Wire Coil Glassware Holder for Ion Exchange Stress Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Glass breakage during processing and filling is a significant issue in the packaging industry, leading to costly product losses and production inefficiencies, primarily due to flaws introduced in the glass surface during handling and ion exchange processing.

Innovation Solution

The magazine apparatus uses wire coil ware keepers with a spacer coil and base frame design to minimize contact-induced flaws, featuring a low thermal mass and surface area to enhance ion exchange performance and reduce mechanical stress on glassware, thereby preventing breakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional holding apparatuses are used during ion exchange processing, then glassware can be held and processed, but mechanical stress and thermal impact cause glass breakage and surface flaws

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglassware integrityVSAvoidmechanical stress and thermal impact
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a wire coil structure that acts as a flexible retention body, replacing rigid holding apparatuses. The wire coil can deform elastically to accommodate glassware during ion exchange processing, reducing mechanical stress concentrations that would otherwise cause breakage or surface flaws. The flexibility allows the structure to adapt to thermal expansion without imposing excessive forces on the glassware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The retention body is segmented into multiple wire coils rather than being a solid continuous structure. This segmentation reduces the thermal mass and surface area in contact with the glassware, minimizing thermal impact. The spaced wire coils allow for uniform heat distribution and reduce localized thermal stress on the glassware surface during ion exchange processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If rigid holding structures are used, then structural stability is maintained, but contact between glassware and equipment introduces surface flaws leading to breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidsurface flaws
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wire coil structure provides a flexible yet stable holding mechanism. The coils maintain structural stability through their geometric configuration while their flexibility prevents rigid contact that would create surface flaws. The wire material and coil design allow for compliant contact with the glassware, eliminating stress concentration points that lead to breakage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Strength

If high thermal mass holding apparatuses are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but thermal impact on glassware increases causing breakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapparatus structural integrityVSAvoidthermal impact on glassware
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The retention body is divided into multiple discrete wire coils with spacing between them. This segmentation dramatically reduces the total surface area and thermal mass of the holding apparatus compared to a solid structure. The reduced thermal mass minimizes heat transfer to the glassware during ion exchange processing, preventing thermal shock and associated breakage while maintaining sufficient structural integrity through the distributed coil configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 apparatus effectively mitigates glass breakage by reducing mechanical stress and thermal impact, improving the strength and integrity of glassware during ion exchange processing, leading to reduced product losses and increased production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

Each ware keeper of the plurality of ware keepers includes a retention body comprising a wire coil circumscribing a glassware receiving volume

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical support: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 2

A lower-most winding of the wire coil of the retention body has a winding diameter that is less than a winding diameter of windings in the remainder of the retention body such that the lower-most winding of the wire coil of the retention body forms a ware stop in the retention body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGeometric constraint: Geometry

Implementation Method 3

The retention body includes a spacer coil extending from the wire coil of the retention body below the ware stop

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical spacing: Geometry

Implementation Method 4

apparatus for holding and retaining glassware during ion exchange processing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon exchange: Ion Exchange

Data Source

PatentEP3164369B1Magazine apparatuses for holding glassware during processing
Publication Date: 2020.01.01 CORNING INC
  • EP3164369B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3164369B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3164369B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for holding may include a plurality of ware keepers for receiving glassware. Each ware keeper may include a retention body comprising a wire coil circumscribing a glassware receiving volume. A lower-most winding of the wire coil forms a ware stop in the retention body. The retention body may include a spacer coil extending from the retention body below the ware stop. A base frame may include a plurality of apertures extending through the base frame. Each of the plurality of ware keepers may be positioned in a corresponding aperture in the base frame such that the retention body of each ware keeper is above a top surface of the base frame and the spacer coil of each ware keeper is below a bottom surface of the base frame.