Glass plate manufacturing apparatus and method

Abstract

To provide an apparatus and method for manufacturing a glass plate, capable of reducing swing of a glass plate due to an air flow directed to a waste chamber from a cutting chamber to prevent the glass plate from being damaged.SOLUTION: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass plate includes: a conveying device 4 for conveying a glass plate in a vertical posture along a conveying path; a cutting chamber 2 provided in the middle of the conveying path; a cutting mechanism 5 for cutting and separating an unnecessary part G2 from the glass plate in the conveying path; a holding member capable of holding the unnecessary part G2 before and after the cutting; a waste chamber 3 provided below the cutting chamber 2 and kept in an atmospheric pressure lower than that of the cutting chamber 2; and a waste port 7 for exhausting and wasting the cut unnecessary part G2 dropped by releasing the holding of the holding member into the waste chamber 3. Blocking members 101 and 102 for blocking the air flow directed to the waste port 7 from the conveying path are provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an improvement in an apparatus for producing a glass sheet and a method for producing a glass sheet. [Background technology]

[0002] As is well known, methods for manufacturing glass sheets include downdraw methods such as the overflow downdraw method, the slot downdraw method, and the redraw method, and the float method. Examples of glass sheet manufacturing processes using these methods include the following.

[0003] First, a glass ribbon is continuously formed from molten glass. At this time, portions called ears, which are thicker than the center portion, are formed at both ends in the width direction of the glass ribbon. Next, the glass ribbon is cut in the width direction at predetermined lengths, and glass sheets that will become product glass sheets are repeatedly cut out from the glass ribbon. Next, unnecessary portions (portions that do not become products) including the ears are cut and separated from these glass sheets. After that, the glass sheets from which the unnecessary portions have been separated are subjected to various processes such as grinding / polishing and cleaning to produce product glass sheets.

[0004] Here, when a glass sheet is manufactured using the down-draw method, the glass ribbon after molding is in a vertical position (vertical position). Therefore, from the viewpoint of saving planar space, the glass sheet cut from the vertically oriented glass ribbon may be transported in the vertical position while cutting off unnecessary parts from the glass sheet on the transport path. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for efficiently manufacturing a glass sheet by dropping and discarding the cut unnecessary parts from a cutting chamber where the unnecessary parts are cut off to a disposal chamber provided on a lower floor. When this method is used, glass powder is generated from the unnecessary parts that have fallen into the disposal chamber and floats in the disposal chamber. In order to prevent the glass powder from adhering to the glass sheet, the air pressure in the disposal chamber is kept lower than the air pressure in the cutting chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-176038 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When using the above manufacturing method, there is a problem that the difference in air pressure between the cutting chamber and the disposal chamber generates an air current from the cutting chamber to the disposal chamber, causing the glass sheet to vibrate during transportation. If the glass sheet vibrates too much, it may collide with surrounding structures and be damaged.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the shaking of a glass sheet caused by an air current flowing from the cutting chamber to the disposal chamber, thereby preventing damage to the glass sheet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The glass plate manufacturing apparatus invented to solve the above problem includes a conveying mechanism for conveying a vertically oriented glass plate along a conveying path, a cutting chamber provided in the middle of the conveying path, a cutting mechanism for cutting and separating an unnecessary portion from the glass plate along the conveying path, a holding member capable of holding the unnecessary portion before and after cutting, a waste chamber provided below the cutting chamber and maintained at a lower air pressure than the cutting chamber, and a waste port for discharging the unnecessary portion after cutting, which falls when the holding member is released, into the waste chamber and discarding it, and is characterized in that a shielding member is provided to block the air flow from the conveying path toward the waste port. Since the waste chamber is maintained at a lower air pressure than the cutting chamber, an air flow is generated from the cutting chamber through the waste port to the waste chamber. This air flow may cause the glass plate conveyed along the conveying path to shake, colliding with surrounding structures and causing damage. According to the above configuration, the air flow from the conveying path toward the waste chamber can be blocked by the shielding member, thereby reducing the shaking of the glass plate and preventing damage.

[0009] In the above-mentioned configuration, it is preferable that the shielding member is a windbreak member that is disposed between the transport path and the disposal outlet and extends in the vertical direction. With such a configuration, the windbreak member can be disposed so as to follow the glass sheet in the vertical orientation, and shaking of the glass sheet can be effectively reduced.

[0010] In the above configuration, the waste outlet includes an upstream waste outlet located on the upstream side of the conveying path and a downstream waste outlet located on the downstream side of the conveying path, and it is preferable that a first windbreak member, which is the windbreak member, is arranged on the upstream side of the conveying path among the upstream waste outlets, a downstream side of the conveying path among the upstream waste outlets is blocked by a first blocking member, a second windbreak member, which is the windbreak member, is arranged on the downstream side of the conveying path among the downstream waste outlets, and an upstream side of the conveying path among the downstream waste outlets is blocked by a second blocking member. According to this configuration, by providing the upstream waste outlet and the downstream waste outlet, the unnecessary parts cut from the upstream side and the downstream side of the glass sheet can be discarded in parallel. In addition, by arranging the first windbreak member on the upstream side and the second windbreak member on the downstream side, it is possible to prevent the first windbreak member and the second windbreak member from obstructing the movement of the unnecessary parts onto the waste outlet. Furthermore, by blocking a portion of the waste outlet with the first blocking member and the second blocking member, the airflow from the cutting chamber to the waste chamber can be blocked, and the shaking of the glass plate can be more reliably reduced.

[0011] In the above-mentioned configuration, it is preferable that the shielding member is a shutter for opening and closing the waste opening. According to such a configuration, by closing the waste opening with the shutter, it is possible to block the air flow from the cutting chamber through the waste opening to the waste chamber, and it is possible to more reliably reduce the shaking of the glass plate.

[0012] In the above configuration, the disposal outlet preferably has a slide-like guide member that is inclined so as to guide the unnecessary part to the disposal outlet. According to this configuration, when the unnecessary part after cutting is dropped into the disposal outlet and discarded, the unnecessary part moves along the slide-like guide member, so that the unnecessary part can reliably reach the disposal outlet.

[0013] In the above configuration, the thickness of the glass plate is preferably 0.35 mm or less. The thinner the glass plate, the greater the vibration caused by the air flow and the greater the risk of breakage in the event of a collision. With this configuration, the effect of the invention of reducing the vibration of the glass plate and preventing breakage is significantly achieved.

[0014] The method for manufacturing a glass plate according to the present invention includes a conveying step of conveying a vertically oriented glass plate along a conveying path, a cutting step of cutting and separating an unnecessary portion from the glass plate in a cutting chamber provided in the middle of the conveying path, and a disposal step of dropping the unnecessary portion after cutting into a disposal outlet using a holding member capable of holding the unnecessary portion before and after cutting, and disposing of the unnecessary portion in a disposal chamber whose air pressure is kept lower than that of the cutting chamber, and is characterized in that the glass plate is conveyed along the conveying path in the conveying step in a state in which an airflow from the conveying path toward the disposal outlet is blocked by a blocking member. With this configuration, the shaking of the glass plate can be reduced by blocking the airflow from the cutting chamber toward the disposal chamber, and damage to the glass plate can be prevented. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the shaking of the glass sheet caused by the air current flowing from the cutting chamber to the disposal chamber, thereby preventing the glass sheet from being damaged. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an apparatus and method for producing a glass sheet. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the breaking mechanism and the disposal outlet when the cutting step is performed. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a front view showing the breaking mechanism and the disposal outlet when the cutting step is performed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the breaking mechanism and the disposal port when the disposal step is performed. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a front view showing the breaking mechanism and the disposal outlet when the disposal step is performed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the disposal port. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a glass plate manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that, among the drawings referred to in the description of the embodiment, the X directions, the Y directions, and the Z directions are the same direction. Also, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a cutting chamber 2, a disposal chamber 3, and a transport mechanism 4 that transports a glass sheet G in a transport direction D along a transport path R (see Fig. 2 described later). The manufacturing apparatus 1 is installed in a multi-story building, and the cutting chamber 2 is located on an upper floor of the disposal chamber 3. This manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured to cut and separate unnecessary parts G2 that cannot be used as products from the glass sheet G in the cutting chamber 2, and to drop the unnecessary parts G2 after cutting into the disposal chamber 3 for disposal.

[0019] Here, the glass sheet G has an upstream unnecessary part G21 located on the upstream side in the conveying direction D, a downstream unnecessary part G22 located on the downstream side, and a product part G1 that will become a product different from these. In the following description, the upstream unnecessary part G21 and the downstream unnecessary part G22 will be described separately. However, in the description common to the upstream unnecessary part G21 and the downstream unnecessary part G22, they will not be distinguished from each other and will simply be described as the unnecessary part G2. The upstream unnecessary part G21 is a part that becomes the rear part of the glass sheet G during conveyance, and the downstream unnecessary part G22 is a part that becomes the front part of the glass sheet G during conveyance. The part existing between the upstream unnecessary part G21 and the downstream unnecessary part G22 is the product part G1. Each of the unnecessary parts G2 includes a part called an ear part that is thicker than other parts. However, this is not limited, and the unnecessary part G2 may not include an ear part. In addition, the glass sheet G preferably has a thickness of 0.35 mm or less. The thinner the glass sheet G, the more the glass sheet G will sway due to the airflow passing from the cutting chamber 2 through the waste outlet 7 to the waste chamber 3, and the greater the risk of breakage in the event of a collision, so the effect of the present invention in blocking the airflow becomes more pronounced.

[0020] The cutting chamber 2 is provided in the middle of the transport path R, and has a ceiling wall 21, a floor wall 22, and a side wall 23. The floor wall 22 is formed with a disposal port 7 for discharging the unnecessary part G2 after cutting to the disposal chamber 3 for disposal. The cutting chamber 2 and the disposal chamber 3 are spatially connected through the disposal port 7.

[0021] The waste chamber 3 has a ceiling wall 31, a floor wall 32, and a side wall 33. A box-shaped storage container 34 for storing the unnecessary parts G2 that drop from the cutting chamber 2 is disposed on the floor wall 32. This storage container 34 is disposed directly below the waste outlet 7.

[0022] The air pressure in the disposal chamber 3 is adjusted to be lower than that in the cutting chamber 2. This prevents glass powder generated from the unnecessary parts G2 that have fallen and been disposed of in the disposal chamber 3 from flowing into the cutting chamber 2. In addition, due to the air pressure difference between the inside of the cutting chamber 2 and the inside of the disposal chamber 3, an air current flows from the cutting chamber 2 through the disposal port 7 toward the disposal chamber 3.

[0023] A scribing chamber R1 is provided upstream of the cutting chamber 2 in the conveying direction D, and an inspection chamber R2 is provided downstream of the cutting chamber 2 in the conveying direction D. The scribing chamber R1 and the inspection chamber R2 are provided in the middle of the conveying path R. The scribing chamber R1 and the cutting chamber 2, and the cutting chamber 2 and the inspection chamber R2 are separated by partition walls (not shown). Slit-shaped openings are provided in these partition walls to allow the conveyed glass sheet G to pass through. The slit-shaped openings can be opened and closed by a shutter.

[0024] The transport mechanism 4 includes a plurality of gripping members 41 that grip the upper edge portion of the glass sheet G (the upper edge portion of the product portion G1). The plurality of gripping members 41 are capable of moving along rails (not shown) that extend in the X direction. This makes it possible to transport the glass sheet G in the X direction (the direction along the surface of the glass sheet G) while it is suspended and supported by the plurality of gripping members 41. As the glass sheet G is transported, it is carried in and out of the scribing chamber R1, the cutting chamber 2, and the inspection chamber R2.

[0025] The cutting mechanism 5 includes a scribing mechanism 51 and a breaking mechanism 52 .

[0026] The scribing mechanism 51 is a mechanism for forming a scribe line S, which serves as a starting point for cutting, on the glass sheet G carried into the scribing chamber R1 by the transport mechanism 4. The scribing mechanism 51 includes a scribing wheel 511 that forms the scribe line S while rolling on the front surface of the glass sheet G along the boundary L between the unnecessary portion G2 and the product portion G1, and an auxiliary bar 512 that supports the glass sheet G from the back surface side and thereby assists in the formation of the scribe line S by the scribing wheel 511. After the scribe line S is formed on the glass sheet G, it is carried out of the scribing chamber R1 by the transport mechanism 4, and then transported downstream of the transport path R to be carried into the cutting chamber 2.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the bending and breaking mechanism 52 is a mechanism for bending and breaking the glass sheet G on which the scribe line S has been formed, and is disposed in the cutting chamber 2. The bending and breaking mechanism 52 includes a pair of support bars 521, 521 for supporting the vicinity of the scribe line S in the product part G1 of the glass sheet G from the front and back, and a bending and breaking bar 522 for bending the peripheral part of the scribe line S so that the front side is convex, and applying bending stress, as the unnecessary part G2 of the glass sheet is pressed from the front side to the back side. Note that, as will be described in detail later, the glass sheet G (glass sheet G consisting only of the product part G1) after being separated from the unnecessary part G2 is transported to the downstream side of the transport path R while avoiding collision with the unnecessary part G2 after cutting, and is carried out of the cutting chamber 2 and carried into the inspection chamber R2.

[0028] The holding member 6 is provided alongside the breaking mechanism 52. This holding member 6 is capable of holding the unnecessary portion G2 in a vertical position before and after cutting. As a result, the holding member 6 is configured to hold the unnecessary portion G2 of the glass sheet G brought into the cutting chamber 2 before the glass sheet G is broken, and also to hold the unnecessary portion G2 during and after the glass sheet G is broken. During breaking, the holding member 6 moves along the arrow A to a disposal position Pd while rotating about the scribe line S in association with the pushing operation of the breaking bar 522 to push in the unnecessary portion G2.

[0029] The holding member 6 is provided with a plurality of suction parts 61 capable of suction-holding the unnecessary part G2 in order to hold the unnecessary part G2. The plurality of suction parts 61 are arranged in a vertical multiple tier. Each suction part 61 is connected to a negative pressure generating device (e.g., a vacuum pump) not shown, and is capable of suction-holding the unnecessary part G2 of the glass plate G from the back side as the negative pressure generating device is operated. Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the suction part 61 is capable of injecting an adsorption destruction gas Gs (e.g., air) as a vacuum destruction gas in a direction flowing from the back side to the front side of the unnecessary part G2 when the unnecessary part G2 is dropped and discarded into the disposal chamber 3 through the disposal port 7.

[0030] In this embodiment, in order to cut the upstream unnecessary part G21 and the downstream unnecessary part G22 in parallel, the manufacturing apparatus 1 is provided with two scribing mechanisms 51, two folding mechanisms 52, and two holding members 6. In addition, in order to discard the upstream unnecessary part G21 and the downstream unnecessary part G22 after cutting in parallel, the manufacturing apparatus 1 is provided with two waste outlets 7. Hereinafter, the waste outlet 7 located on the upstream side of the conveying path R will be referred to as the upstream waste outlet 71, and the waste outlet 7 located on the downstream side will be referred to as the downstream waste outlet 72.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 2, the waste outlet 7 is disposed in a state separated from the transport path R of the glass sheet G in a plan view (as viewed from the Z direction). As shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, an upstream guide member 821 and an upstream guide member 811 for guiding the falling upstream unnecessary parts G21 to the waste outlet 7, a first blocking member 91 for blocking a part of the upstream waste outlet 71, and a first windbreak member 101 as a blocking member for blocking the airflow toward the upstream waste outlet 71 are installed on the upstream waste outlet 71. In addition, a downstream guide member 822 and a downstream guide member 812 for guiding the falling downstream unnecessary parts G22 to the waste outlet 7, a second blocking member 92 for blocking a part of the downstream waste outlet 72, and a second windbreak member 102 as a blocking member for blocking the airflow toward the downstream waste outlet 72 are installed on the downstream waste outlet 72.

[0032] In the following description, the upstream waste outlet 71 and the downstream waste outlet 72 will be distinguished from each other. However, in the description common to the upstream waste outlet 71 and the downstream waste outlet 72, the two will not be distinguished from each other and will simply be referred to as the waste outlet 7. Similarly, in the description common to the upstream guide member 821 and the downstream guide member 822, the upstream guide member 811 and the downstream guide member 812, the first windbreak member 101 and the second windbreak member 102, and the first blocking member 91 and the second blocking member 92, the two will not be distinguished from each other and will be referred to as the guide member 82, the guide member 81, the windbreak member 10, and the blocking member 9.

[0033] The guide member 82 is installed so as to extend in the vertical direction (Z direction), and has an L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction, and its lower end is fixed along the edge of the waste outlet 7. The upper end of the guide member 82 is located at approximately the same height as the upper end of the unnecessary part G2 before it falls. However, this is not limited, and the upper end of the guide member 82 may be lower or higher than the upper end of the unnecessary part G2 before it falls. Here, the upstream guide member 821 is fixed to the upstream side and the side farther from the transport path R of the rectangular upstream waste outlet 71. The downstream guide member 822 is fixed to the downstream side and the side farther from the transport path R of the rectangular downstream waste outlet 72.

[0034] The guide member 81 has a slide shape that is inclined so as to guide the unnecessary part G2 after cutting to the disposal outlet 7. The inclination angle is preferably 35° or more and 45° or less with respect to the vertical direction. In addition, although the guide member 81 has an inclined flat shape in this embodiment, it may have a curved shape. Here, the upstream guide member 811 is inclined so as to become lower toward the upstream side. Also, the downstream guide member 812 is inclined so as to become lower toward the downstream side. The guide member 82 and the guide member 81 allow the unnecessary part G2 to be dropped and discarded to be accurately placed in the disposal outlet.

[0035] The blocking member 9 is a flat member that blocks a part of the waste outlet 7, and is fixed to the edge of the waste outlet 7. By blocking a part of the waste outlet 7, the blocking member 9 limits and narrows the range in which the airflow toward the waste outlet 7 is generated. It also increases the pressure loss at the waste outlet 7, and reduces the flow rate of the airflow from the cutting chamber 2 through the waste outlet 7 to the waste chamber 3. The blocking member 9 may be configured integrally with the guide member 81. Here, the first blocking member 91 blocks the downstream side of the upstream waste outlet 71. In addition, the second blocking member 92 blocks the upstream side of the downstream waste outlet 72.

[0036] The windbreak member 10 is installed between the waste outlet 7 and the transport path so as to extend in the vertical direction. The windbreak member 10 has a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the vertical direction, and its lower end is fixed to the edge of the waste outlet 7 (the side closer to the transport path R). The upper end of the windbreak member 10 may be lower than the upper end of the guide member 82. The windbreak member 10 may be configured integrally with the guide member 82. Here, the first windbreak member 101 is installed only on the upstream side of the upstream waste outlet 71 (the upstream side of the side closer to the transport path R), and the waste part G21 can pass over the upstream waste outlet 71 on the downstream side. The second windbreak member 102 is installed only on the downstream side of the downstream waste outlet 72 (the downstream side of the side closer to the transport path R), and the waste part G22 can pass over the downstream waste outlet 72 on the upstream side. The blocking member 9 and the windbreak member 10 can effectively block the air current flowing from the transport route R toward the disposal outlet 7.

[0037] Hereinafter, a method for producing a glass plate using the production apparatus 1 will be described.

[0038] In performing the cutting process, when the glass sheet G on which the scribe line S has been formed is carried into the cutting chamber 2 and reaches the state shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the suction part 61 of the holding member 6 starts suction holding of the unnecessary part G2. First, while supporting the vicinity of the scribe line S in the product part G1 with a pair of support bars 521, 521, the unnecessary part G2 is pushed to the back side by the break bar 522. In response to this, the holding member 6 is moved to the disposal position Pd along the arrow A while rotating around the scribe line S. As a result, the peripheral part of the scribe line S is curved so that the front side (the surface side on which the scribe line S is formed) becomes convex, and the glass sheet G is eventually bent and broken to be cut. At this point, the unnecessary part G2 is separated from the glass sheet G. The cutting process is completed as described above, and the state shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 is reached. The unnecessary part G2 after cutting is still held by the holding member 6.

[0039] After the cutting process is completed, a disposal process is performed in which the unnecessary part G2 after cutting is disposed of in the disposal chamber 3. In the disposal process, the holding member 6 first releases the suction and holding of the unnecessary part G2 by the suction part 61, and injects the suction and destruction gas Gs in a direction from the suction part 61 toward the guide member 82. As a result, as shown by imaginary lines in Figs. 4 and 5, the unnecessary part G2 is guided toward the guide member 82 while remaining in a vertical position, and is dropped toward the disposal outlet 7. The dropped unnecessary part is guided to the disposal outlet 7 by the guide member 82 and the guide member 81, and is discharged to the disposal chamber 3. The unnecessary part G2 discharged to the disposal chamber 3 is stored in the storage container 34 disposed in the disposal chamber 3. The disposal process is completed by the above. After the unnecessary part G2 is separated from the glass sheet G, the glass sheet G is conveyed from the breaking mechanism 52 to the downstream side of the conveyance path R after the unnecessary part G2 is moved to a disposal position Pd away from the conveyance path R. This makes it possible to avoid collision between the unnecessary portion G2 and the glass plate G after separation therefrom.

[0040] The above-described glass sheet manufacturing apparatus and glass sheet manufacturing method can reduce the airflow from the transport path R to the waste outlet 7 by providing the windbreak member 10 as a windbreak wall, and can prevent the glass sheet G from shaking. Furthermore, by providing the guide member 82 and the guiding member 81, the dropped and discarded unnecessary part G2 can be reliably placed in the waste outlet 7. Furthermore, by providing the blocking member 9, the amount of airflow from the cutting chamber 2 through the waste outlet 7 to the waste chamber 3 can be reduced, and shaking of the glass sheet G can be more reliably prevented. As a result, for example, when the glass sheet G is carried in and out of the cutting chamber 2, the glass sheet G is less likely to collide with the slit-shaped opening, and damage to the glass sheet G can be prevented.

[0041] The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, nor is it limited to the above-mentioned effects and advantages. Various modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0042] In the above embodiment, a windbreak member is used as a shielding member to block the airflow from the cutting chamber through the waste outlet to the waste chamber, but this is not limited to this. A shutter that opens and closes the waste outlet may be used as a shielding member instead of or in addition to the windbreak member. By opening the shutter only when the unnecessary parts after cutting pass through the waste outlet and closing the shutter at other times (for example, when the glass sheet G is being transported), the airflow from the cutting chamber through the waste outlet to the waste chamber can be more efficiently reduced. This effectively prevents the glass sheet G from shaking and breaking.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the holding member holds the unnecessary part by suction using the suction part, but is not limited to this. A pair of claw parts that perform opening and closing operations may be provided, and the unnecessary part may be held by closing the pair of claw parts.

[0044] In the above embodiment, the manufacturing device includes two each of the scribing mechanism, the breaking mechanism, the holding member, the disposal port, the blocking member, and the windbreak member, and cuts off the upstream side unnecessary part and the downstream side unnecessary part in parallel and discards them in parallel, but this is not limited to this. The manufacturing device may include one each of the scribing mechanism, the breaking mechanism, the holding member, the disposal port, the blocking member, and the windbreak member, and cuts off and discards the upstream side unnecessary part and the downstream side unnecessary part separately.

[0045] In the above embodiment, a part of the waste outlet is blocked by a blocking member, but the blocking member may be omitted and the waste outlet may be made smaller. From the viewpoint of effectively utilizing existing facilities and reducing equipment costs, it is preferable to block a part of the waste outlet with a blocking member.

[0046] In the above embodiment, the windshield member is provided along the edge of the waste outlet, but it is sufficient that it is provided between the transport path and the waste outlet. From the viewpoint of efficiently blocking the airflow, it is preferable that the windshield member is provided along the edge of the waste outlet as in the above embodiment, and that the windshield member is connected to the guide member provided along the edge of the waste outlet without any gaps. In addition, it is preferable that the length L1 of the windshield member in the transport direction is longer than the length L2 of the opening of the waste outlet in the transport direction, and it is preferable that 1.2×L2≦L1≦2.0×L2. [Industrial Applicability]

[0047] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be suitably used to reduce the shaking of a glass sheet caused by an air current flowing from a cutting chamber to a disposal chamber, and to prevent the glass sheet from being damaged. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1 Manufacturing equipment 2 Cutting chamber 3. Disposal Room 4. Transport mechanism 5 Cutting mechanism 6 Retaining member 7 Waste outlet 71 Upstream waste outlet 72 Downstream waste outlet 81 Guide member 91 First closure member 92 Second closure member 10 Windbreak wall 101 First windbreak wall 102 Second windbreak wall G Glass plate R Transport route

Claims

1. A glass sheet manufacturing apparatus comprising: a conveying mechanism that conveys a glass sheet in a vertical position along a conveying path; a cutting chamber provided in the middle of the conveying path; a cutting mechanism that cuts and separates an unnecessary portion from the glass sheet on the conveying path; a holding member capable of holding the unnecessary portion before and after cutting; a waste chamber provided below the cutting chamber and maintained at a lower air pressure than the cutting chamber; and a waste port for discharging the unnecessary portion after cutting, which falls when the holding of the holding member is released, into the waste chamber and discarding it, a shielding member is provided to block an airflow from the transport path toward the waste outlet, The waste outlet is spaced from the transport path in a plan view, The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus is characterized in that the shielding member is a windbreak member that is arranged between the transport path and the waste outlet in a plan view, extends in the vertical direction, and extends in a direction along the transport path.

2. the waste outlet includes an upstream waste outlet located on the upstream side of the transport path and a downstream waste outlet located on the downstream side of the transport path, a first windbreak member that is the windbreak member is disposed on the upstream side of the upstream waste outlet in the transport path, and a first blocking member is disposed on the downstream side of the upstream waste outlet in the transport path, 2. The glass sheet manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a second windbreak member which is the windbreak member is arranged on the downstream side of the downstream waste outlet in the conveying path, and a second blocking member is arranged on the upstream side of the downstream waste outlet in the conveying path.

3. 3. The apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to claim 1, wherein the shielding member is a shutter that opens and closes the waste opening.

4. 4. The apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to claim 1, wherein the waste outlet has a slide-like guide member that is inclined so as to guide the unnecessary portion to the waste outlet.

5. 5. The apparatus for manufacturing a glass sheet according to claim 1, wherein the glass sheet has a thickness of 0.35 mm or less.

6. A method for manufacturing a glass sheet, comprising: a conveying step of conveying a glass sheet in a vertical position along a conveying path; a cutting step of cutting and separating an unnecessary portion from the glass sheet in a cutting chamber provided in the middle of the conveying path; and a disposal step of dropping the unnecessary portion after cutting into a disposal port using a holding member capable of holding the unnecessary portion before and after cutting, and disposing of the unnecessary portion in a disposal chamber whose air pressure is kept lower than that of the cutting chamber, In the transport step, the glass sheet is transported along the transport path while an airflow from the transport path toward the waste outlet is blocked by a blocking member; The waste outlet is spaced from the transport path in a plan view, A method for manufacturing a glass sheet, characterized in that the shielding member is a windbreak member that is arranged between the transport path and the waste outlet in a planar view, extends in the vertical direction, and extends in a direction along the transport path.

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