Scribe line forming system and scribe line forming method

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a scribe line forming system capable of reliably forming a scribe line of sufficient depth in a glass plate to be processed and smoothly and neatly breaking the glass plate on the scribe line. SOLUTION: A scribe line forming system 10 has: a scribe line forming means that utilizes a line cutter wheel provided with a cutting edge for forming a scribe line of a predetermined depth from the upper surface toward the lower surface of a glass plate to be processed and a tracing cutter wheel (tracing member) that traces the scribe line vicinity along the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and forms a scribe line in the glass plate to be processed by the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel; and a tracing means for abutting the tracing member to the upper surface of the glass plate in the scribe line vicinity, spaced 0.1-1 mm outside the scribe line, and tracing the scribe line vicinity along the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force by the tracing cutter wheel.

Description

Scribe line forming system and scribe line forming method

[0001] The present invention relates to a scribe line forming system and a scribe line forming method for forming a scribe line on a glass plate to be processed, such as a glass plate for an automobile window or a glass plate for a liquid crystal display.

[0002] A glass plate processing system is disclosed that is formed from an input conveyor that carries in glass plates to be processed, a cutting processing area located in front of the input conveyor, a slitting processing area located in front of the slitting processing area, a grinding processing area located in front of the slitting processing area, an output conveyor located in front of the grinding processing area, and a transport mechanism that transports the glass plates from the input conveyor to each processing area (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] The slitting area of ​​this glass plate processing system includes a slitting table having a first movement mechanism that moves in the width direction with a positioned glass plate placed thereon, and a slitting device that is movable in the front-to-rear direction. The slitting device includes a slitting jig having a slitting cutter wheel and a slitting cutter holder, and an elevation mechanism that raises and lowers the slitting cutter holder in the vertical direction. In the slitting area, the first movement mechanism moves the slitting table in the width direction toward the slitting device, and the slitting device moves in the front-to-rear direction, so that the slitting cutter wheel forms a scribe line (outline cut line) of a predetermined depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate placed on the slitting table. The slitting area includes a slitting table on which the glass plate after slitting is placed, and a slitting device that is movable in the front-to-rear and width directions. In the bending and cutting processing area, a bending and cutting device is used to form a cutting line of a predetermined depth extending from the upper surface to the lower surface at the cutting line formation location in the peripheral area of ​​the glass plate placed on the bending and cutting processing table, and the peripheral area outside the outline cutting line of the glass plate is bent and cut.

[0004] The grinding area includes a grinding table having a second movement mechanism that moves in the width direction while the positioned glass plate after the bending process is placed thereon, and a grinding device that can move in the front-to-rear direction. In the grinding area, the second movement mechanism moves the grinding table in the width direction toward the grinding device, and the grinding device is used to grind the peripheral edge of the glass plate placed on the grinding table. Note that the cutting and grinding are performed synchronously.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-040877

[0006] In the notching process in the glass plate processing system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a scribe line is formed on the glass plate from the starting point of the scribe line formation to the end point of the scribe line formation, but depending on the thickness and hardness of the glass plate to be processed, the depth of the scribe line may be shallow, or the depth may be shallow at the curved portion of the scribe line, making it impossible to form a scribe line of sufficient depth. If the scribe line depth is insufficient, the glass plate cannot be bent and split smoothly and cleanly along the scribe line, and the glass plate may not be processed into a predetermined planar shape.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a scribe line forming system and a scribe line forming method that can reliably form a scribe line of sufficient depth on a glass plate to be processed. Another object of the present invention is to provide a scribe line forming system and a scribe line forming method that can smoothly and cleanly bend and split the glass plate along the scribe line and process the glass plate into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

[0008] The first premise of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a scribe line forming system for forming a scribe line on a glass plate to be processed.

[0009] The scribe line forming system of the present invention in the first premise is characterized in that the scribe line forming system comprises a line cutter wheel having a cutting edge that forms a scribe line of a predetermined depth from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed, and a tracing member that traces along the scribe line and the vicinity of the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and a scribe line forming means that forms a scribe line on the glass plate to be processed using the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel, and a tracing means that abuts the tracing member against the top surface of the glass plate near the scribe line and traces along the scribe line and the vicinity of the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force using the tracing member.

[0010] In one example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, a tracing member contacts the upper surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the outer or inner side, and traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line.

[0011] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the tracing means has a tracing member that traces the vicinity of the scribe line while continuously or intermittently applying a predetermined pressing force downward from the upper surface of the glass plate in the vicinity of the scribe line.

[0012] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the pressing force acting downward from the top surface of the glass plate by the line cutter wheel in the scribe line forming means is greater than the pressing force acting downward from the top surface of the glass plate by the tracing member in the tracing means.

[0013] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member having a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member having a stylus shaped tip.

[0014] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the cutter wheel for traces is larger than the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the cutter wheel for lines.

[0015] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°, and the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the trace cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°.

[0016] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the diameter of the trace cutter wheel is larger than the diameter of the line cutter wheel, and the contact area of ​​the trace cutter wheel abutting on the top surface of the glass plate to be processed is larger than the contact area of ​​the line cutter wheel abutting on the top surface of the glass plate to be processed.

[0017] In another example of the scribe line forming system of the present invention, the scribe line forming system is used in a cutting device that performs contour control motion under NC control to process a glass plate into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by scribe lines.

[0018] A second premise of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a scribe line forming method for forming a scribe line on a glass plate to be processed.

[0019] The scribe line forming method of the present invention in the second premise is characterized in that it comprises a scribe line forming step in which a scribe line of a predetermined depth is formed on the glass plate to be processed from its upper surface to its lower surface using the cutting edge of a line cutter wheel, and a tracing step in which a predetermined tracing member is brought into contact with the upper surface of the glass plate near the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and the tracing member traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line while the pressing force of the tracing member is applied continuously or intermittently.

[0020] In one example of the scribe line forming method of the present invention, in the tracing step, a tracing member is brought into contact with the upper surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the outer or inner side, and traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line.

[0021] In another example of the scribe line forming method of the present invention, the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member having a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member having a stylus shaped tip.

[0022] According to the scribe line forming system of the present invention, a scribe line of a predetermined depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of a glass sheet to be processed is formed using the cutting edge of a line cutter wheel, a tracing member is brought into contact with the top surface of the glass sheet near the scribe line, and the tracing member traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force. By using the tracing member to apply a pressing force so as to bend the glass sheet near the scribe line downward, a crack extending in the thickness direction of the glass sheet that connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel can be generated. This increases the depth of the scribe line in areas where the scribe line is insufficient, and reliably forms a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass sheet to be processed. Because the scribe line forming system can form a scribe line of sufficient depth using the tracing member, the glass sheet can be smoothly and cleanly cleaved (bent and broken) along the scribe line, allowing the glass sheet to be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

[0023] The scribe line forming system has a tracing member that contacts the top surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the outside or inside, traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line, and uses the tracing member to apply a pressing force so as to bend the glass plate downward at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the inside or outside, thereby generating a crack that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate and connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, making it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in places where the depth is insufficient, and also to reliably form a scribe line of sufficient depth on the glass plate to be processed.

[0024] In the scribe line forming system, the tracing member applies a predetermined pressure force continuously or intermittently downward from the top surface of the glass plate near the scribe line while tracing the vicinity of the scribe line. By using the tracing member to apply a pressure force continuously or intermittently so as to bend the glass plate downward near the scribe line, it is possible to reliably generate cracks extending in the thickness direction of the glass plate that connect to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, thereby increasing the depth of the scribe line in areas where it is insufficient, and reliably forming a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed.

[0025] The scribe line forming system allows the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel to form a scribe line of a predetermined depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate being processed, because the pressing force applied by the line cutter wheel from the top surface of the glass plate downward is greater than the pressing force applied by the tracing member from the top surface of the glass plate downward.In addition, the tracing member, which has a smaller pressing force than the line cutter wheel, can be used to generate a crack in the scribe line that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate, thereby reliably forming a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate being processed.

[0026] In the scribe line forming system, the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member with a stylus shaped tip, and the tracing cutter wheel, tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or tracing member with a stylus shaped tip is used to trace along the scribe line and near the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and the tracing cutter wheel, tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or tracing member with a stylus shaped tip is used to apply pressing force so as to bend the glass plate near the scribe line downward, thereby generating a crack that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate and connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, and the depth of the scribe line can be increased in areas where the scribe line is insufficient, and a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed can be reliably formed. The scribe line forming system can form scribe lines of sufficient depth using a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member with a stylus shaped tip, so that the glass plate can be smoothly and cleanly cut (bent and broken) along the scribe line, and the glass plate can be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

[0027] In the scribe line forming system, the blade angle of the cutting edge of the tracing cutter wheel is larger than the blade angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel, so that the tracing cutter wheel does not form a new scribe line near the scribe line, and the tracing cutter wheel can reliably apply a pressing force to bend the glass sheet near the scribe line downward, causing a crack to bend in the thickness direction of the glass sheet that connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, making it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in areas where the depth is insufficient, and reliably forming a scribe line of sufficient depth from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass sheet to be processed.

[0028] In the scribe line forming system, the blade angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°, and the blade angle of the cutting edge of the tracing cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°. By selecting the blade angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel within this range depending on the thickness dimension of the glass plate to be processed, it is possible to reliably form a scribe line of a predetermined depth on the glass plate extending from its upper surface to its lower surface. In addition, because the blade angle of the cutting edge of the tracing cutter wheel in this range is greater than the blade angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel in this range, new scribe lines are not formed near the scribe line by the tracing cutter wheel, and a pressing force can be reliably applied using the tracing cutter wheel to bend the glass plate downward in the vicinity of the scribe line. This makes it possible to generate cracks that extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate and that connect to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, making it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in areas where the depth of the scribe line is insufficient, and to reliably form a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from its upper surface to its lower surface on the glass plate to be processed.

[0029] In the scribe line forming system, the diameter of the tracing cutter wheel is larger than the diameter of the line cutter wheel, and the contact area of ​​the tracing cutter wheel with which it abuts the top surface of the glass plate to be processed is larger than the contact area of ​​the line cutter wheel with which it abuts the top surface of the glass plate to be processed.Therefore, the tracing cutter wheel abuts the top surface of the glass plate over a wide contact area, and the tracing cutter wheel can apply a pressing force to bend the glass plate downward in the vicinity of the scribe line.This reliably generates cracks that extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate and connect to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, makes it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in areas where the depth is insufficient, and reliably forms a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed.

[0030] The scribe line forming system is used in a cutting device that performs contour control movements using NC control to process a glass plate into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by scribe lines, so that the cutting device can reliably form scribe lines of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed, and the glass plate can be smoothly and cleanly cut (bent and broken) along the scribe lines, and the glass plate can be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by scribe lines.

[0031] According to the scribe line forming method of the present invention, a scribe line of a predetermined depth is formed on the glass plate to be processed from its top surface to its bottom surface using the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel, a predetermined tracing member is abutted against the top surface of the glass plate near the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and the tracing member traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line while the tracing member applies pressing force continuously or intermittently.By using the tracing member to apply pressing force so as to bend the glass plate near the scribe line downward, it is possible to generate a crack that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate and that connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, and it is possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in areas where the depth is insufficient, and it is possible to reliably form a scribe line of sufficient depth on the glass plate to be processed from its top surface to its bottom surface. The scribe line forming method can form a scribe line of sufficient depth using a trace member, so that the glass plate can be smoothly and cleanly cut (bent and broken) along the scribe line, and the glass plate can be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

[0032] The scribe line forming method involves contacting the upper surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm outward or inward from the scribe line with a tracing member, tracing the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line, and using the tracing member to apply a pressing force so as to bend the glass plate downward at a position 0.1 to 1 mm outward or inward from the scribe line, thereby generating a crack that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate and connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, making it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line in places where the depth is insufficient, and also to reliably form a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed.

[0033] In the scribe line forming method, the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member with a stylus shaped tip, and the tracing cutter wheel, the tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or the tracing member with a stylus shaped tip is used to trace along the scribe line and near the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and the tracing cutter wheel, the tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or the tracing member with a stylus shaped tip is used to apply pressing force so as to bend the glass plate near the scribe line downward, thereby generating a crack that extends in the thickness direction of the glass plate and connects to the scribe line formed by the line cutter wheel, and the depth of the scribe line can be increased in areas where the scribe line is insufficient, and a scribe line of sufficient depth extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed can be reliably formed. The scribe line forming system can form scribe lines of sufficient depth using a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member with a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member with a stylus shaped tip, so that the glass plate can be smoothly and cleanly cut (bent and broken) along the scribe line, and the glass plate can be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

[0034] 1 is a side view of a glass plate processing apparatus including a scribe line forming system. FIG. 2 is a top view of the glass plate processing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a top view showing an example of a glass plate to be processed by the glass plate processing apparatus. FIG. 4 is a side view of a carry-in area. FIG. 5 is a top view of the carry-in area. FIG. 6 is a front view of the carry-in area. FIG. 7 is a top view of a notching table and a grinding table. FIG. 8 is a side view of the notching table and the grinding table. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining movement of the notching table and the grinding table. FIG. 10 is a side view of a notching device installed in the notching area, shown from one side. FIG. 11 is a side view of the notching device, shown from the other side. FIG. 12 is a front view of the notching device. FIG. 13 is a front view of an example of a line cutter wheel and a tracing cutter wheel. FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of a tracing member having a ball-point shaped tip. FIG. 15 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing an example of a tracing member having a stylus shaped tip. FIG. 16 is a diagram explaining tracing near the outside of a scribe line. FIG. 17 is a top view of a cutting table. FIG. 18 is a side view of a cutting table. FIG. 19 is a side view of a cutting device. 1A and 1B are a top view and an enlarged side view of the cutting device, respectively; a front view and a side view of a grinding device shown as an example installed in a grinding processing area;

[0035] The scribe line forming system 10 and scribe line forming method according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a glass plate processing apparatus 11 including the scribe line forming system 10, and Fig. 2 is a top view of the glass plate processing apparatus 11 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view showing an example of a glass plate 12 to be processed by the glass plate processing apparatus 11. Fig. 3 shows the glass plate 12 positioned in a carry-in area 20. In Figs. 1 to 3, the front-rear direction (X-axis direction) is indicated by arrow X, the width direction (Y-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Y, and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Z.

[0036] 3, the glass sheet 12 to be processed in the glass sheet processing device 11 has an upper surface 13 and a lower surface 14 of a predetermined area, a predetermined thickness, and a rectangular shape in plan view that is elongated in the width direction. The glass sheet 12 has a first side edge 15 and a second side edge 16 that extend in the front-to-rear direction and are spaced apart in the width direction, a front edge 17 and a rear edge 18 that extend in the width direction and are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction and are also spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction, and first to fourth corners 19a to 19d. Note that the planar shape of the glass sheet is not limited to that shown in the figure, and glass sheets of any planar shape are included.

[0037] The glass plate processing device 11 performs cutting, breaking, and grinding on a glass plate 12 (plate glass) to be processed, thereby processing it into a glass plate (processed glass) of a predetermined planar shape. The glass plate processing device 11 is controlled by a controller. The controller is a computer equipped with a central processing unit and memory, operates under an independent operating system, and has a built-in large-capacity hard disk.

[0038] The large-capacity hard disk of the controller stores the name and product number of each glass plate 12 to be processed, a plurality of coordinate data of the glass plate 12 (coordinates of both side edges of the glass plate 12, coordinates of the front and rear edges, coordinates of the first to fourth corners 19a to 19d, coordinates of the center of the glass plate 12, etc.) which differ depending on the size (area) and shape of each glass plate 12 to be processed, and image data of the glass plate 12 in a state associated with glass plate identification information (glass plate identification identifier) ​​that identifies the glass plate 12. The glass plate identification information may be the manufacturing number or serial number of the glass plate 12, or the controller may generate a unique identifier that identifies the glass plate 12 and use the generated identifier as the glass plate identification information.

[0039] The controller uses coordinate data of the glass plate 12 stored on a large-capacity hard disk to numerically control the cutting device 57, the cutting device 83, and the grinding device 115 during the cutting process in the cutting process area 21 equipped with the scribe line formation system 10, the cutting process in the cutting process area 22, and the grinding process in the grinding process area 23. In NC control, the controller digitizes the position where cutting starts (XY plane coordinates) and the position where the cutting direction changes using coordinates, and digitizes the movement direction, distance, and speed of two axes, the X axis (front-back direction) and the Y axis (width direction). Signals that digitize the command coordinates and axes are sent (input) to the cutting device 57, the cutting device 83, and the grinding device 115. In NC control, the desired shape is accurately represented by repeating the cycle of "coordinate → axis → command."

[0040] The glass plate processing device 11 has an input area 20 for the glass plate 12 before processing, an output area 24 for the glass plate 12 after processing, processing areas 21 to 23 arranged between the input area 20 and the output area 24 to process the glass plate 12, and a transport mechanism 25 that transports the glass plate 12 sequentially from the rear (upstream) to the front (downstream) in the fore-and-aft direction to the processing areas 21 to 23 and the output area 24.

[0041] These processing areas 21 to 23 are made up of a cutting processing area 21 located in front (downstream) of the carry-in area 20, a slitting processing area 22 located in front (downstream) of the cutting processing area 21, and a grinding processing area 23 located in front (downstream) of the slitting processing area 22. The cutting processing area 21, slitting processing area 22, and grinding processing area 23 are created on a machine table 26.

[0042] The transport mechanism 25 has a pair of first pillars 27a located at the rear of the machine table 26 and extending in the vertical direction, a pair of second pillars 27b located at the front of the machine table 26 and extending in the vertical direction, a fixed frame 28 located between the first and second pillars 27a, 27b and extending in the front-to-rear direction, a first moving unit 29 (first moving means) installed on one side of the fixed frame 28, and a second moving unit 30 (second moving means) installed at the bottom of the fixed frame 28, which is separate from the fixed frame 28.

[0043] The first moving unit 29 moves the cutting device 57 and the grinding device 115 forward and backward (linearly) in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The first moving unit 29 is formed of a first guide frame 31, a pair of first guide rails 32, a first feed screw (ball screw), a first running frame 33, a plurality of first slide blocks (housing nuts), a pair of first guide shoes 34, and a first servo motor 35 (see FIG. 11 ).

[0044] The fixed frame 28 and the first guide frame 31 are connected between the first and second pillars 27a, 27b and extend in the front-rear direction. The first guide rails 32 face each other and are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and are fixed to one side of the first guide frame 31 by a predetermined fixing means, extending in the front-rear direction. The first lead screw (ball screw) is located between the first guide rails 32, rotatably supported by a plurality of bearings fixed to one side of the first guide frame 31, and extends in the front-rear direction.

[0045] The first traveling frame 33 extends in the front-rear direction at a predetermined distance from one side of the first guide frame 31. The first slide blocks (ball screw nuts) are aligned at a predetermined distance from each other in the front-rear direction and are fixed by predetermined fixing means to the surface of the first traveling frame 33 facing the first guide frame 31. The first guide shoes 34 are spaced apart in the vertical direction and are fixed by predetermined fixing means to the surface of the first traveling frame 33 facing the first guide frame 31, extending in the front-rear direction. The first servo motor 35 is located at the front end of the first guide frame 31 and is connected to the second pillar 27b via a bracket. The shaft of the first servo motor 35 is connected and fixed to the other end of the first lead screw.

[0046] When the shaft of the first servo motor 35 rotates counterclockwise, the first lead screw rotates counterclockwise, causing the first slide block to move in the front-to-rear direction from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 31, and the movement of the first slide block causes the first running frame 33 to move linearly from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 31. When the shaft of the first servo motor 35 rotates clockwise, the first lead screw rotates clockwise, causing the first slide block to move in the front-to-rear direction from the rear to the front of the first guide frame 31, and the movement of the first slide block causes the first running frame 33 to move linearly from the rear to the front of the first guide frame 31.

[0047] The second moving unit 30 moves the first to fourth glass plate holders 41a to 41d forward and backward (linearly) in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction). The second moving unit 30 is formed of a second guide frame 36, a pair of second guide rails 37, a second feed screw (ball screw), a second traveling frame 38, a plurality of second slide blocks (housing nuts), a pair of second guide shoes 39, a second servo motor 40, and the first to fourth glass plate holders 41a to 41d (first to fourth glass plate lifters) (see FIG. 15 ).

[0048] The fixed frame 28 and the second guide frame 36 are connected between the first and second pillars 27a, 27b and extend in the front-rear direction. The second guide rails 37 face each other and are spaced apart in the width direction, are fixed to the lower part of the second guide frame 36 by a predetermined fixing means, and extend in the front-rear direction. The second lead screw (ball screw) is located between the second guide rails 37, and is rotatably supported by multiple bearings fixed to the lower part of the second guide frame 36, extending in the front-rear direction.

[0049] The second traveling frame 38 is located below the second guide frame 36 and extends in the front-rear direction. The second slide blocks (housing nuts) are spaced apart in the width direction and fixed by a predetermined fixing means to the surface of the second traveling frame 38 facing the second guide frame 36. The second guide shoes 39 are spaced apart in the width direction and fixed by a predetermined fixing means to the surface of the second traveling frame 38 facing the second guide frame 36, extending in the front-rear direction. The second servo motor 40 is located at the rear end of the second guide frame 36 and fixed to the second guide frame 36. The shaft of the second servo motor 40 is connected and fixed to one end of the second lead screw via a timing belt (and / or gear).

[0050] When the shaft of the second servo motor 40 rotates clockwise, the second feed screw rotates counterclockwise, causing the second slide block to move back and forth from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 36, and the movement of the second slide block causes the second running frame 38 (first to fourth glass plate holders 41a to 41d) to move linearly from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 36. When the shaft of the second servo motor 40 rotates counterclockwise, the second feed screw rotates clockwise, causing the second slide block to move back and forth from the front to the rear of the second guide frame 36, and the movement of the second slide block causes the second running frame 38 to move linearly from the front to the rear of the second guide frame 36. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational speed of the first and second servo motors 35, 40 is connected to a controller via a signal line (wired or wireless).

[0051] The first to fourth glass plate holders 41a to 41d are attached to the lower part of the second traveling frame 38, extend downward from the traveling frame 38, and are aligned at equal intervals in the front-to-rear direction. Each of the first to fourth glass plate holders 41a to 41d has a pad installation plate 42 extending in the front-to-rear direction, suction pads 43 installed on the pad installation plate 42 for suction-holding the glass plate 12, a vacuum mechanism equipped with an air vacuum pump, and a pad lifting mechanism. An air cylinder is used for the pad lifting mechanism. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the vacuum mechanism and the pad lifting mechanism is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0052] The first glass plate holder 41a advances from the carry-in area 20 toward the cutting area 21 and retreats from the cutting area 21 toward the carry-in area 20. The second glass plate holder 41b advances from the cutting area 21 toward the slitting area 22 and retreats from the cutting area 22 toward the cutting area 21. The third glass plate holder 41c advances from the slitting area 22 toward the grinding area 23 and retreats from the grinding area 23 toward the slitting area 22. The fourth glass plate holder 41d advances from the grinding area 23 toward the carry-out area 24 and retreats from the carry-out area 24 toward the grinding area 23.

[0053] Fig. 4 is a side view of the carry-in area 20, and Fig. 5 is a top view of the carry-in area 20. Fig. 6 is a front view of the carry-in area 20. The carry-in area 20 has a carry-in conveyor 44, a stopper 45 and a roller 46, a pair of roller lifting mechanisms 47, and a movement mechanism 48. The carry-in area 20 is supported by legs extending upward from the floor surface of the machine table 26. In the carry-in area 20, a first positioning means (first positioning step) and a second positioning means (second positioning step) are carried out, and the glass sheet 12 heading for each of the processing areas 21 to 23 is positioned.

[0054] A first positioning reference L1 extending in the front-rear direction and a second positioning reference L2 (see FIG. 3 ) extending in the width direction are set on the first side edge 49 a of the loading area 20. The first positioning reference L1 is an imaginary line extending straight in the front-rear direction based on the outermost edge located farthest outward in the width direction of the first side edges 15 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the glass plate 12. For example, if the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 is curved, the outermost edge is the apex of the curve located farthest outward in the width direction. Furthermore, if the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 extends straight in the front-rear direction, that side edge 15 is the outermost edge.

[0055] The first positioning reference L1 is the outermost edge of the first side edge 15 extending in the front-to-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the glass plate 12. Here, positioning the outermost edge on the first positioning reference L1 includes a case where the outermost edge completely coincides with the first positioning reference L1, a case where the outermost edge is located in the vicinity of (close to) the first positioning reference L1 on the inside in the width direction, and a case where the outermost edge is located in the vicinity of (close to) the first positioning reference L1 on the outside in the width direction.

[0056] The second positioning reference L2 is located at the front-rear center O1 (the center line L2 extending in the width direction by dividing the front-rear dimension of the glass plate 12 in half) of the first side edge 15 extending in the front-rear direction on one side of the width direction of the glass plate 12. Here, positioning the front-rear center O1 (center line L2) on the second positioning reference L2 includes a case where the front-rear center O1 completely coincides with the second positioning reference L2, a case where the front-rear center O1 is located in the vicinity of (close to) the front of the second positioning reference L2, or a case where the front-rear center O1 is located in the vicinity of (close to) the rear of the second positioning reference L2.

[0057] The controller uses the coordinate data of the glass plate 12 stored in the large-capacity hard disk to calculate the widthwise dimension of the glass plate 12, and determines a first movement dimension (first movement distance) in the widthwise direction for positioning the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 at the first positioning reference L1 (first virtual positioning reference line) in accordance with the difference in the calculated widthwise (Y-axis) dimension of the glass plate 12, and determines the number of rotations of the shaft of the third servo motor 52 based on the determined first movement dimension. The controller stores the determined first movement dimension and the determined number of rotations of the shaft of the third servo motor 52 in the large-capacity hard disk in a state associated with glass plate-specific information of the glass plate 12.

[0058] The controller uses the coordinate data of each glass plate 12 to calculate the dimension of the glass plate 12 in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction), and determines a second movement dimension (second movement distance) of the carry-in conveyor 44 backward in the front-to-rear direction for positioning the front-to-rear center O1 of the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 at the second positioning reference L2 (second virtual positioning reference line) depending on the difference in the calculated front-to-rear dimensions of the glass plate 12. The controller calculates the movement dimension (movement distance) of the cutting device 57 and the grinding device 115 in the front-to-rear direction from the coordinate data of the processed shape, and determines the rotation speed of the shaft of the first servo motor 35 based on the calculated movement dimension.

[0059] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the carry-in conveyors 44 are multiple endless tracks extending in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) and arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction (Y-axis direction). A control unit that controls the start / stop and transport distance of the carry-in conveyors 44 is connected to the controller via a signal line. The carry-in conveyors 44 transport the glass sheets 12 in the front-to-rear direction from the rear end to the front end of the carry-in area 20. Stoppers 45 are installed at the front end of the carry-in area 20 and are arranged spaced apart in the width direction. The leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12 moving forward from the rear end to the front end of the carry-in area 20 by the carry-in conveyors 44 abuts against the stoppers 45. A non-contact sensor is installed behind the stopper 45. The non-contact sensor is connected to the controller. When the non-contact sensor detects the leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12, the movement of the glass sheet 12 decelerates, and the leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12 abuts against the stopper 45 for a set time.

[0060] The rollers 46 are rotatably attached to a plurality of shafts 50 extending in the front-rear direction, and are installed together with the shafts 50 between the carry-in conveyors 44. The rollers 46 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction and at predetermined intervals in the width direction. The rollers 46 rotate clockwise and counterclockwise in the width direction, and abut against the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12 to support the glass sheet 12 so that it can move in the width direction. The shafts 50 are attached via bearings to bases located below them.

[0061] A resistance plate (rubber ring) that increases the rotational resistance of roller 46a is attached between roller 46a of these rollers 46 and shaft 50. The resistance between roller 46a and shaft 50 is increased by the resistance plate, and roller 46a will not rotate unless a rotational force that exceeds the rotational resistance is applied to roller 46a, and free rotation of roller 46a is prevented by the resistance plate. When glass sheet 12 is placed on these rollers 46, roller 46a, which has a large rotational resistance, prevents free movement of glass sheet 12 in the width direction.

[0062] The roller lifting mechanisms 47 are installed below the base to which the shafts 50 are attached, and are arranged at a predetermined distance apart in the width direction. Air cylinders are used for the roller lifting mechanisms 47, and the shafts 50 and rollers 46 are raised and lowered in the vertical direction together with the base by the roller lifting mechanisms 47. The lifting and lowering dimensions of the roller lifting mechanisms 47 are set in advance. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the roller lifting mechanisms 47 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0063] While the carry-in conveyor 44 is transporting the glass sheet 12, the roller lifting mechanism 47 lowers the rollers 46 below the carry-in conveyor 44 so that the rollers 46 do not come into contact with the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12. When the roller lifting mechanism 47 raises the rollers 46, the peripheral edges of the rollers 46 are exposed above the carry-in conveyor 44, and the glass sheet 12 is lifted above the carry-in conveyor 44 by the rollers 46.

[0064] The moving mechanism 48 includes a rod 51 located above the feed conveyor 44 and rollers 46, a third servo motor 52 installed on the rod 51, a feed screw installed on the rod 51 and connected to the shaft of the third servo motor 52, a moving arm 53 extending downward from the rod 51, and an abutment member 54 installed at the lower end of the moving arm 53.

[0065] The rod 51 is attached to the rear surface of the first pillar 27a and extends in the width direction. The moving arm 53 is movably mounted on a feed screw and moves linearly in one direction or the other in the width direction along the rod 51 as the feed screw rotates due to rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 52. The abutting member 54 moves linearly in the width direction together with the moving arm 53 as the moving arm 53 moves in the width direction. When the roller 46 raised by the roller elevating mechanism 47 is in contact with the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12, the abutting member 54 abuts against the second side edge 16 of the glass sheet 12 and presses the glass sheet 12 so as to move in the width direction. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational speed of the third servo motor 52 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0066] Fig. 7 is a top view of the cutting table 55 and the grinding table 114, and Fig. 8 is a side view of the cutting table 55 and the grinding table 114. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the cutting table 55 and the grinding table 114. In Figs. 7 and 8, the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction) is indicated by arrow X, the width direction (Y-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Y, and the up-down direction (Z-axis direction) is indicated by arrow Z.

[0067] The cutting processing area 21 is equipped with a cutting processing table 55 on which the glass plate 12 positioned in the loading area 20 is placed, and a cutting device 57 that cuts a scribe line K1 (outline cutting line) in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 placed on the cutting processing table 55.

[0068] The cutting table 55 is placed on a base lane 58a that is long in the width direction and fixed to the floor of the machine base 26. The cutting table 55 moves in the width direction using a first movement mechanism 59a with the positioned glass plate 12 placed on it. The first movement mechanism 59a is formed of a travel guide rail 60a, a feed screw 61a (ball screw), a fourth servo motor 62, a guide shoe 63a, and a slide block 64a (housing nut). Although not shown, an elastically deformable sheet member having a thickness of 2 to 5 mm is attached (adhered) to substantially the entire top surface of the cutting table 55. The sheet member may be made of soft PVC, hard urethane, or other rubber material.

[0069] The travel guide rail 60a is installed on the upper surface of the base lane 58a and extends in the width direction. The feed screw 61a is installed on the upper surface of the base lane 58a, to the side of the travel guide rail 60a, and extends in the width direction. The fourth servo motor 62 is installed behind the machine base 26 and causes the cutting table 55 to reciprocate in the width direction. The other end of the feed screw 61a is connected to the shaft of the fourth servo motor 62. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational frequency of the fourth servo motor 62 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0070] The feed screw 61 is rotatably supported by a bearing fixed to the base lane 58. The guide shoe 63a is attached to the underside of the cutting table 55 and extends in the width direction. The guide shoe 63a is slidably fitted onto the traveling guide rail 60a. The slide block 64a (housing nut) is attached between the guide shoes 63a on the underside of the cutting table 55. The slide block 64a is rotatably threaded onto the feed screw 61a.

[0071] When the shaft of the fourth servo motor 62 rotates clockwise, the feed screw 61a rotates clockwise, thereby moving the slide block 64a along the feed screw 61a in the width direction from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the cutting area 21, and the movement of the slide block 64a moves the cutting table 55 in the width direction from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the cutting area 21. When the shaft of the fourth servo motor 62 rotates counterclockwise, the feed screw 61a rotates counterclockwise, thereby moving the slide block 64a along the feed screw 61a in the width direction from the first side edge 49a toward the second side edge 49b of the cutting area 21, and the movement of the slide block 64a moves the cutting table 55 in the width direction from the first side edge 49a toward the second side edge 49b of the cutting area 21.

[0072] FIG. 10 is a side view of the cutting device 57 installed in the cutting processing area 21, showing one side, and FIG. 11 is a side view of the cutting device 57, showing the other side. FIG. 12 is a front view of the cutting device 57, and FIG. 13 is a front view of an example of a line cutter wheel 71 and a tracing cutter wheel 74. FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged perspective view of an example of a ball-point-shaped tracing member 111 (tracing member) having a ball-point-shaped tip 113, and FIG. 15 is a partially enlarged perspective view of an example of a stylus-shaped tracing member 112 (tracing member) having a stylus-shaped tip 113. FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating tracing near the outside of the scribe line K1. In FIG. 16, the tracing line K2 is indicated by a two-dot chain line.

[0073] The cutting device 57 includes a cutting jig 65, a tracing jig 66, an air cylinder 67, a fifth servo motor 68, an air cylinder 69, and a sixth servo motor 70. The cutting jig 65 is formed of a line cutter wheel 71, a line cutter holder 72, and a line cutter lifting shaft 73. The tracing jig 66 is formed of a tracing cutter wheel 74 (tracing member), a tracing cutter holder 75, and a tracing cutter lifting shaft 76.

[0074] The line cutter wheel 71 is connected to the line cutter holder 72 via a bearing and rotates freely along the axis of the interposed bearing. The line cutter wheel 71 applies a predetermined pressing force downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 while moving over the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 and forms a scribe line K1 (outer cut line) in the peripheral area 56b. The tracing cutter wheel 74 is connected to the tracing cutter holder 75 via a bearing and rotates freely along the axis of the interposed bearing. The tracing cutter wheel 74 applies a predetermined pressing force downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 while tracing a trace line K2 near the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1 with a predetermined pressing force.

[0075] The blade angle θ2 of the cutting edge of the tracing cutter wheel 74 is larger than the blade angle θ1 of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel 71. The blade angle θ2 of the cutting edge of the tracing cutter wheel 74 is in the range of 134 to 170°, and the blade angle θ1 of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel 71 is in the range of 134 to 170°. The diameter L4 of the tracing cutter wheel 74 is larger than the diameter L3 of the line cutter wheel 71. The contact area of ​​the tracing cutter wheel 74 in contact with the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 to be processed is larger than the contact area of ​​the line cutter wheel 71 in contact with the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 to be processed.

[0076] In addition to the tracing cutter wheel 74, a tracing member having a ball-point-shaped tip 113 (ball-point-shaped tracing member 111) as shown in Fig. 14 can be used as the tracing member, or a tracing member having a stylus-shaped tip 113 (stylus-shaped tracing member 112) as shown in Fig. 15 can be used. A bearing is interposed in the tip 113 of the ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and the ball-point-shaped tip 113 rotates freely along the axis of the interposed bearing. The tip 113 of the stylus-shaped tracing member 112 is non-rotatable. The ball-point-shaped tracing member 111 or the stylus-shaped tracing member 112 has a ball-point-shaped tip 113 or a stylus-shaped tip 113 that abuts against the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, and applies a predetermined pressing force downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, tracing along the scribe line K1 and on the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 with the predetermined pressing force.

[0077] The tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112 abut against the tracing line K2 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 at a position 0.1 to 1 mm outward from the scribe line K1, and move along the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 at a position 0.1 to 1 mm outward from the scribe line K1 so as to trace the same shape as the scribe line K1.

[0078] The pressing force applied downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 by the tracing cutter wheel 74, the ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and the stylus-shaped tracing member 112 may be applied continuously or intermittently. The pressing force applied downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 by the line cutter wheel 71 is greater than the pressing force applied downward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 by the tracing cutter wheel 74, the ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and the stylus-shaped tracing member 112.

[0079] In addition, the tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, or stylus-shaped tracing member 112 may contact the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 at a position 0.1 to 1 mm inward from the scribe line K1, move along the scribe line K1 at a position 0.1 to 1 mm inward from the scribe line K1, and trace the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 so as to draw the same shape as the scribe line K1, and trace the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 with a predetermined pressing force.

[0080] The line cutter holder 72 is located directly above the line cutter wheel 71 and is connected to the cutter wheel 71 to support the cutter wheel 71. The line cutter lifting shaft 73 is located directly above the line cutter holder 72 and is connected to the cutter holder 72 to support the cutter holder 72. The cutting jig 65 is connected to a support shaft 77 located directly above the air cylinder 67 and which rotatably supports the cutting jig 65. The support shaft 77 is attached to a bracket 78 located directly above it. The bracket 78 is connected to a first moving unit 29 of the transport mechanism 25 which moves forward and backward (linearly) in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0081] The air cylinder 67 is installed directly above the line cutter lifting shaft 73. The air cylinder 67 raises and lowers the line cutter wheel 71 (line cutter holder 72) in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction). When forming the scribe line K1 in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12, the air cylinder 67 lowers the cutter wheel 71 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, applying a predetermined downward pressing force (downward cutting pressure) to the line cutter wheel 71. The pressure with which the line cutter wheel 71 presses against the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 MPa. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the air cylinder 67 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0082] The shaft of the fifth servo motor 68 is connected to the support shaft 77 via a timing belt 80. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational frequency of the fifth servo motor 68 is connected to the controller via a signal line. The fifth servo motor 68 adjusts the cutting direction of the cutting jig 65 (line cutter wheel 71) (the angle around an axis perpendicular to the XY plane).

[0083] The control unit of the air cylinder 67 presses the line cutter wheel 71 against the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 with a predetermined pressing force, and the control unit of the fifth servo motor 68 rotates the shaft of the motor 68 based on the NC control signal sent from the controller, thereby NC-controlling the cutting jig 65, and the line cutter wheel 71 of the cutting jig 65 forms a scribe line K1 of the desired shape in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 according to the NC control.

[0084] The tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112 are connected to a support shaft 79 located directly above the air cylinder 69 and rotatably supporting the tracing jig 66. The support shaft 79 is attached to a bracket 78 located directly above it. The air cylinder 69 is installed directly above the tracing cutter lifting shaft 76. The air cylinder 69 raises and lowers the tracing cutter wheel 74 (tracing cutter holder 75), ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction).

[0085] When tracing the vicinity of the scribe line K1 in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12, the air cylinder 69 lowers the tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, applying a predetermined downward pressing force to the tip 113 of the tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112. The pressure with which the tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112 press against the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.25 MPa. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the air cylinder 69 is connected to a controller via a signal line.

[0086] The shaft of the sixth servo motor 70 is connected to the support shaft 79 via a timing belt 81. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational frequency of the sixth servo motor 70 is connected to the controller via a signal line. The sixth servo motor 70 adjusts the cutting direction (angle around an axis perpendicular to the XY plane) of the tracing jig 66 (tracing cutter wheel 74, ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and stylus-shaped tracing member 112).

[0087] After forming a scribe line K1 in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12, the control unit of the air cylinder 69 abuts the tracing cutter wheel 74, the tip 113 of the ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and the tip 113 of the stylus-shaped tracing member 112 against the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 with a predetermined pressing force, and the control unit of the sixth servo motor 70 rotates the shaft of the motor 70 based on the NC control signal sent from the controller, thereby NC-controlling the tracing jig 66, and according to the NC control, the tracing cutter wheel 74, the ball-point-shaped tracing member 111, and the stylus-shaped tracing member 112 of the tracing jig 66 trace the tracing line K2 near the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1.

[0088] Fig. 17 is a top view of the cutting table 82, and Fig. 18 is a side view of the cutting table 82. The cutting area 22 includes the cutting table 82 on which the glass sheet 12 is placed after the notching process in the notching process area 21, a cutting device 83 that cuts the peripheral area 56b located outside the scribe line K1 of the glass sheet 12 placed on the cutting table 82, and a support device (not shown) that supports the glass sheet 12.

[0089] The breaking table 82 is formed of a belt conveyor 85 that runs in the width direction (Y-axis direction) and a conveyor drive motor 86 that drives the belt conveyor 85, and is installed on a base plate fixed to the floor of the machine table 26. The belt conveyor 85 is formed of a belt 87 that extends in the width direction, a plurality of pulleys 88 and carrier rollers 89 that support the belt 87, and a conveyor frame 90 that supports the belt 87, the pulleys 88, and the carrier rollers 89. The glass sheet 12 that has been cut is placed on the belt conveyor 85. The belt conveyor 85 transports the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 that has been broken by the breaking device 83 to the other side in the width direction, and discards the broken peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 in a dust box.

[0090] The shaft of the conveyor drive motor 86 is connected to a pulley 88 by a timing belt. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the conveyor drive motor 86 is connected to the controller via a signal line. When the shaft of the conveyor drive motor 86 rotates clockwise, the rotation is transmitted to the pulley 88 via the timing belt, causing the pulley 88 to rotate clockwise, and the rotation of the pulley 88 causes the belt 87 to travel in the other direction in the width direction.

[0091] Fig. 19 is a side view of the cutting device 83, and Fig. 20 is a front view of the cutting device 83. Fig. 21 is a top view of the cutting device 83, and Fig. 22 is an enlarged side view of the cutting device 83. The cutting device 83 is formed of two cutting devices, first and second cutting devices 74a and 74b, which are spaced apart in the width direction.

[0092] The first cutting device 84a is connected to the first guide frame 31, and the second cutting device 84b is connected to a suspension frame 91. The suspension frame 91 is connected to a side of the second guide frame 36. The first cutting device 84a includes a first cutting jig 92a, first and second air cylinders 93a and 93b, a seventh servo motor 94, an eighth servo motor 97 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis first actuator 95a, a ninth servo motor 101 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis first actuator 97a, an X-axis first actuator frame 98a, and a Y-axis first actuator frame 99a. The X-axis first actuator frame 98a and the Y-axis first actuator frame 99a are connected in series at one end thereof.

[0093] The second bending and cutting device 84b has a second bending and cutting jig 92b, first and second air cylinders 93b, 93b, a seventh servo motor 94, a tenth servo motor 101 (X-axis servo motor) and an X-axis second actuator 95b, an eleventh servo motor 102 (Y-axis servo motor) and a Y-axis second actuator 97b, an X-axis second actuator frame 98b, and a Y-axis second actuator frame 99b. The X-axis second actuator frame 98b and the Y-axis second actuator frame 99b are connected in series at one end thereof.

[0094] 22, the first and second folding jigs 92a and 92b are formed of a folding cutter wheel 104, a folding cutter holder 103, a holder lifting shaft 105, a pressure roller 106, and a roller lifting shaft 107. The folding cutter wheel 104 is connected to the folding cutter holder 103 via a bearing, and rotates freely along the axis of the interposed bearing.

[0095] The breaking cutter holder 103 is located above the breaking cutter wheel 104 and supports the breaking cutter wheel 104. The holder lifting shaft 105 is located directly above the breaking cutter holder 103 and is connected to the cutter holder 103 to support the cutter holder 103. The pressure roller 106 is located near the breaking cutter wheel 104 and outward in the width direction of the cutter wheel 104, and presses the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 downward with a predetermined pressure. The roller lifting shaft 107 is located directly above the pressure roller 107 and is connected to the pressure roller 107 to support the pressure roller 107.

[0096] The splitting cutter wheel 104 forms an edge cutting line in a peripheral area 56b (a peripheral portion of the glass plate 12 extending outside the scribe line K1) of the glass plate 12. The splitting cutter wheel 104 is rotatably (rollably) attached to the tip of the cutter holder 103 via a rolling shaft, and its peripheral edge rolls around the rolling shaft.

[0097] The first air cylinder 93a (lifting mechanism) is installed directly above the holder lifting shaft 105 and is connected to the holder lifting shaft 105. The first air cylinder 93a is connected to a support shaft 108 located directly above it, which rotatably supports the first folding jig 92a. The support shaft 108 is attached to a bracket 109 located directly above it. The bracket 109 is slidably attached to the X-axis first and second actuator frames 98a and 98b.

[0098] The first air cylinder 93a moves the breaking cutter wheel 104 (breaking cutter holder 103) up and down (in the Z-axis direction), and when breaking the glass plate 12, lowers the cutter wheel 104 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, applying a downward pressing force to the cutter wheel 104. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the first air cylinder 93a is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0099] The second air cylinder 93b (lifting mechanism) is installed directly above the roller lifting shaft 107 and near the outside of the first air cylinder 93a in the width direction, and is connected to the roller lifting shaft 107. The second air cylinder 93b moves the pressure roller 106 up and down (in the Z-axis direction) and, when breaking the glass sheet 12, lowers the roller 106 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass sheet 12, applying a downward pressing force to the roller 106. A control unit that controls starting and stopping of the second air cylinder 93b is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0100] The seventh servo motor 94 is located widthwise inward of the first air cylinder 93a, and is connected and fixed to the underside of a bracket 109. The shaft of the seventh servo motor 94 is connected to the support shaft 108 via a timing belt 110. The seventh servo motor 94 fine-tunes the orientation of the cutting direction of the cutting jigs 92a, 92b (cutter wheel 104) (the angle around an axis perpendicular to the XY plane). A control unit that controls the start and stop of the seventh servo motor 94 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0101] The eighth and tenth servo motors 96, 101 (X-axis servo motors) are installed on the first and second X-axis actuator frames 90a, 90b, and their shafts are connected to the first and second X-axis actuators 98a, 98b. The first and second X-axis actuators 95a, 95b have threaded portions and guide portions. When the shafts of the eighth and tenth servo motors 96, 101 rotate clockwise, the threaded portions of the first and second X-axis actuators 98a, 98b rotate clockwise, and when the threaded portions rotate counterclockwise, the first and second breaking jigs 92a, 92b move forward in the front-to-rear direction along the first and second X-axis actuator frames 98a, 98b together with the bracket 109. When the shafts of the eighth and tenth servo motors 96, 101 rotate counterclockwise, the threaded portions of the first and second X-axis actuators 98a, 98b rotate counterclockwise, and when the threaded portions rotate counterclockwise, the first and second breaking jigs 92a, 92b move rearward in the front-to-rear direction along the first and second X-axis actuator frames 98a, 98b together with the bracket 109. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational speed of the eighth and tenth servo motors 96, 101 is connected to a controller via a signal line.

[0102] The ninth and eleventh servo motors 100, 102 (Y-axis servo motors) are mounted on the first and second Y-axis actuator frames 99a, 99b, and their shafts are connected to the first and second Y-axis actuators 97a, 97b. The first and second Y-axis actuators 97a, 97b have threaded portions and guide portions. When the shafts of the ninth and eleventh servo motors 100, 102 rotate clockwise, the threaded portions of the Y-axis first and second actuators 97a, 97b rotate clockwise, and when the threaded portions rotate counterclockwise, the first and second breaking and splitting jigs 92a, 92b move together with the bracket 109 in one direction in the width direction on the Y-axis first and second actuator frames 99a, 99b. When the shafts of the ninth and eleventh servo motors 100, 102 rotate counterclockwise, the threaded portions of the Y-axis first and second actuators 97a, 97b rotate counterclockwise, and when the threaded portions rotate counterclockwise, the first and second breaking and splitting jigs 92a, 92b move together with the bracket 109 in the other direction in the width direction on the Y-axis first and second actuator frames 99a, 99b. A control unit that controls the start / stop, number of rotations, and rotation speed of the ninth and eleventh servo motors 100, 102 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0103] Fig. 23 is a front view of an example of a grinding device 115 installed in the grinding area 23, and Fig. 24 is a side view of the grinding device 115. The grinding area 23 includes a grinding table 114 on which the glass plate 12 is placed after being cut in the cutting area 22, and a grinding device 115 that grinds the edge (periphery) of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 placed on the grinding table 114.

[0104] The grinding table 114 is placed on a base lane 58b that is long in the width direction and fixed to the floor surface of the machine base 26 (see FIG. 7). The grinding table 114 is equipped with a plurality of suction pads 116 that suction-hold the glass plate 12, and a vacuum mechanism (air vacuum pump) that applies negative pressure to the suction pads 116 to impart suction force to the suction pads 116. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the vacuum mechanism is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0105] The grinding table 114, carrying the positioned glass plate 12, moves in the width direction using a second movement mechanism 59b. The second movement mechanism 59b is composed of a travel guide rail 60b, a feed screw 61b (ball screw), a 12th servo motor 117, a guide shoe 63b, and a slide block 64b (housing nut). The travel guide rail 60b is installed on the upper surface of the base lane 58b and extends in the width direction. The feed screw 61b is installed on the upper surface of the base lane 58b, beside the travel guide rail 60b, and extends in the width direction. The 12th servo motor 117 is installed on the base lane 58b and reciprocates the grinding table 114 in the width direction. The other end of the feed screw 61b is connected to the shaft of the 12th servo motor 117. A control unit that controls the start / stop, rotation speed, and rotational speed of the 12th servo motor 117 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0106] The feed screw 61b is rotatably supported by a bearing fixed to the base lane 58b. The guide shoe 63b is attached to the underside of the grinding table 114 and extends in the width direction. The guide shoe 63b is slidably fitted onto the traveling guide rail 60b. The slide block 64b is attached to the underside of the grinding table 114 and between the guide shoes 63b. The slide block 64b is rotatably threaded onto the feed screw 61b.

[0107] When the shaft of the 12th servo motor 117 rotates clockwise, the feed screw 61b rotates clockwise, causing the slide block 64b to move in the width direction of the feed screw 61b from the second side edge 49b of the grinding processing area 23 toward the first side edge 49a, and the movement of the slide block 64b causes the grinding processing table 114 to move in the width direction from the second side edge 49b of the grinding processing area 23 toward the first side edge 49a.

[0108] When the shaft of the twelfth servo motor 117 rotates counterclockwise, the feed screw 61b rotates counterclockwise, causing the slide block 64b to move in the width direction of the feed screw 61b from the first side edge 49a to the second side edge 49b of the grinding area 23, and the movement of the slide block 64b causes the grinding table 114 to move in the width direction from the first side edge 49a to the second side edge 49b of the grinding area 23. The twelfth servo motor 117 is driven in synchronization with the fourth servo motor 62 of the cutting area 21, and the grinding table 114 moves in the width direction in synchronization with the movement of the cutting table 55 in the width direction.

[0109] The grinding device 115 includes a grinding jig 118, a thirteenth servo motor 119 (grinding Z-axis servo motor), a fourteenth servo motor 120 (lifting servo motor), a fifteenth servo motor 121 (cutting servo motor), a grinding wheel lifting screw 122, and a grinding wheel cutting screw 123. The grinding jig 118 is formed of a grinding wheel 124, a grinding holder 125, a cover 126, and a spindle motor 127. The grinding wheel 124 is formed in a disk shape having a predetermined diameter, and its outer peripheral surface grinds the periphery of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12.

[0110] The grinding holder 125 is located directly above the grinding wheel 124 and rotatably supports the grinding wheel 124. The cover 126 is detachably attached to the grinding jig 118 and is located directly below the grinding wheel 124, covering the entire grinding wheel 124. The cover 126 has a slit 128 formed therein through which the periphery of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 is inserted. The spindle motor 127 is located directly above the grinding wheel 124 and is installed and housed in a motor housing 129. The shaft of the spindle motor 127 is connected to the center of the grinding wheel 124. Rotation of the shaft of the spindle motor 127 rotates the grinding wheel 124. The motor housing 129 is fixed to the first traveling frame 33 via a bracket 130. A control unit that starts and stops the spindle motor 127 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0111] The 13th servo motor 119 is located near the rear of the grinding jig 118, and is connected and fixed to the traveling frame 33 via a bracket 130. The shaft of the 13th servo motor 119 is connected to the support shaft of the motor housing 129. The 13th servo motor 119 finely adjusts the axial orientation (angle around the axis) of the grinding wheel 124 so that the outer peripheral surface of the grinding wheel 124 abuts parallel to the peripheral edge of the main body portion 56 a of the glass plate 12.

[0112] The fourteenth servo motor 120 is located near the outside of the motor housing 118 (spindle motor 116) in the width direction, and is connected to and fixed to a motor housing 129. The shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 120 is connected to a grinding wheel lift screw 122, and rotates the grinding wheel lift screw 122. The fourteenth servo motor 120 moves the grinding wheel 124 (motor housing 129) up and down in accordance with the thickness dimension of the glass plate 12, and fine-tunes the height of the grinding wheel 124 so that the height of the grinding wheel 124 matches the height of the edge of the main body portion 56 a of the glass plate 12 and the outer circumferential surface of the grinding wheel 124 abuts against the edge of the main body portion 56 a of the glass plate 12.

[0113] In the initial setting to start processing the glass plate 12, the distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 124 to the center of the groove is input to the controller. The controller calculates the number of rotations of the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 120 based on the input distance and transmits the calculated number of rotations to the control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 120. The control unit of the fourteenth servo motor 120 rotates the shaft of the fourteenth servo motor 120 at the number of rotations received from the controller, thereby raising and lowering the grinding wheel 124 (motor housing 130). As long as the thickness dimension of the glass plate 12 to be processed remains the same, once fine adjustment of the height of the grinding wheel 124 is set, no further adjustment is required.

[0114] The fifteenth servo motor 121 is located immediately below the fourteenth servo motor 120 and near the outside in the width direction of the motor housing 129 (spindle motor 127), and is connected and fixed to the motor housing 129. The shaft of the fifteenth servo motor 121 is connected to the grinding wheel cutting screw 123, and rotates the grinding wheel cutting screw 123. The fifteenth servo motor 121 moves the grinding wheel 124 (motor housing 129) in the width direction in accordance with the outer diameter of the grinding wheel 124, and fine-tunes the cutting depth of the grinding wheel 124 so that the outer diameter of the grinding wheel 124 abuts against the peripheral edge of the main body portion 56 a of the glass plate 12.

[0115] During initial setup to begin processing the glass plate 12, the diameter of the grinding wheel 124 is input to the controller. The controller calculates the rotation speed of the shaft of the 15th servo motor 121 based on the input diameter of the grinding wheel 124 and transmits the calculated rotation speed to the control unit of the 15th servo motor 121. The control unit of the 15th servo motor 121 rotates the shaft of the 15th servo motor 121 at the rotation speed received from the controller. When the shaft of the 15th servo motor 121 rotates at a predetermined rotation speed, the grinding wheel cutting screw 123 rotates and moves in the front-rear direction, thereby moving the grinding wheel 124 (motor housing 129) in the front-rear direction. As long as the diameter of the grinding wheel 124 remains constant, fine adjustment of the front-rear position of the grinding wheel 124 is performed once, and no further adjustment is required. A control unit that controls the start and stop of the thirteenth servo motor 1198, the fourteenth servo motor 120, and the fifteenth servo motor 121 is connected to the controller via a signal line.

[0116] An unloading conveyor 131 is installed in the unloading area 24. The unloading area 24 is supported by legs extending upward from the floor of the machine table 26. The unloading conveyors 131 are multiple endless tracks extending in the front-to-rear direction (X direction) and are arranged at predetermined intervals in the width direction (Y direction). A control unit that controls the start and stop of these unloading conveyors 131 is connected to the controller via a signal line. The unloading conveyors 131 transport the processed glass sheets 12 in the front-to-rear direction from the rear end to the front end of the unloading area 24.

[0117] The following describes an example of processing (cutting, slitting, and grinding) of the glass plate 12. At the start of processing, the first glass plate holder 41a waits above the carry-in area 20, the second glass plate holder 41b waits above the cut processing area 21, the third glass plate holder 41c waits above the slit processing area 22, and the fourth glass plate holder 41d waits above the grinding processing area 23.

[0118] A touch panel connected to the controller displays a variety of glass plate images. A specific glass plate 12 to be processed is tapped (selected) from the variety of glass plate images displayed on the touch panel. When a specific glass plate 12 is selected, the controller selects an NC control program for processing the glass plate 12. The controller displays on the touch panel an input area for inputting the distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 113 to the center of the groove, an input area for inputting the dimension of the glass plate 12 in the front-to-rear direction, and an input area for inputting the diameter of the grinding wheel 113.

[0119] The distance from the mounting reference surface of the grinding wheel 124 to the center of the groove is input in the input area, and the diameter of the grinding wheel 124 is input in the diameter input area, and then the input button displayed on the touch panel is tapped. After the distance and diameter are input, the controller drives the 14th servo motor 120 to move the grinding wheel 124 up and down, fine-adjusting the height of the grinding wheel 124, and drives the 15th servo motor 121 to move the grinding wheel 124 in the width direction, fine-adjusting the position of the grinding wheel 124 in the front-to-rear direction. After these fine adjustments are completed, the controller displays a processing start button on the touch panel. Tapping the processing start button starts processing of the glass plate 12.

[0120] The selected glass plate 12 to be processed is carried into the carry-in area 20. In the carry-in area 20, the first positioning means (first positioning step) and the second positioning means (second positioning step) are performed. The glass plate 12 to be processed is automatically supplied to the carry-in conveyor 44 of the carry-in area 20 by an automatic supply device. A plurality of glass plates 12 to be processed, each having the same area on the upper surface 13 and the lower surface 14, are stacked vertically in the automatic supply device, and the glass plates 12 are supplied one by one from the automatic supply device to the carry-in conveyor 44.

[0121] An example of the procedure for positioning the glass plate 12 in the carry-in area 20 is as follows: The controller sends a transport signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44, and the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44, upon receiving the transport signal, drives the carry-in conveyor 44. The glass plate 12 carried into the carry-in area 20 is placed on the carry-in conveyor 44 with its underside 14 abutting against the carry-in conveyor 44. The first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 is parallel to the first side edge 49a of the carry-in area 20, and the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12 is parallel to the second side edge 49b of the carry-in area 20.

[0122] The glass sheet 12 placed on the carry-in conveyor 44 is gradually moved by the carry-in conveyor 44 from the rear to the front of the carry-in area 20. When a non-contact sensor installed behind the stopper 45 detects the leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12, a detection signal is sent to the controller, and the controller sends a deceleration signal to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44. The control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44 receives the deceleration signal and decelerates the carry-in conveyor 44, after which the leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12 abuts against the stopper 45.

[0123] Next, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44, which causes the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44 to stop driving the carry-in conveyor 44. The controller sends to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44 a second movement dimension in the front-to-rear direction of the carry-in conveyor 44 for positioning the front-to-rear center O of the first side edge 15 of the glass sheet 12 at the second positioning reference L2 of the carry-in area 20, and also sends a retreat signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44.

[0124] The control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44, which has received the second movement dimension and the retreat signal, drives the carry-in conveyor 44, causing the carry-in conveyor 44 to move the glass sheet 12 rearward in the front-rear direction by the second movement dimension. When the carry-in conveyor 44 moves the glass sheet 12 rearward in the front-rear direction by the second movement dimension, the front-rear center O1 of the first widthwise side edge 15 of the glass sheet 12 is positioned at the second positioning reference L2 in the carry-in area 20 (second positioning means (second positioning step)).

[0125] After moving the glass sheet 12 rearward in the front-to-rear direction by the second movement dimension, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44, which causes the control unit of the carry-in conveyor 44 to stop driving the carry-in conveyor 44. Next, the controller sends an elevation signal (ON signal) to the control units of the roller elevation mechanisms 47, which causes the control units of the roller elevation mechanisms 47 to lift the roller elevation mechanisms 47. The elevation of the roller elevation mechanisms 47 raises the rollers 46, exposing the peripheral portions of the rollers 46 above the carry-in conveyors 44. With the raised rollers 46 in contact with the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12, the rollers 46 lift the glass sheet 12 above the carry-in conveyor 44.

[0126] After the roller lifting mechanism 47 has completed raising, the controller transmits to the control unit of the motor 52 the number of rotations of the third servo motor 52 calculated from the first movement dimension (first movement distance) in the width direction of the movement mechanism 48 for positioning the first side edge 15 of the glass sheet 12 at the first positioning reference L1, and also transmits a forward rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 52. The control unit of the third servo motor 52 drives the third servo motor 52 to rotate the shaft of the motor 52 clockwise by a predetermined number of rotations.

[0127] The rotation of the feed screw caused by the clockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 52 causes the abutment member 54 to gradually move from the starting point of its movement toward one side in the width direction together with the moving arm 53. The abutment member 54 moving toward one side in the width direction abuts against the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12 and presses the second side 16 of the glass plate 12 in the width direction so as to move the glass plate 12 from the other side to one side in the width direction. The glass plate 12 pressed by the abutment member 54 moves in the width direction on the rollers 46 from the other side to the one side in the width direction, and the outermost edge of the first side edge 15 in the width direction of the glass plate 12, which is located farthest outward in the width direction, is positioned at the first positioning reference L1 in the carry-in area 20 (first positioning means (first positioning step)).

[0128] When the outermost edge of the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 is positioned at the first positioning reference L1 in the carry-in area 20, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 52, and the control unit of the third servo motor 52 stops driving the third servo motor 52. After the driving of the third servo motor 52 has stopped, the controller sends a reverse rotation signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 52, and the control unit of the third servo motor 52 drives the third servo motor 52 to rotate the shaft of the third servo motor 52 counterclockwise a predetermined number of rotations.

[0129] Counterclockwise rotation of the shaft of the third servo motor 52 rotates the feed screw, gradually moving the abutting member 54 together with the moving arm 53 to the other side in the width direction, and the abutting member 54 returns to the movement start point. After the abutting member 54 returns to the movement start point, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the third servo motor 52 and a lowering signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 47. Upon receiving the stop signal, the control unit of the third servo motor 52 stops driving the third servo motor 52, and upon receiving the lowering signal, the control unit of the roller lifting mechanism 47 lowers the roller lifting mechanism 47. When the roller lifting mechanism 47 lowers, the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12 positioned by the first positioning means and the second positioning means abuts against the transport conveyor 44.

[0130] After the positioning of the glass plate 12 is completed by the first positioning means (first positioning step) and the second positioning means (second positioning step), the controller sends a lowering signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the lifting mechanism of the glass plate first holder 41a, and the control unit of the lifting mechanism causes the lifting mechanism to lower the suction pad 43 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12. After the suction pad 43 of the glass plate first holder 41a comes into contact with the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12, the controller sends a suction signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the glass plate first holder 41a, and the control unit of the vacuum mechanism activates the vacuum mechanism.

[0131] By activating the vacuum mechanism, the glass plate 12 positioned in the carry-in area 20 is sucked onto the suction pad 43. The controller sends a lift signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism of the first glass plate holder 41 a, and the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism causes the pad lifting mechanism to lift the suction pad 43. The glass plate 12 positioned in the carry-in area 20 is lifted together with the suction pad 43 while being sucked by the suction pad 43.

[0132] After the suction pad 43 (glass plate 12) has risen, the controller sends a forward signal (ON signal) to the control section of the second servo motor 40, which then drives the second servo motor 40. Rotation of the shaft of the second servo motor 40 causes the slide block to move in the front-to-rear direction from the rear to the front of the second guide frame 36, thereby moving the first glass plate holder 41a (glass plate 12) from the carry-in area 20 to the cutting area 21 (glass plate moving means (glass plate moving process)). The movement of the slide block causes the second to fourth glass plate holders 41b to 41d to move forward in the front-to-rear direction together with the first glass plate holder 41a.

[0133] After the glass plate first holder 41a moves to the cutting area 21, the controller sends a lowering signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism of the glass plate first holder 41a, and the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism causes the pad lifting mechanism to lower the suction pads 43 (glass plate 12) onto the cutting table 55 in the cutting area 21. After the glass plate 12, which has been sucked by the suction pads 43 of the glass plate first holder 41a, comes into contact with the cutting table 55, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the glass plate first holder 41a, and the control unit of the vacuum mechanism stops activation of the vacuum mechanism. When the vacuum mechanism stops, the suction pads 43 are released from the glass plate 12, and the positioned glass plate 12 is placed on the cutting table 55.

[0134] Next, the controller sends an up signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the pad lifting mechanism of the first glass plate holder 41a, and the up signal causes the first glass plate holder 41a (pad lifting mechanism) to rise above the cutting table 55. After the first glass plate holder 41a has risen, the controller sends a back signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the second servo motor 40, and the shaft of the second servo motor 40 rotates to move the first glass plate holder 41a from the cutting area 21 to the carry-in area 20, and the first glass plate holder 41a waits above the carry-in area 20. Together with the first glass plate holder 41a, the second to fourth glass plate holders 41b to 41d also move rearward in the front-to-rear direction, with the second glass plate holder 41b waiting above the cutting processing area 21, the third glass plate holder 41c waiting above the bending and cutting processing area 22, and the fourth glass plate holder 41d waiting above the grinding processing area 23.

[0135] The transport procedure for the glass plate 12 after cutting processing from the cutting processing area 21 to the bending processing area 22 by the second glass plate holder 41b, the transport procedure for the glass plate 12 after cutting processing from the bending processing area 22 to the grinding processing area 23 by the third glass plate holder 41c, and the transport procedure for the glass plate 12 after grinding processing from the grinding processing area 23 to the unloading area 24 by the fourth glass plate holder 41d are the same as the transport procedure for the glass plate 12 from the load area 20 to the cutting processing area 21 by the first glass plate holder 41a, so explanations of the transport procedures by the second to fourth glass plate holders 41b to 41d will be omitted.

[0136] After the glass sheet 12 is placed on the cutting table 55, the controller sends a retreat signal (ON signal) to the control section of the first servo motor 35, and the control section of the first servo motor 35 drives the first servo motor 35. Rotation of the shaft of the first servo motor 35 causes the first slide block to move in the front-to-rear direction from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 31, thereby moving the cutting device 57 together with the first traveling frame 33 rearward in the front-to-rear direction in the cutting area 21, and the cutting device 57 is positioned widthwise outward of the first corner 19 a (front edge 17) of the glass sheet 12 (the cutting start position).

[0137] In the cutting process, when the glass plate 12 is placed on the cutting table 55, a suction pad (not shown) provided on the cutting table 55 comes into contact with the underside 14 of the glass plate 12, and a vacuum mechanism is activated to cause the suction pad to suction and hold the underside 14 of the glass plate 12. With the glass plate 12 being suction-held by the suction pad of the cutting table 55, the following cutting process is performed on the glass plate 12.

[0138] After the cutting device 57 is positioned widthwise outward from the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12, the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 35 and a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the fourth servo motor 62. The control unit of the first servo motor 35, upon receiving the stop signal, stops the first servo motor 35, and the control unit of the fourth servo motor 62, upon receiving the drive signal, drives the fourth servo motor 62. Rotation of the shaft of the fourth servo motor 62 moves the slide block 64a on the feed screw 61a in the width direction from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the cutting area 21, thereby moving the cutting table 55 widthwise from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the cutting area 21, and the line cutter wheel 71 of the cutting device 57 is positioned widthwise outward from the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12 (at the cutting standby position).

[0139] After the line cutter wheel 71 of the cutting device 57 is positioned at the first corner 19 a of the glass sheet 12 (the cutting standby position), the controller sends a lowering signal to the control unit of the air cylinder 67 (lifting mechanism) of the cutting device 57, and sends a drive signal (ON signal) and an NC control signal to the control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68. The control unit of the air cylinder 67 drives the air cylinder 67, and the control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68 drive the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68, so that a contour control movement is performed by NC control near the first side edge 15 of the glass sheet 12, and the line cutter wheel 71 cuts the vicinity of the first side edge 15 of the glass sheet 12.

[0140] By driving the air cylinder 67, the line cutter holder 72 (cutting device 57) moves toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 and also moves downward toward the starting point of the scribe line formation, and a predetermined downward pressing force (0.1 to 0.3 MPa) is applied to the line cutter wheel 71 that is in contact with the starting point of the scribe line formation on the glass plate 12 (line cutter wheel lowering means (line cutter wheel lowering process)). Note that the tracing cutter wheel 74 (trace cutter holder 75) is maintained in a state where it is raised upward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12.

[0141] After the line cutter holder 72 is lowered to the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 by the line cutter wheel lowering means (line cutter wheel lowering process), the first servo motor 35 drives the first moving unit 29 and the cutting device 57 to move in the front-to-back direction (rearward in the front-to-back direction) in the cutting processing area 21, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting processing table 55 to move in the width direction (reciprocating), and the fifth servo motor 68 drives the cutting direction of the line cutter wheel 71 to change, and the angle of the line cutter holder 72 around an axis perpendicular to the XY plane is adjusted.

[0142] The line cutter wheel 71 advances (moves) from the starting point of the scribe line formation on the glass plate 12 toward the end point of the scribe line formation, and the line cutter wheel 71 forms a scribe line K1 of a predetermined depth extending from the upper surface 13 to the lower surface 14 of the glass plate 12 (scribe line forming means (scribe line forming step)). The starting point of the scribe line formation on the glass plate 12 and the end point of the scribe line formation are the same.

[0143] The line cutter wheel 71 moves from the first corner 19a toward the second corner 19b of the glass plate 12 while forming a scribe line K1 in an area (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12) near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12. After the line cutter wheel 71 moves to the second corner 19b of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting table 55 to move in the width direction in the cutting area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the line cutter wheel 71 to move in the front-to-rear direction in the cutting area 21, and the fifth servo motor 68 drives the line cutter wheel 71 to adjust the cutting direction, so that the line cutter wheel 71 advances (moves) to form a scribe line K1 of a predetermined depth in an area (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12) near the rear edge 18 of the glass plate 12 from the upper surface 13 to the lower surface 14 of the glass plate 12 (scribe line forming means (scribe line forming process)).

[0144] The line cutter wheel 71 moves from the second corner 19b toward the third corner 19dc of the glass plate 12 while forming a scribe line K1 in an area near the rear edge 18 of the glass plate 12. After the line cutter wheel 71 moves to the third corner 19c of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting table 55 to move in the width direction in the cutting area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the line cutter wheel 71 to move in the front-to-rear direction in the cutting area 21, and the fifth servo motor 68 drives the line cutter wheel 71 to adjust the cutting direction, so that the line cutter wheel 71 advances (moves) to form a scribe line K1 of a predetermined depth from the upper surface 13 to the lower surface 14 of the glass plate 12 in an area near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12 (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12) (scribe line forming means (scribe line forming process)).

[0145] The line cutter wheel 71 moves from the third corner 19 c toward the fourth corner 19 d of the glass plate 12 while forming a scribe line K1 in an area near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12. After the line cutter wheel 71 moves to the fourth corner 19 d of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the notch processing table 55 to move in the width direction in the notch processing area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the line cutter wheel 71 to move (reciprocate) in the front-to-rear direction in the notch processing area 21, and the fifth servo motor 68 drives the notch direction of the notch cutter wheel 69 to adjust the orientation of the notch direction, so that the line cutter wheel 71 advances (moves) to form a scribe line K1 of a predetermined depth from the upper surface 13 to the lower surface 14 of the glass plate 12 in an area near the front edge 17 of the glass plate 12 (peripheral area 56 b of the glass plate 12) (scribe line forming means (scribe line forming process)).

[0146] The line cutter wheel 71 moves to form a scribe line K1 in the area near the leading edge 17 of the glass sheet 12, moving from the fourth corner 19d toward the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12. When the line cutter wheel 71 reaches the scribe line formation end point (the scribe line formation start point), the cutting of the glass sheet 12 by the line cutter wheel 71 is completed. The controller sends a lift signal to the air cylinder 67 of the cutting device 57 and sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68. The control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68 stop the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the fifth servo motor 68, and the control unit of the air cylinder 67 drives the air cylinder 67 to lift the line cutter wheel 71 (line cutter holder 72) upward from the upper surface 13 of the glass sheet 12 (line cutter wheel lifting means (line cutter wheel lifting process)).

[0147] The controller sends a start signal (ON signal) to the control units of the first servo motor 35 and the fourth servo motor 62, and when the first servo motor 35 and the fourth servo motor 62 are started, the cutting processing table 55 moves in the width direction in the cutting processing area 21, the line cutter wheel 71 moves in the front-to-back direction in the cutting processing area 21, and the line cutter wheel 71 (cutting device 57) moves outward in the width direction of the first corner 19a of the glass plate 12 (cutting processing standby position).

[0148] When a scribe line K1 is formed in the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 and the line cutter wheel 71 is positioned widthwise outward of the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12 (the cutting standby position), the tracing cutter wheel 74 (tracing cutter holder 75) is positioned widthwise outward of the first corner 19a (the tracing standby position). After the tracing cutter wheel 74 of the cutting device 57 is positioned at the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12 (the tracing standby position), the controller sends a lowering signal to the control unit of the air cylinder 69 (elevating mechanism) of the cutting device 57, and also sends drive signals (ON signals) and NC control signals to the control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70.

[0149] The control unit of the air cylinder 69 drives the air cylinder 69, and the control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70 drive the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70 to perform contour control movement using NC control near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12, and the tracing cutter wheel 74 traces on the tracing line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 (at a position 0.1 to 1 mm outside the scribe line K1).

[0150] By driving the air cylinder 69, the tracing cutter wheel 74 (cutting device 57) moves toward the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 and descends toward the tracing start point, and a predetermined downward pressing force (0.1 to 0.25 MPa) is applied to the tracing cutter wheel 74 abutting against the tracing start point of the glass plate 12 (tracing cutter wheel descending means (tracing cutter wheel descending step)). Note that the line cutter wheel 71 (line cutter holder 72) is maintained in a state where it is elevated upward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12.

[0151] After the tracing cutter wheel 74 is lowered to the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 by the tracing cutter wheel lowering means (tracing cutter wheel lowering process), the cutting device 57 moves in the front-to-back direction (rearward in the front-to-back direction) together with the first moving unit 29 in the cutting processing area 21 by driving the first servo motor 35, the cutting processing table 55 moves in the width direction (reciprocating) by driving the fourth servo motor 62, and the cutting direction of the tracing cutter wheel 74 is changed by driving the sixth servo motor 70, and the angle of the tracing cutter wheel 74 around an axis perpendicular to the XY plane is adjusted.

[0152] The tracing cutter wheel 74 advances (moves) from the tracing start point of the glass plate 12 toward the tracing end point, and traces along the scribe line K1 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 near the outside of the scribe line K1 (a position 0.1 to 1 mm outside the scribe line K1) with a predetermined pressing force (0.1 to 0.25 MPa) (tracing means (tracing step)). The tracing start point and tracing end point of the glass plate 12 are the same.

[0153] In the tracing means (tracing process), the pressing force of the tracing cutter wheel 74 elastically deforms downward the sheet member placed on the upper surface of the notching table 55, and also elastically deforms downward the glass plate 12 in the vicinity of the scribe line K1 in the region near the first side edge 15. The tracing cutter wheel 74 traces the tracing line K2 in the region near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 along the scribe line K1, and thereby applies a pressing force so as to bend downward the glass plate 12 in the vicinity of the scribe line K1, causing cracks to occur that extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate 12 and are connected to the scribe line K1 formed in the region near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12, and the depth of the scribe line K1 increases in areas where the depth of the scribe line K1 is insufficient.

[0154] The trace cutter wheel 74 moves from the first corner 19a to the second corner 19b of the glass plate 12 while tracing along the scribe line K1 and on the trace line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 in the area near the first side edge 15 of the glass plate 12 (the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12). After the tracing cutter wheel 74 moves to the second corner 19b of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting table 55 to move in the width direction in the cutting processing area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to move back and forth (reciprocate) in the cutting processing area 21, and the sixth servo motor 70 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to adjust the cutting direction, causing the tracing cutter wheel 74 to move forward (move) and trace the tracing line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 (a position 0.1 to 1 mm outside the scribe line K1) along the scribe line K1 in the area near the rear edge 18 of the glass plate 12 (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12) with a predetermined pressing force (tracing means (tracing process)).

[0155] In the tracing means (tracing process), the pressing force of the tracing cutter wheel 74 elastically deforms downward the sheet member placed on the upper surface of the notching table 55, and also elastically deforms downward the glass plate 12 near the scribe line K1 in the region near the trailing edge 18. The tracing cutter wheel 74 traces the tracing line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1 in the region near the trailing edge 18 of the glass plate 12, and the tracing cutter wheel 74 applies a pressing force so as to bend downward the glass plate 12 near the scribe line K1, causing cracks to form that are connected to the scribe line K1 formed in the region near the trailing edge 18 of the glass plate 12 and extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate 12, and the depth of the scribe line K1 increases in areas where the depth of the scribe line K1 is insufficient.

[0156] The tracing cutter wheel 74 moves along the scribe line K1 in the area near the rear edge 18 of the glass plate 12, tracing the trace line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1, and moves from the second corner 19b to the third corner 19dc of the glass plate 12. After the tracing cutter wheel 74 has moved to the third corner 19c of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting table 55 to move in the width direction in the cutting processing area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to move in the front-to-back direction in the cutting processing area 21, and the sixth servo motor 70 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to adjust the cutting direction, so that the tracing cutter wheel 74 advances (moves) along the scribe line K1 in the area near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12 (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12), tracing the trace line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 (a position 0.1 to 1 mm outside the scribe line K1) with a predetermined pressing force (tracing means (tracing process)).

[0157] In the tracing means (tracing step), the pressing force of the tracing cutter wheel 74 elastically deforms downward the sheet member placed on the upper surface of the notching table 55, and also elastically deforms downward the glass plate 12 in the vicinity of the scribe line K1 in the region near the second side edge 16. The tracing cutter wheel 74 traces the tracing line K2 in the vicinity of the outside of the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1 in the region near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12, and the tracing cutter wheel 74 applies a pressing force so as to bend downward the glass plate 12 in the vicinity of the scribe line K1, thereby generating cracks that are connected to the scribe line K1 formed in the region near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12 and extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate 12, and the depth of the scribe line K1 increases in areas where the depth of the scribe line K1 is insufficient.

[0158] The trace cutter wheel 74 moves along the scribe line K1 in the area near the second side edge 16 of the glass plate 12, tracing the trace line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1, and moves from the third corner 19c to the fourth corner 19d of the glass plate 12. After the tracing cutter wheel 74 moves to the fourth corner 19d of the glass plate 12, the fourth servo motor 62 drives the cutting table 55 to move in the width direction in the cutting processing area 21, the first servo motor 35 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to move in the front-to-back direction in the cutting processing area 21, and the sixth servo motor 70 drives the tracing cutter wheel 74 to adjust the cutting direction, so that the tracing cutter wheel 74 advances (moves) along the scribe line K1 in the area near the front edge 17 of the glass plate 12 (peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12), tracing the trace line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 on the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 (a position 0.1 to 1 mm outside the scribe line K1) with a predetermined pressing force (tracing means (tracing process)).

[0159] In the tracing means (tracing process), the pressing force of the tracing cutter wheel 74 elastically deforms downward the sheet member placed on the upper surface of the cutting table 55, and also elastically deforms downward the glass plate 12 near the scribe line K1 in the region near the front edge 17. The tracing cutter wheel 74 traces the tracing line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1 in the region near the front edge 17 of the glass plate 12, and the tracing cutter wheel 74 applies a pressing force so as to bend downward the glass plate 12 near the scribe line K1, causing cracks to form that are connected to the scribe line K1 formed in the region near the front edge 17 of the glass plate 12 and extend in the thickness direction of the glass plate 12, and the depth of the scribe line K1 increases in areas where the depth of the scribe line K1 is insufficient.

[0160] The tracing cutter wheel 74 moves from the fourth corner 19d toward the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12 while tracing a tracing line K2 near the outside of the scribe line K1 along the scribe line K1 in the region near the front edge 17 of the glass sheet 12, and when it is positioned at the tracing end point (tracing start point), tracing of the glass sheet 12 by the tracing cutter wheel 74 is completed. The controller sends a signal to lift the air cylinder 69 of the cutting device 57, and sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70. The control units of the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70 stop the first servo motor 35, the fourth servo motor 62, and the sixth servo motor 70, and the control unit of the air cylinder 69 drives the air cylinder 69 to raise the trace cutter wheel 74 (trace cutter holder 75) upward from the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 (trace cutter wheel raising means (trace cutter wheel raising process)).

[0161] The controller sends a start signal (ON signal) to the control units of the first servo motor 35 and the fourth servo motor 62, and when the first servo motor 35 and the fourth servo motor 62 are started, the cutting processing table 55 moves in the width direction in the cutting processing area 21, the tracing cutter wheel 74 moves in the front-to-back direction in the cutting processing area 21, and the tracing cutter wheel 74 (cutting device 57) moves widthwise outward of the first corner 19a of the glass plate 12 (tracing processing standby position).

[0162] After the cutting and tracing processes are completed for the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12, the second glass sheet holder 41b transports the cut-processed glass sheet 12 from the cutting area 21 to the bending / splitting area 22, and the cut-processed glass sheet 12 is placed on the bending / splitting table 82. In the bending / splitting area 22, a plurality of edge cutting lines (see FIG. 16 ) are formed in the edge area 56b of the cut-processed glass sheet 12 extending outside the outline cut lines K1, and the edge area 56b of the glass sheet 12 surrounded by the outline cut lines K1 and the edge cutting lines is bent and split.

[0163] During the cutting process, although not shown, the third glass plate holder 41c, which has moved to the cutting area 22, is lowered onto the cutting table 75 in the cutting area 22 by the pad lifting mechanism, the suction pads 43 of the third glass plate holder 41c come into contact with the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 placed on the cutting table 82, and the vacuum mechanism is activated so that the suction pads 43 adsorb the glass plate 12 while pressing the glass plate 12 downward. During the cutting process, the glass plate 12 is supported under pressure by the suction pads 43 of the third glass plate holder 41c.

[0164] After the glass plate 12 after cutting is placed on the bending / splitting processing table 82, the controller sends a drive signal (ON signal) to the control units of the first and second air cylinders 93a, 93b and the seventh to eleventh servo motors 94, 96, 100, 101, and 102 of the first and second bending / splitting devices 84a, 84b, and the control units of these air cylinders 93a, 93b and these servo motors 94, 96, 100, 101, and 102 drive the air cylinders 93a, 93b and the servo motors 94, 96, 100, 101, and 102.

[0165] The first and second bending / cutting devices 84a and 84b are driven by air cylinders 93a and 93b and servo motors 94, 96, 100, 101, and 102, and their pressure rollers 106 and bending / cutting cutter wheels 104 move in the front-to-back and width directions by the movement of the first and second X-axis actuators 95a and 95b and the first and second Y-axis actuators 97a and 97b, and the first and second bending / cutting jigs 92a and 92b are positioned at the start position of the first bending / cutting on the outer side of the glass plate 12 in the width direction.

[0166] After the first and second bending and dividing jigs 92a, 92b are positioned at the bending start positions, the first and second X-axis actuators 95a, 95b and the first and second Y-axis actuators 97a, 97b are movable to move the first and second bending and dividing jigs 92a, 92b, so that the bending cutter wheel 104 of the first bending and dividing jig 92a moves to the edge cutting line formation start point near the scribe line K1 at the first corner 19 of the glass sheet 12, and the bending cutter wheel 104 of the second bending and dividing jig 92b moves to the edge cutting line formation start point near the scribe line K1 at the fourth corner 19 of the glass sheet 12. Next, the seventh servo motor 94 is driven to rotate the bending cutter holder 103 in the circumferential direction (direction around the axis) about the cutter holder central axis, so that the rolling direction of the periphery of the bending cutter wheel 104 coincides with the traveling direction of the first and second bending and dividing jigs 92a, 92b.

[0167] After the rolling direction of the periphery of the cutting cutter wheel 104 and the traveling direction of the first and second cutting jigs 92a, 92b are aligned, the first air cylinder 93a is operated to lower the cutting cutter holder 103 toward the upper surface 13 of the glass sheet 12 (cutter holder lowering means (cutter holder lowering process)). After the cutting cutter wheel 103 abuts against the upper surface 13 of the glass sheet 12 with a predetermined pressing force, the first and second X-axis actuators 95a, 95b and the first and second Y-axis actuators 97a, 97b are moved to move the first and second cutting jigs 92a, 92b, and the cutting cutter wheel 104 forms a linear first cutting line (scribe line) extending from the cutting line formation start point toward the periphery of the glass sheet 12 (cutting line forming means (cutting line forming process)). In the edge cutting line forming means, the first bending and dividing jig 92a and the second bending and dividing jig 92b travel at the same speed. In a similar procedure, second to nth edge cutting lines are formed in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 extending outside the scribe line K1.

[0168] In the edge cutting line forming means (edge ​​cutting line forming process), a support device (not shown) moves in synchronization with the first and second bending and cutting devices 84a, 84b, and the bending and cutting cutter wheels 104 of the first and second bending and cutting jigs 92a, 92b form edge cutting lines in the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 while the support surface of the support device supports the underside 14 of the peripheral area 56b extending outside the scribe line K1 of the glass plate 12.

[0169] After the first to nth cutting lines are formed, the first and second X-axis actuators 95a, 95b and the first and second Y-axis actuators 97a, 97b are moved to move the first and second bending / splitting jigs 92a, 92b to predetermined positions in the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12, and the support device is raised in the vertical direction so that the support surface of the support device abuts against the underside 14 of the glass sheet 12 inside the scribe line K1. Next, the second air cylinder 93b lowers the pressure roller 106 toward the upper side 13 of the glass sheet 12, and the pressure roller 106 abutting against the upper side 13 of the glass sheet 12 presses the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 downward, thereby bending and splitting the peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 extending from the main body 56a of the glass sheet 12 between the cutting lines (bending / splitting means (bending / splitting process)). In a similar manner, the entire peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 along which the cutting line is formed is bent and broken. The bent (separated) peripheral area 56b of the glass sheet 12 remains on the belt conveyor 85.

[0170] After the bending and splitting process is completed and the glass sheet 12 after the bending and splitting process is lifted upward by the third glass sheet holder 41c, the controller sends a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the conveyor drive motor 86, which then drives the belt conveyor 85, causing the belt conveyor 85 to move from one side to the other in the width direction. As the belt conveyor 85 moves in the width direction, the broken edge area 56b of the glass sheet 12 remaining on the belt conveyor 85 gradually moves from one side to the other in the width direction, and the edge area 56b falls from the belt conveyor 85 to be stored in a dust box.

[0171] After the glass plate 12 has been broken, the third glass plate holder 41c transports the body 56a of the broken glass plate 12 from the breaking area 22 to the grinding area 23, and the body 56a of the glass plate 12 is placed on the grinding table 114. After the body 56a has been placed on the grinding table 114, the controller sends a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the vacuum mechanism of the grinding table 114 and also sends a retreat signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 35. The control unit of the vacuum mechanism drives the vacuum mechanism, and the drive of the vacuum mechanism causes the body 56a of the glass plate 12 to be sucked and held by the suction pad 116 (grinding table 114).

[0172] The control unit of the first servo motor 35 drives the first servo motor 35, and rotation of the shaft of the first servo motor 35 moves the first slide block in the front-to-rear direction from the front to the rear of the first guide frame 31, thereby moving the grinding device 115 together with the first traveling frame 33 rearward in the grinding processing area 23, and positioning the grinding device 115 widthwise outward (at the grinding start position) of the first corner 19a (front edge 17) of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12. The grinding device 115 moves along the peripheral portion of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 in synchronization with the cutting device 57.

[0173] After the grinding device 115 is positioned widthwise outside the first corner 19a of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 (the grinding start position), the controller sends a stop signal (OFF signal) to the control unit of the first servo motor 35 and a drive signal (ON signal) to the control unit of the 12th servo motor 117, causing the control unit of the first servo motor 35 to stop the first servo motor 35 and the control unit of the 12th servo motor 117 to drive the 12th servo motor 117.

[0174] Rotation of the shaft of the twelfth servo motor 117 moves the slide block 64b widthwise on the feed screw 61b from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the grinding area 23, thereby moving the grinding table 114 widthwise from the second side edge 49b toward the first side edge 49a of the grinding area 23, and the grinding wheel 124 of the grinding device 115 is positioned at the first corner 19a of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12. The first corner 19a of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 enters a slit 128 in a cover 126 of the grinding jig 118.

[0175] After the grinding wheel 124 of the grinding device 115 is positioned at the first corner 19a of the glass sheet 12, the controller sends an NC control signal to the control unit of the twelfth servo motor 117, and sends a drive signal (ON signal) and an NC control signal to the control unit of the first servo motor 35. Note that the spindle motor 127 is constantly driven before the glass sheet 12 is placed on the grinding table 114. The control units of the first and twelfth servo motors 35 and 117 drive the first and twelfth servo motors 35 and 117, the grinding device 115 performs contour control movement under NC control along the periphery of the main body 56a of the glass sheet 12, and the grinding wheel 124 grinds the periphery of the main body 56a of the glass sheet 12.

[0176] Specifically, upon receiving the start signal (ON signal), the control unit of the first servo motor 35 drives the first servo motor 35 during the grinding process (during the cutting process) to move the grinding device 115 rearward in the front-to-rear direction in the grinding process area 23, and the control unit of the 12th servo motor 117 drives the 12th servo motor 117 during the grinding process (during the cutting process) to move the grinding device 115 back and forth in the width direction in the grinding process area 23. The grinding wheel 124 of the grinding device 115 moves from the first corner 19a toward the second corner 19b of the glass sheet 12 along the peripheral edge (scribe line K1) of the main body portion 56a of the glass sheet 12 while grinding the edge between the first corner 19a and the second corner 19b of the main body portion 56a of the glass sheet 12 (grinding means (grinding process)).

[0177] After the grinding wheel 124 of the grinding device 115 completes grinding of the edge (first side edge 15) between the first corner 19a and the second corner 19b of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 and the grinding wheel 124 is positioned at the second corner 19b of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12, the grinding table 114 moves widthwise from the first side edge 49a side of the grinding area 23 to the second side edge 49b side, and as the grinding table 114 moves widthwise, the grinding wheel 124 grinds the edge (rear edge 18) between the second corner 19b and the third corner 19c of the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 (grinding means (grinding process)).

[0178] During grinding (cutting), the first servo motor 35 and the twelfth servo motor 117 are driven to cause the grinding wheel 124 of the grinding device 115 to grind the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 along the periphery (outline cutting line K1) of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12, while the grinding wheel 124 moves sequentially from the second corner 19b to the third corner 19c, the fourth corner 19d, and then to the first corner 19a of the main body portion 56a. When grinding of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 by the grinding wheel 124 is completed, the grinding device 115 moves outward in the width direction of the first corner 19a of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 (to the grinding start position) and waits.

[0179] After the grinding of the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 is completed, the fourth glass plate holder 41d transports the ground main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 from the grinding processing area 23 to the carry-out area 24. In the carry-out area 24, the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 that has been cut, broken, and ground is moved forward from the rear end of the carry-out area 24 to the front end by the carry-out conveyor 131, and the main body portion 56a of the glass plate 12 that has been processed is carried out of the carry-out area 24.

[0180] When the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 after each processing is positioned on the carry-out conveyor 131 in the carry-out area 24, the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 after grinding is positioned on the grinding table 114 in the grinding area 23, the main body 56a of the glass plate 12 after bending is positioned on the bending table 82 in the bending area 22, the glass plate 12 after cutting is positioned on the cutting table 55 in the cutting area 21, and the unprocessed glass plate 12 positioned by the first positioning means and the second positioning means is positioned on the carry-in conveyor 44 in the carry-in area 20. In this way, in the glass plate processing device 11, the multiple glass plates 12 are transported in order from the carry-in area 20 to the carry-out area 24, and the multiple glass plates 12 are continuously processed.

[0181] The scribe line forming system 10 and the scribe line forming method form a scribe line K1 of a predetermined depth on a glass plate 12 to be processed from its upper surface 13 to its lower surface 14 using the cutting edge of a line cutter wheel 71, and bring a tracing member (a tracing cutter wheel 74 or a ball-point-shaped tracing member 111 having a ball-point-shaped tip 113 or a stylus-shaped tracing member 112 having a stylus-shaped tip 113) into contact with the upper surface 13 of the glass plate 12 near the scribe line K1, spaced 0.1 to 1 mm outward from the scribe line K1, and scribe a line K1 along the scribe line K1 using the tracing member. A predetermined pressure force is applied continuously or intermittently along the trace line K2 near the inner edge K1, and by using the trace member to apply pressure so as to bend the glass plate 12 downward near the outside of the scribe line K1, a crack extending in the thickness direction of the glass plate 12 that connects to the scribe line K1 formed by the line cutter wheel 71 can be generated.This makes it possible to increase the depth of the scribe line K1 in areas where it is not deep enough, and also to reliably form a scribe line K1 of sufficient depth extending from the upper surface 13 to the lower surface 14 of the glass plate 12 to be processed.

[0182] The scribe line forming system 10 and the scribe line forming method can form a scribe line K1 of sufficient depth using a tracing member (a tracing cutter wheel 74, or a ball-point-shaped tracing member 111 with a ball-point-shaped tip 113, or a stylus-shaped tracing member 112 with a stylus-shaped tip 113), so that the peripheral area 56b of the glass plate 12 can be smoothly and cleanly cut (bent and broken) at the scribe line K1, and the glass plate 12 can be processed into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line K1.

[0183] 10 Scribe line forming system 11 Glass plate processing device 12 Glass plate 13 Upper surface 14 Lower surface 15 First side edge 16 Second side edge 17 Front edge 18 Rear edge 19a to 19d First to fourth corners 20 Loading area 21 Cutting processing area 22 Bending and slitting processing area 23 Grinding processing area 24 Loading area 25 Conveying mechanism 26 Machine base 27a, 27b First and second pillars 28 Fixed frame 29 First moving unit 30 Second moving unit 31 First guide frame 32 First guide rail 33 First traveling frame 34 First guide shoe 35 First servo motor 36 Second guide frame 37 Second guide rail 38 Second traveling frame 39 Second guide shoe 40 Second servo motor 41a to 41d First to fourth glass plate holders 42 Pad installation plate 43 Suction pad 44 Carry-in conveyor 45 Stopper 46 Roller 46a Roller 47 Roller lifting mechanism 48 Movement mechanism 49a First side edge 49b Second side edge 50 Shaft 51 Rod 52 Third servo motor 53 Movement arm 54 Abutment member 55 Cutting processing table 56a Main body 56b Peripheral area 57 Cutting device 58a, 58b Base lane 59a, 59b First and second movement mechanisms 60a, 60b Travel guide rail 61a, 61b Feed screw 62 Fourth servo motor 63a, 63b Guide shoe 64a,64b Slide block (housing nut) 65 Cutting jig 66 Tracing jig 67 Air cylinder 68 Fifth servo motor 69 Air cylinder 70 Sixth servo motor 71 Line cutter wheel 72 Line cutter holder 73 Line cutter lifting shaft 74 Tracing cutter wheel (tracing member) 75 Tracing cutter holder 76 Tracing cutter lifting shaft 77 Support shaft 78 Bracket 79 Support shaft 80 Timing belt 81 Timing belt 82 Breaking processing table 83 Breaking device 84a, 84b First and second breaking devices 85 Belt conveyor 86 Conveyor drive motor 87 Belt 88 Pulley 89 Carrier roller 90 Conveyor frame 91 Suspension frame 92a, 92b First and second breaking jigs 93a,93b First and second air cylinders 94 Seventh servo motor 95a X-axis first actuator 95b X-axis second actuator 96 Eighth servo motor 97a Y-axis first actuator 97b Y-axis second actuator 98a X-axis first actuator frame 98b X-axis second actuator frame 99a Y-axis first actuator frame 99b Y-axis second actuator frame 100 Ninth servo motor 101 Tenth servo motor 102 Eleventh servo motor 103 Breaking cutter holder 104 Breaking cutter wheel 105 Holder lifting mechanism 106 Pressing roller 107 Roller lifting shaft 108 Support shaft 109 Bracket 110 Timing belt 111 Ball-point-shaped tracing member (tracing member) 112 Stylus-shaped tracing member (tracing member) 113 Tip 114 Grinding table 115 Grinding device 116 Suction pad 117 Twelfth servo motor (11) 118 Grinding jig 119 Thirteenth servo motor (12) 120 Fourteenth servo motor (13) 121 Fifteenth servo motor (14) 122 Grinding wheel lift screw 123 Grinding wheel cutting screw 124 Grinding wheel 125 Grinding holder 126 Cover 127 Spindle motor 128 Slit 129 Motor housing 130 Bracket 131 Carry-out conveyor K1 Scribe line (outline cutting line) K2 Trace line L1 First positioning reference L2 Second positioning reference L3 Diameter L4 Diameter O1 Center of side edge in the front-to-rear direction,

Claims

1. A scribe line forming system for forming a scribe line on a glass plate to be processed, the scribe line forming system comprising: a line cutter wheel with a cutting edge that forms the scribe line of a predetermined depth from the top surface to the bottom surface of the glass plate to be processed; and a tracing member that traces along the scribe line and the vicinity of the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and a scribe line forming means that forms the scribe line on the glass plate to be processed with the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel; and a tracing means that abuts the tracing member against the top surface of the glass plate in the vicinity of the scribe line and traces along the scribe line and the vicinity of the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force using the tracing member.

2. A scribe line forming system as described in claim 1, wherein the tracing member contacts the upper surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the outside or inside, and traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line.

3. A scribe line forming system as described in claim 1, wherein the tracing means has a tracing member that applies a predetermined pressure force continuously or intermittently downward from the upper surface of the glass plate in the vicinity of the scribe line while tracing the vicinity of the scribe line.

4. A scribe line forming system as described in claim 3, wherein the pressing force acting downward from the top surface of the glass plate by the line cutter wheel in the scribe line forming means is greater than the pressing force acting downward from the top surface of the glass plate by the tracing member in the tracing means.

5. A scribe line forming system according to claim 1, wherein the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member having a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member having a stylus shaped tip.

6. A scribe line forming system according to claim 5, wherein the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the trace cutter wheel is larger than the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel.

7. A scribe line forming system according to claim 6, wherein the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the line cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°, and the cutting edge angle of the cutting edge of the trace cutter wheel is in the range of 134 to 170°.

8. A scribe line forming system as described in claim 5, wherein the diameter of the trace cutter wheel is larger than the diameter of the line cutter wheel, and the contact area of ​​the trace cutter wheel abutting on the top surface of the glass plate to be processed is larger than the contact area of ​​the line cutter wheel abutting on the top surface of the glass plate to be processed.

9. The scribe line forming system according to claim 1, wherein the scribe line forming system is used in a cutting device that performs contour control motion under NC control to process the glass plate into a predetermined planar shape surrounded by the scribe line.

10. A scribe line forming method for forming a scribe line on a glass plate to be processed, the scribe line forming method comprising: a scribe line forming step of forming the scribe line of a predetermined depth on the glass plate to be processed from the upper surface to the lower surface thereof using the cutting edge of a line cutter wheel; and a tracing step of a tracing member being brought into contact with the upper surface of the glass plate in the vicinity of the scribe line with a predetermined pressing force, and tracing the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line while the pressing force of the tracing member is applied continuously or intermittently.

11. A method for forming a scribe line according to claim 10, wherein in the tracing step, the tracing member contacts the upper surface of the glass plate at a position 0.1 to 1 mm away from the scribe line on the outer or inner side, and traces the vicinity of the scribe line along the scribe line.

12. A method for forming a scribe line according to claim 11, wherein the tracing member is either a tracing cutter wheel, a tracing member having a ball-point shaped tip, or a tracing member having a stylus shaped tip.

Images