TWI567034B - Apparatus for shaping glass substrate - Google Patents

Description

Device for shaping a glass substrate

Cross-references to related applications

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0128537, filed on Oct. 28, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate, and more particularly to an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate by continuously shaping a region of a planar area and forming a curved surface region The other area or the surrounding area can shape the glass substrate to have a three-dimensional (3D) shape while reducing its quality or appearance defects.

In order to shape three-dimensional (3D) glass products for use in information technology (IT) devices and display devices, three main methods are currently used. However, the methods currently used have limitations depending on their characteristics.

For example, when the design of the product is complicated or the shape of the product changes significantly in the restricted area, the method of forming a three-dimensional shape using a vacuum faces difficulties in shaping the product to have a desired shape. In addition, the use of two molds, the upper mold and the lower mold, can achieve a rather complex shape compared to the vacuum method. shape. However, since the upper mold and the lower mold need to be used together, a long cycle time is required to raise the temperature of the glass substrate located in the mold to a temperature level at which the glass substrate is deformable. In particular, it is obviously difficult to load and shape the glass substrate in the shaping method in which the upper mold and the lower mold are used in this way, in the case where the product design has an asymmetrical structure. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve such a shape. Furthermore, the shaping method using pressure is advantageous in terms of shaping or cycle time compared to the two shaping methods mentioned above. However, it is difficult to accurately maintain the alignment between the upper mold and the lower mold in the high temperature environment of the shaped region. When the alignment is shifted a little, defects such as scuff or dimensional quality may occur.

The information disclosed in the background of the prior art is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the invention, and is not to be construed as a limitation of the prior art.

Prior technical document

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application (Patent Publication) No. 1994-144845 (May 24, 1994).

Various aspects of the present invention provide an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate which is reduced in quality or appearance defects by continuously shaping a region as a planar region and forming another region or a surrounding region of the curved region. Next, the glass substrate can be shaped to have a three-dimensional shape.

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate, comprising: a molding furnace chamber; an upper mold disposed inside the molding furnace; and a shaped portion on one surface thereof A lower mold on which a glass substrate is loaded. When the upper mold When pressed to the glass substrate, the lower mold supports the glass substrate to be deformed according to the shape of the shaped portion. The upper mold includes at least one first partition portion and at least one second partition portion, the second partition portion being movable upward and downwardly movable independently of the first partition portion, and the first partition portion and the second partition portion Each of the regions of the glass substrate and the other region are sequentially pressed.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the upper mold may include: a core portion (first partition portion) disposed inside the molding furnace chamber such that the core portion is movable upward and downwardly movable, wherein when the core portion is downward When moving, the core portion is pressed to an area of the glass substrate; and the side portion (second partition portion) is mounted such that the side portion is movable upward and downward by the core portion, wherein the side portion is downward When moving, the side portion is pressed to the entire other area or part of the other area of the glass substrate.

A region of the glass substrate can be planar after being shaped, and another region of the glass substrate can be curved for the surrounding region of the region and after being shaped.

After the core portion is in close contact with a region of the glass substrate, the side portion can be moved downward.

The side portion may be in close contact with the side portion of the core portion or be separated from the side portion of the core portion.

The shaped portion may have a concave structure with at least one wall surface being a curved surface.

Herein, the shaped portion may have a concave shape. The size of the recess is set such that when the core portion and the side portion move downward, the recess can receive the core portion and the side portion therein.

The shaped portion may have a convex structure with at least one wall surface being a curved surface.

Herein, the core portion may be disposed to face the shaped portion, and the region of the shaped portion corresponds to a region of the glass substrate. The side portion may be disposed to face another area of the glass substrate.

Additionally, the apparatus can include a plurality of lower molds, a plurality of lower molds can be transported within the shaping furnace chamber, and each of the plurality of lower molds can be continuously provided to the contoured position.

The apparatus may further comprise a conveyor belt disposed within the interior of the shaping furnace. The conveyor belt is configured to transport a plurality of lower dies.

The upper mold can be movable upwards and downwards only at the contoured position.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper mold is divided into a core portion for pressing to a region of the glass substrate, the region of the glass substrate being planar after shaping is completed; and another region for applying pressure to the glass substrate Or the side portion of the surrounding area, another area of the glass substrate or the surrounding area becomes curved after the shaping is completed. Therefore, when the shaped glass substrate has a three-dimensional shape, that is, at least one of the four surrounding portions of the shaped glass substrate is curved, it is possible to apply pressure and shape the central region of the glass substrate and the continuous pressing and The surrounding area of the glass substrate is shaped so that the glass substrate can be shaped while reducing the quality of the glass substrate or the appearance defects.

The features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings in the claims. Description.

100‧‧‧ Equipment

110‧‧‧Shaping furnace room

111‧‧‧Conveyor belt

112‧‧‧heater

120, 220‧‧‧Upper mold

121, 221‧‧‧ core part

122, 222‧‧‧ side section

130, 230‧‧‧ lower mold

131, 231‧‧‧ shaping section

G‧‧‧glass substrate

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 2 to 4 are diagrams for molding according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A schematic cross-sectional view of the operation of the upper and lower molds of the apparatus for forming a glass substrate; and FIGS. 5 to 7 are diagrams showing the apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A schematic cross-sectional view of the operation of the mold and the lower mold.

Reference will now be made in detail to an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate in accordance with the present invention, the embodiments of which are illustrated in the drawings and the following description so that those of ordinary skill in the art can readily The invention is put into practice.

Throughout the document, reference should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals and Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and components incorporated herein will be omitted in the following description of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 for shaping a glass substrate according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a device that has a flat-plate shaped glass substrate G to have a three-dimensional (3D) shape, that is, plastic. At least one of the four surrounding portions of the glass substrate G becomes curved. The apparatus 100 for shaping a glass substrate includes a shaping furnace 110, an upper mold 120, and a lower mold 130.

The shaping furnace chamber 110 is a device for heating the temperature at which the glass substrate G to be shaped to the glass substrate G can be shaped. The shaping furnace chamber 110 provides a process in which the space is used to shape the glass substrate G. In this regard, the shaping furnace chamber 110 has an inlet (not shown) on one side thereof and an outlet (not shown) on the other side thereof, through which the glass substrate G is loaded into the molding furnace chamber and from the shaping The furnace chamber 110 releases the glass substrate G. Further, the upper mold 120 and the lower mold 130 are disposed inside the molding furnace chamber 110. According to this exemplary embodiment, the process of shaping the glass substrate G can be performed in a line in-line. For this, as shown in FIG. 1, a conveyor belt 111 is disposed at the bottom of the molding furnace chamber 110 to transport a plurality of lower molds 130. However, this is only an embodiment, and the invention is not limited thereto. Conversely, the shaping process can be performed using a rotary system or in a batch process.

In addition, a heater 112 such as a heating element is disposed inside the molding furnace chamber 110 in a direction in which the lower mold 130 is conveyed. The heater 112 acts to heat the glass substrate G loaded onto the lower mold 130 to the temperature at which the glass substrate G can be shaped. As illustrated in the drawings, according to this exemplary embodiment, only the upper mold 120 is fixedly disposed inside the molding furnace chamber 110, and the lower mold 130 is disposed to be movable so that the lower mold 130 can be shaped. The conveyor belt 111 in the furnace chamber 110 is transported.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the upper mold 120 is disposed inside the molding furnace chamber 110. When the lower mold 130 having a glass substrate G loaded thereon is aligned under the upper mold 120 by being conveyed on the conveyor belt 111, the upper mold 120 and the lower mold 130 are actuated to shape the glass having a flat plate shape. The substrate G has a three-dimensional shape, that is, at least one of the four surrounding portions of the molded glass substrate G to be curved. The upper mold 120 has two partitions according to this exemplary embodiment. That is, the upper mold 120 includes a first partition portion and a second partition portion such as the core portion 121 and the side portion 122.

The core portion 121 is disposed inside the molding furnace chamber 110 such that the core portion 121 is movable upward and downward. When the lower mold 130 is aligned under the upper mold 120, the core portion 121 is moved downward to apply pressure to a predetermined area of the glass substrate G, that is, a central area of the glass substrate G which is planar after being shaped. After the shaping of the glass substrate G is completed, the core portion 121 moves upward in the direction toward the apex, and the lower mold 130 having the molded glass substrate G loaded thereon may be along the exit toward the molding furnace chamber 110 (not shown) The direction of the transfer is carried out on the conveyor belt 111, and another lower mold 130 having another glass substrate G to be molded thereon is aligned under the upper mold 120 by being conveyed on the conveyor belt 111.

Additionally, the side portions 122 are positioned by the core portion 121. The upper mold 120 continuously performs the first downward movement and the second downward movement from the initial state. The side portion 122 is positioned higher than the core portion 121 in the initial state. In the first downward movement, the side portion 122 moves downward together with the core portion 121. However, in the second downward movement, the side portion 122 moves downward on the side of the core portion 121 independently of the core portion 121. Thus, the upper mold 120 performs a two-step downward movement, namely a first downward movement by the core portion 121 and the side portion 122 and a second downward movement by the side portion 122. The side portion 122 can be coupled to the core portion 121 such that the side portion 122 is movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the core portion 121. The side portion 122 is pressed to all the regions or partial regions surrounding the central region of the glass substrate G having the pressure applied thereto by the core portion 121, that is, the peripheral region of the glass substrate G. As illustrated in the drawing, after the core portion 121 is moved downward to be in close contact with the central region of the glass substrate G and pressed to the central region of the glass substrate G, the side portion 122 is moved downward to apply pressure to the surrounding region. . Therefore, the glass substrate G is shaped from the flat plate shape to the three-dimensional shape by the side surface portion 122, that is, at least one of the four surrounding portions of the glass substrate G is shaped to become bending.

Since the glass substrate G is elastically deformed while being shaped, the total area of the core portion 121 and the side portion 122 of the glass substrate G is not required to be the same as the total area of the glass substrate G. Further, the surface shape of the core portion 121 and the side surface portion 122 applied to the glass substrate G does not need to be the same as the surface shape of the glass substrate G. Therefore, the side portion 122 may have a shape that is in close contact with a side portion of the core portion 121 or a shape that is spaced apart from a side portion of the core portion 121. The curvature of the pressure applying surface of the side portion 122 only needs to be the same as the wall portion of the shaped portion 131 of the lower mold 130.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, according to this exemplary embodiment, the lower mold 130 has a shaped portion 131 on one surface thereof on which the glass substrate G is loaded. This lower mold 130 supports the glass substrate G whose shape changes according to the shape of the shaped portion 131 when the glass substrate G has a pressure applied thereto by the upper mold 120. According to this exemplary embodiment, the shaped portion 131 has a concave structure. Specifically, the shaped portion 131 has a concave shape that is sized such that the shaped portion 131 can receive the core portion 121 and the side portion 122 therein when the core portion 121 and the side portion 122 move downward. The glass substrate G having a flat plate shape is subjected to pressure applied thereto, and then deformed according to the shape of the shaped portion 131 of the lower mold 130, thereby having a three-dimensional shape. To this end, at least one wall surface of the shaped portion 131 of the lower mold 130 is a curved surface having the same curvature as the pressure applying surface of the side portion 122 of the upper mold 120.

In the case where the two peripheral portions of the glass substrate G are intended to be bent, the two side portions 122 are disposed on both sides of the core portion 121, and correspond to the two of the shaped portions 131 of the two side portions 122. The wall is formed as a curved surface. That is, the number of side portions 122 and the number of curved walls of the shaped portion 131 The amount is determined by the number of surrounding portions of the glass substrate G intended to be bent.

Reference will now be made to the operation of the apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment.

First, the lower mold 130 having the glass substrate G loaded on the shaping portion 131 is introduced into the shaping furnace chamber 110 through the inlet (not shown) of the molding furnace chamber 110, and then the conveying belt 111 is operated to face upward. The lower mold 130 is conveyed in the direction of the position below the mold 120. At this time, the heater 112 heats the glass substrate G to a moldable temperature before the glass substrate G loaded on the lower mold 130 reaches a position below the upper mold 120. When the lower mold 130 is positioned below the upper mold 120, the operation of the conveyor belt 111 is stopped to align the lower mold 130 under the upper mold 120. Thereafter, in order to shape the glass substrate G, the core portion 121 of the upper mold 120 is moved downward to be pressed to the central region of the glass substrate G. Thereafter, the side portion 122 of the upper mold 120 is moved downward to be pressed to the peripheral portion of the glass substrate G such that the peripheral portion of the glass substrate G is deformed according to the shape of the shaped portion 131 of the lower mold 130.

After the shaping of the glass substrate G is completed as described above, the region of the glass substrate G is caused to have a pressure continuously applied thereto, and the side portion 122 and the subsequent core portion 121 are moved upward in the order of the downward movement to make the upper portion The mold 120 is separated from the lower mold 130. Thereafter, the conveyor belt 111 is operated again to transport the lower mold 130 on which the molded glass substrate G is loaded in the direction toward the outlet (not shown) and transport the other lower mold on which the new glass substrate G to be shaped is loaded. 130 to the position below the upper mold 120. That is, the apparatus 100 for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment continuously shapes a plurality of glass substrates G to have a three-dimensional shape by a one-line continuous process.

As described above, in the case of shaping a glass base according to this exemplary embodiment In the apparatus 100 of the board, the upper mold 120 is divided into a core portion 121 for pressing to a region or a central region of the glass substrate G which is planar after the shaping process, and for applying pressure to become after the shaping process Another region of the curved glass substrate G or a side portion 122 of the surrounding region. With such a configuration, the apparatus 100 for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment can press and shape the center region, and then press and shape the surrounding area of the glass substrate G, thereby reducing the quality of the glass substrate G. Or the appearance defect, the glass substrate G is shaped to have a three-dimensional shape.

Referring now to Figures 5 through 7, reference is made to an apparatus for shaping a glass substrate in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 to 7 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the operation of the upper mold and the lower mold of the apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment includes a molding furnace chamber (110; see FIG. 1), an upper mold 220, and a lower mold 230. .

Since this exemplary embodiment is substantially the same as the foregoing exemplary embodiment except for the structures of the upper mold and the lower mold, the description of the same elements will be omitted.

According to this exemplary embodiment, in order to shape the glass substrate G into a three-dimensional shape, the shaped portion 231 of the lower mold 230 has a convex structure in which at least one wall surface is formed as a curved surface. A region of the shaped portion 231 corresponds to a region where the glass substrate G is a planar surface after being shaped. Accordingly, the core portion 221 of the upper mold 220 is disposed to face the shaped portion 231 of the lower mold 230, wherein this region corresponds to the region of the glass substrate G. That is, the area of the core portion 221 may correspond to the area of the shaped portion 231. Further, the side portion 222 of the upper mold 220 is disposed such that the side portion 222 of the upper mold 220 and another region or circumference of the glass substrate G The surrounding areas face each other in the up and down direction, and the other area or the surrounding area of the glass substrate G is not supported by the shaped portion 231 of the lower mold 230.

As in the continuous shaping process using the upper mold (120; see Fig. 2) and the lower mold (130; see Fig. 2) according to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, the upper mold 220 and the above configuration are, for example, according to this exemplary embodiment, and In the lower mold 230, the core portion 221 of the upper mold 220 is moved downward to be pressed to a region of the glass substrate G, and thereafter, the side portion 222 of the upper mold 220 is mounted so that the side portion 222 can be on the side of the core portion 221. Move up and down, move down to apply pressure to another area of the glass substrate G. This thus deforms another region of the glass substrate G according to the shape of the curved wall surface of the shaped portion 231.

The apparatus for shaping a glass substrate according to this exemplary embodiment reduces direct contact of another region or surrounding region of the glass substrate G with the upper mold 220 or the lower mold 230 while the glass substrate G is shaped. Thus, defects such as scuff or dimensional variation are prevented even in the case where the alignment between the upper mold 220 and the lower mold 230 is offset.

The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been presented in reference to the drawings. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the invention.

Therefore, the scope of the invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments, but is defined by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

120‧‧‧Upper mold

121‧‧‧ core part

122‧‧‧ side section

130‧‧‧Mold

131‧‧‧Shaping section

G‧‧‧glass substrate

Claims (11)

An apparatus for shaping a glass substrate, comprising: an upper mold; and a lower mold having a shaped portion on a surface of the lower mold, on which a glass substrate is loaded, wherein when the upper mold is applied When pressed to the glass substrate, the lower mold supports the glass substrate to be deformed according to the shape of the shaped portion, wherein the upper mold includes at least one first partition portion and at least one second partition portion, the second partition portion is Independently, the first partition portion is movable upward and movable downward, and the first partition portion and the second partition portion are sequentially pressed to one region and another region of the glass substrate, respectively. The first partition portion includes a core portion mounted such that the core portion is movable upwardly and downwardly movable, wherein when the core portion moves downward, the core portion is pressed to the glass substrate a region; and the second partition portion includes a side portion of the mounting such that the side portion moves upward and downwardly on a side of the core portion, wherein the side portion When the sub-portion moves downward, the side portion is pressed to the entire other portion or part of the other region of the glass substrate, wherein the region of the glass substrate is planar after being shaped, and the glass substrate The other area is a surrounding area of the area and becomes curved after being shaped, and Where the side portion is in contact with the region of the glass substrate, the side portion moves downward independently of the core portion. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the side portion is in contact with a side portion of the core portion or is spaced apart from the side portion of the core portion. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shaped portion has a concave structure having at least one wall surface that is curved. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the shaped portion includes a recess, and the recess is sized such that the recess can receive the core portion and the side portion when the downward movement The core part and the side part are in it. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the shaped portion has a convex structure having at least one wall surface that is curved. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the core portion is disposed to face the shaped portion, a region of the shaped portion corresponding to the region of the glass substrate, and the side portion is disposed to face the glass substrate The other area. An apparatus for shaping a glass substrate, comprising: an upper mold; and a lower mold having a shaped portion on a surface of the lower mold, on which a glass substrate is loaded, wherein when the upper mold is applied Pressure When the glass substrate is attached, the lower mold supports the glass substrate to be deformed according to the shape of the shaped portion, wherein the upper mold includes at least one first partition portion and at least one second partition portion, the second partition portion being independent The first partitioning portion is movable upwardly and downwardly movable, and the first partitioning portion and the second partitioning portion are sequentially pressed to a region and another region of the glass substrate, respectively. The first partition portion includes a core portion mounted such that the core portion is movable upwardly and downwardly movable, wherein the core portion is pressed to the region of the glass substrate when the core portion moves downward And the second partition portion includes a side portion of the mounting such that the side portion moves upward and downwardly on a side of the core portion, wherein the side portion presses the side portion when the side portion moves downward The other area or part of the other area of the glass substrate, and wherein the upper mold sequentially performs a first downward movement and a second downward from an initial state Moving, the side portion is positioned higher than the core portion in the initial state, the core portion and the side portion are moved downward together with each other in the first downward movement, and only the side portion is in the second downward direction Move down while moving. The device of claim 1 or 7, wherein the side The face portion is coupled to the core portion such that the side portion is movable upwardly and downwardly relative to the core portion. The apparatus of claim 1 or 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of the lower molds, the plurality of lower molds are transported in a molding furnace chamber, and each of the plurality of lower molds is continuously provided To a shaped position. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a conveyor belt inside the shaping furnace chamber, wherein the conveyor belt transports the plurality of lower molds. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the upper mold is movable upwardly and downwardly only at the contoured position.