Patent ID: 9708209
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: B08B,B26D,B65G,C03B,C03C,Y10T

Claim:
1. A glass tube cleaning and cutting system, comprising: a conveyor configured to convey a glass tube in a direction transverse to a tube axis; a rotator configured to rotate the glass tube about the tube axis of the glass tube while the conveyor conveys the glass tube; a cutting blade configured to impose scratches on an outer circumference surface of an end portion of the glass tube to cut the end portion of the glass tube, while the rotator rotates the glass tube about the tube axis of the glass tube and the conveyor conveys the glass tube in a direction transverse to the tube axis, a temperature changing device adapted to make the cutting blade be at a temperature different from a temperature of the glass tube to impose thermal shock on the outer circumference surface of the end portion of the glass tube while the cutting blade imposes the scratches; and a blower disposed at a location opposing the cutting blade and extending upstream of the cutting blade with respect to the direction in which the conveyor conveys the glass tube, such that the blower is configured to begin blowing air into an opening located at an other end portion of the glass tube that is opposite to the end portion before the cutting blade begins cutting the end portion of the glass tube, and to continue blowing the air into the opening while the cutting blade cuts the end portion of the glass tube.