Manufacturing method for glass molded products

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a glass molded product is provided that can improve design by suppressing the occurrence of defects such as breakage and deformation. [Solution] The process includes a powder production process in which bones or ashes are processed into a powder to produce a powder; an attachment process in which glass is heated and melted and the powder is attached to the molten glass; a heating process in which the glass with the attached powder is heated to generate gas through thermal decomposition of the powder; a removal process in which the glass heated in the heating process is pressed to remove any air bubbles remaining in the glass; and a molding process in which the glass pressed in the removal process is molded.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a molded glass article. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, glass molded articles have been known which are produced by melting glass and molding it into a desired shape, and are utilized as ornaments, for example.

[0003] Among such glass molded products, for example, there are those that are produced for the purpose of commemorating the deceased person or animal by enclosing the ashes, known as remains, that remain when a human or animal is cremated, in glass and molding them (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3243190 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, when glass containing residual bone ash is heated, some of the components contained in the residual bone ash are gasified, generating water vapor and a large number of bubbles. By kneading these bubbles into the glass and removing them, the components originally contained in the residual bone ash are able to prevent cracking of the glass molded product. However, because the residual bone ash and bubbles that should be heated get into the glass when the glass is kneaded, the residual bone ash is not heated sufficiently. For example, as can be seen in glass bead 500 shown in Figure 3, a large amount of solid residual bone ash remains, which means that bubbles 504 cannot be sufficiently removed. This leaves many foreign objects in the manufactured glass molded product, causing differences in the expansion coefficient, which in turn can cause internal cracks and lead to damage.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing glass molded products that can suppress the occurrence of defects such as breakage and deformation and improve design. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is a method for producing a glass molded product, Bones produced when a human or animal body is incinerated a powder producing step of producing a powder by processing the mixture into a powder; The glass is heated and melted, and the molten glass Surface an adhering step of adhering the powder to the Adhered to the surface of the molten glass The powder Directly to the body a heating step of heating the powder to generate gas by thermal decomposition; a removing step of pressing the glass heated in the heating step to remove any bubbles remaining in the glass; a forming step of forming the glass pressed in the removing step; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0008] The invention described in claim 2 is the method for producing a glass molded product described in claim 1, The heating step and the removing step are repeated until gas generation from the powder is substantially stopped.

[0010] Claim 3 The invention described in claim 1 is a method for producing a glass molded product, The glass is characterized in that it is made of borosilicate glass.

[0011] Claim 4 The invention described in claim 1 is a method for producing a glass molded product, In the heating step, Powder It is characterized by being heated by direct flame using a burner at 2,000 to 2,400°C.

[0012] Claim 5 The invention described in claim 1 is a method for producing a glass molded product, In the removing step, the pressed glass is directly heated with a burner at 2,400°C to 2,900°C to remove bubbles remaining in the glass. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a molded glass product that can suppress the occurrence of defects such as breakage and deformation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating the appearance of an example of a glass ball according to this embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating the appearance of another example of a glass ball according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing process of a molded glass product according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the appearance of glass beads manufactured by a conventional manufacturing method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a glass molded product according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In the following description, components having the same functions and configurations will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0016] FIG. 1(A) shows an example of a glass bead 100 as an example of a molded glass product according to this embodiment. The glass bead 100 shown in FIG. 1(A) is spherically shaped and includes a transparent glass portion 101 and a mist portion 102 consisting of a mixture of white and blue mist. The mist portion 102 is formed when calcium oxide melts and cools, resulting from the thermal decomposition of calcium phosphate contained in bones (remains and ashes) produced when a human or animal is incinerated (cremated) at high temperatures. The melted calcium oxide solidifies the mist portion 102. The glass bead 100 shown in FIG. 1(A) can be obtained by repeatedly heating a glass material together with bones to a degree that prevents the components that make up the mist portion 102 from completely vaporizing and disappearing, and then pressing the bones to pop any bubbles that form within the glass material. This process will be described later.

[0017] As shown in the glass bead 200 in Figure 1(B), the concentration of the mist portion 202 mixed into the glass portion 201 can be adjusted by adjusting the remaining amounts of the above components in the above process. However, there is also a possibility that components that remain solid and unmelted in the glass portion 201 (solid portion 203) may be mixed in, which can change the design. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the amount of solid portion 203 appropriately, because the greater the amount, the greater the possibility of cracks occurring in the glass portion 201 during cooling due to differences in expansion coefficients. Furthermore, if air bubbles remain along with the solid portion 203, it is preferable to minimize the number of bubbles. However, if the glass bead 200 cools and solidifies with the solid portion 203 and the air bubbles in contact, the possibility of cracks occurring increases. Therefore, it is preferable to mold the glass bead 200 without at least the solid portion 203 and the air bubbles being in contact with each other.

[0018] Next, the manufacturing process of the glass molded product will be described with reference to FIG.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, first, a powder production process is carried out (step S101) in which bones or ashes, which are generated when a human or animal is incinerated by cremation or the like, are crushed to obtain a powder of the bones. The main component of the bones used here is calcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2), which accounts for more than 80% of the bones, and is said to be resistant to incineration and remain for a long period of time. Crushing of the bones can be achieved, for example, by placing the bones or ashes in a mortar and grinding them with a pestle, but this is not limiting and other means may also be used to obtain the powder.

[0020] Next, a glass material primarily composed of borosilicate glass is heated to approximately 2000°C using a burner to partially melt the glass, and an adhesion step (step S103) is performed in which an appropriate amount of the bone powder obtained as described above is adhered to the surface of the molten glass material. While the glass material used is composed solely of borosilicate glass, other components may also be included. In this embodiment, a well-known and common borosilicate glass is used, such as borosilicate glass primarily composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and boron oxide (BO3). While a colorless and transparent glass material is used in this embodiment, a colored and transparent glass material may also be used. In this embodiment, the powder is adhered to the surface of the molten glass material, allowing it to be directly heated by a burner. This is to efficiently promote the thermal decomposition of the bone. For example, if the glass material and powder are mixed together by kneading them together, as in conventional glass bead manufacturing methods, the powder is not directly heated by a burner, and therefore is not heated sufficiently, resulting in the powder remaining solid and being sealed within the glass. As a result, when the glass cools, the difference in expansion coefficients increases the likelihood of cracks occurring. In this embodiment, the powder is directly heated by a burner, which reduces the amount of powder remaining solid within the glass, thereby reducing the occurrence of cracks in the glass beads. Note that the more powder adheres to the glass material, the longer it takes to melt the powder by heating, and the more likely it is that the powder will remain solid due to insufficient heating. Therefore, it is preferable to appropriately adjust the amount of powder adhered to the glass material.

[0021] Next, a heating step is performed in which the glass material with the powder adhering thereto is heated to 2,000 to 2,400°C using a burner (step S105). The melting point of calcium phosphate is 1,670°C. Heating the glass material at temperatures between 1,670°C and 2,000°C increases the likelihood that some of the powder (primarily calcium oxide (CaO)) will remain in a solid state within the molten glass, and that bubbles consisting of gas (primarily diphosphorus pentoxide (PO)) generated by thermal decomposition of the bone material will remain. In contrast, in this embodiment, the powder adhering to the surface of the molten glass is directly heated with a burner at temperatures above 2,000°C. This accelerates the thermal decomposition of the bone material, accelerating the vaporization of diphosphorus pentoxide and the melting of calcium oxide, resulting in the appearance of a white or blue haze within the glass. This reduces the amount of bone material remaining in a solid state and also reduces the amount of gas generated from the bone material remaining within the glass. As a result, the melting of the powder components is accelerated, resulting in the appearance of a white or blue hazy pattern. The concentration of this haze varies depending on the mass of bone relative to the glass. For example, if the glass and powder are placed in a glass tube and heated through the tube at 2,000°C or higher, the bone components are not directly exposed to the burner, so the solid powder and vaporized diphosphorus pentoxide remain in the glass, and calcium oxide is barely melted, resulting in almost no hazy pattern. Furthermore, if the powder is further heated in a molten state, the vaporization of the hazy component (calcium oxide (CaO)) progresses, gradually fading the hazy pattern. Therefore, it is advisable to adjust the heating time appropriately. Specifically, depending on the concentration of the component (calcium oxide (CaO)) obtained by thermal decomposition of the powder, the phenomenon follows the following pattern: dark white > light white > blue > disappearance (vaporization).

[0022] Next, a removal process is performed in which the heated glass is pressed into a thin plate using a press (step S107). If bubbles generated by heating the powder adhering to the glass surface remain in the glass, it is highly likely that the powder has not completely decomposed thermally and remains in a solid state. When the glass cools in this state, cracks occur due to differences in expansion coefficients, making the glass more susceptible to breakage. This phenomenon is particularly likely to occur when the glass cools while the remaining solid and the bubbles are in contact with each other. Therefore, the glass containing bubbles is pressed to a thickness of approximately 2 mm using a press to remove the bubbles. For example, a press that can press molten glass by sandwiching it between a pair of flat plates can be used, but any press that can press molten glass into a thin plate can be used. Furthermore, in this removal process, if necessary, the glass can be rapidly heated to 2400°C to 2900°C using the direct flame of a burner to burst and eliminate any remaining bubbles. Furthermore, when the powder melts and turns into a mist (calcium oxide (CaO)), it vaporizes at an accelerated rate when heated at 2,400°C or higher, and the mist pattern disappears (this becomes more pronounced when heated at 2,600°C or higher). Therefore, it is advisable to adjust the heating time in this process as appropriate.

[0023] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not to perform finishing work (step S109). This determination is made, for example, when it is determined that no bubbles are generated even when heated to 2,000°C or higher in the heating process performed in step S105, and it is determined that finishing work is to be performed. If it is determined that finishing work is to be performed (step S109; Yes), the molding process is performed (step S111) to complete the glass beads. If it is determined that the glass beads should not be processed further (step S109; No), the processing of step S105 is performed again. That is, steps S105 and S107 are repeatedly performed until no bubbles are generated. This reduces the amount of powder that is not completely melted and remains in a solid state in the glass, and also reduces the amount of remaining bubbles. Forming glass beads in this manner makes them less likely to break.

[0024] According to the above-mentioned procedure, the powder melts in the glass and appears as a white or blue haze in the glass. In the molding process, the glass can be molded into any shape, and then cooled to produce a glass molded product with a design.

[0025] As described above, this embodiment includes a powder production process in which bones or ashes are processed into a powder to produce a powder, an attachment process in which glass is heated and melted and the powder is attached to the molten glass, a heating process in which the glass with the attached powder is heated to generate gas by thermal decomposition of the powder, a removal process in which the glass heated in the heating process is pressed to remove any air bubbles remaining in the glass, and a molding process in which the pressed glass is molded in the removal process. As a result, it is possible to provide a manufacturing method for a glass molded product that can prevent defects such as breakage and deformation.

[0026] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the heating process and the removal process are repeatedly performed until gas is no longer generated from the powder, thereby reducing the amount of air bubbles remaining in the glass and reducing the risk of damage to the glass molded product.

[0027] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since bones and ashes are bones that are produced when a human body or animal is incinerated, it becomes possible to manufacture glass molded articles to commemorate deceased people, pets, etc.

[0028] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the glass is made of borosilicate glass, which makes it possible to improve the durability of the molded glass product.

[0029] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the heating process, the glass to which the powder has been attached is directly heated by a burner at 2,000°C to 2,400°C, so that the powder can be reliably heated and the thermal decomposition of the powder can be efficiently promoted, thereby further reducing the possibility of the glass molded product being damaged.

[0030] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the removal step, the pressed glass is directly heated with a burner at 2,400°C to 2,900°C to remove any bubbles remaining in the glass. This makes it possible to more reliably remove any bubbles remaining in the glass, thereby further reducing the possibility of the molded glass product being damaged.

[0031] It should be noted that the actions and effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely a list of the most preferable actions and effects resulting from the present invention, and the actions and effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] Furthermore, although glass beads have been used as an example of the glass molded product according to this embodiment, other products may also be used, and the present invention can be applied to any product molded from glass, such as glass ornaments or figurines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 100 Glass beads (molded glass) 101 Glass section 102 Mist area 200 glass beads 201 Glass Department 202 Mist area 203 Solid part

Claims

1. A powder production step of producing powder by processing bones generated when a human or animal body is incinerated into powder; a step of heating and melting glass and adhering the powder to the surface of the molten glass; a heating step of directly heating the powder attached to the surface of the molten glass to generate gas by thermal decomposition of the powder; a removing step of pressing the glass heated in the heating step to remove any bubbles remaining in the glass; a forming step of forming the glass pressed in the removing step; A method for producing a glass molded product, comprising:

2. 2. The method for producing a molded glass article according to claim 1, wherein the heating step and the removing step are repeatedly carried out until gas generation from the powder is substantially stopped.

3. A method for manufacturing a glass molded product as described in claim 1, characterized in that the glass is composed of borosilicate glass.

4. A method for manufacturing a glass molded product as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the heating step, the powder is heated by direct flame using a burner at 2,000°C to 2,400°C.

5. A method for manufacturing a glass molded product as described in claim 1, characterized in that in the removal process, the pressed glass is directly heated with a burner at 2,400°C to 2,900°C to remove any remaining air bubbles in the glass.

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