Transfer Pipe Movable Flange Design for Pre-Heating Thermal Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The pre-heating step in glass sheet manufacturing often fails to sufficiently expand transfer pipes, leading to thermal stress and potential damage due to differences in supporting structures, heating temperatures, and times, which can result in deformation or buckling during the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method and apparatus where the transfer pipe has a flange portion that is movably supported to allow expansion without hindrance, reducing frictional resistance and thermal stress, with the flange acting as a weight to prevent expansion hindrance and the electric wire being movably supported to prevent interference with the pipe's expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transfer pipe is rigidly fixed during pre-heating, then the pipe structure is stable, but the pipe cannot expand sufficiently due to thermal expansion, generating thermal stress and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The flange portion is changed from a fixed rigid connection to a movable support system that allows dynamic adjustment during thermal expansion. The flange can move along the heating direction while maintaining structural stability, resolving the contradiction between stability and expansion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer pipe is divided into a fixed main body portion retained by refractory and a movable flange portion that can expand independently. This segmentation allows different parts to serve different functions: the main body provides structural stability while the flange provides expansion capability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the flange portion is heavily weighted to prevent expansion hindrance, then expansion is sufficient, but frictional resistance increases during movement
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy weight support method is replaced with a rolling support mechanism. Rolling elements replace sliding contact, significantly reducing frictional resistance while maintaining the ability to support the flange portion during expansion.
3Reliability
If electric wires are rigidly connected to the transfer pipe, then electrical connection is stable, but the wires hinder pipe expansion during pre-heating
Solution Approach 1:
The electric wire connection is changed from rigid to flexible/movable. The wires are routed through guides or flexible conduits that allow movement during pipe expansion, maintaining electrical connection stability while permitting thermal expansion freedom.
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 configuration ensures sufficient expansion of the transfer pipe during pre-heating, reducing thermal stress and preventing deformation or buckling, thereby extending the pipe's lifetime and ensuring stable glass article production.
Implementation Method 1
the main body portion is heated while the flange portion is movably supported so that the flange portion is moved in accordance with extension of the main body portion
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a pre-heating step (S1) of heating a transfer pipe (7); and a transfer step (S4) of causing molten glass to flow through the transfer pipe (7) after the pre-heating step (S1). The transfer pipe (7) includes a main body portion (8) having a tubular shape and a flange portion (9a, 9b) formed on an end portion of the main body portion (8). The main body portion (8) is retained by a refractory (10). In the pre-heating step (S1), the main body portion (8) is heated while the flange portion (9a, 9b) is movably supported so that the flange portion (9a, 9b) is moved in accordance with extension of the main body portion (8).