Patent ID: 6877341

Claim:
A method for removing scratches from a planar panel of a translucent or transparent material, comprising the step of controllably heating with a substantially linear heat source to produce a relatively thin, substantially linear flame; wherein said relatively thin, substantially linear flame is progressively applied across a band of at least a local region of a top surface of the panel so as to melt a relatively thin surface layer of the material in the at least local region, wherein the melted material re-flows and smoothes at least a local region of the top surface of the panel; wherein said substantially linear heat source comprises a burner nozzle for generating a slot of burning premixed fuel mixture about 1 to about 10 mm in width and wherein the premixed fuel mixture comprises a fuel and oxygen; and wherein both the planar panel and the slot of burning premixed fuel mixture are substantially vertically oriented, and the step of controllably heating comprises: a) moving the burner nozzle over the top surface of planar panel at a substantially uniform velocity along a path of movement substantially perpendicular to the length of the slot; b) controlling the distance between the burner nozzle and the top surface of the planar panel; c) selecting the fuel used in the premixed fuel mixture; d) controlling the fuel to oxygen mixing ratio; e) controlling the flow rate of the fuel; and f) controlling the tilt, if any, of the planar panel away from an upper end of the slot of the burning fuel mixture.