Apparatus and method for shaping glass sheets

Abstract

The invention relates to a bending station (4) for a bending device, comprising: two bending moulds; a pressing frame (5) arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press the glass sheet against an upper mould, the upper mould (6) comprising a moulding surface whose area is defined by projecting the contour of the upper mould onto a horizontal plane, the area of ​​the moulding surface being greater than the area defined by projecting the outer contours of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane, the pressing frame (5) comprising a pressing ring (50) having a continuous surface, the upper mould comprising a flexible plate (60) associated with an upper series of translation elements (70), characterised in that the upper mould can be deformed under the action of the translation elements in the upper series so as to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a technique for bending glass sheets, followed by a cooling step. The technique according to the invention is suitable either for bending glass sheets intended in particular to be tempered or for bending glass sheets which are subsequently cooled and then assembled in pairs to form laminated glazings. Background Art

[0002] There are several techniques for imparting shape to a glass sheet. Among these techniques, one is to convey the glass sheets one by one through a heating furnace to raise their temperature to a temperature close to the softening temperature, wherein the glass sheets are conveyed on a roller bed. Once leaving the furnace, the glass sheets are then conveyed to a bending station. In the bending station, the glass sheets are lifted off the conveyor by a frame having the shape desired to be imparted to the glass sheets. Such a frame is usually called a "pressing frame" or a "pressing ring". Depending on the configuration of the roller bed, the frame is continuous or discontinuous so as to be able to pass through the roller bed on which the glass sheet is initially located. The frame then lifts the glass sheet and presses it against a solid upper mold, the shape of which matches that of the frame and therefore corresponds to the desired shape of the glass sheet. After pressing, the glass is sucked and held against the mold, and then the glass is released onto a roller bed or another frame (called a conveyor rack) to be conveyed to a cooling or tempering zone. In the former case, the rollers then start moving again to convey the glass sheet to the tempering station.

[0003] This type of technology is characterized, besides the particular feature of a lower frame passing through a bed of rollers (acting as a conveyor), by the fact that the bending operation is carried out outside the furnace, or at least in a chamber maintained at an elevated temperature. "High temperature" is intended to mean a temperature generally greater than 250-300°C. This type of technology should therefore be considered a glass forming technology by cold pressing, this qualifier limiting the location of the bending station to that outside the chamber maintained at an elevated temperature: in this configuration, the control of the position of the bending tools is simpler than in the case of thermal technologies. On the other hand, the bending process is a race against time, since the glass sheet cools down as soon as it leaves the furnace; modifications of the bending operation or of the bending conditions are therefore tricky and limited.

[0004] One disadvantage of this method is that the upper mold and the frame are specific parts. This means that for each glass shape, the upper mold and the frame must be machined to the exact dimensions of the glass shape to be produced. Several upper molds may also be needed for the same shape or surface due to the thickness or color of the glass. The upper mold is rigid and the frame usually has adjustment screws that limit the deformability of the frame to approximately + / - 5 mm. Therefore, it is only possible to adjust the lower mold.

[0005] The upper mould can also be modified by reworking its surface, an operation known as "reworking" and which makes it possible to modify its geometry over a range of thicknesses from a few tenths of a millimetre to about 15 millimetres. Each glass shape therefore requires its own tool, which involves significant costs. In fact, during the development process, compromises in the parameters of the method may lead to changes in the geometry of the mould in order to be able to obtain the correct final geometry of the glazing. This reworking of the tool is costly both economically and in terms of time. This cost is increased if several production lines are used to manufacture the glass, since each production line requires its own tool. Summary of the invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art by providing an apparatus for shaping glass sheets and a method thereof which enable a much greater operating flexibility, in particular making it possible to shape glass sheets having different shapes and / or surfaces.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a bending station for a bending device, comprising: two bending molds; a pressing frame arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press the glass sheet against an upper mold, the upper mold comprising a molding surface whose area is defined by projecting the contour of the upper mold onto a horizontal plane, the area of ​​the molding surface being greater than the area defined by projecting the outer contours of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane, the pressing frame comprising a pressing ring having a continuous surface, the upper mold comprising a flexible sheet associated with an upper series of translation elements, the upper mold being deformable under the action of the translation elements in the upper series so as to obtain a deflection value (valeur de flèche) that varies by at least 5 mm.

[0008] The invention also relates to a bending station for a bending device, comprising: two bending moulds; a pressing frame arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press the glass sheet against an upper mould, the upper mould comprising a moulding surface whose area is defined by projecting the contour of the upper mould onto a horizontal plane, the area of ​​the moulding surface being greater than the area defined by projecting the outer contours of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane, the pressing frame comprising a pressing ring having a continuous surface associated with a lower series of translation elements, the upper mould comprising a flexible sheet associated with an upper series of translation elements, the upper mould and the pressing frame being deformable under the action of these translation elements so as to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm.

[0009] The invention also relates to a bending station for a bending device, comprising: two bending moulds; a pressing frame arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press the glass sheet against an upper mould, the surface area or area of ​​the upper mould being defined by projecting the contour of the upper mould onto a horizontal plane, the surface area or area of ​​the upper mould being at least equal to the surface area or area defined by projecting the outer contour of the pressing frame, the pressing frame comprising a pressing ring having a continuous surface associated with a lower series of translation elements, the pressing frame being deformable under the action of the translation elements in the lower series so as to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm.

[0010] The advantage of the bending station according to the invention is that, by acting on the translation elements, the upper mould and / or the pressing frame are able to form glass sheets for single glazings or laminated glazings having different shapes, or glass sheets having the same shape but different thicknesses.

[0011] According to one example, the area of ​​the molding face of the upper mold is equal to at least 101%, preferably at least 105%, even more preferably at least 110% of the surface area of ​​the glass sheet to be molded.

[0012] According to one example, the area of ​​the molding face of the upper mold is such that there is a distance of at least 1 cm, preferably at least 5 cm, between a portion of the edge of the upper mold and a portion of the edge of the glass sheet.

[0013] According to one example, the translation elements of the upper series of translation elements and / or of the lower series of translation elements are actuators.

[0014] According to one example, the translation elements of the upper series of translation elements and / or of the lower series of translation elements comprise articulation means.

[0015] According to one example, the articulation means is a ball joint arranged between the end of the translation element and the upper mold or pressing frame.

[0016] According to one example, the articulation device comprises a connecting rod equipped with a ball joint at each end thereof; a first ball joint connects the end of the translation element to the connecting rod, while a second ball joint connects the other end of the connecting rod to the upper mold or pressing frame.

[0017] According to one example, the ball joint attached to the upper mold or the pressing frame is attached via a compensation device capable of translational movement, the compensation device comprising a slider mounted to move in a holder, the holder being connected to the upper mold and the slider being attached to a translational element, or the compensation device comprises a magnetic slider in contact with the upper mold, the upper mold being made at least partially magnetic.

[0018] According to one example, the upper mould is made at least partially magnetic, by means of magnetic inserts or by means of a metal structure installed during the production (casting) of the membrane.

[0019] According to one example, the flexible sheet of the upper mold is a polymer film or a metal sheet provided with a plurality of open grooves.

[0020] According to one example, the polymer film is reinforced by reinforcement means.

[0021] According to one example, the reinforcing means comprises an overmolded rod or a sheet of harder material overmolded or adhesively bonded to a polymer film, or a rod inserted into a sheath overmolded in a polymer film in which the rod can slide.

[0022] According to one example, the pressing ring is made of a polymer material, or comprises an open metal sheet provided with a plurality of open grooves.

[0023] According to one example, the pressing ring comprises a plurality of parts, each part comprising a plurality of stretchable segments separated from each other by plates, each part further comprising a lame which is inserted into suitable holes formed in each plate and the stretchable segments of the part, the pressing ring further comprising a cross plate comprising two holes so that the lame can be inserted from the two parts.

[0024] According to one example, the upper mold and / or the pressing frame are covered with a metal braid or fabric.

[0025] According to one example, the translation elements in the upper series and / or in the lower series are adjusted in translation manually.

[0026] According to one example, the translation elements in the upper series and / or in the lower series are connected to a control unit enabling the vertical translation of these translation elements to be adjusted.

[0027] According to one example, the translation elements in the upper and lower series are connected to a calculation unit which enables the vertical translation of these translation elements to be adjusted in an interconnected manner.

[0028] According to one example, a suction device is arranged, which includes a vacuum box, the vacuum box includes an outlet connected to a pump, and a plurality of inlets, the suction device also includes a plurality of pipes, each pipe is connected to the inlet of the vacuum box and a through hole arranged in the upper mold.

[0029] According to one example, each conduit is connected to a through hole of the upper mold via a manual stopcock or a module with a controllable valve.

[0030] The invention also comprises a bending apparatus comprising a furnace for heating a glass sheet, means for supporting the glass sheet in a substantially horizontal plane through the furnace and conveying the glass sheet to a bending station according to the invention.

[0031] The invention also relates to a method for bending a glass sheet, comprising heating the glass sheet to a softening temperature, conveying the glass sheet along a substantially horizontal trajectory to a bending station according to the invention, and shaping the glass sheet by pressing it between two moulds.

[0032] According to one example, the method further comprises a step of acting on the translation elements of the upper series and / or of the translation elements of the lower series in order to adjust the upper mould and / or the pressing frame before forming.

[0033] According to one example, the bending device also includes a measuring device that makes it possible to measure the space between the surface of the upper mold and the surface of the pressing frame, the measuring device being connected to a computing unit in order to send a signal to the first series of translation elements and / or to the second series of translation elements in order to compensate for potential drifts.

[0034] According to one example, the bending device also includes a measuring device that enables the shape of the bent glass to be compared with a reference, the measuring device being connected to a control unit in order to send a signal to the first series of translation elements and / or to the second series of translation elements during the production process in order to compensate for potential drifts in the bent shape and / or in the reflective optical quality of the bent shape.

[0035] The invention also relates to a method for producing a series of laminated glazings, each comprising a first sheet and a second sheet associated with an interlayer film, said method comprising the steps of:

[0036] - Provide glass sheets,

[0037] - shaping the glass sheet using a bending device according to the invention so as to obtain a series of first glass sheets and a series of second glass sheets;

[0038] - combining the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the interlayer film in order to form the laminated glazing, characterized in that the step of shaping the glass sheets is carried out so as to alternately form at least one first glass sheet and at least one second glass sheet.

[0039] According to one example, the step of shaping the glass sheet comprises repeating the following steps:

[0040] - acting on the translation elements in the upper series and / or in the lower series in order to adjust the bending station for the shaping of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet;

[0041] - shaping at least one first glass sheet or at least one second glass sheet;

[0042] - acting on the translation elements in the upper series and / or in the lower series in order to set up a bending station for the shaping of the second glass sheet or of the first glass sheet;

[0043] - Shaping at least one second glass sheet or at least one first glass sheet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Other particular features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, given by way of indication and in a purely non-limiting sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0045] - Figure 1 A bending station according to the invention is shown.

[0046] - Figure 2 and Figure 2' A rollover bending mould for a bending station according to the invention is shown.

[0047] - Figure 3 An upper mould is shown with a suction device.

[0048] - Figure 4 , Figure 4' , Figure 5 , Figure 5' An articulation arrangement for the upper mould and / or the pressing frame is shown.

[0049] - Figure 6 and Figure 6' A pressing frame for a bending station according to the invention is shown;

[0050] - Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 shows the construction of a pressing ring for a bending station according to the invention;

[0051] - Fig.11 shows the joining means between the glass and the pressing frame or upper mould of a bending station according to the invention;

[0052] - Fig.12a and Figure 12b A controllable bending die and a pressing ring are shown;

[0053] - Fig.13 Bending stations and bending lines are shown;

[0054] - Fig.14 , Fig.15 and Fig.16 A measuring arrangement enabling improved bending is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] Figure 1 An oven 1 is shown, wherein a glass sheet 2 passes through on a roller conveyor 3. While in the oven 1, the glass sheet 2 reaches its softening temperature. The glass sheet 2 is then conveyed, still supported by the conveyor 3, to a bending station 4.

[0056] The bending station 4 is the location at which the softened glass sheet is manipulated to assume virtually its final shape.

[0057] In the bending station 4, a pressing frame 5 is arranged below the plane defined by the roller conveyor 3. When the glass sheet 2 arrives above this frame, components not shown in the figure make it possible to ensure the precise positioning of said glass sheet, and then stop the movement of the glass sheet by stopping the rollers in the bending area. The pressing frame 5 then passes through the roller bed 3 to lift the glass sheet.

[0058] As mentioned previously, the press frame 5 has a shape that is desired to be imparted to the glass sheet and makes it possible to shape the glass sheet. The press frame 5 is designed to be able to pass through the roller bed 3.

[0059] As the pressing frame 5 has taken over the glass sheet 2, it moves to press the glass sheet 2 against the bending mold 6, which is positioned above the pressing frame 5. The glass sheet is thus shaped by pressing it between the bending mold 6 and the pressing frame 5. At the end of pressing, the suction system makes it possible to press the glass sheet completely against the upper mold.

[0060] The bending die 6 (also called the upper die) comprises a curved surface which is preferably solid, i.e. continuous and uniform, preferably square in shape, but may have other shapes, such as rectangular or any shape. The bending die has a surface area or area defined by projecting the contour of the upper die onto a horizontal plane which is at least equal to the surface area or area defined by projecting the outer contour of the pressing frame.

[0061] Ingeniously, according to the invention, the bending mould 6 and / or the pressing frame 5 are arranged so as to be able to form glass sheets of different shapes.

[0062] In a first embodiment, the bending mould 6 is adaptable. This means that the bending mould 6 makes it possible to form glass sheets of different shapes. For this purpose, Figure 2 , 2'As shown, the bending mold 6 comprises a flexible sheet 60 associated with an upper series of translation elements 70, wherein the bending mold 6 is represented as inverted or flipped. This allows the flexible sheet to have a deflection height varying from 5 to 500 mm, preferably from 10 to 300 mm, and even more preferably from 20 to 200 mm.

[0063] Ingeniously, the bending mold 6 is universal; that is, it has a surface area greater than the surface area of ​​the glass sheet and the surface area of ​​the pressing frame 5. This means that the surface area defined by projecting the contour of the bending mold (also called the upper mold) onto a horizontal plane is greater than the surface area defined by projecting the outer contours of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane. Preferably, the surface area of ​​the bending mold 6 is equal to at least 101% of the surface area of ​​the glass sheet, preferably at least 105%, even more preferably at least 110%. In addition, it is preferred that there is a minimum distance of at least 1 cm, preferably at least 5 cm, between at least a portion of the edge of the glass sheet and a portion of the edge of the film. This configuration enables the upper mold 6 to be used for glass sheets of different shapes, as long as the shape of the glass sheet is located inside the shape of the upper mold 6.

[0064] The flexible sheet 60 can have several forms. The first is a film made of a polymer material. This film made of a polymer material can optionally include rigid elements to increase strength. If the polymer material is too flexible, there is a risk that the shape of the film cannot be well controlled. By strengthening the film, this control is improved. These rigid elements can be metal or plastic rods inserted in the film or overmolded in the film. These rigid elements can also be attached to the metal sheet. The rigid element can optionally be inserted into a sheath that is overmolded in the film. The presence of these sheaths allows the rigid element to slide freely in the sheath.

[0065] In the second form, the flexible sheet 60 comprises a thin sheet made of a material that is resistant to a temperature of 700 degrees (i.e., does not soften at this temperature). Preferably, the material is a metal or its alloy. The thin sheet is provided with a plurality of openings on the surface of the thin sheet, and the openings are in the form of repeated opening grooves so that the thin sheet can be deformed in two different directions.

[0066] exist Figure 3 In the variant visible in FIG. 4 , the bending station 4 comprises a suction device 100 located at the upper mold 6 , which makes it possible to hold the glass sheet by suction.

[0067] To this end, the suction device 100 comprises a plurality of through holes 101 arranged in the upper mold 6. In order to provide suction, the suction device comprises a vacuum box 102. The vacuum box 102 comprises an outlet via which the vacuum box 102 is connected to a pump (not shown) so that air from the vacuum box 102 can be sucked out.

[0068] The vacuum box 102 also comprises a plurality of inlets, each of which is connected to a through hole in the membrane. This connection is made by a pipe 103, one end of which is connected to an inlet of the vacuum box 102 and the other end of which is connected to the through hole 101 at the face opposite to the face facing the glass sheet.

[0069] These through holes are preferably evenly distributed on the surface of the upper mold 6 .

[0070] Given that the upper mold 6 is considered universal, that is, it can be used for glass sheets of different shapes, it is possible that not all holes 101 are used. In order to prevent these holes 101 from causing a loss of suction, the unused holes 101 are preferably blocked or connected in pairs. They can be plugged using plugs, or equipped with a module with a controllable valve that can be closed or opened as needed. Another embodiment is to equip each pipe 103 with a 1 / 4 (quarter) turn stopcock, so that the connection between the vacuum box 102 and the atmosphere can be cut off in the case where the hole 101 of the membrane connected to the pipe is located outside the contact surface between the membrane and the glass sheet.

[0071] The flexible sheet 60 is associated with an upper series of translation elements 70. These translation elements 70 are actuators 71. An actuator 71 is defined as a mechanical or electromechanical element that allows two elements to translate relative to each other.

[0072] Thus, the actuator 71 may be in the form of a cylindrical tube in which a movable piston is arranged, the fluid making it possible to move the piston.

[0073] The actuator 71 may also be in the form of a screw-nut assembly or a worm.

[0074] These translation elements 70 are attached by a first end to a base 40 which may be in the form of a plate or a frame. Figure 2 As can be seen in FIG. 8 , the second end of the translation element 70 is attached to the flexible sheet 60 .

[0075] Each translation element 70 of the upper series can be controlled independently, making it possible to deform the flexible sheet 60 locally and give it a desired shape within the limits of its deformability.

[0076] Since the flexible sheet 60 is a universal tool suitable for forming glass windows of many shapes, it has the following characteristics: its area is larger than the area of ​​the main surface of the formed glass sheet, and the contour of the glass sheet is contained in the contour of the flexible sheet. More specifically, the contour of the upper surface of the formed glass sheet (the surface in contact with the flexible sheet) is contained in the lower surface of the flexible sheet (the surface in contact with the glass sheet).

[0077] The density of the translating elements 70 may vary based on the desired surface area, but may also vary based on the radius of curvature. The density may be such that the translating elements are arranged based on a grid of 500 x 500 mm to 50 x 50 mm.

[0078] The pressure applied to the glass sheet (which is held between the pressing frame 5 and the bending mold 6) does not mean that the shape of the glass sheet is fixed. Since the glass sheet is not necessarily completely cooled during the forming process, the shape of the glass sheet can still be slightly changed.

[0079] Increasing the curvature causes stress to appear on the translation element 70 or on the flexible sheet 60 .

[0080] In fact, increasing the curvature tends to reduce the size of the glass surface projected onto the horizontal plane, while the projection of the translation element 70 is independent of the geometry of the upper mold 6. Stresses are exerted on the translation element 70 and on the upper mold 6. They can cause its deformation and therefore poor operation. However, in order to function correctly, the translation element 70 should be kept as vertical as possible.

[0081] One solution to prevent such stresses is to provide each translating element 70 with one or more articulations 72, such as Figure 4 shown.

[0082] In such Figure 4 In the first example shown, the articulation device 72 is in the form of a ball joint 72' arranged at the end of the translation element 70. This ball joint 72' consists of a sphere and a concave shape complementary to the shape of the hollow sphere. The ball joint 72' is thus arranged between the translation element and the flexible sheet 60.

[0083] exist Figure 4' In the second example, the articulation device 72 is in the form of a connecting rod 70', equipped with a ball joint 72' at each end of the connecting rod. Each ball joint 72' consists of a sphere and a concave shape complementary to the shape of the hollow sphere. Figure 4' As shown, a first ball joint 72 ′ connects the end of the vertical rod of the translation element 70 to the connecting rod 70 ′, while another ball joint connects the other end of the connecting rod 70 ′ to a base plate integral with the flexible sheet 60 .

[0084] An alternative solution consists in arranging a ball joint 72' at the junction between the upper mould 6 and the slidable translation element 70. This means that the ball joint 72' can move slightly at the surface via the compensation device 74, such as Figure 5 as shown in .

[0085] A first embodiment of the compensation device 74 comprises a holder 740 in which a slider 742 can move freely. The slider 742 is a circular component. The holder 740 comprises a circular base from which an annular wall extends. From the annular wall, a peripheral flange extends towards the axial center of the circular base and defines a housing into which the slider 742 can be inserted. The peripheral flange makes it impossible for the slider 742 to leave the holder once it has been inserted. The diameter of the circular base and the height of the annular wall of the holder are dimensioned so that the slider 742 can translate freely within the holder 740 in two directions parallel to the plane containing the base of the holder 740.

[0086] The holder 740 is attached to the upper mould 6. The holder 740 may be attached to the film by adhesive bonding or, in the case of an upper mould 6 in the form of a film, the holder 740 may be overmoulded directly in the film.

[0087] The slider 742 is attached to the translation element 70 so that it can move in the holder to compensate for stresses that may occur during the forming of the flexible sheet 60. The slider 742 is designed to allow the attachment of a ball joint 72'. This ball joint 72' is directly attached to the end of the actuator.

[0088] exist Figure 5' In the second embodiment visible in FIG. 7 , the translation element 70 is attached to the flexible sheet 60 via a compensation device 74 in the form of a magnetic slider 742 ′. To this end, the flexible sheet 60 itself is at least partially magnetic. This magnetism is obtained in various ways.

[0089] The first way consists in making the entire surface of the flexible sheet 60 magnetic. To this end, the flexible sheet 60 can be made of a magnetic material, such as a flexible metal sheet perforated with a pattern to give it a certain flexibility. The flexible sheet can also be in the form of a sheet of non-magnetic flexible material (such as a polymer) that is made magnetic by inserts made of magnetic material extending over the entire surface of the sheet.

[0090] A second way consists in locally providing the membrane with magnetic zones which are placed at the locations where the translation element must be connected to the membrane. To this end, magnetic inserts 744 are attached to the flexible sheet 60. This attachment may be an adhesive bond or a screw connection (particularly when the flexible sheet 60 is a metal sheet), but this attachment may be an overmolding (particularly when the flexible sheet is a polymer film).

[0091] The slider 742' is designed to allow the attachment of a ball joint either directly to the end of the actuator 71 or directly to the connecting rod 70'.

[0092] In one configuration, each translation element 70 is attached to the upper mold 6 by an articulation 72 using two ball joints 72' and a connecting rod 70'. However, other configurations are possible.

[0093] Another configuration therefore consists in arranging translation elements 70 at the centre of the upper mould 6 which, unlike the translation elements 70 arranged at the periphery, do not comprise a connecting rod 70 ′ associated with two ball joints 72, but are equipped with a single ball joint 72 ′. Indeed, if all translation elements 70 had two ball joints 72 ′, there would be too many degrees of freedom for certain geometries. There is therefore a risk of the system lacking strength for surfaces with small curvatures. This risk is reduced in this configuration in which the translation element 70 is arranged in the centre and is provided with a single ball joint 72 ′.

[0094] According to a second embodiment, the pressing frame 5 is adaptable. The pressing frame comprises a pressing ring 50. This pressing ring 50 is continuous and connected to the lower series of translation elements 70, such as Figure 6 , 6' The translation elements 70 are actuators 71 as described above. These translation elements 70 are attached by a first end to a base 40 which may be in the form of a plate or a frame. The second end of the translation elements 70 is attached to the hold-down ring 50.

[0095] The pressing ring 50 of the second embodiment is designed to be deformable and to change its curvature, so that the pressing ring 50 can have a deflection height varying from 0 to 500 mm, preferably from 0 to 300 mm, and even more preferably from 0 to 200 mm.

[0096] to this end, Figure 6 The hold-down ring 50 shown in FIG. 5 may be of different forms.

[0097] In a first form, the hold-down ring 50 is in the form of a ring made of a polymer material such as that used for the bending die 6 .

[0098] In a second form, the pressing ring 50 is in the form of an annular metal sheet having a plurality of repeated open grooves provided on its surface so that the annular metal sheet can be deformed in two different directions.

[0099] In a third form, the pressed ring 50 is in the form of a structure comprising a plurality of segments attached to each other so as to form a wavy or sinusoidal structure. The segments are arranged to form a ring.

[0100] According to this third form of construction, the pressing ring 50 comprises a number of "sides" or portions 500, each of which may be linear or curved. In the present case, the ring consists of four "sides" 500, such as Figure 7 as shown in .

[0101] Each side 500 includes a plurality of stretchable sections or portions 501. Each stretchable portion 501 is composed of an elastic material cut into an accordion shape, which imparts significant and reversible stretching properties thereto. Figure 8 As shown in , a rectangular hole is made in the material folded like an accordion bellows to allow a flexible, inextensible sheet 502 to slide in the approximate mid-plane of the foldable material. The sheet 502 provides rigidity to each portion 501 and allows a continuous, regular curve to be obtained along the entire periphery of the pressing ring 50.

[0102] The stretchable parts 501 are separated from each other by a rigid part 503, such as a plate; these stretchable parts 501 are attached to the plate 503. Each plate 503 also comprises a hole to allow the non-stretchable sheet-shaped element 502 to slide into it.

[0103] like Fig. 9 As shown, the intersection of two adjacent sides 500 is formed by a cross plate 505, which is provided with two overlapping rectangular holes to allow the metal sheet 502 to slide on each of the two sides 500. The angle of these holes is equal to the intersection angle between the ends of the two adjacent sides it connects. Fig. 9 As shown, each of two adjacent edges can be inserted into it.

[0104] The glass is therefore in contact with the following elements of the press ring: the upper surface of each extendable portion 501 , the upper surface of each plate 503 , and the upper surface of each cross plate 505 .

[0105] These holes of the cross plate 505 are not at the same level, so that there is a hole (called the upper hole) located closer (distance from the hole to the contact surface, thickness 1) to the contact surface of the glass sheet, than the lower hole. In this case, the upper folded portion of the expandable portion 501 in which the sheet-shaped piece 502 inserted into the upper hole slides is thinner than the upper folded portion of the expandable portion 501 in which the sheet-shaped piece 502 inserted into the lower hole slides. This makes it possible to ensure that the edge of the glass is pressed continuously and regularly, so that the pressure applied to the edge of the glass by the lower pressing ring and the upper mold is uniform. This precaution minimizes the formation of optical defects visible in reflections at the edge of the glass.

[0106] The hold-down ring 50 is attached to the translating element via a plate 503 and a cross plate 505 .

[0107] These plates 503 and 505 are provided with spheres 506 at their lower surfaces. Fig.10 As shown, each ball 506 is in contact with two half-shells 73 mounted at the end of each translation element 70 so as to form a ball and socket joint.

[0108] Each translation element 70 is movable along a vertical axis, but its position in the horizontal plane is fixed.

[0109] The pair formed by the ball, the plate and the double shell integral with the end of the mechanical actuator thus forms a ball joint connection. A screw-nut type connection 75 makes it possible to block the ball joint, thus forming a rigid connection between these actuators 71 .

[0110] The contact between the glass sheet and the contact surface of the press ring 50 may have an angle known as relief angle.

[0111] If the relief angle is zero, contact between the glass and the press ring occurs at the edge surface of the glass at its periphery.

[0112] On the other hand, a non-zero relief angle allows for linear contact between the perimeter of the glass and the press ring 50, which minimizes geometric and optical defects at the edge of the formed glass window.

[0113] This relief angle is usually limited by the thickness of the glass to be formed and also by the edge length of the pressing ring not covered by the glass sheet. The larger the glass sheet and the thinner the formed glass, the smaller the relief angle that can be achieved.

[0114] To shape the pressing ring 50, the method consists in loosening the screw-nut connections so as to enable the movement of all the ball joints connecting the pressing ring 50 to the translation system 70. The actuator 71 or the translation element 70 is then arranged in terms of height so that the plate 503 and the cross plate 505 are in contact with the upper mould 6. The position of the plates 503, 505 is then locked by means of the screw-nut pairs present at each end of the translation element 70. In the case where a clearance angle of a given angle is required, this clearance angle is taken into account, and the surface adapted to the upper mould is immediately produced, the previous adjustments are then made and the screw-nut pairs are locked, as previously described. The upper mould then presents a geometry adapted to the shape of the glazing unit that it is desired to produce, and production can begin.

[0115] In a variant, the translation element 70 comprises a connecting rod 70' equipped with a ball joint at each end thereof. Each ball joint may consist of a sphere and a concave shape complementary to the shape of the hollow sphere. The first ball joint connects the end of the vertical rod of the translation element 70 to the connecting rod 70', while the ball joint connecting the other end of the connecting rod and the pressing frame 50 comprises the aforementioned sphere and double shell.

[0116] In a variant, it is possible to have some translation elements 70 associated with the pressing ring 50 with an articulation with a connecting rod with a double ball joint 72 ' (as previously described) and other translation elements equipped with a single ball joint, which makes it possible to eliminate some degrees of freedom that would make the pressing frame too flexible and unusable. The ends of the translation elements 70 equipped with a single ball joint are preferably located in the middle of different sides of the pressing ring.

[0117] In both embodiment variants, the articulation 72 for the pressing frame 5 or the upper mould 6 is lockable. To this end, the ball joint 72' is provided with a locking mechanism making it possible to lock the position of the ball joint 72'.

[0118] In two variants of the embodiment, Fig.11 As shown in FIG. 5 , the pressing ring 50 and / or the flexible sheet 60 forming the bending mold 6 include engaging means 80. These engaging means 80 are used to improve the contact between the pressing ring 50 and / or the flexible sheet 60 and the glass sheet V.

[0119] The engagement means 80 may be in the form of a fabric or braid 82, for example based on high temperature resistant metal fibers. The metal braid or braid 82 is a material that allows certain drawbacks to be mitigated and improves heat exchange.

[0120] It is possible to have several configurations for the first and second embodiments.

[0121] The first configuration is that the bending mold 6 is adaptable, while the pressing ring 5 is fixed. It can therefore be understood that the bending mold 6 has a deflection height that varies by at least 5 mm, while the deflection height of the pressing ring 50 varies by less than 5 mm. This configuration is advantageous because it can reduce costs by having a bending mold 6 that can be used for glass sheets of several shapes.

[0122] The second configuration consists in having a fixed bending mold 6 having a surface area or area defined by projecting the contour of the upper mold onto a horizontal plane, which surface area or area is at least equal to the surface area or area defined by projecting the outer contour of the pressing frame and the adaptable pressing ring 50. It is thus understood that the bending mold has a deflection height that varies less than 5 mm, while the deflection height of the pressing ring varies by at least 5 mm. This configuration is advantageous because it allows reducing costs by having a pressing ring that can be used for several shapes of glass sheets.

[0123] The third configuration consists in having an adaptable bending mold 60 and an adaptable pressing ring 5. Thus, it is understood that the bending mold has a bending height that varies at least 5 mm and a pressing ring that varies at least 5 mm. This third configuration is the most advantageous because it allows the production of glass sheets of many shapes without changing the tool.

[0124] Therefore, the method for shaping glass sheets according to the present invention comprises a step consisting in conveying the glass sheets one by one through a heating furnace to raise their temperature to a temperature close to the softening temperature, wherein the glass sheets are conveyed on a roller bed.

[0125] In a following step, once leaving the furnace, the glass sheet is then conveyed to a bending station 4 according to the invention, that is to say to which the flexible mould 60 and / or the pressing ring 50 are adaptable.

[0126] In the bending station 4, the glass sheet is lifted off the conveyor by a press ring 50. The press ring 50 then lifts the glass sheet 2 and presses it against a flexible sheet 60 whose shape matches that of the press ring 50 and thus corresponds to the desired shape of the glass sheet.

[0127] After pressing, the pressing ring 50 returns downward to a height below the roller bed and thereby replaces the glass sheet on the roller bed or on the conveying frame 10, which takes the glass sheet to the next station. Fig.13 As shown, the further station can be a cooling station 9 or a tempering station 8 .

[0128] In the case of an adaptable bending mould 6 and / or pressing frame 5, a setting step is necessary. This setting step consists in acting on the upper series of upper translation elements 70 and / or the lower series of translation elements 70 to set the shape of the bending mould and / or pressing frame.

[0129] To this end, a first solution consists in manually acting on the translation elements 70 in the upper and / or lower series. Each translation element 70 is thus manually set to obtain the desired shape of the bending mould 6 and / or of the pressing frame 5 .

[0130] like Fig.12a and Figure 12b , a second solution consists in acting on the translation elements 70 in the upper and / or lower series via a control unit 76. This control unit 76 is electrically connected to each translation element 70 of the upper and / or lower series, these translation elements 70 being electromechanical. The control unit 76 is provided with or connected to an interface (not shown) which enables an operator to enter settings or load a file comprising said settings. These settings are thus processed in order to send control signals to each translation element 70, thereby controlling its translation.

[0131] In the case where the upper mould 6 and the pressing frame 5 are adaptable, there can also be an interconnection between the upper series of translation elements 70 and the lower series of translation elements 70. This interconnection consists in having a computing unit UC connected to or contained in the control unit 76 which is able to deduce therefrom the settings to be made for the pressing frame 5 based on the settings entered for the upper mould 6 and vice versa.

[0132] This setting step is performed before the forming of a series of glass sheets, or between each glass sheet.

[0133] The method may further comprise a regulation step. This regulation step consists in having measuring devices 90 at the exit of the bending station 4. These measuring devices 90 comprise different sensors, such as image sensors or position sensors, making it possible to measure the bent sheet and send the measurement results to a calculation unit UC, which may be included in the control unit 76. The calculation unit UC compares the measured bent sheet with the theoretical model to determine whether they match. If the measured bent sheet does not match the theoretical model, the calculation unit UC communicates with the control unit 76 to send a signal to one or more translation elements 70 so that the bent shape can be corrected. In fact, since the bending mold 6 is a surface whose shape approximates the desired surface geometry of the glass sheet after bending, corrections can be made so that the appropriate geometry and improved reflective optical quality can be obtained. The invention makes it easy to achieve this. It is also possible to have a measuring device 90 in the form of a test gauge associated with an optical or position sensor. The gauge itself serves as a mechanical reference for the glass to be measured.

[0134] Optionally, a measuring device 90 making it possible to measure and check the reflective optical quality of the produced glass parts can advantageously be introduced into the system for controlling the geometry of the upper mould.

[0135] This measurement of the optical quality can be performed alone or together with the geometrical measurement performed by the measuring device 90 .

[0136] The method may further include an adjustment step. This step is performed if it is observed that the pressing ring 5 and the bending die 6 are not fully matched. Fig.14 As shown in , the distance e between the pressing ring and the bending die may not be constant over the length of the pressing ring.

[0137] To this end, a sensor 91 is used to measure the spacing between the pressing ring 5 and the bending die 6. One type of sensor that can be used is a video or image sensor 91a, which makes it possible to take an image of the space between the pressing ring 5 and the bending die 6. The image is sent to a computing unit UC (which can be a control unit 76). The computing unit UC uses an algorithm to determine the value of the space e' and compares it with the theoretical space e. The algorithm can use the distance that separates the video sensor from the pressing ring 5 and the bending die 6, as well as the optical properties of the video sensor. The computing unit UC can then communicate with the control unit 76 in order to send a signal to one or more translation elements 70 so that the shape of the bend can be corrected. As Fig.15 As shown in , a plurality of sensors are used to monitor the entire press ring 5 .

[0138] Image analysis can also be performed in the shaped reflection, so that overpressure and underpressure areas can be identified and a correction of the position can therefore be requested. For this purpose, a video sensor and a cross-hatch pattern are used.

[0139] Another type of sensor 91a used may be capacitive or inductive or laser based on a change in capacitance or on the generation of a Foucault current. Fig.16 As shown in , the sensor 91b is arranged on the flexible sheet 60 of the bending mold or on the pressing ring 50 and is used to measure the space e between the two. These measured values ​​are sent to the calculation unit UC, which compares these measured values ​​with theoretical values ​​in order to send control signals to one or more translation elements.

[0140] Optionally, the calculation unit UC can compare the measured values ​​originating from the sensors. This comparison makes it possible to subsequently act on certain translation elements so that the measurement results are all identical.

[0141] These setup or adjustment steps allow the process to be improved by limiting the amount of bent glass that does not meet desired standards; thus increasing yield.

[0142] Alternatively, the invention is particularly suitable if it is desired to produce a laminated glazing comprising two sheets of glass that are completely parallel to one another and are joined by the introduction of an elastomeric sheet adhered to the glass and having a uniform thickness.

[0143] In practice, the glazing produced may comprise two sheets of glass having different characteristics, such as their thickness or tint. In this case, when the two types of glass sheets are produced with identical settings, two different geometries are generally obtained; one for the external glass and a second geometry, different from the first, for the internal glass sheet.

[0144] In fact, since the two types of glass sheets have different properties, they do not react in the same way during the forming process. Therefore, the more heavily tinted or thicker glass sheets usually produce more significant bending than the lighter tinted or thinner glass sheets. A conventional but difficult to implement method is to produce in two series: for example, a first series for the external glass sheets and then, subsequently, a second series for the internal glass sheets. This method is difficult to implement and risky when the geometries of the two glass sheets need to be very close to each other. It also requires a lot of intermediate storage of the first sheets produced, which has a significant risk of breakage or the risk of defects.

[0145] The ingenuity of the present invention is that it enables a method of producing a series of laminated glazings, thereby enabling continuous production of each pair of internal and external glass sheets.

[0146] To this end, the computing unit UC acts on the translation elements 70 in the upper and / or lower series so as to enable the bending mould 6 and / or the pressing frame 5 to alternately shape the glass sheets in order to produce therefrom a first sheet and then to shape the glass sheets in order to produce therefrom a second sheet. The method thus makes it possible to shape the first and second sheets of the same laminated glazing almost simultaneously, so that the temperature conditions of the two glass sheets are identical. This makes it easier to mate the two glass sheets.

[0147] Thus, a method for producing a series of laminated glazing units comprises the following steps:

[0148] - Provide glass sheets,

[0149] - shaping the glass sheets using the bending device according to the invention so as to obtain a series of first glass sheets and a series of second glass sheets;

[0150] - combining the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the interlayer film so as to form a laminated glazing.

[0151] Ingeniously, the shaping of the glass sheet is such that it consists of repeating the following steps:

[0152] - acting on the translation elements 70 in the upper series and / or in the lower series in order to set up a bending station for the shaping of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet;

[0153] - shaping at least one first glass sheet or at least one second glass sheet;

[0154] - acting on the translation elements in the upper series and / or in the lower series in order to set up a bending station for the shaping of the second glass sheet or of the first glass sheet;

[0155] - Shaping at least one second glass sheet or at least one first glass sheet.

[0156] However, although the method for producing a series of laminated glazings according to the invention is capable of producing first and second glass sheets alternately, it is not limited to this. Therefore, the method can be adjusted so that the bending station is capable of producing a plurality of first sheets and then a plurality of second sheets. The number of first sheets and the number of second sheets can be the same, but can be different, so that, for example, two sheets of the first sheet type are formed, followed by three sheets of the second sheet type, or vice versa. The number of first sheets or second sheets formed can vary, as long as the advantage of having first sheets and second sheets formed under the same conditions still exists.

[0157] The invention is described in particular detail for the manufacture of laminated glazings, however the invention is also applicable to the shaping of single panes of tempered glazing type.

[0158] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples shown but is susceptible to various variations and modifications that will be obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A bending station (4) for a bending device, the bending station comprising: Two bending dies; a pressing frame (5) arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press it against a solid and uniform upper mould (6), the pressing frame comprising a pressing ring (50) having a continuous surface associated with a lower series of translation elements (70), the upper mould comprising a flexible sheet (60) associated with an upper series of translation elements (70), characterized in that the upper mould comprises a moulding face whose area is defined by projecting the contour of the upper mould onto a horizontal plane, the area of ​​the moulding face being greater than the area defined by projecting the outer contours of the pressing frame and the glass sheet onto the same horizontal plane, and the upper mould and the pressing frame being deformable under the action of the translation elements so as to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm; The pressing ring (50) includes a plurality of parts (500), each part including a plurality of stretchable segments (501) separated from each other by plates (503), each part also including a sheet-shaped member (502), the sheet-shaped member (502) being inserted into suitable holes formed in each plate and the stretchable segments of the part, the pressing ring also including a cross plate (505), the cross plate (505) including two holes so that the sheet-shaped member can be inserted from the two parts.

2. A bending station (4) for a bending device, the bending station comprising: Two bending dies; a pressing frame (5) arranged to adapt to a glass sheet and to press it against a solid and uniform upper mould (6), the area of ​​which is defined by projecting its contour onto a horizontal plane, the area of ​​which is at least equal to the area defined by projecting the outer contour of the pressing frame, the pressing frame comprising a pressing ring (50) having a continuous surface associated with a lower series of translation elements (70), characterised in that the pressing frame is deformable under the action of a translation element of the lower series so as to obtain a deflection value varying by at least 5 mm; The pressing ring (50) includes a plurality of parts (500), each part including a plurality of stretchable segments (501) separated from each other by plates (503), each part also including a sheet-shaped member (502), the sheet-shaped member (502) being inserted into suitable holes formed in each plate and the stretchable segments of the part, the pressing ring also including a cross plate (505), the cross plate (505) including two holes so that the sheet-shaped member can be inserted from the two parts.

3. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The area of ​​the molding surface of the upper mold (6) is equal to at least 101% of the surface area of ​​the glass sheet to be molded.

4. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The area of ​​the molding surface of the upper mold (6) is such that there is a distance of at least 1 cm between a portion of the edge of the upper mold and a portion of the edge of the glass sheet.

5. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The translation element (70) of the lower series of translation elements is an actuator (71).

6. The bending station according to claim 5, characterized in that The translation element (70) of the lower series of translation elements comprises an articulation device (72).

7. The bending station according to claim 6, characterized in that The articulation device (72) is a ball joint (72') arranged between the end of the translation element (70) and the upper mold (6) or the pressing frame (5).

8. The bending station according to claim 6, characterized in that The articulated device (72) comprises a connecting rod (70') equipped with a ball joint (72') at each end thereof; a first ball joint connects the end of the translation element (70) to the connecting rod (70'), while a second ball joint connects the other end of the connecting rod to the upper mold or the pressing frame.

9. The bending station according to claim 7, characterized in that The ball joint attached to the upper mold (6) or the pressing frame (5) is attached via a compensation device (74), which is capable of translational movement, and the compensation device includes a slider (740) mounted to move in a retaining frame (742), the retaining frame is attached to the upper mold or the pressing frame (5), and the slider is attached to the translation element (70), or the compensation device includes a magnetic slider in contact with the upper mold, and the upper mold is made to be at least partially magnetic.

10. The bending station according to claim 9, characterized in that The upper mould (6) is made at least partially magnetic by means of magnetic inserts.

11. The bending station according to claim 2, characterized in that The flexible sheet (60) of the upper mold (6) is a polymer film or a metal sheet provided with a plurality of opening grooves.

12. The bending station according to claim 11, characterized in that The polymer film is reinforced by reinforcement means.

13. The bending station according to claim 12, characterized in that The reinforcing means comprises an overmoulded rod or a sheet of harder material overmoulded on or adhesively bonded to the polymer film, or a rod inserted into a sheath overmoulded in the polymer film, in which sheath the rod is able to slide.

14. The bending station according to claim 2, characterized in that The pressing ring (50) is made of a polymer material, or comprises an open metal sheet provided with a plurality of open grooves.

15. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The upper mould and / or the pressing frame are covered with a metal braid or fabric (82).

16. The bending station according to claim 5, characterized in that The translation element (70) in the lower series of translation elements is manually adjusted in translation.

17. The bending station according to claim 5, characterized in that The translation elements of the lower series of translation elements are connected to a control unit (76) which enables the vertical translation of the translation elements to be adjusted.

18. The bending station according to claim 17, characterized in that The translation elements (70) of the lower series of translation elements are also connected to a calculation unit (UC) which enables the vertical translation of the translation elements to be adjusted in an interconnected manner.

19. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that A suction device (100) is arranged, which includes a vacuum box (102), the vacuum box includes an outlet connected to a pump, and multiple inlets, and the suction device also includes multiple pipes (103), each pipe is connected to the inlet of the vacuum box and a through hole (101) arranged in the upper mold.

20. The bending station according to claim 19, characterized in that Each pipeline is connected to the through hole of the upper mold via a manual stopcock or a module with a controllable valve.

21. The bending station of claim 1, wherein: The translation elements of the upper series of translation elements are actuators.

22. The bending station according to claim 21, characterized in that The translation elements of the upper series of translation elements comprise articulation means.

23. The bending station of claim 21, wherein: The translation elements of the upper series of translation elements are manually adjusted in translation.

24. The bending station of claim 21, wherein: The translation elements of the upper series of translation elements are connected to a control unit which enables the vertical translation of the translation elements to be adjusted.

25. The bending station according to claim 24, characterized in that The translation elements of the upper series of translation elements are also connected to a calculation unit which enables the vertical translation of the translation elements to be adjusted in an interconnected manner.

26. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The area of ​​the molding surface of the upper mold (6) is equal to at least 105% of the surface area of ​​the glass sheet to be molded.

27. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The area of ​​the molding surface of the upper mold (6) is equal to at least 110% of the surface area of ​​the glass sheet to be molded.

28. The bending station according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The area of ​​the molding surface of the upper mold (6) is such that there is a distance of at least 5 cm between a portion of the edge of the upper mold and a portion of the edge of the glass sheet.

29. A bending device comprising: An oven for heating a glass sheet; means for supporting the glass sheet in a substantially horizontal plane through the oven and conveying the glass sheet to a bending station according to any one of claims 1-28.

30. A method for bending a glass sheet, comprising: The glass sheet is heated to a softening temperature, conveyed along a substantially horizontal trajectory to a bending station according to any one of claims 1 to 28, and shaped by pressing between two moulds.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising: The step of acting on the translation elements (70) of the lower series of translation elements to adjust the pressing frame prior to forming.

32. The method according to claim 31, characterized in that The bending device also includes a measuring device (90) that enables the space between the surface of the upper mold and the surface of the pressing frame to be measured, the measuring device being connected to a computing unit (UC) in order to send a signal to the first series of translation elements and / or to the second series of translation elements in order to compensate for potential drift.

33. The method according to any one of claims 30 to 32, characterized in that The bending device also includes measuring means making it possible to compare the shape of the bent glass with a reference, the measuring means being connected to a control unit so as to send signals to the first series of translation elements and / or to the second series of translation elements during production in order to compensate for potential drifts in the shape of the bend and / or in the reflective optical qualities of said bent shape.

34. A method for bending a glass sheet, comprising: heating the glass sheet to a softening temperature, conveying it along a substantially horizontal trajectory to a bending station according to any one of claims 1 to 28, shaping it by pressing it between two moulds, the upper mould comprising a flexible sheet (60) associated with an upper series of translation elements (70), The method further comprises the step of acting on a translatory element of the upper series of translatory elements to adjust the upper mold prior to forming.

35. A method for producing a series of laminated glazings, each comprising a first sheet and a second sheet associated with an interlayer film, the method comprising the steps of: - Provide glass sheets, - shaping the glass sheet using a bending device according to claim 29 so as to obtain a series of first glass sheets and a series of second glass sheets; - combining the first glass sheet, the second glass sheet and the interlayer film in order to form the laminated glazing, characterized in that the step of shaping the glass sheets is carried out so as to alternately form at least one first glass sheet and at least one second glass sheet.

36. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that The step of shaping the glass sheet comprises repeating the following steps: - acting on the translation element of the lower series of translation elements in order to adjust the bending station for the shaping of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet; - shaping at least one first glass sheet or at least one second glass sheet; - acting on a translation element of said lower series of translation elements in order to set up said bending station for shaping of said second glass sheet or of said first glass sheet; - Shaping at least one second glass sheet or at least one first glass sheet.

37. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that The step of shaping the glass sheet comprises repeating the following steps: - acting on the translation element of the upper series of translation elements in order to adjust the bending station for the shaping of the first glass sheet or the second glass sheet; - shaping at least one first glass sheet or at least one second glass sheet; - acting on a translation element of the upper series of translation elements in order to set up the bending station for shaping of the second glass sheet or of the first glass sheet; - Shaping at least one second glass sheet or at least one first glass sheet.

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