PACKAGED GLASS PARTS

Abstract

A packaging assembly includes: a packaging, which is flexible; and a plurality of glass parts having a tubular-shaped geometry or a rod-shaped geometry, the plurality of glass parts including a glass and being enclosed in the packaging while being in mutual contact with one another, the packaging exerting a pressure on the plurality of glass parts such that the packaging clings to the plurality of glass parts so that the plurality of glass parts are pressed onto one another and secured against relative movement with respect to one another.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This claims priority to European patent application no. 22191087.0, filed Aug. 18, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to packaged glass parts, and, more particularly, to precision glass parts, having a tubular or rod-shaped geometry.

2. Description of the Related Art

Glass parts, in particular precision glass parts, for example capillary tubes, which may be used for instance to produce pressure sensors, are sometimes packaged in large batches and are therefore in principle exposed to a risk of damage due to mutual contact.

At the same time, however, such precision glass parts are sometimes subject to stringent quality requirements. In particular, it is thus often sought to avoid or reduce the frequency and the extent of eruptions, shelling, scratches, impurities, particle adhesions and other damage to the surfaces and edges.

For this purpose, quality standards may be monitored and logged during production, finishing and packaging in the scope of suitable processes, so that corresponding specifications may in principle be controlled and optimized so long as the processes lie within the field of the manufacturer. An additional risk of damage may, however, moreover occur due to subsequent transport operations, in particular those outside the control of the manufacturer, for example to the recipient of the packaged glass parts.

Against this background, what is needed in the art are packaged glass parts such that the frequency and the extent of damage to the glass parts, in particular damage which is due to mutual contact of the glass parts, during transport operations is minimized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose, the present invention provides packaged glass parts, in particular precision glass parts, having a tubular or rod-shaped geometry, wherein a multiplicity of glass parts including glass are enclosed in a flexible packaging while being in mutual contact with one another, and wherein the packaging exerts a pressure on the glass parts so that the glass parts are pressed onto one another and secured against relative movements with respect to one another.

In this way, damage to the glass parts, in particular due to relative movements of the glass parts with respect to one another, is advantageously avoided or reduced.

The pressure exerted by the packaging on the glass parts is, in particular, due to a reduced pressure prevailing in the flexible packaging such that the packaging clings to the glass parts, so that the glass parts are pressed onto one another.

In principle, the present invention is suitable in particular for a large number of glass parts which are in mutual contact.

The multiplicity may in particular include at least 100 glass parts, optionally include at least 1000 glass parts, optionally include at least 10,000 glass parts.

Optionally, however, the multiplicity of glass parts includes fewer than 300,000 glass parts.

The glass parts may be arranged in the packaging without order, in particular randomly. In this way, in particular, the process of packaging or filling the packaging with the glass parts may be facilitated.

The glass parts pressed onto one another in the packaging may have a density which lies between 0.5 kg/l and 2 kg/l, optionally lies between 0.75 kg/l and 1.75 kg/l, optionally lies between 1 kg/l and 1.5 kg/l.

The packaged multiplicity of glass parts optionally has a weight of less than 3 kg, optionally less than 2 kg. Furthermore, the packaged multiplicity of glass parts optionally has a volume of less than 21, optionally less than 1.51.

The flexible packaging inside which the glass parts are enclosed is optionally configured as a bag and/or includes two opposing flexible films, which in particular are connected at the edge by one or more weld seams, the width of the weld seam in particular being at least 0.5 mm, optionally being at least 1 mm, particularly optionally being at least 1.5 mm, or even 2.5 mm plus or minus 5 mm.

The flexible packaging, in particular the flexible films, have in particular a thickness which lies between 0.02 mm and 2 mm, optionally lies between 0.05 mm and 1 mm, particularly optionally lies between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

In the event that a reduced pressure prevails in the flexible packaging in order to press the glass parts onto one another, this reduced pressure which prevails in the packaging is in particular at least 0.05 bar, optionally at least 0.1 bar, optionally at least 0.15 bar, optionally at least 0.2 bar.

As an alternative or in addition to a reduced pressure which prevails in the packaging, a compressible material which exerts a contact pressure on the neighboring glass parts may, for example, also be arranged inside and/or outside the packaging. Such a compressible material may, for example, include foam.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible packaging, in particular the flexible films, include or consist of plastic. For example, the packaging and/or the flexible films may include or consist of polyethylene.

The glass parts pressed onto one another in the packaging, that is to say the packaged glass parts, may define a maximum first measurement along a first dimension X1 and may define a maximum second measurement along a second dimension X2 perpendicular to the first dimension, the ratio of the first measurement to the second measurement being between 1 and 10, optionally being between 1.5 and 5, optionally being between 2.5 and 3.5.

The measurement of the packaged glass parts, that is to say of the packaging including the glass parts, along the first dimension may for example be less than 500 mm.

The measurement of the packaged glass parts, that is to say of the packaging including the glass parts, along the first dimension may in particular be greater than the measurement of the packaging along the second dimension, for example at least by a factor of 2.5.

In other words, the packaged glass parts may have a flat shape, wherein the measurement along the third dimension X3 of the packaged glass parts, that is to say of the packaging including the glass parts, may for example be less than 150 mm.

Despite an optionally random arrangement of the glass parts in the packaging as described above, it may be provided that, in the case of an elongate geometry of the glass parts, the glass parts occupy an optional direction in the packaging, having in particular a flat shape. The optional direction may in particular extend transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the third dimension of the packaging.

As described, the glass parts which are enclosed in the packaging may be glass parts that are configured tubularly or in the shape of a rod, which may for instance be produced by cutting to length.

It may accordingly be provided that the glass parts respectively have one or more processed positions, in particular processed ends, the processed positions optionally including a sawn, cut, ground, frosted and/or polished face, in particular including a face sawn with a diamond saw.

The processed positions may furthermore optionally include an edge which is formed with sharp edges by a right angle.

In one optional embodiment, the glass parts respectively have a cross section Q which remains the same along a first dimension D1 or remains the same at least along 50 percent of the length L1 of the glass part along the first dimension D1, optionally remains the same along 90 percent of the length L1 of the glass part along the first dimension D1.

The glass parts may respectively have an elongate geometry along a first dimension D1, optionally have a tubular or rod-shaped geometry along a first dimension D1.

The glass parts may in particular respectively have a rotationally symmetrical geometry about a first dimension D1.

The glass parts may, for example, be configured as tube sections and/or as rod sections.

In one optional embodiment, it is provided that the glass parts respectively have a measurement L1 along a first dimension D1 which is between 0.2 mm and 35 mm, optionally is between 0.2 mm and 20 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 20 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 10 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 5 mm.

In the case of tube sections, a measurement L1 in the range of from 1 mm to 20 mm may be provided, optionally in the range of from 1 mm to 5 mm may be provided.

In the case of rod sections, a measurement L1 in the range of from 0.2 mm to 20 mm may be provided, optionally in the range of from 1 mm to 10 mm may be provided.

The glass parts may respectively have a measurement L2 along a second dimension D2, in particular respectively a diameter L2, which is between 0.5 mm and 150 mm, optionally is between 0.5 mm and 20 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 20 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 15 mm, optionally is between 1 mm and 5 mm, the second dimension D2 extending in particular perpendicularly to the first dimension D1.

In the case of tube sections, a measurement L2 in the range of from 0.5 mm to 20 mm may be provided, optionally in the range of from 1 mm to 5 mm may be provided.

In the case of rod sections, a measurement L2 in the range of from 1 mm to 150 mm may be provided, optionally in the range of from 1 mm to 15 mm may be provided.

The glass parts may respectively have a wall thickness d, in particular a lateral wall thickness d of a tube, which is between 0.1 mm and 10 mm, optionally is between 0.15 mm and 9 mm, particularly optionally is between 0.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

Regardless of the specific shape of the glass parts, they may respectively define a smallest possible bounding box H having a first edge length L1, a second edge length L2 and a third edge length L3.

In this case, the ratio of the first edge length L1 to the second edge length L2 may be between 0.5 and 30, or be between 3 and 30, or be between 4 and 15, or be between 5 and 10, optionally be between 1 and 15, optionally be between 1.5 and 10, optionally be between 2 and 5.

In the case of tube sections, for example, 20 mm×20 mm may be provided. In the case of rod sections, for example, 20 mm×150 mm may be provided.

The ratio of the second edge length L2 to the third edge length L3 may be between 0.5 and 2, or be between 0.75 and 1.25, optionally be between 0.9 and 1.1, particularly optionally be 1.

In the case of tube sections, for example, 20 mm×20 mm may be provided. In the case of rod sections, for example, 150 mm×150 mm may be provided.

The ratio of the second edge length L2 to the wall thickness d, in particular of tubular glass parts, may be between 0.05 and 3.4, optionally be between 0.1 and 2.8, optionally be between 0.4 and 2.4.

In principle, it may be optional for the multiplicity of the glass parts enclosed in the packaging to be configured identically or similarly.

For example, all of the packaged glass parts may be configured as tube sections or all of the packaged glass parts may be configured as rod sections.

There may, however, also be geometry variations. In this case, for each glass part, the deviation of the measurement L1 along the first dimension D1 may optionally be less than 1.0 percent from the median. As an alternative or in addition, for each glass part, the deviation of the measurement L2 along the second dimension D2 may be less than 2 percent from the median. As an alternative or in addition, for each glass part, the deviation of the wall thickness d may be less than 5 percent from the median.

One advantage of the present invention is that damage to the surfaces or edges of the glass parts, in particular eruptions, are reduced or avoided.

The present invention is particularly suitable for glass parts which have high quality standards, in particular even before an optionally provided transport operation.

It may be provided that, of all the glass parts enclosed in the packaging, fewer than 50%, optionally fewer than 25%, optionally fewer than 15%, have damage, in particular an eruption, which has a greatest measurement that is more than 0.035 mm.

The glass parts may respectively have a lateral face and two end faces, the end faces being in particular formed by the processed positions.

It may in this case be provided that, of all the glass parts enclosed in the packaging, optionally fewer than 50%, optionally fewer than 25%, optionally fewer than 15%, have damage, in particular an eruption, on the lateral face which has a greatest measurement that is more than 0.035 mm.

It may furthermore be provided that, of all the glass parts enclosed in the packaging, optionally fewer than 50%, optionally fewer than 25%, optionally fewer than 15%, have damage, in particular an eruption, on the end faces which has a greatest measurement that is more than 0.035 mm.

The present invention makes it possible, in particular, that the glass parts still correspond to stringent quality standards even after a transport operation.

Accordingly, it may be provided that the fewer than 50%, particularly optionally fewer than 25%, even more optionally fewer than 15% of the glass parts enclosed by all in the packaging which have damage, in particular an eruption, for example on the lateral face and/or on the end faces, are present after transport, in particular by truck and/or ship and/or aircraft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a multiplicity of tubular glass parts which are enclosed in a packaging while being in mutual contact with one another;

FIGS. 2-3 show an exemplary tubular glass part having a lateral face and two end faces;

FIGS. 4-5 show measurement results for glass parts packaged according to the present invention, relating to the percentage fraction of the multiplicity of the glass parts in the packaging which have damage on the lateral face (FIG. 4) and respectively on the end faces (FIG. 5), before or after the transport; and

FIGS. 6-7 show as a comparative example measurement results for glass parts packaged only in casings and/or packets, relating to the percentage fraction of the multiplicity of the glass parts in the packaging which have damage on the lateral face (FIG. 6) and respectively on the end faces (FIG. 7), before or after the transport.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one embodiment of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a multiplicity of glass parts 10, in this case configured tubularly, which are enclosed in a flexible vacuum packaging 20. The packaging has a front film and a rear film, which are connected to one another at edge regions by way of weld seams 22.

As a result of a reduced pressure prevailing in the packaging 20, the packaging 20, or the front and rear films of the packaging, clings to the glass parts 10 so that the glass parts 10 are pressed onto one another and secured against relative movements with respect to one another.

The packaging in this case has a flat shape, such that the packaging has a significantly greater measurement along the first dimension X1 than along the second dimension X2 and/or along the third dimension X3. In the present case, the measurement along the dimension X1 is greater by more than a factor of 2.5 than the measurement along the dimension X2 and furthermore also greater by more than a factor of 3 than the measurement along the dimension X3.

The elongate glass parts are arranged randomly in the packaging. In particular, the longest length L1 of the glass parts is therefore oriented randomly. There is however an optional direction, which extends in the plane X1-X2.

FIGS. 2-3 again show the glass parts enclosed in the packaging in detail. In this example, they are tubular glass parts 10, in particular tube sections, having a length L1 and a diameter L2 (or L3), which therefore define a bounding box H that has a square end face L2-L3.

In general, it may be provided that they are elongate glass parts 10, which as represented are sawn along their length L1 and therefore have two opposite end faces 20, which are connected to one another by a lateral face 18.

The glass parts 10 therefore have opposite processed ends 12, which respectively define a sawn face 14. In the present example, they are tube sections having a wall thickness d. Rod sections, or other shapes, are however also possible.

FIGS. 4-5 show measurement results for glass parts which are packaged according to FIG. 1. The measurement results show the percentage fraction of those glass parts in the packaging which have damage on the lateral face (FIG. 4) or on the end faces (FIG. 5) before or after transport, the transport being simulated in particular by a shaking test in the present case.

As may be seen with the aid of FIGS. 4-5, before the transport, more than 50% of the glass parts have only minimal damage on the lateral face (FIG. 4) or on the end face (FIG. 5), for instance minimal eruptions, namely ones whose greatest measurement is less than or equal to 0.035 mm (category A). Only fewer than 10% of the glass parts have damage whose greatest measurement is more than 0.035 mm but less than or equal to 0.070 mm (category B). The same applies for damage in categories C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K.

After the transport (or shaking test), the proportion of damage in category A decreases slightly, while the proportion of damage, particularly in categories H-K, increases slightly. Nevertheless, only fewer than 10% of the glass parts still have in each case damage in category B. The same applies for damage in categories C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K, with the exception that damage in category H on the lateral face exists for 11% of the glass parts.

FIGS. 6-7 show, as comparative examples, corresponding measurement results for glass parts packaged only in casings and/or packets, that is to say in particular without contact pressure and/or reduced pressure, which are therefore not secured against relative movements.

As may be seen, after the transport (or shaking test) the proportion of minimal damage in category A decreases significantly here, while the proportion of damage, particularly in categories H-K, and more particularly in category K (that is to say more than 0.35 mm), increases significantly.

Overall, it is thereby seen that the glass parts packaged according to the invention advantageously have significantly reduced damage to the glass parts, in particular due to relative movements of the glass parts with respect to one another.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A packaging assembly, the packaging assembly including a plurality of glass parts having a tubular-shaped geometry or a rod-shaped geometry, the packaging assembly comprising: a packaging, which is flexible; andthe plurality of glass parts having the tubular-shaped geometry or the rod-shaped geometry, the plurality of glass parts including a glass and being enclosed in the packaging while being in mutual contact with one another, the packaging exerting a pressure on the plurality of glass parts such that the packaging clings to the plurality of glass parts so that the plurality of glass parts are pressed onto one another and secured against relative movement with respect to one another.

2. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: (a) the plurality of glass parts includes at least 100 glass parts;(b) the plurality of glass parts are arranged in the packaging without order; and(c) the plurality of glass parts are pressed onto one another in the packaging with a density which lies between 0.5 kg/l and 2 kg/l.

3. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the packaging at least one of: (a) is configured as a bag; and(b) includes two flexible films which oppose one another and are connected to one another.

4. The packaging assembly according to claim 3, wherein the two flexible films are connected at an edge of the package by at least one weld seam, which is at least 0.5 mm.

5. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the packaging has a thickness which lies between 0.02 mm and 2 mm.

6. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pressure that the packaging exerts on the plurality of glass parts is reduced and is at least 0.05 bar.

7. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the packaging comprises or consists of plastic.

8. The packaging assembly according to claim 7, wherein the plastic is polyethylene.

9. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of glass parts pressed onto one another in the packaging define a maximum first measurement along a first dimension and define a maximum second measurement along a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, wherein the ratio of the first measurement to the second measurement is between 1 and 10.

10. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of glass parts respectively include at least one processed position.

11. The packaging assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one processed position is at least one processed end, wherein at least one of: (a) the at least one processed position includes at least one of a sawn face, a cut face, a ground face, a frosted face, and a polished face; and(b) the at least one processed position includes an edge which is formed with at least one sharp edge by a right angle.

12. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: (a) the plurality of glass parts respectively include a cross-section which remains the same along a first dimension or remains the same along at least 50 percent of a first length of a respective one of the plurality of glass parts along the first dimension;(b) the plurality of glass parts respectively have an elongate geometry along a first dimension; and(c) the plurality of glass parts respectively have a rotationally symmetrical geometry about a first dimension.

13. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of glass parts at least one of: (a) respectively have a first measurement along a first dimension which is between 0.2 mm and 35 mm;(b) respectively have a second measurement along a second dimension, which is between 0.5 mm and 150 mm; and(c) respectively have a wall thickness, which is between 0.1 mm and 10 mm.

14. The packaging assembly according to claim 13, wherein, regarding (b), the second dimension is a diameter and extends perpendicularly to the first dimension, and wherein, regarding (c), the wall thickness is a lateral wall thickness of a tube.

15. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of glass parts respectively define a smallest possible bounding box having a first edge length, a second edge length, and a third edge length, and respectively have a wall thickness, and wherein at least one of: (a) a ratio of the first edge length to the second edge length is between 0.5 and 30;(b) a ratio of the second edge length to the third edge length is between 0.5 and 2; and(c) a ratio of the second edge length to the wall thickness is between 0.05 and 3.4.

16. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: (a) the plurality of glass parts are configured identically;(b) for each one of the plurality of glass parts, a deviation of a first measurement along a first dimension is less than 1 percent from a median;(c) for each one of the plurality of glass parts, a deviation of a second measurement along a second dimension is less than 2 percent from a median; and(d) for each one of the plurality of glass parts, a deviation of a wall thickness is less than 5 percent from a median.

17. The packaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: (a) of all the plurality of glass parts enclosed in the packaging, fewer than 50% have damage; and(b) the plurality of glass parts respectively include a lateral face and two end faces.

18. The packaging assembly according to claim 17, wherein at least one of: (a) the damage is formed as an eruption which has a greatest measurement that is more than 0.035 mm; and(b) the plurality of glass parts respectively include two processed positions which are formed by the two end faces.

19. The packaging assembly according to claim 17, wherein the fewer than 50% of the plurality of glass parts which are enclosed in the packaging and which have damage are present after at least one of transport and a shaking test.

20. The package assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of glass parts are a plurality of precision glass parts.