Patent ID: 9624121
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: B65G,C03B,Y02P

Claim:
1. An apparatus for cutting a glass sheet into a desired shape, comprising: a support table operating to support the glass sheet, which is 0.3 mm or less, the glass sheet having a defined and at least partially non-straight cutting line that establishes a closed pattern that circumscribes the desired final shape; a mechanical scoring device operating to score the glass sheet at an initiation line; a laser source operating to apply a laser beam to the glass sheet starting at the initiation line and continuously moving the laser beam relative to the glass sheet along the cutting line to elevate a temperature of the glass sheet at the cutting line to a substantially consistent temperature, where the laser beam is of a circular shape; a source of cooling fluid operating to apply a cooling fluid simultaneously with the application of the laser beam, such that the cooling fluid at least reduces the temperature of the glass sheet in order to propagate a fracture in the glass sheet along the cutting line such that waste glass may be separated from the glass sheet to result in the desired shape, wherein the support table includes: one or more vacuum zones, located within the closed pattern that circumscribes the desired final shape, operating to apply negative fluid pressure and negative fluid flow to the glass sheet and to bias and hold the glass sheet to the support table during application of the laser beam; and one or more sources of support fluid operating to apply the support fluid to one or more respective portions of the glass sheet in proximity to the cutting line, and from a side of the glass sheet opposite to the cooling fluid and the laser beam, to bias the glass sheet away from the table as the laser beam elevates the temperature of the glass, wherein a fluid flow and pressure of the cooling fluid and a fluid flow and pressure of the support fluid are controlled to provide a balanced mechanical support of the glass sheet and cooling of the glass sheet to propagate the fracture of the glass sheet along the cutting line.