Tempered Glass Manufacturing Using Ionizer and Dielectric Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for manufacturing tempered glass are limited in increasing the strength of tempered glass due to incomplete tempering caused by slow cooling using ambient air, leading to higher defective product rates, especially in warmer temperatures.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that includes an ionizer to ionize alkali oxides in the glass substrate using energy and a dielectric heating unit to increase the inner temperature, maximizing the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the glass substrate for more complete quenching, thereby enhancing the manufacturing process efficiency and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If air cooling apparatus using ambient air is used to cool the heated glass substrate, then the cooling process is simple and easy to implement, but the cooling speed is slow and tempering is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the cooling medium from ambient temperature to pre-cooled temperature (lower than ambient temperature). This parameter change enables faster cooling speed while maintaining the simplicity of the air cooling process, thereby improving productivity without complicating the manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a pre-cooling step before the main cooling process. The ambient air is pre-cooled to a lower temperature before being used to cool the heated glass substrate. This preliminary action of cooling the cooling medium enhances the overall cooling efficiency and speed, enabling complete tempering
2Device complexity
If ambient air is used for cooling the glass substrate, then no additional cooling system is required, but the tempering quality deteriorates especially in summer when ambient temperature is high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the cooling air from ambient temperature to pre-cooled temperature. This parameter modification ensures consistent high-quality tempering regardless of seasonal ambient temperature variations, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a cooling medium (pre-cooled air) as an intermediary between the environment and the glass substrate. This intermediary absorbs heat from the heated glass more effectively than ambient air, ensuring reliable tempering quality while keeping the system relatively simple
3Strength
If rapid cooling is applied to increase tempered glass strength, then the strength increases, but the cooling time must be extended to achieve complete tempering
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the cooling medium to pre-cooled temperature, which enables rapid cooling that achieves both high strength and complete tempering within a reasonable time frame, resolving the contradiction between strength enhancement and time consumption
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
The solution enables faster production of tempered glass with increased strength by maximizing the temperature difference within the glass substrate, reducing manufacturing time and improving productivity while minimizing defective products across various temperature conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an ionizer, which ionizes alkali oxides in the glass substrate by radiating energy onto the glass substrate
Implementation Method 2
the free electrons increase the high-frequency absorptivity inside the glass substrate
Implementation Method 3
a dielectric heating unit, which increases the temperature of the inner portion of the glass substrate in which the alkali oxides are ionized by the ionizer
Implementation Method 4
air is ejected through air nozzles of an air cooling apparatus from above and below the heated glass substrate, so that the surface temperature of the heated glass rapidly drops
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for manufacturing tempered glass. A transportation unit transports a glass substrate that is intended to be tempered. An ionizer ionizes alkali oxides in the glass substrate by radiating energy onto the glass substrate. A dielectric heating unit increases the temperature of the inner portion of the glass substrate in which the alkali oxides are ionized by the ionizer.