

[0042] The molding cavity 20 may be defined as a heating space 21, and the heating space 21 is controllably connected to the preheating space 11 through the first partition door. The molding cavity 20 includes a temperature device 22 and a molding device 23. The temperature device 22 is disposed in the molding cavity 20 so that a temperature gradient gradually rising from bottom to top is formed in the heating space 11. The molding device 23 is disposed at the top of the molding cavity 20. After the glass is preheated and deoxidized in the preheating cavity 10, the first partition door is opened so that the glass can enter the bottom of the molding cavity 20. The glass moves from the bottom to the top of the molding cavity 20 at the bottom of the molding cavity 20. The glass gradually softens due to the temperature gradient and is finally molded by the molding device 23.

[0043] Preferably, the temperature gradient is distributed from 200°C to 900°C from bottom to top. In response to the principle that hot air rises, the temperature gradient is distributed from bottom to top so that the higher temperature in the heating space 21 will not diffuse downward, and the top of the molding cavity 20 can be continuously maintained at the highest temperature. There is no need to set a temperature controller between each temperature interval of the temperature gradient to repeatedly adjust the temperature, thereby saving energy.

[0044] After the glass is shaped at the top of the molding cavity 20, it moves from top to bottom to the bottom of the molding cavity 20, so that the glass can be gradually cooled from top to bottom through the temperature gradient. Preferably, an annealing zone is provided near the bottom of the molding cavity 20, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C. After the glass is shaped, it moves to the annealing zone for annealing to eliminate the residual stress caused by the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the glass caused by the cooling process after the glass is heated and formed. In this way, after the glass is shaped, it can be directly annealed in the molding cavity 20 without having to be moved to the next workstation for reheating and annealing, saving manpower and time.

[0045] The forming device 23 can form the softened glass by a forming method, which can be a vacuum forming method, a gravity forming method or a compression molding method. For example, when the forming device 23 is formed by the vacuum forming method, the forming device 23 includes a mold and a vacuum forming device, and the vacuum forming device is connected to the mold. When the glass softens at the top of the forming cavity 20, the glass contacts the mold, and the vacuum forming device is used to form the glass corresponding to the mold.

[0046] When the molding device 23 is formed by the die-casting method, the molding device 23 includes an upper mold and a pressing device. The pressing device can be linked to the upper mold. When the glass softens at the top of the molding cavity 20, the pressing device can drive the upper mold to press the glass, so that the glass is formed according to the mold. After the upper mold is pressed with the glass, the upper mold and the glass can move from top to bottom to the annealing zone as a whole and stay there for a period of time. Then, the upper mold is separated from the glass and reset to the top of the molding cavity 20.

[0047] The cooling cavity 30 can be defined as a cooling space 31. A second partition door is provided between the cooling cavity 30 and the forming cavity 20. The heating space 21 and the cooling space 31 are controllably connected via the second partition door. When the glass enters the cooling cavity 30 from the forming cavity 20, the cooling space 31 provides the glass with a cooling temperature and an oxygen injection environment, so that the glass can be cooled and shaped.

[0048] The track device 40 includes a track 41 and a lifting device 42. The lifting device 42 is correspondingly arranged at the bottom of the molding cavity 20, and the lifting device 42 can move up and down in the heating space 11. The track 41 carries the glass to move in the preheating cavity 10, the molding cavity 20 and the cooling cavity 30 in sequence. When the glass moves to the bottom of the molding cavity 20, the lifting device 42 pushes against the glass from bottom to top, so that the glass can move up and down in the molding cavity 20. In this embodiment, two lifting devices 42 are used to push against the two ends of the glass from bottom to top, so that the glass can move up and down in the heating space 11 to perform heating, softening, shaping and annealing steps. The continuous glass hot forming equipment provided by the present invention can avoid the need to set up a workstation for each step, saving space and manpower waste.

[0049] In the second embodiment provided by the present invention, the continuous glass thermoforming equipment can further include a plurality of the forming cavities 20, and the plurality of the forming cavities 20 are laterally connected and arranged between the preheating chamber 10 and the cooling chamber 30, so that the continuous glass thermoforming equipment can simultaneously perform a plurality of thermoforming steps of the glass. The structure and implementation methods of the plurality of the forming cavities 20 are described in the previous paragraph and will not be repeated here.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 3 The track device 40 includes two tracks 41, a trolley 43, a displacement device 44 and a plurality of lifting devices 42 arranged in pairs. The two tracks 41 are arranged in parallel and at intervals along the connection direction of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment. The trolley 43 can move back and forth between the preheating chamber 10 and the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment. The trolley 43 includes a fork-shaped supporting portion 431 for placing the glass. The fork-shaped supporting portion 431 includes two supporting arms 432 arranged at intervals and a spacing space 433 defined between the two supporting arms 432. When the trolley 43 inputs the glass from the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment to the preheating chamber 10, the two supporting arms 432 are relatively higher than the two tracks 41.

[0051] The displacement device 44 is arranged between the two rails 41 corresponding to the position of the preheating chamber 10. The displacement device 44 includes a lifting platform 441. The displacement device 44 can link the lifting platform 441 to move up and down. When the trolley 43 inputs the glass from the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment to the preheating chamber 10, the position of the glass corresponds to the lifting platform 441. The displacement device 44 moves upward from the bottom, and the lifting platform 441 passes through the spacing space 433 and contacts the glass, so that the glass is lifted upward from the bottom by the displacement device 44 and separated from the fork-shaped bearing portion 431. At this time, the trolley 43 moves away from the preheating chamber 10 to the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment. After the trolley 43 leaves, the displacement device 44 moves from top to bottom, so that the glass can abut against the two rails 41 and move along the direction of the forming chamber 20.

[0052] A plurality of pairs of lifting devices 42 are arranged at the opposite outer sides of the two tracks 41 corresponding to the bottom positions of the plurality of forming cavities 20. When the glass is transported to the bottom of one of the forming cavities 20 via the two tracks 41, the two lifting devices 42 arranged at the bottom of one of the forming cavities 20 respectively press against the two ends of the glass from bottom to top, so that the glass can move up and down in the heating space 11. In this way, more than one thermoforming step of the glass can be performed simultaneously and independently between each of the forming cavities 20 of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment.

[0053] The continuous glass thermoforming method, assembly and equipment provided by the present invention can achieve the following advantages:

[0054] 1. The temperature gradient is distributed from bottom to top so that the higher temperature in the heating space 21 will not diffuse downward, and the top of the molding cavity 20 can be continuously maintained at the highest temperature, saving energy.

[0055] 2. The glass can be directly shaped after being heated and softened, and annealing is completed in the molding cavity 20, avoiding the need to set up a workstation for each step, saving space, manpower and time.

[0056] 3. When a plurality of the forming cavities 20 are provided, each of the forming cavities 20 can simultaneously and independently perform more than one glass thermoforming step, thus saving time.

[0057] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous glass thermoforming method, characterized in that: The steps include: A glass enters the bottom of a molding cavity, and the temperature in the molding cavity gradually rises from bottom to top to form a temperature gradient; The glass moves from the bottom of the molding cavity to the top of the molding cavity and gradually softens; and The glass is formed at the top of the forming cavity through a forming method.

2. The continuous glass hot forming method according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the glass is formed at the top of the forming cavity, the glass moves from the top of the forming cavity to the bottom of the forming cavity and gradually cools down. The glass stays in an annealing zone near the bottom of the forming cavity.

3. The continuous glass hot forming method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The forming method can be selected from a vacuum forming method, a gravity forming method or a compression molding method.

4. The continuous glass thermoforming method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The temperature gradient is distributed from 200°C to 900°C from bottom to top, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

5. A continuous glass thermoforming assembly, characterized in that: It includes a molding cavity, which can be defined as a heating space. The molding cavity includes a temperature device and a molding device. The temperature device is arranged in the molding cavity so that a temperature gradient gradually increases from bottom to top is formed in the heating space. The molding device is arranged at the top of the molding cavity.

6. The continuous glass thermoforming assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: An annealing zone is arranged near the bottom of the molding cavity.

7. The continuous glass thermoforming assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The temperature gradient is distributed from 200°C to 900°C from bottom to top, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

8. A continuous glass thermoforming device, characterized in that: It comprises a preheating chamber, a forming chamber, a cooling chamber and a conveying device, wherein the preheating chamber, the forming chamber and the cooling chamber are connected transversely in the above order, the conveying device carries a glass, and the glass can be preheated in the preheating chamber, softened and shaped in the forming chamber, and cooled and shaped in the cooling chamber in sequence, wherein: The molding cavity may be defined as a heating space, the molding cavity includes a temperature device and a molding device, the temperature device is arranged near the molding cavity, so that a temperature gradient gradually increases from bottom to top is formed in the heating space; The forming device is disposed at the top of the forming cavity, and the forming device forms the softened glass by a forming method, and the forming method can be a vacuum forming method, a gravity forming method or a compression molding method; and The track device comprises a track and two lifting devices. The two lifting devices correspond to the bottom position of the molding cavity and are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the track. The lifting devices can move up and down in the heating space.

9. The continuous glass thermoforming equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: An annealing zone is arranged near the bottom of the molding cavity, and the temperature of the annealing zone is set between 450°C and 650°C.

10. The continuous glass thermoforming equipment according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: in: It comprises a plurality of the forming cavities, wherein the plurality of the forming cavities are transversely connected and disposed between the preheating cavity and the cooling cavity; and The track device comprises two tracks, a vehicle, a displacement device and a plurality of lifting devices arranged in pairs, wherein: The two tracks are arranged in parallel and at intervals along the connection direction of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment. The trolley moves back and forth between the preheating chamber and the outside of the continuous glass thermoforming equipment. The trolley includes a fork-shaped carrying part for placing the glass. The fork-shaped carrying part includes two carrying arms arranged at intervals and a space defined between the two carrying arms. When the trolley enters the preheating chamber, the two carrying arms are relatively higher than the two tracks. The displacement device is arranged between the two rails corresponding to the position of the preheating chamber. The displacement device includes a lifting platform. The displacement device drives the lifting platform to move up and down. When the trolley enters the preheating chamber, the displacement device drives the lifting platform to move up and down and pass through the interval space; and A plurality of lifting devices are arranged in pairs at two opposite outer sides of two tracks corresponding to the bottom positions of a plurality of molding cavities.

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