Patent ID: 6990835

Claim:
A process for partial shaping of a flat glass or glass ceramic article, said process comprising the steps of: a) providing an apparatus for the partial shaping of the flat glass or glass ceramic article, said apparatus comprising a planar support plate for receiving and supporting the fist glass or glass ceramic article and at least one shaping die arranged in at least one through-going opening provided in the planar support plate with a predetermined peripheral gap between said at least one shaping die and said planar support plate, so that said at least one shaping die is substantially flush or even with an upper surface of the planar support plate in an initial position and is movable upward from said initial position to at least one predetermined displaced position above the upper surface of the planar support plate; b) placing the flat glass or glass ceramic article on the planar support plate with an entire facing surface of the flat glass or glass ceramic article resting on the planar support plate and over said at least one through-going opening so that a reduced pressure of vacuum produced under the planar support plate draws the flat glass or glass ceramic article down onto the planar support plate; c) producing a low pressure in a space below the planar support plate to hold the flat glass or glass ceramic article fixed on the planar support plate; d) partially heating the flat glass or glass ceramic article in the vicinity of the at least one through-going opening on the planar support plate until at least a part of the flat glass or glass ceramic article softens; e) raising the at least one shaping die provided in the initial position in the at least one through-going shaping opening to the at least one predetermined displaced position into said part of said glass or glass ceramic article softened in the partially heating of step d) at the same time as the producing of the low pressure in said space below the planar support plate; f) subsequently cooling a partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product formed from the glass or glass ceramic article by said partial heating, said producing of said low pressure and said raising of said at least one shaping die; g) withdrawing the at least one shaping die from a solidified portion of the partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product; and h) removing the partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product from the support plate.