Method for producing glass article, and method for producing glass product group

Abstract

A sheet-like glass article (11) is used for applications in which the sheet-like glass article is bent and deformed into a folded state. This method for producing the glass article (11) includes a cutting step for cutting out a glass article (11) from a mother glass (G1) that has a sheet drawing direction (D1). In the cutting step, the glass article (11) is cut out so that a planned folding line (L1), at which the glass article (11) is to be folded, intersects with an orthogonal direction (D2) that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction (D1) of the mother glass (G1).

Description

Method for manufacturing glass articles and method for manufacturing glass products

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a glass article and a method for manufacturing a group of glass products.

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, for example, a plate-shaped glass article is known that is used for displays such as foldable displays and rollable displays. Such glass articles are subjected to bending deformation when the displays are folded or wound into a roll.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-166863

[0004] As described above, a plate-shaped glass article used in applications that require bending deformation can be obtained, for example, by cutting it from a mother glass. The mother glass may be formed, for example, by drawing molten glass in a predetermined direction. The mother glass formed in this manner has a drawing direction, which is the direction in which the molten glass is drawn. It is desirable to improve the quality of the glass article obtained from the mother glass having such a drawing direction.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a glass article, which makes it possible to improve the quality of a plate-shaped glass article used in applications where it will be bent and deformed, and a method for manufacturing a group of glass products.

[0006]

[0013] The glass article manufacturing method of Aspect 1 is a method for manufacturing a glass article that solves the above problems, and a method for manufacturing a group of glass products. The glass article manufacturing method of Aspect 1 is a method for manufacturing a plate-shaped glass article used in applications where it is bent and deformed into a folded state, and includes a cutting step of cutting the glass article from a mother glass having a sheet drawing direction, and in the cutting step, the glass article is cut out so that a planned folding line along which the glass article is to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass.

[0007] The thickness of a mother glass having the above-described drawing direction varies as follows: The thickness variation is smallest along the drawing direction, while the thickness variation is largest along the orthogonal direction perpendicular to the drawing direction. Therefore, by cutting a glass article from the mother glass as described above, it is possible to reduce the variation in thickness along the intended folding line of the glass article.

[0008] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of Aspect 2, in Aspect 1, the angle of the planned folding line with respect to the sheet drawing direction may be within a range of 0° or more and 20° or less. This method can further reduce the change in thickness of the glass article along the planned folding line.

[0009] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of aspect 3, in aspect 1 or aspect 2, the shape of the main surface of the glass article may be a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, and the intended folding line may be provided in a direction along the short sides.

[0010] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of aspect 4, in aspect 1 or aspect 2, the shape of the main surface of the glass article may be a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, and the intended folding line may be provided in a direction along the long sides.

[0011] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of Aspect 5, in any one of Aspects 1 to 4, the mother glass is alkali aluminosilicate glass having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less, the shape of a main surface of the mother glass is a quadrilateral having two first sides along the sheet drawing direction and two second sides along an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction, the length of each of the four sides of the mother glass is within a range of 200 mm or more and 2000 mm or less, and in the cutting step, two or more and 400 or less glass articles may be cut out from one sheet of the mother glass.

[0012] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of Aspect 6, in any one of Aspects 1 to 5, the shape of the main surface of the glass article is a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, and the length of each of the two long sides of the glass article is within a range of 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and the length of each of the two short sides of the glass article is within a range of 50 mm or more and 450 mm or less.

[0013] The method for producing a glass article of Aspect 7 is any one of Aspects 1 to 6, wherein the mother glass has an identification portion for identifying the sheet drawing direction. According to this method, in the cutting step, the position at which the glass article is cut out can be easily aligned with the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass.

[0014] In the method for manufacturing a glass article of Aspect 8, as in Aspect 7, the shape of the main surface of the mother glass may be a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, the identification portion may include the long sides and the short sides of the mother glass, and the sheet drawing direction may extend in a direction along one of the long sides or the short sides.

[0015] In the method for producing a glass article of Aspect 9, in Aspect 7 or Aspect 8, the identification portion includes at least one of a notch portion formed in an outer edge of the mother glass and a mark provided on the mother glass, and the mark may include at least one selected from a printed portion, a laser engraved portion, a portion where a through-hole is formed, and a portion where a sealing member is attached.

[0016] The method for producing a glass article of Aspect 10 may be any one of Aspects 1 to 9, further comprising, after the cutting step, an ion exchange step of subjecting the glass article to an ion exchange treatment.

[0017] A method for manufacturing a group of glass products according to aspect 11 is a method for manufacturing a group of glass products including a plurality of plate-shaped glass articles used in applications in which they are bent and deformed into a folded state, and includes a cutting step of cutting the glass articles from a mother glass having a drawing direction, wherein in the cutting step, the glass articles are cut out so that a planned folding line along which the glass articles are to be folded intersects an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the drawing direction of the mother glass, and the group of glass products may include, as a single unit, a plurality of glass articles cut out in a row along the drawing direction of the mother glass. This method makes it possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the plurality of glass articles included in one unit.

[0018] A method for producing a group of glass products according to Aspect 12 may be the same as that according to Aspect 11, in which a plurality of rows of cut-out portions are pre-set in a direction intersecting the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass, and then, in the cutting step, a plurality of glass articles are cut out from each of the plurality of rows of cut-out portions, thereby producing a plurality of the units from a single sheet of the mother glass. This method makes it possible to easily increase the productivity of the group of glass products.

[0019] The method for manufacturing a glass article of aspect 13 is a method for manufacturing a plate-shaped glass article used in applications where it is bent and deformed while wound into a roll, and includes a cutting step of cutting the glass article from a mother glass having a sheet drawing direction, and in the cutting step, the glass article is cut out so that a planned winding axis along which the glass article is to be wound intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass.

[0020] The method for manufacturing a glass product group of aspect 14 is a method for manufacturing a glass product group including a plurality of plate-shaped glass articles used for applications in which they are bent and deformed while wound up in a roll, and includes a cutting step of cutting the glass articles from mother glass having a sheet drawing direction, wherein in the cutting step, the glass articles are cut out so that a planned winding axis along which the glass articles are to be wound up in a roll intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass, and the glass product group includes, as a single unit, a plurality of glass articles cut out in a row along the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass.

[0021] The present invention exhibits the effect of making it possible to improve the quality of a plate-shaped glass article used in an application where it is subjected to bending deformation.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a glass article in a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a glass article in a folded state. FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a method for manufacturing a glass article. FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a method for manufacturing a group of glass products. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a glass article in a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a glass article in a folded state. FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating a method for manufacturing a glass article. FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating a method for manufacturing a glass article in a third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a glass article in a rolled state.

[0023] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a method for manufacturing a glass article and a method for manufacturing a group of glass products will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the drawings, for the sake of convenience, some components may be shown exaggerated or simplified. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of each part may differ from the actual ratios.

[0024] 1 and 2, a plate-shaped glass article 11 is used for applications in which it is bent and deformed into a folded state. The plate-shaped glass article 11 before folding has a planned folding line L1 along which the glass article 11 is to be folded. In the folded state, the glass article 11 has a folding portion F1 that has been bent and deformed along the planned folding line L1.

[0025] The shape of the main surface of the glass article 11 is a rectangle having two long sides 11a and two short sides 11b. The planned folding line L1 and folding portion F1 of the glass article 11 are provided in a direction along the short sides 11b. It is preferable that the planned folding line L1 and folding portion F1 are provided so as to extend parallel to the short sides 11b of the glass article 11.

[0026] The length of each of the two long sides 11a of the glass article 11 is preferably in the range of 100 mm to 500 mm, more preferably in the range of 100 mm to 200 mm, and the length of each of the two short sides 11b of the glass article 11 is preferably in the range of 50 mm to 450 mm, more preferably in the range of 50 mm to 150 mm.

[0027] The upper limit of the thickness of the glass article 11 is 0.2 mm or less, 0.1 mm or less, 0.085 mm or less, 0.060 mm or less, 0.055 mm or less, 0.040 mm or less, or 0.035 mm or less. The lower limit of the thickness of the glass article 11 is, for example, 0.005 mm or more, or 0.01 mm or more.

[0028] Examples of the glass constituting the glass article 11 include soda glass, soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, and alkali-free glass. The glass constituting the glass article 11 may be chemically strengthened glass. Examples of chemically strengthened glass include soda glass and alkali aluminosilicate glass containing alkali metal oxides as a glass composition. The alkali metal oxide component contained in the alkali aluminosilicate glass as a glass composition is Li ２ O, Na ２ O and K ２ It is preferable that the glass for chemical strengthening is at least one selected from O. The glass for chemical strengthening is preferably alkali aluminosilicate glass.

[0029] The alkali aluminosilicate glass has a glass composition consisting of, in mol %, SiO ２ :50~75%, Al ２ O ３ : 1-20%, B ２O ３ : 0 to 30%, Li ２ O: 0-15%, Na ２ O: 1 to 25%, K ２ O: 0-10%, P ２ O ５ : It is preferable that it contains 0 to 15%.

[0030] The alkali aluminosilicate glass has a glass composition consisting of, in mol %, SiO ２ :50~75%, Al ２ O ３ : 7-20%, B ２ O ３ :0.1~30%, Li ２ O: 5-15%, Na ２ O: 5-25%, K ２ O: 0-10%, P ２ O ５ It is more preferable that the content is 0 to 15%.

[0031] <Method for manufacturing glass article> As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the method for manufacturing the glass article 11 includes a cutting step of cutting the glass article 11 from a mother glass G1. The mother glass G1 has a sheet drawing direction D1. The sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 is the direction in which molten glass is drawn or the direction in which softened sheet glass is pulled in forming the mother glass G1. In other words, the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 is the machine direction (MD) of a forming device that forms the mother glass G1.

[0032] In the mother glass G1 having the drawing direction D1, the change in thickness along the drawing direction D1 is smallest. In addition, in the mother glass G1 having the drawing direction D1, the change in thickness along the orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the drawing direction D1 is largest. For example, the thickness dimension of both ends of the mother glass G1 in the orthogonal direction D2 is larger than the thickness dimension of the central part of the mother glass G1 in the orthogonal direction D2. Therefore, the drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 can be confirmed, for example, by measuring the thickness of the mother glass G1.

[0033] Among the methods for forming the mother glass G1, examples of methods for drawing molten glass in a predetermined direction include the overflow downdraw method, the slot downdraw method, and the float method. Among the methods for forming the mother glass G1, examples of methods for drawing a softened sheet glass in a predetermined direction include the redraw method. From the viewpoint of improving the thickness uniformity of the mother glass G1 along the sheet drawing direction D1, the method for forming the mother glass G1 is preferably the overflow downdraw method or the slot downdraw method.

[0034] The mother glass G1 of this embodiment is obtained by cutting a part of the plate-shaped glass formed by the above-mentioned forming method. The plate-shaped glass formed by the above-mentioned forming method can also be used as the mother glass G1 without cutting it.

[0035] 1 and 3 , in the cutting step, the glass article 11 is cut out so that a planned folding line L1 along which the glass article 11 is to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction D2 that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1. As shown in Fig. 1 , the angle θ of the planned folding line L1 with respect to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 is preferably within a range of 0° or more and 20° or less.

[0036] In this embodiment, an example of a cutting process is shown in which the glass article 11 is cut out so that the angle θ of the planned folding line L1 relative to the drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 is 0°. That is, in the cutting process of this embodiment, the glass article 11 is cut out so that the planned folding line L1 along which the glass article 11 is to be folded completely coincides with the drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1.

[0037] Methods for cutting out the glass article 11 from the mother glass G1 include, for example, thermal cleaving, thermal fusing, division along a scribe line, cutting with a short-pulse laser, and division by etching. For thermal cleaving and thermal fusing, for example, a laser can be used. For division along a scribe line, a scribe line is first formed in the mother glass G1 using a tool. Examples of the tool include a rotatable scribing wheel and a non-rotatable scribe tip. The mother glass G1 with the scribe line formed can be divided by applying an external force along the scribe line. For example, a nanosecond laser or a picosecond laser of various wavelengths can be used as the short-pulse laser. For division by etching, a method combining laser modification and etching with an HF-based etchant can be used.

[0038] In the cutting step, it is preferable to cut out two or more and 400 or less glass articles 11 from one mother glass G1. In the present embodiment, a cutting step in which 12 glass articles 11 are cut out from one mother glass G1 is shown as an example.

[0039] The thickness of the mother glass G1 is the same as the thickness of the above-described glass article 11. The composition of the glass constituting the mother glass G1 is the same as the composition of the glass constituting the above-described glass article 11.

[0040] The shape of the main surface of the mother glass G1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a quadrilateral having two first sides G1a along the sheet drawing direction D1 and two second sides G1b along an orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction D1. The length of each of the four sides of the mother glass G1 is preferably within a range of 200 mm to 2000 mm. The shape of the mother glass G1 of this embodiment is a rectangle having short sides that are the first sides G1a and long sides that are the second sides G1b.

[0041] The mother glass G1 has a first identification portion A1 and a second identification portion A2 for identifying the drawing direction D1. The first identification portion A1 is formed by the long and short sides of the mother glass G1. The drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 extends in a direction along the first side G1a, which is the short side of the mother glass G1, and therefore the drawing direction D1 can be identified by the extension direction of this first side G1a.

[0042] The second distinguishable portion A2 is a notch formed on the outer edge of the mother glass G1. The length of the notch of the second distinguishable portion A2 along the first side G1a of the mother glass G1 is longer than the length along the second side G1b. The drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 can be identified by the direction in which the length of the notch of the second distinguishable portion A2 is relatively long.

[0043] The manufacturing method of the glass article 11 may further include an ion exchange step as a post-cutting step. The ion exchange step is a step of chemically strengthening the glass article 11 by ion exchange treatment. Specifically, the ion exchange is performed by immersing the glass article 11 in molten salt. The molten salt is typically an alkali metal nitrate at 350 to 490°C, and the immersion time of the glass article 11 is, for example, 0.1 to 100 hours. The alkali metal nitrate is, for example, KNO ３ , NaNO ３ , and LiNO ３ Any one salt selected from the above, or a mixed salt of these salts can be used.

[0044] <Method for manufacturing a glass product group> As shown in Figure 4, the glass product group GP includes a plurality of plate-shaped glass articles 11 as one unit U. The method for manufacturing the glass product group GP includes the cutting process described above. One unit U of the glass product group GP is composed of a plurality of glass articles 11 cut out in a line along the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 in the cutting process. More specifically, in the method for manufacturing the glass product group GP, a plurality of planned cutting portions lined up in a line along the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 are set in advance, and then a glass article 11 is cut out from each of the plurality of planned cutting portions in the cutting process.

[0045] In this embodiment, one unit U of the glass product group GP is composed of a plurality of glass articles 11 cut out from the mother glass G1 so that the intended folding line L1 is arranged on the same straight line along the sheet drawing direction D1.

[0046] The planned fold lines L1 of the multiple glass articles 11 may be inclined with respect to the drawing direction D1. In this case, the multiple glass articles 11 may be cut out from the mother glass G1 so that a portion of the planned fold lines L1 of each of the multiple glass articles 11 are aligned on the same line along the drawing direction D1. That is, in the multiple glass articles 11 cut out in a row as described above, at least a portion of each planned fold line L1 is aligned on the same line along the drawing direction D1.

[0047] In the manufacturing method of the glass product group GP, one unit U may be manufactured from one sheet of mother glass G1, or multiple units U may be manufactured from one sheet of mother glass G1 as in the present embodiment. More specifically, in the manufacturing method of the glass product group GP of the present embodiment, multiple rows of planned cutting portions are set in advance in a direction intersecting the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1. In the cutting step, multiple units U are manufactured by cutting out multiple glass articles 11 from each of the multiple rows of planned cutting portions.

[0048] <Uses of Glass Article> The glass article 11 can be subjected to post-treatments such as edging and tempering, as needed. In this case, the multiple glass articles 11 included in the unit U of the glass product group GP may be post-treated under the same conditions. The glass article 11 can be used, for example, for a foldable display. Examples of foldable displays include foldable liquid crystal displays and foldable organic EL displays.

[0049] <Functions and Effects of First Embodiment> Next, the functions and effects of the first embodiment will be described. (1-1) A plate-shaped glass article 11 is used in an application in which it is bent and deformed into a folded state. The manufacturing method of the glass article 11 includes a cutting step of cutting the glass article 11 from a mother glass G1 having a sheet drawing direction D1. In the cutting step, the glass article 11 is cut out so that a planned folding line L1 along which the glass article 11 is to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction D2 that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1.

[0050] The thickness of the mother glass G1 having the drawing direction D1 changes as follows. While the change in thickness along the drawing direction D1 is smallest, the change in thickness along the orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the drawing direction D1 is largest. Therefore, by cutting the glass article 11 from the mother glass G1 as described above, it is possible to reduce the change in thickness along the planned folding line L1 of the glass article 11. This makes it possible to improve the quality of the plate-shaped glass article 11 used in applications that require bending deformation as described above. By increasing the uniformity of the thickness of the folding portion F1 of the glass article 11, it is possible to increase the strength of the folding portion F1, for example, the bending strength along the planned folding line L1, the impact strength of the folding portion F1, etc.

[0051] (1-2) The angle θ of the planned folding line L1 of the glass article 11 relative to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 is preferably within a range of 0° or more and 20° or less. In this case, it is possible to further reduce the change in thickness of the glass article 11 along the planned folding line L1. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the quality of the plate-shaped glass article 11 used in applications where it is bent and deformed as described above.

[0052] (1-3) The mother glass G1 is provided with an identification portion for identifying the drawing direction D1. In this case, in the cutting step, the position at which the glass article 11 is cut out can be easily aligned with the drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1. Therefore, the glass article 11 can be easily manufactured.

[0053] (1-4) The shape of the main surface of the mother glass G1 is a rectangle having two long sides that are second sides G1b and two short sides that are first sides G1a. The first distinguishable portion A1 of the mother glass G1 includes the long sides and short sides of the mother glass G1, and the drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1 extends in a direction along the first sides G1a, which are the short sides of the mother glass G1. In this case, the drawing direction D1 can be easily identified by utilizing the outer shape of the mother glass G1.

[0054] (1-5) The mother glass G1 has a second identification portion A2, which is a notch formed on the outer edge of the mother glass G1. In this case, the sheet drawing direction D1 can be easily identified by using the notch of the mother glass G1.

[0055] (1-6) The manufacturing method for the glass product group GP includes a cutting step of cutting out a plurality of glass articles 11 as described above. The glass product group GP includes, as one unit U, a plurality of glass articles 11 that have been cut out in a line along the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1. This method makes it possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the plurality of glass articles 11 included in one unit U. This makes it easy to handle the plurality of glass articles 11. For example, by post-processing the plurality of glass articles 11 included in one unit U under the same conditions, it is possible to easily obtain a plurality of processed products with improved uniformity of quality.

[0056] (1-7) In the manufacturing method of the glass product group GP, a plurality of rows of cut-out portions are set in advance in a direction intersecting the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G1. In the cutting process, a plurality of glass articles 11 are cut out from each of the rows of cut-out portions, thereby manufacturing a plurality of units U from one sheet of mother glass G1. In this case, the productivity of the glass product group GP can be easily increased.

[0057] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the method for producing a glass article will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0058] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the planned folding line L2 and folding portion F2 of the glass article 12 of the second embodiment are provided in a direction along the long sides 12a of the glass article 12. The planned folding line L2 and folding portion F2 are preferably provided to extend parallel to the long sides 12a of the glass article 12. The length of each of the two long sides 12a of the glass article 12 is preferably within a range of 50 mm to 500 mm, more preferably within a range of 100 mm to 200 mm. The length of each of the two short sides 12b of the glass article 12 is preferably within a range of 20 mm to 450 mm, more preferably within a range of 50 mm to 150 mm.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 7, the manufacturing method of the glass article 12 includes a cutting step of cutting the glass article 12 from a mother glass G2. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7, in the cutting step, the glass article 12 is cut out so that a planned folding line L2 along which the glass article 12 is to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction D2 that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G2.

[0060] The shape of the main surface of the mother glass G2 is, for example, a rectangular shape having long sides that are two first sides G2a along the drawing direction D1 and short sides that are two second sides G2b along the perpendicular direction D2. The drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G2 extends in a direction along the first sides G2a that are the long sides of the mother glass G2, and therefore the drawing direction D1 can be identified by the direction in which the first sides G2a extend.

[0061] Next, the operation and effects of the second embodiment will be described. (2-1) In the cutting process of the second embodiment, the glass article 12 is cut out so that the planned folding line L2 along which the glass article 12 is to be folded intersects with the orthogonal direction D2 that is orthogonal to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G2. This method can achieve the same effects as those described in section (1-1) of the first embodiment.

[0062] (2-2) The method for manufacturing a glass article 12 according to the second embodiment also provides the same effects as those described in sections (1-2) to (1-5) of the first embodiment. [Third Embodiment] A third embodiment of the method for manufacturing a glass article will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0063] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, a plate-shaped glass article 13 is used in an application where it is bent and deformed in a rolled state. Before being wound into a roll, the plate-shaped glass article 13 has a planned winding axis L3 along which the glass article 13 is to be wound into a roll. The glass article 13 in the rolled state has a roll-shaped portion F3. The roll-shaped portion F3 is formed by winding at least a portion of the glass article 13 around a winding axis L3a that is parallel to the planned winding axis L3.

[0064] The planned winding axis L3 and winding axis L3a of the glass article 13 are arranged in a direction along the short sides 13b of the glass article 13. The planned winding axis L3 and winding axis L3a are preferably arranged to extend parallel to the short sides 13b of the glass article 13. For example, the length of each of the two long sides 13a of a glass article 13 for use as a mobile device is preferably within a range of 50 mm to 500 mm, more preferably within a range of 100 mm to 200 mm. The length of each of the two short sides 13b of the glass article 13 is preferably within a range of 20 mm to 450 mm, more preferably within a range of 50 mm to 150 mm.

[0065] When the glass article 13 is intended for use as a large-sized stationary display device, the side dimensions of the glass article 13 may be set to even larger dimensions than those described above. That is, the length of each of the two long sides 13a of the glass article 13 for such use is preferably within a range of 300 mm to 4000 mm, and more preferably within a range of 1000 mm to 3000 mm. Furthermore, the length of each of the two short sides 13b of the glass article 13 for such use is preferably within a range of 250 mm to 4000 mm, and more preferably within a range of 1000 mm to 3000 mm.

[0066] As shown in Figure 8, the method for manufacturing a glass article 13 includes a cutting step of cutting out the glass article 13 from a mother glass G3. In the cutting step, the glass article 13 is cut out so that a planned winding axis L3, along which the glass article 13 is to be wound into a roll, intersects with an orthogonal direction D2 that is perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G3. The angle θ of the planned winding axis L3 with respect to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G3 is preferably within a range of 0° or more and 20° or less. The planned winding axis L3 is set so as to pass through the center of the glass article 13 in the sheet drawing direction D1 and the center in the orthogonal direction D2.

[0067] The shape of the main surface of the mother glass G3 is not particularly limited, but is preferably a quadrilateral having two first sides G3a along the sheet drawing direction D1 and two second sides G3b along the orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction D1. The shape of the mother glass G3 in this embodiment is a rectangle having a long side that is the first side G3a and a short side that is the second side G3b. The length of each of the four sides of the mother glass G3 is preferably within a range of 200 mm or more and 5000 mm or less, more preferably within a range of 250 mm or more and 2000 mm or less, and even more preferably within a range of 280 mm or more and 1000 mm or less.

[0068] The drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G3 extends in a direction along the first side G3a, which is the long side of the mother glass G3, and therefore the drawing direction D1 can be identified by the direction in which this first side G3a extends.

[0069] The glass article 13 can be used, for example, as a rollable display that can be wound into a roll. Examples of the rollable display include a rollable liquid crystal display and a rollable organic EL display.

[0070] Next, the operation and effects of the third embodiment will be described. (3-1) In the cutting process of the third embodiment, the glass article 13 is cut out so that the planned winding axis L3 along which the glass article 13 is to be wound into a roll intersects with the orthogonal direction D2 perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G3. This method can reduce thickness variations along the planned winding axis L3 of the glass article 13. Therefore, it is possible to improve the quality of the plate-shaped glass article 13 used in applications that require bending deformation as described above. For example, by improving the thickness uniformity along the winding axis L3a of the roll-shaped portion F3 of the glass article 13, it is possible to increase the strength of the roll-shaped portion F3.

[0071] (3-2) The method for manufacturing glass article 13 of the third embodiment also provides the same effects as those described in sections (1-2) to (1-5) of the first embodiment. <Modifications> The above embodiment can be modified as follows. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they are not technically inconsistent.

[0072] The identification units of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 may be omitted. For example, the conveyance direction of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 from the molding device that molds the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 may be set to a predetermined direction in advance, so that the sheet drawing direction D1 can be identified based on the conveyance direction.

[0073] The cutout portions serving as the second distinguishable portions A2 of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 may be formed so that the lengths along the first sides G1a, G2a, and G3a of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 are shorter than the lengths along the second sides G1b, G2b, and G3b. In this case, the drawing direction D1 of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 can be identified by the direction in which the length of the cutout portion is relatively short.

[0074] The identification portion of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 may be a mark provided on the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3. The mark preferably includes at least one selected from a printed portion, a laser engraved portion, a portion where a through-hole is formed, and a portion where a sealing member is attached. Examples of the shape of the mark include a symbol such as an arrow, a letter, and the like. Such a mark can be provided on a non-product portion of the mother glasses G1, G2, and G3 other than the product portion for obtaining the glass articles 11, 12, and 13.

[0075] In the manufacturing method of the glass product group GP of the first embodiment, a glass product group GP consisting of a plurality of units U is manufactured, but a glass product consisting of a single unit U may also be manufactured. One unit U of the glass product group GP is composed of a plurality of glass articles having the same outer dimensions, but may also include glass articles having different outer dimensions. However, it is preferable that one unit U is composed of a plurality of glass articles having the same outer dimensions.

[0076] The manufacturing method for the glass product group GP of the first embodiment can also be applied to the manufacturing of a glass product group including the glass article 12 of the second embodiment. Furthermore, the manufacturing method for the glass product group GP of the first embodiment can also be applied to the manufacturing of a glass product group including the glass article 13 of the third embodiment. For example, one unit including the glass article 13 of the third embodiment is composed of a plurality of glass articles 13 cut out in a line along the sheet drawing direction D1 of the mother glass G3 in the cutting process. In the plurality of glass articles 13 cut out in a line like this, at least a portion of each of the planned winding axes L3 is aligned on the same straight line along the sheet drawing direction D1. The manufacturing method for the glass product group including the glass article 12 of the second embodiment and the manufacturing method for the glass product group including the glass article 13 of the third embodiment can also achieve the same effects as those described in sections (1-6) and (1-7) of the first embodiment.

[0077] The glass article obtained by the method of the present disclosure can be used for foldable displays or rollable displays as described above. Examples of applications for foldable displays and rollable displays include mobile devices, electronic devices (display devices), and the like. Examples of mobile devices include smartphones and tablet computers. Examples of electronic devices include in-vehicle displays, personal computer displays, and television displays.

[0078] 11, 12, 13... Glass article 11a, 12a, 13a... Long side 11b, 12b, 13b... Short side A1... First identification part A2... Second identification part D1... Sheet drawing direction D2... Orthogonal direction G1, G2, G3... Mother glass G1a, G2a, G3a... First side G1b, G2b, G3b... Second side GP... Glass product group L1, L2... Planned folding line L3... Planned winding axis U... Unit θ... Angle

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a plate-shaped glass article used in applications where it is bent and deformed into a folded state, comprising: a cutting step of cutting the glass article from a mother glass having a plate drawing direction, wherein in the cutting step, the glass article is cut out so that a planned folding line along which the glass article is to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the plate drawing direction of the mother glass.

2. A method for manufacturing a glass article as described in claim 1, wherein the angle of the intended folding line with respect to the sheet drawing direction is within the range of 0° or more and 20° or less.

3. A method for manufacturing a glass article as described in claim 1, wherein the shape of the main surface of the glass article is a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, and the intended folding lines are provided in a direction along the short sides.

4. A method for manufacturing a glass article as described in claim 1, wherein the shape of the main surface of the glass article is a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, and the intended folding lines are provided in a direction along the long sides.

5. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, wherein the mother glass is alkali aluminosilicate glass having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less, the shape of a main surface of the mother glass is a quadrilateral having two first sides along the sheet drawing direction and two second sides along an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the sheet drawing direction, the length of each of the four sides of the mother glass is within a range of 200 mm or more and 2000 mm or less, and in the cutting out process, 2 or more and 400 or less glass articles are cut out from one sheet of the mother glass.

6. A method for manufacturing a glass article as described in claim 1, wherein the shape of the main surface of the glass article is a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, the length of each of the two long sides of the glass article is within the range of 100 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and the length of each of the two short sides of the glass article is within the range of 50 mm or more and 450 mm or less.

7. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, wherein the mother glass is provided with an identification portion for identifying the sheet drawing direction.

8. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 7, wherein the shape of the main surface of the mother glass is a rectangle having two long sides and two short sides, the identification portion includes the long sides and the short sides of the mother glass, and the sheet drawing direction extends along a direction along either one of the long sides or the short sides.

9. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 7, wherein the identification portion includes at least one of a notch portion formed on the outer edge of the mother glass and a mark provided on the mother glass, and the mark includes at least one selected from a printed portion, a laser engraved portion, a portion where a through hole is formed, and a portion where a sealing material is attached.

10. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, further comprising an ion exchange step of subjecting the glass article to an ion exchange treatment after the cutting step.

11. A method for manufacturing a group of glass products including a plurality of plate-shaped glass articles used in applications in which they are bent and deformed into a folded state, comprising: a cutting step of cutting the glass articles from a mother glass having a plate drawing direction; in the cutting step, the glass articles are cut out so that a planned folding line along which the glass articles are to be folded intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the plate drawing direction of the mother glass; and the group of glass products includes, as one unit, a plurality of glass articles cut out in a row along the plate drawing direction of the mother glass.

12. A method for manufacturing a group of glass products as described in claim 11, in which a plurality of rows of intended cutting sections are preset in a direction intersecting the sheet drawing direction of the mother glass, and then in the cutting process, a plurality of glass articles are cut out from each of the plurality of rows of intended cutting sections, thereby producing a plurality of the units from a single sheet of the mother glass.

13. A method for manufacturing a plate-shaped glass article used for applications in which the glass article is bent and deformed while wound into a roll, comprising: a cutting step of cutting the glass article from a mother glass having a plate drawing direction, wherein in the cutting step, the glass article is cut out so that a planned winding axis along which the glass article is wound into a roll intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the plate drawing direction of the mother glass.

14. A method for manufacturing a group of glass products including a plurality of plate-shaped glass articles used for applications in which the glass articles are bent and deformed while wound up in a roll, comprising: a cutting step of cutting the glass articles from a mother glass having a plate drawing direction, wherein in the cutting step, the glass articles are cut out so that a planned winding axis along which the glass articles are wound up into a roll intersects with an orthogonal direction perpendicular to the plate drawing direction of the mother glass, and the group of glass products includes, as one unit, a plurality of glass articles cut out in a row along the plate drawing direction of the mother glass.

Images