Patent ID: 8113015
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: C03B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of causing the bow of a vertical glass ribbon produced by a downdraw process comprising: (a) passing the ribbon through a gas-filled vertical enclosure, wherein: (b) producing a difference between a pressure of the first sub-volume and a pressure of the second sub-volume along at least a portion of the length of the enclosure, the pressure of the first sub-volume being greater than the pressure of the second sub-volume, by creating, over a vertical zone along the length of the enclosure, a difference between (i) the average density of gas which is on the first sub-volume side of the ribbon and (ii) the average density of gas which is on the second sub-volume side of the ribbon, the average density on the first sub-volume side of the ribbon being less than the average density on the second sub-volume side of the ribbon; and (c) constraining the edges of the ribbon so as to prevent movement of the edges into the second sub-volume over at least the vertical zone, said positive pressure difference causing bowing of the sheet.