Patent ID: 8387415
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
1. A method for bending a glass sheet, comprising: heating a glass sheet to a temperature capable of bending; gravity preforming the glass sheet by placing the glass sheet heated to the temperature on an inner mold comprising a fixed frame coupled to a movable frame to form a closed pre-forming ring configured to support a peripheral region of the glass sheet such that the glass sheet is preformed by sagging due to a weight of the glass sheet at an inner opening of the pre-forming ring; mechanically preforming the glass sheet by tilting the movable frame of the inner mold about a pivot point which couples the movable frame of the inner mold to an end of the fixed frame of the inner mold; transferring the glass sheet preformed on the inner mold from the inner mold onto a forming ring comprising another fixed frame coupled to another movable frame to form a closed forming ring configured to support a peripheral region of the glass sheet and having an inner space, said transferring comprising passing the inner mold through the inner space of the forming ring such that the glass sheet is moved from a position of placing the glass sheet on the inner mold to a lower position of the forming ring, during which the movable frame of inner mold is tilted for mechanically performing; and pressing the glass sheet supported by the forming ring with a forming mold having a forming plane while bending the glass sheet by tilting the another movable frame of the forming ring about another pivot point which couples the another movable frame to the another fixed frame of the forming ring.