METHODS FOR CONTINUOUSLY MANUFACTURING CRYSTALLIZED GLASS CURVED PANELS AND PIPES

Abstract

Methods for continuously manufacturing crystallized glass curved panels and pipes. The crystallized glass flat panel can be reformed by re-heating process. The method includes a reforming bed in the tunnel furnace that helps the flat panel to deform during transition. Three different reforming bed designs and processes are invented to produce convex and concave curved panels and pipes. In producing the pipe, both surfaces of the opening edges of the open pipe will be liquefied to liquid glass, even the pre-existing crystal structure. A roller squeezer will squeeze both edges together tightly, so they will be fusion bonded together. The closed pipe will be crystallized again so the crystals can grow between the bonding edges. The crystallized glass panel are made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2—Al2O3—CaO or SiO2—Al2O3—CaO—ZnO, or alike.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a reforming bed with convex curvature to produce curved panel with concave curvature.

FIG. 2 illustrates a reforming bed with both convex and concave curvature to produce curved panel with convex curvature.

FIG. 3 illustrates a reforming bed with convex curvature and a circular post to produce the closed pipe.

Claims

1. A method of continuously producing crystallized glass curved panel with concave curvature comprising the steps of: Loading; Pre-heating, Reforming, and Shocking.

2. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 1, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO.

3. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 1, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, and ZnO.

4. The loading process claimed in claim 1, wherein said is to place the pre-sized flat panel on the reforming bed with acquired surface face down.

5. The pre-heating process claimed in claim 1, wherein said is to heat the flat panel under temperature below its softening temperature of the type of crystallized glass.

6. The reforming process claimed in claim 1, wherein said is to heat the panel under temperature above its softening temperature and below its crystallizing temperature of the type of crystallized glass, so the flat panel is softening down on the reforming bed.

7. The shocking process claimed in claim 1, wherein said is to raise the temperature quickly above its crystallizing temperature and below its liquefied temperature of the type of crystallized glass and stay for a short period, so the deformed flat panel is completely softened down on the reforming bed.

8. The reforming bed as set forth in claim 1, wherein said comprises the carrying bed in the furnace that changes its curvature from flat to its target curvature convexly and slowly.

9. A method of continuously producing crystallized glass curved panel with convex curvature comprising the steps of: Loading, Pre-heating, Reforming, Transporting, and Shocking.

10. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 9, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, A12O3, and CaO.

11. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 9, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, and ZnO.

12. The loading process claimed in claim 9, wherein said is to place the flat panel on the reforming bed with acquired surface face up.

13. The pre-heating process claimed in claim 9, wherein said is to heat the flat panel under temperature below its softening temperature of the type of crystallized glass.

14. The reforming process claimed in claim 9, wherein said is to heat the flat panel under temperature above its softening temperature and below its crystallizing temperature of the type of crystallized glass, so the flat panel softens down on the reforming bed.

15. The transporting process claimed in claim 9, wherein said is to move the deformed flat panel from the convex bed to the concave bed by a moving mechanism.

16. The shocking process claimed in claim 9, wherein said is to raise the temperature quickly above its crystallizing temperature and below its liquefied temperature of crystallized glass material and stay for a short period, so the deformed flat panel is completely softened down on the reforming bed.

17. The reforming bed as set forth in claim 9, wherein said comprises: a carrying bed (convex bed) that changes its curvature from flat to a curved curvature convexly and slowly where the radius of the curved curvature is less than the radius of the target curvature minus the thickness of the flat panel; a carrying bed (concave bed) with target curvature; a mechanical mechanism that transports the deformed panel from the convex bed to the concave bed; an either mechanical or hydraulic driven pushing pole that pushes the curved panel forward in the concave bed.

18. A method of continuously producing close pipe comprising the steps of: Pre-sizing, Loading, Pre-heating, Reforming, Shocking, Roll-Over, Liquefying, Squeezing, and Crystallizing.

19. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 18, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO.

20. The crystallized glass flat panel claimed in claim 18, wherein said made from crystallizable glass consist essentially of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, and ZnO.

21. The pre-sizing process claimed in claim 18, wherein said to have the width at the bottom of the flat panel equals to the inner diameter of specified pipe multiple π, and the width at the top equals to the outer diameter of the specified pipe multiple π.

22. The loading process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is placed on the reforming bed with acquired surface face down.

23. The pre-heating process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to heat the flat panel under temperature below its softening temperature of the type of crystallized glass.

24. The pushing flat panel claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to push the flat panel from the entrance of the furnace by a mechanical or hydraulic driven pole forward on the reforming bed.

25. The reforming process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to heat the flat panel under temperature above its softening temperature and below its crystallizing temperature of the type of crystallized glass, so the flat panel is softening down on the reforming bed.

26. The shocking process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to raise the temperature quickly above its crystallizing temperature and below its liquefied temperature of crystallized glass material and stay for a short period, so the deformed flat panel is completely softened down on the cylinder post.

27. The roll-over process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to have a mechanical roller that rolls over the deformed panel on the cylinder post from both sides, top to bottom, to form a 3-5 mm open pipe.

28. The liquefying process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to heat both surfaces of the openings of the open pipe at temperature over liquefied temperature, so both the glass structure and crystal structure become liquid glass.

29. The squeezing process claimed in claim 18, wherein said is to have a squeezer that squeezes the two opposing open edges against each other, so both edges will be fusion bonded together to form a closed pipe.

30. The crystallizing process claimed in claim 18, where said is to heat the reformed closed pipe under crystallization temperature, so the crystals can grow between the bonding edges.

31. The reforming bed as set forth in claim 18, wherein said comprises: a carrying bed (convex bed) that changes its curvature from flat to half circle with radius of the pipe; a cylinder post with outer dimension equals to the inner dimension of the pipe; a roller squeezer; and a linear heating element.