Gob-Pressing Glass Parts with Pre-Shaped Capsule Gobs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gob-pressing methods face challenges in forming glass articles with complex geometries, such as oblong shapes, thin areas, and sharp curvatures, due to viscosity, density, and cohesion issues, which prevent uniform spreading and filling of molten glass in molds.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating mold structures with controlled heat transfer gaps, precise volume and flow rate control using a spinning auger, and multi-stamp techniques to shape and press glass gobs, along with pre-shaping the gobs before pressing, to achieve uniform glass distribution and complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If gob-pressing is used to form glass articles with complex geometries, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to the need for precise volume control and multi-stamp techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-shaping the glass gob into a capsule or bullet shape before pressing. This pre-forming step prepares the glass in advance, allowing it to be easily pressed into complex geometries like oblong shapes, thin areas, and sharp curvatures without requiring complex multi-stamp techniques, thus reducing the overall process complexity while maintaining high manufacturing precision
2Manufacturing precision
If molten glass is pressed into thin areas, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the glass cools too quickly and solidifies before filling the mold completely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by pre-shaping the glass gob into a capsule or bullet shape with a larger initial volume before pressing. This ensures that when the glass is pressed into thin areas, it has sufficient volume and remains hot enough to flow and fill the mold completely without cooling too quickly, achieving both thin uniform thickness and complete filling
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling the initial volume and shape parameters of the glass gob. By adjusting these parameters before pressing, the glass maintains optimal temperature and viscosity during the forming process, preventing premature solidification in thin areas while achieving the desired thickness uniformity
3Manufacturing precision
If glass gobs are made larger to reach extreme ends of complex geometries, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the glass spreads too much and creates bulges in the center
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-shaping the glass gob into a capsule or bullet shape with a specific volume and geometry before pressing. This controlled pre-forming ensures that when the glass is pressed, it reaches the extreme ends of complex geometries without excessive spreading, preventing bulges in the center while maintaining geometric accuracy at all locations including thin areas
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the formation of glass parts with thin, wide areas, sharp bends, and elongated profiles with consistent thickness and reduced stress concentrations, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of gob-pressing processes.
Implementation Method 1
The mold structure includes gaps purposely built into the mold, beneath surfaces thereof, that limit heat transfer to and from the surfaces
Implementation Method 2
precise volume and flow rate control using a spinning auger
Implementation Method 3
Molten glass within a gob-pressing operation has viscosity and density, as well as complex momentum and cohesion effects
Implementation Method 4
Molten glass within a gob-pressing operation has viscosity and density, as well as complex momentum and cohesion effects
Implementation Method 5
Volume of the molten glass may rapidly change with temperature, such as when glass solidifies
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to methods and techniques for gob-pressing a glass part of challenging geometries, such as large surfaces with thin thickness as well as features positioned far from a centroid of the part.