Variable-Thickness Contoured Glass Articles for Cold Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for shaping automotive displays and cover glass are limited by high costs, complex stress issues, and restricted bend radii, especially in cold bending processes, which hinder the production of conformal displays with high display quality and mechanical reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method of cold bending a flat glass sheet with varying thickness regions to create a contoured glass article, involving sequential or simultaneous cold bending and restraining, allowing for more complex shapes and improved mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If cold bending is performed on glass sheets of constant thickness, then the process is cost-effective and simple, but the achievable bend radius is limited and complex shapes create significant stress
Solution Approach 1:
The glass sheet is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, where the thickness varies across different regions. This allows the glass to have different mechanical properties in different areas - thinner regions can bend more easily while thicker regions provide structural support and reduce stress, enabling complex shapes without compromising strength
Solution Approach 2:
The thickness parameter of the glass sheet is changed from a constant value to a spatially varying value. By controlling the thickness distribution, the patent achieves different bend radii and curvature levels in different regions, allowing complex contoured shapes to be formed through cold bending without creating excessive stress
2Shape
If decreasing the bend radius in cold bent glass, then tighter curvature is achieved, but high bend stress requires more substantial mechanical frames or strong adhesive
Solution Approach 1:
The glass sheet thickness is locally adjusted to match the required curvature at each position. Regions requiring tight curvature are made thinner to reduce stiffness and enable bending, while regions requiring structural support maintain greater thickness to handle the resulting stresses without requiring additional mechanical framing
3Shape
If hot forming is used to shape glass, then a variety of 3D shapes can be produced, but the process adds significant cost and requires thermal shaping followed by strengthening
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing temperature to achieve shaping (hot forming), the patent changes the geometric parameter of thickness before performing cold bending. This allows complex 3D shapes to be formed at lower temperatures using the pre-designed non-uniform thickness profile, eliminating the need for expensive thermal processing and subsequent strengthening steps
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 production of contoured glass articles with enhanced mechanical reliability and display quality, capable of tighter curvature and reduced stress, while maintaining cost-effectiveness compared to hot forming processes.
Implementation Method 1
cold bending a flat glass sheet having first and second opposing major surfaces, at least one region having a first thickness, and at least one region having a second thickness, to produce cold bent glass sheet
Data Source
Figure 1A~1D
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
Embodiments of a method for making a contoured glass article and the resulting contoured glass article are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the method includes cold bending a flat glass sheet having first and second opposing major surfaces, at least one region having a first thickness, and at least one region having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, to produce cold bent glass sheet having at least one bend region along a portion of the at least one region having the second thickness; and restraining the cold bent glass sheet to produce the contoured glass article. One or more embodiments pertain to the resulting contoured glass article.