Patent ID: 6668589
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
A method of shaping a sheet of glass heated nearly to a softening point thereof with a suction mold including first and second suction chambers having respective first and second shaping surface areas, comprising the steps of:placing the sheet of glass on a ring mold; lowering said suction mold toward said ring mold to an extent that the first shaping surface area approaches the sheet of glass on said ring mold; then shaping the sheet of glass accurately with said suction mold by developing a first vacuum in said first suction chamber at a first time to attract a first area of the sheet of glass against the first shaping surface area to shape the first area of the sheet of glass and then developing a second vacuum in said second suction chamber at a second time to attract a second area of the sheet of glass against the second shaping surface area to shape the second area of the sheet of glass complementary to the first area, said first time being before said second time so that the sheet of glass is successively brought against the first and second shaping surface areas wherein said sheet of glass is bent successively and gradually; and then without further shaping, directly releasing the sheet of glass from the first and second shaping surface areas of the suction mold onto a quenching ring and moving the sheet of glass on the quenching ring to quenching.