Bending Thin Glass With Suction Mold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bending thin glass sheets in laminated glazings poses challenges due to peripheral bubbling and delamination issues, with existing methods like gravity bending causing corrugations and press bending resulting in creases, making it difficult to handle sheets of different thicknesses effectively.
Innovation Solution
A device and process utilizing a concave solid mold with a lower countermold for clamping and suction-based bending, where the glass is heated to a plastic-deformation temperature and bent against a concave upper mold, minimizing gravity prebending and avoiding creases by using a combination of suction and controlled movement of mold halves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gravity bending on a skeleton mold is used, then the bending process is simple, but corrugations are formed on the periphery of the sheet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs suction (pneumatic principle) through a solid upper mold with orifices to apply uniform pressure across the glass sheet surface, bending it against a concave mold without causing peripheral corrugations. This resolves the contradiction by replacing simple gravity-based mechanical bending with controlled pneumatic pressure application.
2Force
If press bending is used, then bending force can be applied, but peripheral creases are formed due to buckling instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different functions to different parts of the mold system: the solid upper mold with orifices applies distributed suction pressure across the sheet surface, while the lower countermold with frame provides peripheral support and constraint. This local differentiation of mold functions prevents buckling-induced creases while maintaining effective bending force.
3Stability of the object's composition
If clamping is applied before pressing to reduce creases, then peripheral stability improves, but the process requires multiple steps and equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the clamping and bending functions into a single integrated operation. The solid upper mold with orifices simultaneously provides peripheral constraint through its frame structure and applies bending force through suction across the sheet surface, eliminating the need for separate clamping and pressing steps.
4Ease of manufacture
If a convex solid mold is used for bending, then the mold structure is simple, but more unacceptable corrugations are produced on the glass periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional convex mold shape to a concave mold configuration. The concave upper mold creates a cavity that accommodates the glass sheet during bending, allowing uniform suction pressure application without causing peripheral corrugations, thus improving surface quality while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
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
This method allows for high-quality bending of thin glass sheets without corrugations or creases, ensuring uniform curvature and integration into laminated glazings, while being compact and energy-efficient, suitable for sheets up to 1.3 mm thickness.
Implementation Method 1
a face for making contact with the glass and equipped with orifices, and a means for applying suction in order to curve the glass against this contact face via suction applied through the orifices
Implementation Method 2
the glass is heated to a plastic-deformation temperature and bent against a concave upper mold
Data Source
AI summary
A device for manufacturing curved glass, includes a bending station that has a solid concave bending upper mold and a complementary lower countermold, the upper mold being placed above the lower countermold, a conveyor to convey the glass to a final holder placed under the bending upper mold, the final holder being circumscribed, seen from above, by the lower countermold, the final holder forming a surface for receiving the glass, the glass being in an optimal bending position when on this surface, the lower countermold being of the frame type and being able to move vertically in order to pass below or above the surface for receiving the glass, the bending upper mold and the lower countermold being able to move with a relative vertical movement that allows them to be brought together, in order to clamp therebetween the periphery of the glass, and to move apart from each other.