Patent ID: 8820118
Filing Date: 2014-09-02
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
1. A method of producing a glass ribbon including the steps of: (I) drawing molten glass from a drawing device in a draw direction into a viscous zone located along the drawing direction to form a glass ribbon including opposed edges extending in the draw direction, wherein the opposed edges are spaced apart along a width of the glass ribbon that is transverse to the draw direction; (II) drawing the molten glass from the viscous zone into a setting zone downstream from the viscous zone, wherein the glass ribbon is set from a viscous state to an elastic state; (III) drawing the glass ribbon into an elastic zone downstream from the setting zone wherein a cross sectional profile of the glass ribbon is frozen; (IV) drawing the glass ribbon into a severed zone downstream from the elastic zone wherein distinct glass sheets are formed by severing an upstream portion of the glass ribbon: (V) at least periodically sensing a stress characteristic of the glass ribbon at respective lateral locations along the width of the glass ribbon in the elastic zone and optionally in the severed zone; and (VI) at least periodically changing a transverse temperature profile of the glass ribbon by independently adjusting operation of a plurality of temperature adjustment elements positioned along the width of the glass ribbon in at least one of the viscous zone, the setting zone and the elastic zone, wherein the temperature adjustment elements are independently adjusted based on stress characteristic information obtained during the step (V) of sensing the stress characteristic.