Patent ID: 6363753
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
A curved glass manufacturing apparatus comprising:at least one roll-forming unit composed of at least one upper forming roll mechanism and at least one lower forming roll mechanism cooperating with said upper forming roll mechanism to form a heated flat glass sheet into a curved glass sheet of a desired curvature, each of said upper and lower forming roll mechanisms including a forming roll having a resilient rod covered with a cover member except opposite end portions thereof, a pair of support members rotatably supporting said opposite end portions of said resilient rod while allowing said resilient rod to tilt about said support members, a bending unit coupled with at least one of said opposite end portions of said resilient rod for applying to said at least one end portion an external force tending to flex said forming roll into either an upwardly arched configuration or a downwardly arched configuration, and at least one backup roller unit being in rolling engagement with said forming roll to maintain the arched configuration of said forming roll.