Patent Description:
Glass has excellent penetration rate and scratch resistance, so it is widely used in daily life. At present, related glass products can be seen not only in buildings and general daily necessities, but also in electronic appliances and vehicles. It can be seen that the peripheral products of glass have flooded people's lives.

Glass is mostly made through batching, melting, forming, annealing and other processes. After the glass is made, further processing can be performed to improve the functionality of the glass. For example, the annealed glass can be cut to the required size, then the glass is heated by a glass heating furnace to soften the glass, and then the glass is rapidly cooled down by a cooling device, so the temperature of the glass surface is decreased below the annealing temperature for rapid hardening and shrinking. When the inside of the glass shrinks, it will cause a compressive stress on the surface, and the inside of the glass will have a tensile stress, which can increase the strength of the glass to form a so-called strengthened glass.

Generally speaking, the aforementioned cooling device at least includes components, such as, a motor, a wind box, and a plurality of wind outlet structures. The wind box includes air outlets arranged horizontally in an upper row and a lower row on the surface of the wind box, and each of the wind outlet structures is connected to the corresponding air outlets. Between the wind outlet structures arranged in the upper and lower rows, rollers are installed and used to carry the glass. When the motor of the cooling device operates, wind can be generated. The wind can then be passed through the wind outlet structure and blown to the glass on the rollers, so that the glass can be cooled down.

The size of the glass to be performed for the cooling process is different each time, but the conventional cooling device can only output the wind in the whole wind output region every time when it is started. The conventional cooling device and cannot adjust the wind output region according to the glass size and cannot correspondingly adjust the rotating speed of the motor. Therefore, it will result in waste of energy and unnecessary costs.

Regarding conventional techniques of glass tempering and cooling processing, different devices and systems are known. For example, document <CIT> discloses a conventional device for tempering a glass plate, document <CIT> discloses a conventional plate glass tempering cooling system and from document <CIT> a conventional method for tempering glass sheets is known.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an energy-saving wind box and a cooling device that can adjust the wind area according to the size and the position of the glass, and further can correspondingly regulate the output wind power which corresponds to the rotating speed of the motor.

According to one objective of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides an energy-saving wind box for cooling a glass sheet according to claim <NUM>, comprising: a wind box body, wherein an outer surface of the wind box body has a plurality of air outlets, the air outlets are horizontally arranged in an upper row and a lower row, the air outlets in an upper row are arranged respectively opposite to the air outlets in the lower row, and each of the air outlets has a wind hole; a plurality of slot plates, wherein the slot plates are respectively disposed in the wind holes; and a plurality of driving components, wherein each of the driving components is connected to the corresponding slot plate in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate in the upper row, the corresponding two slot plates are controlled by the driving component to pivot to close or open the two corresponding wind holes.

According to the above technical features, the driving component comprises: a base, wherein the base is connected to the outer surface of the wind box body; a cylinder, wherein one end of the cylinder is connected to the base; an adapter, wherein one end of the adapter is connected to another one end of the cylinder, and the other one end of the cylinder is opposite to the end of the cylinder which is connected to the base; a pivot, wherein one end of the pivot is connected to the another one end of the adapter, and the other one end of the adapter is opposite to the end of the adapter which is connected to the cylinder; and a connecting rod, wherein the connecting rod is connected to another one end of the pivot, the other one end of the pivot is opposite to the end of pivot which is connected to the adapter, and two opposite ends of the connecting rod are connected to the corresponding slot plate in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate in the upper row.

According to the above technical features, an inner surface of the wind box body has a plurality of through holes arranged horizontally in the lower row and the upper row, the through holes arranged in the lower row are arranged respectively opposite to the through holes arranged in the upper row, and the through holes are respectively connected to the wind holes; wherein energy-saving wind box further comprises: a lifting structure, wherein the lifting structure is disposed on the inner surface of the wind box body; and a shield plate, wherein the shield plate is connected to the lifting structure, the shield plate is controlled by the lifting structure to rise or descend, so as to close the through holes in the upper row or the through holes in the lower row.

According to the above technical features, the lifting structure comprises: two bracket components, wherein the two bracket components are respectively arranged on an upper part and a lower part of the inner surface of the wind box body; and at least one transmission component, wherein the transmission component comprises two transmission gears and a transmission chain, the two transmission gears are respectively disposed on the two bracket components, and the transmission chain surrounds the two transmission gears and is connected to the shield plate.

According to the above technical features, the energy-saving wind box further comprises: a guide frame, wherein the guide frame is disposed on the inner surface of the wind box body and connected to the shield plate, and the shield plate is controlled by the lifting structure to slide on the guide frame.

According to another objective of the present disclosure, the present disclosure provides a cooling device for cooling a glass sheet according to claim <NUM>, comprising: a motor; an air blower, wherein the air blower is connected to the motor; a first wind supply pipe, wherein one end of the first wind supply pipe is connected to the air blower; the above energy-saving wind box, wherein a wind inlet of the energy-saving wind box is connected to another one end of the first wind supply pipe, and the other one end of the first wind supply pipe is opposite to the end of the first wind supply pipe which is connected to the air blower; a plurality of second wind supply pipes, wherein one end of each of the second wind supply pipes is connected to the corresponding air outlet of the energy-saving wind box; and a plurality of wind outlet structures, wherein each of the wind outlet structures is connected to another one end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe, the other one end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe is opposite to the end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe which is connected to the energy-saving wind box; wherein the motor adjusts a rotating speed according to a number of the opened wind holes of the energy-saving wind box, so as to control the air blower to generate a corresponding wind power, and then the wind power is output by the wind outlet structure.

Based on the above, the present disclosure is mainly based on the arrangement of the slot plates in the wind holes of the outer surface of the wind box body, each slot plate is connected to the corresponding driving component, and the slot plate can be pivoted through the control of the driving component to close or open the corresponding wind hole. Furthermore, the present disclosure can also set a shield plate on the inner surface of the wind box body. The shield plate can be longitudinally displaced under the control of the lifting structure to selectively shield the through holes which are located on the inner surface and communicated with the wind holes. Therefore, the cooling device of the present disclosure can adjust the wind output region according to the size and the position of the glass and can further adjust the rotating speed of the motor according to the number of opened wind holes of the wind box body, so as to achieve energy saving and cost reduction.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following drawings are dedicated for description, and they are schematic and exemplary, being not drawn and precisely allocated in accordance with the actual ratio, thus not limiting the present disclosure.

The energy-saving wind box and cooling device of the present disclosure is applied to glass cooling processing technology. When the glass is heated and softened by a heating furnace, the present disclosure can be used to rapidly cool down the glass and make the glass rapidly harden and shrunken, thereby increasing the strength of the glass. Further, the present disclosure can control the wind output range and region according to the size and the position of the glass, avoiding the output of wind to the region where the glass does not exist, so as to save energy and cost.

Refer to <FIG> are respectively a first through third schematic diagrams of an energy-saving wind box according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the drawings, the energy-saving wind box <NUM> mainly comprises a wind box body <NUM>, slot plates <NUM> and driving components <NUM>. An outer surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM> has a plurality of air outlets <NUM>. The air outlets <NUM> are horizontally arranged in an upper row and a lower row on the outer surface <NUM>, the air outlets <NUM> in an upper row are arranged respectively opposite to the air outlets <NUM> in the lower row, and each of the air outlets <NUM> has a wind hole <NUM>. The air outlet <NUM> is connected to a corresponding one of wind outlet structures <NUM> directly or indirectly. The wind power flow to the wind outlet structure <NUM> via the corresponding wind hole <NUM> of the corresponding air outlet <NUM>. Then through the wind outlet structure <NUM>, the wind power is output to cool down the glass. The main technical feature of the present disclosure is that the slot plates <NUM> are provided in the wind holes <NUM> of the air outlets <NUM>, respectively. Each of the driving components <NUM> is connected to the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row. The corresponding two slot plates <NUM> are controlled by the driving component <NUM> to pivot to close or open the two corresponding wind holes <NUM>. In this way, the corresponding wind hole <NUM> can be opened according to the size and the position of the glass to be cooled down, so that the wind output region can be controlled.

Refer to <FIG> and <FIG>, and <FIG> and <FIG> are respectively a fourth and fifth schematic diagrams of an energy-saving wind box according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, the driving component <NUM> comprises a base <NUM>, a cylinder <NUM>, an adapter <NUM>, a pivot <NUM> and a connecting rod <NUM>. The base <NUM> is connected to the outer surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM>. One end of the cylinder <NUM> is connected to the base <NUM>. One end of the adapter <NUM> is connected to another one end of the cylinder <NUM>, and the other one end of the cylinder <NUM> is opposite to the end of the cylinder <NUM> which is connected to the base <NUM>. One end of the pivot <NUM> is connected to the other one end of the adapter <NUM>, wherein said other one end of the adapter <NUM> is opposite to the end of the adapter <NUM> which is connected to the cylinder <NUM>. The connecting rod <NUM> is connected to another one end of the pivot <NUM>, the other one end of the pivot <NUM> is opposite to the end of pivot <NUM> which is connected to the adapter <NUM>, and two opposite ends of the connecting rod <NUM> are connected to the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row. When the cylinder <NUM> activates, the pivot <NUM> pivots to drive the connecting rod <NUM>, and the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate <NUM> in the upper row can rotate by the power transmission of the connecting rod <NUM>. When the maximal surface of the slot plate <NUM> is parallel to the output wind direction of the wind hole <NUM>, the wind hole <NUM> is opened, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. When the maximal surface of the slot plate <NUM> is vertical to the output wind direction of the wind hole <NUM>, the wind hole <NUM> is closed as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

Refer to <FIG> is a sixth schematic diagram of an energy-saving wind box according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in the drawings, in one embodiment, when the size of the glass B to be cooled down on the rollers A is detected by human judgment or the device automatically, the energy-saving wind box <NUM> of the present disclosure opens the corresponding wind holes <NUM> according to the dimension and the position of the glass B, and the wind holes which correspond to the non-existence region of the glass B are closed. In this way, only the wind outlet structures <NUM> which correspond to the position of the glass B output the wind power, so that the cooling operation can be completed with the most energy saving.

Refer to <FIG> are respectively a first through third schematic diagrams of an energy-saving wind box according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The energy-saving wind box <NUM> in the second embodiment has the components of the energy-saving wind box <NUM> in the first embodiment, and further comprises a lifting structure <NUM>, a shield plate <NUM> and at least one guide frame <NUM>. The inner surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM> has a plurality of through holes <NUM> arranged horizontally in the lower row and the upper row, the through holes <NUM> arranged in the lower row are arranged respectively opposite to the through holes <NUM> arranged in the upper row, and the through holes <NUM> are respectively connected to the wind holes <NUM>. The lifting structure <NUM> is disposed on the inner surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM>. The shield plate <NUM> is connected to the lifting structure <NUM>. The guide frame <NUM> is disposed on the inner surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM> and connected to the shield plate <NUM>, and the shield plate <NUM> is controlled by the lifting structure <NUM> to slide on the guide frame <NUM>, so that the shield plate can rise or descend. The through holes <NUM> in the upper row or the lower row can be closed by the shield plate <NUM> according to the requirements, so that the wind power can only be output from the wind holes <NUM> in the upper row or the lower row. Further, the guide frame <NUM> has a position limiting function.

According to the above description, specifically, the lifting structure <NUM> comprises two bracket components <NUM> and at least one transmission component <NUM>. The two bracket components <NUM> are respectively arranged on an upper part and a lower part of the inner surface <NUM> of the wind box body <NUM>. The transmission component <NUM> has two transmission gears <NUM> and a transmission chain <NUM>. The two transmission gears <NUM> are respectively disposed on the two bracket components <NUM>, and the transmission chain <NUM> surrounds the two transmission gears <NUM> and is connected to the shield plate <NUM>. When at least one of the two bracket components <NUM> rotates, the transmission chain <NUM> can be driven by the transmission gears <NUM>, and then the longitudinal position of the shield plate <NUM> can be changed through the transmission chain <NUM>.

Reference is now made to <FIG>, which is a schematic diagram of a cooling device of the present disclosure. As shown in the drawing, the cooling device at least comprises a motor <NUM>, an air blower <NUM>, a first wind supply pipe <NUM>, the energy-saving wind box <NUM> of the first or second embodiment, second wind supply pipes <NUM> and wind outlet structures <NUM>. The air blower <NUM> is connected to the motor <NUM>. One end of the first wind supply pipe <NUM> is connected to the air blower <NUM>. A wind inlet of the energy-saving wind box <NUM> is connected to another one end of the first wind supply pipe <NUM>, and the other one end of the first wind supply pipe <NUM> is opposite to the end of the first wind supply pipe <NUM> which is connected to the air blower <NUM>. One end of each of the second wind supply pipes <NUM> is connected to the corresponding air outlet <NUM> of the energy-saving wind box <NUM>. Each of the wind outlet structures <NUM> is connected to another one end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe <NUM>, the other one end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe <NUM> is opposite to the end of the corresponding second wind supply pipe <NUM> which is connected to the energy-saving wind box <NUM>. The motor <NUM> adjusts a rotating speed according to a number of the opened wind holes <NUM> of the energy-saving wind box <NUM>, so as to control the air blower <NUM> to generate a corresponding wind power, and then the wind power is output by the wind outlet structure <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An energy-saving wind box for cooling a glass sheet, wherein the energy-saving wind box comprises:
a wind box body (<NUM>), wherein an outer surface (<NUM>) of the wind box body (<NUM>) has a plurality of air outlets (<NUM>), the air outlets (<NUM>) are horizontally arranged in an upper row and a lower row, the air outlets (<NUM>) in an upper row are arranged respectively opposite to the air outlets (<NUM>) in the lower row, and each of the air outlets (<NUM>) has a wind hole (<NUM>);
a plurality of slot plates (<NUM>), wherein the slot plates (<NUM>) are respectively disposed in the wind holes (<NUM>); and characterized in that it further comprises
a plurality of driving components (<NUM>), wherein each of the driving components (<NUM>) is connected to the corresponding slot plate (<NUM>) in the upper row and the corresponding slot plate (<NUM>) in the lower row which is arranged opposite to the corresponding slot plate (<NUM>) in the upper row, the corresponding two slot plates (<NUM>) are controlled by the driving component (<NUM>) to pivot to close or open the two corresponding wind holes (<NUM>).