Glass forming apparatus and method of forming a glass sheet

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of glass production and discloses a glass forming device and a glass plate forming method. The glass forming device comprises a shell structure, a molten inner container and a tensioning component. A shaped inner container is formed in the shell structure. The molten inner container is provided with a molten cavity with an open lower end, and the molten inner container is arranged in the shaped inner container. The tensioning component is arranged between the shaped inner container and the molten inner container, so that the molten inner container is tightly attached to the shaped inner container. In the glass forming device provided by the application, the position of the side wall of the molten inner container is adjusted by the tensioning component, so that the side wall of the molten inner container is tightly attached to the side wall of the shaped inner container. The shape of the shaped inner container is more stable, so that the shape of the slit generated on the molten inner container can be guaranteed when the molten inner container is attached to the inner side wall of the shaped inner container, the slit is prevented from deforming, and the width of the output glass liquid is uniform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of glass production technology, and in particular to a glass forming apparatus and a method for forming glass sheets. Background Technology

[0002] Glass is an indispensable part of modern industry. The slot-draw process is a type of draw process in which glass is fed from a machined slot-shaped orifice and then drawn down to the target thickness, thus enabling the production of ultra-thin glass sheets.

[0003] However, during the use of a glass slit forming machine, the slit position for conveying molten glass is prone to deformation due to external forces or high temperatures. This results in uneven slit width distribution, leading to excessive deviations in the output at different points in the slit, ultimately causing sheet failure. Furthermore, the slit forming machine expands under high temperatures, altering the slit width and affecting the output. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a glass forming apparatus and a glass plate forming method, which aims to solve the problem of uneven slit width distribution.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a glass forming apparatus, comprising:

[0006] The outer shell structure has a molded inner liner inside;

[0007] A molten inner liner, forming a molten cavity with an opening at the lower end, the molten inner liner being disposed within the shaped inner liner; and,

[0008] A tensioning component is disposed between the shaped inner liner and the molten inner liner, so that the molten inner liner is tensioned and fits tightly against the shaped inner liner.

[0009] Optionally, the shaped inner liner is provided with a through hole;

[0010] The tensioning component includes:

[0011] A connecting plate, movably installed within the through hole, with one end of the connecting plate fixedly connected to the side wall of the molten inner liner; and,

[0012] A driving component is installed on the housing structure and driven to the other end of the connecting plate to drive the connecting plate to move axially along the through hole.

[0013] Optionally, a threaded hole is formed at the other end of the connecting plate;

[0014] The driving component includes a driving bolt, the threaded end of which is movably inserted into the through hole and threaded into the threaded hole, and the screw head end of the driving bolt is used to abut against the outer wall of the outer shell structure.

[0015] Optionally, the connecting plate includes an upper plate and a lower plate, one end of which is fixedly connected to the side wall of the molten inner liner at a distance from each other;

[0016] And / or, the other ends of the upper plate and the lower plate are connected to each other and are driven by the driving component.

[0017] Optionally, the lower opening of the molten inner liner includes a tapered section and a uniformly wide end arranged sequentially from top to bottom, and the tensioning component is provided corresponding to the uniformly wide end; and / or,

[0018] The tensioning components are provided in multiple ways, and the multiple tensioning components are spaced apart and arranged symmetrically.

[0019] Optionally, the glass forming apparatus may further include a heat insulation layer disposed between the outer shell structure and the shaped inner liner.

[0020] Optionally, the glass forming apparatus further includes a position adjustment structure disposed between the outer shell structure and the shaping inner liner, for adjusting the position of the shaping inner liner in the width direction of the outer shell structure.

[0021] Optionally, the housing structure has a first sidewall extending along the length direction, and an adjustment hole is formed on the first sidewall;

[0022] The position adjustment structure includes:

[0023] Connecting fasteners are used to securely install the shaped inner liner; and,

[0024] An adjusting bolt, the threaded end of which is installed into the adjusting hole and threadedly connected to the connecting fastener.

[0025] Optionally, the position adjustment structure further includes a positioning structure for fixing the position of the shaped inner liner in the width direction of the outer shell structure.

[0026] Optionally, the housing structure has a second sidewall extending in the width direction, and a positioning hole is formed on the second sidewall;

[0027] The positioning structure includes a positioning pin, one end of which is movably installed into the positioning hole to abut against the side wall surface of the molded inner liner extending in the width direction.

[0028] The present invention also provides a method for forming a glass plate, using a glass forming apparatus according to any one of the above claims, the glass forming method comprising:

[0029] The tensioning component is controlled to make the sidewall of the molten inner liner tensioned and adhered to the inner sidewall of the shaped inner liner;

[0030] Molten glass is fed into the melting chamber, and the molten glass flows out from the lower opening of the melting chamber to form a glass ribbon;

[0031] The glass strip is formed into a glass sheet after being rolled, annealed, and cooled.

[0032] This invention provides a glass forming apparatus, wherein a molten inner liner is disposed within the shaping inner liner of the outer shell structure, and a molten cavity with an opening at the lower end is formed within the molten inner liner. The lower opening of the molten cavity forms a narrow slit for the outflow of molten glass. During the melting and feeding of molten glass, due to the high temperature, the two sidewalls of the molten inner liner may undergo certain deformation, causing the sidewalls of the molten inner liner to fail to adhere tightly to the sidewalls of the shaping inner liner, and changing the size of the gap between the sidewalls of the molten inner liner. At this time, the tensioning component adjusts the molten inner liner... The position of the sidewall of the inner liner ensures that the sidewall of the molten inner liner is tightly attached to the sidewall of the shaping inner liner. Due to the larger and thicker outer shell structure, the material is more heat-resistant and the shape is more stable. Therefore, the outer shell structure is less affected at the same glass melting temperature. As a result, the shape of the shaping inner liner is more stable, and the two sidewalls of the shaping inner liner can be considered as not deforming. This allows the molten inner liner to adhere to the inner sidewall of the shaping inner liner, ensuring the shape of the slits generated on the molten inner liner, preventing slit deformation, ensuring the uniform width of the output molten glass, and maintaining the slit size. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is a front sectional view of the glass forming apparatus provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top-view cross-sectional structural diagram of the glass forming apparatus;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a frontal cross-sectional view of the glass forming system provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0037]

[0038]

[0039] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0042] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the meaning of "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions; for example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0043] Please see Figure 1 The present invention provides a glass forming apparatus 100, including an outer shell structure 11, a molten inner liner 2, and a tensioning component; a shaping inner liner 12 is formed inside the outer shell structure 11; the molten inner liner 2 has a molten cavity with an opening at the lower end, and the molten inner liner 2 is disposed inside the shaping inner liner 12; the tensioning component is disposed between the shaping inner liner 12 and the molten inner liner 2, so that the molten inner liner 2 is tightly fitted to the shaping inner liner 12.

[0044] This invention provides a glass forming apparatus 100, wherein a molten inner liner 2 is disposed within the shaping inner liner of the outer shell structure 11, and a molten cavity with a lower opening is formed between the two inner liner sidewalls of the molten inner liner 2. The lower opening of the molten cavity forms a slit for the outflow of molten glass. During the melting and feeding of molten glass, due to the high temperature, the two sidewalls of the molten inner liner 2 may undergo certain deformation, causing the sidewalls of the molten inner liner 2 to fail to adhere tightly to the sidewalls of the shaping inner liner, and the size of the slit gap between the sidewalls of the molten inner liner 2 changes. At this time, the tensioning component adjusts the tensioning mechanism. The position of the sidewall of the molten inner liner 2 is such that the sidewall of the molten inner liner 2 is tightly attached to the sidewall of the shaping inner liner. Because the outer shell structure is larger and thicker, the material is more heat-resistant and the shape is more stable, the outer shell structure is less affected at the same glass melting temperature. Therefore, the shape of the shaping inner liner 12 is more stable, and the two sidewalls of the shaping inner liner can be regarded as not deforming. This allows the molten inner liner 2 to adhere to the inner sidewall of the shaping inner liner 12, which also ensures the shape of the slits generated on the molten inner liner 2, avoids deformation of the slits, ensures that the width of the output glass liquid is uniform, and the slit size remains unchanged.

[0045] It should be noted that the molten inner liner 2 needs to be able to generate high temperatures and needs to be heat-resistant itself. In this embodiment, it is made of heat-resistant metals such as platinum or platinum-rhodium alloy. The opening on the molten inner liner 2 is used to allow the glass to flow down in a strip, forming a slit structure. Similarly, the upper end of the molten inner liner 2 also has an opening to facilitate the delivery of molten glass into the molten cavity.

[0046] Additionally, it should be noted that the molten inner liner 2 includes two inner liner sidewalls and a connecting sidewall connecting the two inner liner sidewalls. The two inner liner sidewalls are arranged in parallel. The connecting sidewall can be an arc-shaped plate with its two ends connected to the two inner liner sidewalls respectively. The thickness of the connecting sidewall is less than that of the inner liner sidewalls to ensure the flexibility of the molten inner liner 2.

[0047] Furthermore, the shaped inner liner 12 has a through hole; the tensioning component includes a connecting plate 31 and a driving component; the connecting plate 31 is movably installed in the through hole, and one end of the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the side wall of the inner liner; the driving component is installed on the outer shell structure and is drivenly connected to the other end of the connecting plate 31 to drive the connecting plate 31 to move axially along the through hole. In this embodiment, the tensioning component includes the connecting plate 31 and the driving component. The connecting plate 31 passes through the through hole and is fixed to the side wall of the inner liner. When the side wall of the inner liner deforms and cannot tightly adhere to the shaped inner side wall, the driving component drives the connecting plate 31 to move within the through hole to pull or push the side wall of the inner liner to move, thereby tightly adhering to the shaped inner side wall. Therefore, the shape and size of the slit generated on the molten inner liner 2 will not change, and the normal structure of the molten inner liner 2 will not be affected. The structure is simple, easy to implement, and low in cost, and can be directly obtained by modifying the original inner liner.

[0048] It should be noted that the driving component has multiple implementations. The connecting plate 31 can be driven to move by a pneumatic or hydraulic component. However, due to the high ambient temperature, it is difficult to drive it in real time by an automated machine.

[0049] Therefore, furthermore, a threaded hole is formed at the other end of the connecting plate 31; the driving component includes a driving bolt 32, the threaded end of which is movably inserted into the through hole and threaded into the threaded hole, and the threaded end of the driving bolt 32 is used to abut against the outer side wall of the outer shell structure 1. In this embodiment, by rotating the driving bolt 32 and engaging the threads, the connecting plate 31 moves within the through hole, thereby driving the inner liner side wall to move. The driving method is simple and reliable, unaffected by high temperatures, and after adjustment, the driving force on the connecting plate 31 can be maintained without constantly applying external pressure to the driving bolt 32, making the operation simple and reliable.

[0050] It should be noted that the connecting plate 31 includes an upper plate and a lower plate, one end of which is fixedly connected to the side wall of the molten inner liner 2 at intervals. In this embodiment, the spaced upper and lower plates ensure that the molten inner liner 2 is subjected to uniform force.

[0051] Furthermore, the other ends of the upper and lower plates are connected to each other and driven by the driving component, so as to drive the upper and lower plates simultaneously.

[0052] In this embodiment, the threaded hole of the connecting plate 31 is located at the connection between the upper plate and the lower plate to ensure structural strength.

[0053] Similarly, since the connecting plate 31 needs to be directly connected to the molten inner liner 2, the material of the connecting plate 31 also needs to ensure high temperature resistance. In this embodiment, the material of the connecting plate 31 is platinum or a platinum-rhodium alloy.

[0054] In addition, the drive bolt 32 can be made of nickel and welded together with platinum or platinum-rhodium alloy to reduce costs.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, based on experience, through holes can be provided on the inner sidewall of the shaping device at locations where deformation is more frequent, so as to install the tensioning component.

[0056] Alternatively, a perforation can be provided between one side wall of the molten inner liner and the shaped inner liner to control the shape of only one side wall. Or, tensioning components can be provided on both opposite sides of the molten inner liner to control the shape of both side walls of the molten inner liner and ensure the shape of the inner liner side walls.

[0057] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lower opening of the molten inner liner includes a tapered section and a uniformly wide end arranged sequentially from top to bottom, and the tensioning member is disposed corresponding to the uniformly wide end. In this embodiment, the tapered section at the lower opening of the molten inner liner makes the molten glass gradually thinner, and the uniformly wide end can maintain a stable width of the molten glass. Furthermore, the tensioning member is disposed corresponding to the uniformly wide end to facilitate maintaining the stability of the slit at the lower opening and ensure that the width of the output molten glass is uniform.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple tensioning components are provided, and these multiple tensioning components are spaced apart and symmetrically arranged. In this embodiment, multiple tensioning components are provided so that shape control can be performed at different positions on the side wall of the molten inner liner 2, ensuring the stability of the slit and avoiding the problem of shape control failure due to inaccurate control position.

[0059] It should be noted that the multiple tensioning components are spaced apart and symmetrically arranged. In this embodiment, the multiple tensioning components are symmetrically arranged about the central axis extending along the length of the molten inner liner, and are spaced apart from each other.

[0060] On the other hand, please see Figure 2 The glass forming apparatus 100 further includes a heat insulation layer 5 disposed between the outer shell structure 11 and the shaping inner liner 12. This is to ensure the temperature of the molten inner liner 2 inside the shaping inner liner 12 and to ensure the discharge temperature.

[0061] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the outer shell structure 11 is used to house the shaped inner liner 12. Therefore, the outer shell structure 11 needs to ensure its own structural stability. The outer shell structure 11 has multiple implementations. In this embodiment, the outer shell structure 11 is a steel structure shell, which is resistant to high temperatures and has a stable structure.

[0062] In addition, the shaped inner liner 12 needs to be able to withstand high temperatures and maintain structural stability, and should not react adversely with the material of the molten inner liner 2. Generally, alumina corundum brick is used. The end face of the shaped inner liner 12 that contacts the molten inner liner 2 can be machined into a flat surface or, as needed, a curved surface. In this embodiment, the shaped inner liner 12 is a refractory brick. There are various options for the material of the refractory brick, and multiple implementation methods exist in high-temperature environments, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0063] Furthermore, the glass forming apparatus 100 also includes a position adjustment structure disposed between the outer shell structure 11 and the shaping inner liner 12, for adjusting the position of the shaping inner liner 12 in the width direction of the outer shell structure 1. In this embodiment, the shaping inner liner 12 can generate a certain width direction displacement in the outer shell structure 11 to adjust the position of the molten inner liner 2 therein, thereby fulfilling different process requirements.

[0064] In addition, the outer shell structure 11 has a first sidewall extending along its length, on which an adjustment hole is formed; the position adjustment structure includes a connecting fastener 41 and an adjusting bolt 42; the connecting fastener 41 is fixedly installed on the shaping inner liner; the threaded end of the adjusting bolt 42 is installed in the adjustment hole and threadedly connected to the connecting fastener. In this embodiment, the connecting fastener 41 is driven to move by a bolt, which further causes the position of the shaping inner liner 12 to shift, making the adjustment method simple and reliable.

[0065] In a specific embodiment provided by the present invention, one end of the connecting fastener 41 is fixedly connected to the molded inner liner 12. The molded inner liner 12 has an irregular hole. The connecting fastener 41 has an irregular buckle corresponding to the end of the irregular hole. The connecting fastener 41 is installed into the irregular hole of the molded inner liner 12 so that the connecting fastener 41 is fixed to the molded inner liner 12 and drives the molded inner liner to move.

[0066] Specifically, the irregular hole can be one of the following structures: T-shaped, Y-shaped, L-shaped, or threaded. The fastener is correspondingly set and fastened into the rigid brick body. No specific restrictions are made here.

[0067] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the connecting fastener 41 and the adjusting bolt 42 form an offset group, and multiple offset groups are provided to facilitate stable adjustment of the position of the shaping inner liner 12.

[0068] In addition, the position adjustment structure also includes a positioning structure, which is used to fix the position of the shaped inner liner 12 in the width direction of the outer shell structure 11. In this embodiment, in order to further fix the position of the shaped inner liner 12 on the outer shell structure 11 by means of the positioning structure, and to avoid displacement of the shaped inner liner 12 during the production process, thus preventing material discharge failure.

[0069] Specifically, the outer shell structure 11 has a second sidewall extending along its width, and a positioning hole is formed on the second sidewall; the positioning structure includes a positioning pin 43, one end of which is movably installed into the positioning hole to abut against the sidewall surface of the molded inner liner extending along its width. In this embodiment, by abutting against the sidewall surface of the molded inner liner 12 with the positioning pin 43, the molded inner liner 12 is pressed tightly, preventing the molded inner liner 12 from shaking or displacing, thus ensuring the position of the molded inner liner 12.

[0070] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the positioning pin 43 can also be installed into the positioning hole on the outside by means of threads, so as to facilitate the position driving of the positioning pin 43. The positioning pin 43 is made of heat-resistant steel to ensure its use in high-temperature environments. The heat-resistant steel is a commonly used material in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0071] In addition, the end of the positioning pin 43 near the shaping inner liner 12 is rounded so that it can be tightened onto the shaping inner liner 12 without displacement.

[0072] In addition, the glass forming apparatus 100 also includes a heating structure for heating the molten inner liner 2.

[0073] The heating structure can be implemented in various ways. For example, an electrode wire can be directly used to electrically connect to the molten inner liner 2 to heat the molten inner liner 2; or a heating plate can be used to attach to the molten inner liner 2 to heat the molten inner liner 2.

[0074] Based on the glass forming apparatus 100 described above, the present invention also provides a glass forming system, which includes all the technical features of the glass forming apparatus 100 described above, and therefore also has the technical effects brought about by all the technical features described above, which will not be described in detail here.

[0075] This invention provides a glass forming system, including two forming rollers 200 arranged adjacent to each other, with a forming gap between them. The forming gap corresponds to the lower opening of the molten chamber. In this embodiment, molten glass flowing out of the slit in the molten inner liner 2 of the glass forming device 100 flows into the forming gap, and is formed by the rolling action of the forming rollers 200.

[0076] In this embodiment, molten glass flows out of the glass forming device 100 to form a uniform glass ribbon, which is then pressed by the forming roller 200 to form a glass ribbon. The glass ribbon is then annealed and cooled to form a qualified glass sheet. The glass forming device 100 directly determines the shape of the glass ribbon, and the shape of the glass ribbon determines the pressing effect of the forming roller. The glass forming device 100 has the functions of preventing slit deformation and adjusting the slit width, which can effectively ensure the stability of the glass ribbon's shape.

[0077] Based on the glass forming apparatus 100 described above, the present invention also provides a method for forming a glass plate, comprising:

[0078] The tensioning component is controlled to make the sidewall of the molten inner liner tensioned and adhered to the inner sidewall of the shaped inner liner;

[0079] Molten glass is fed into the melting chamber, and the molten glass flows out from the lower opening of the melting chamber to form a glass ribbon;

[0080] The glass strip is formed into a glass sheet after being rolled, annealed, and cooled.

[0081] In the glass plate forming method provided by the present invention, the side wall of the molten inner liner is first stretched and attached to the inner side wall of the shaping inner liner, and then the molten glass forming operation is started, so that the molten glass flows into the molten cavity and flows out from the lower opening. After being rolled, a glass plate is formed, which ensures the width of the glass plate and prevents the side wall of the molten inner liner from deforming during the discharge, thus preventing changes in the slit width and ensuring uniform width during the glass plate forming process.

[0082] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A glass forming apparatus, characterized in that, include: The outer shell structure has a molded inner liner inside; A molten inner liner is formed to create a molten cavity with an opening at the lower end, and the molten inner liner is disposed inside the shaped inner liner; as well as, A tensioning component is provided between the shaped inner liner and the molten inner liner, so that the molten inner liner is tensioned and fits tightly against the shaped inner liner; The shaped inner liner is provided with a through hole; The tensioning component includes: A connecting plate, movably installed within the through hole, with one end of the connecting plate fixedly connected to the side wall of the molten inner liner; and, A driving component is installed on the housing structure and driven to the other end of the connecting plate to drive the connecting plate to move axially along the through hole; The lower opening of the molten inner liner includes a tapered section and a uniformly wide end arranged sequentially from top to bottom, and the tensioning component is provided corresponding to the uniformly wide end; and / or, The tensioning components are provided in multiple ways, and the multiple tensioning components are spaced apart and symmetrically arranged. The glass forming apparatus further includes a position adjustment structure, which is disposed between the outer shell structure and the shaping inner liner, for adjusting the position of the shaping inner liner in the width direction of the outer shell structure; The outer shell structure has a first sidewall extending along the length direction, and an adjustment hole is formed on the first sidewall; The position adjustment structure includes: Connecting fasteners are used to securely install the shaped inner liner; and, An adjusting bolt, the threaded end of which is installed into the adjusting hole and threadedly connected to the connecting fastener.

2. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The other end of the connecting plate has a threaded hole; The driving component includes a driving bolt, the threaded end of which is movably inserted into the through hole and threaded into the threaded hole, and the screw head end of the driving bolt is used to abut against the outer wall of the outer shell structure.

3. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting plate includes an upper plate and a lower plate, one end of which is fixedly connected to the side wall of the molten inner liner at a distance.

4. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The glass forming apparatus also includes a heat insulation layer disposed between the outer shell structure and the shaped inner liner.

5. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The position adjustment structure further includes a positioning structure, which is used to fix the position of the shaped inner liner in the width direction of the outer shell structure.

6. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer shell structure has a second sidewall extending in the width direction, and a positioning hole is formed on the second sidewall; The positioning structure includes a positioning pin, one end of which is movably installed into the positioning hole to abut against the side wall surface of the molded inner liner extending in the width direction.

7. A method for forming glass, characterized in that, The glass forming method using the glass forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 includes: The tensioning component is controlled to make the sidewall of the molten inner liner tensioned and adhered to the inner sidewall of the shaped inner liner; Molten glass is fed into the melting chamber, and the molten glass flows out from the lower opening of the melting chamber to form a glass ribbon; The glass strip is formed into a glass sheet after being rolled, annealed, and cooled.

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