TWI905219B - Method for manufacturing glass using conveyor rollers and plate glass - Google Patents

Abstract

A glass conveyor roller 1 includes a roller portion 2R that contacts a continuously formed glass strip GR, and a main shaft portion 2S connected to the roller portion 2R. The main shaft portion 2S includes a support shaft portion 3 supported by bearings B1 and B2, and a connecting shaft portion 4 connecting the roller portion 2R and the support shaft portion 3. The main shaft portion 2S is formed by joining a first shaft component 3S on the side of the support shaft portion 3 and a second shaft component 4S on the side of the connecting shaft portion 4.

Description

Method for manufacturing glass using conveyor rollers and plate glass

This invention relates to a glass conveyor roller, wherein the main shaft connected to the roller includes a support shaft supported by a bearing and a connecting shaft connecting the support shaft and the roller.

As is well known, in glass sheet manufacturing processes using methods such as down-draw, the following process is performed: using glass conveyor rollers such as annealing rollers to clamp the two ends of a continuously formed glass strip in the width direction from both sides in the thickness direction, and conveying the glass strip downwards.

As a type of conveyor roller, for example, Patent 1 discloses a glass conveyor roller, including a roller portion that contacts the glass strip and a main shaft portion connected to the roller portion. Furthermore, the document also discloses that the main shaft portion includes: a support shaft portion rotatably supported by bearings, and a connecting shaft portion connecting the roller portion and the support shaft portion. In this case, the support shaft portion and the connecting shaft portion disclosed in the document are formed as an integral component (see Figure 4 of the document). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-109881

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, the main shaft of glass conveyor rollers is typically designed to grow axially. Nevertheless, as mentioned above, when the support shaft and connecting shaft are formed as a single component, the machining of the main shaft becomes difficult, leading to a deterioration in machinability.

Based on the above considerations, the problem of this invention lies in improving the workability of the main shaft connected to the roller in the manufacture of glass conveyor rollers. [Means for Solving the Problem]

A first aspect of the present invention, proposed to solve the aforementioned problem, is a glass conveyor roller comprising a roller portion in contact with a continuously formed glass strip, and a main shaft portion connected to the roller portion, wherein the main shaft portion includes a support shaft portion supported by a bearing, and a connecting shaft portion connecting the roller portion and the support shaft portion, and is a glass conveyor roller for conveying the glass strip, characterized in that the main shaft portion is formed by joining a first shaft component on the side of the support shaft portion and a second shaft component on the side of the connecting shaft portion.

According to this structure, the main shaft is formed by joining a first shaft component on the supporting shaft side and a second shaft component on the connecting shaft side. Therefore, even if the axial length of the main shaft is long, the axial lengths of the first and second shaft components are relatively short. This allows for easy separate manufacturing of the first and second shaft components, thereby improving manufacturability. Furthermore, for example, it is easy to use different materials to construct the first and second shaft components, or to apply different heat treatments to them. Therefore, this greatly contributes to improving the quality and properties of glass conveyor rollers.

In this structure, the joint between the first shaft member and the second shaft member is preferably located on the roller side, which is closer to the support position supported by the bearing on the support shaft.

Accordingly, interference between the joint of the first and second shaft components and the bearings can be avoided. This suppresses premature deterioration of the joint and maintains proper support of the bearings for the supporting shaft over a longer period, thereby improving the durability of the glass conveyor roller. Furthermore, when the supporting shaft is supported by multiple bearings, the joint is located further towards the roller than all support positions supported by those multiple bearings.

In this structure, it is preferable that the diameter of the connecting shaft is larger than the diameter of the supporting shaft, and a step difference is formed between the connecting shaft and the supporting shaft, and the engagement portion of the first shaft member and the second shaft member is located closer to the roller portion than the step difference.

Accordingly, the joint between the first and second shaft components is located away from the stepped section where large stresses (stress concentration) would occur, thus preventing the glass conveyor roller from breaking off around the periphery of the stepped section. Furthermore, the joint is formed on the connecting shaft, which has a larger diameter than the supporting shaft, thereby increasing the joint strength and the strength of the main shaft. Moreover, this joint is preferably located closer to the stepped section than the axial center of the connecting shaft.

In the above structure, the glass conveyor roller is preferably used as a single support roller that makes the roller side free end side.

Therefore, the disadvantages of double-support rollers, where the support shaft is supported by bearings at both ends of the glass ribbon in the width direction, can be avoided. Specifically, double-support rollers have an inter-roller connecting shaft that connects a pair of rollers that contact the two ends of the glass ribbon in the width direction. This inter-roller connecting shaft causes the thickness direction of the central region of the glass ribbon to extend along the width direction on both sides, thus hindering the heating of the glass ribbon by heaters or similar devices. However, in a single-support roller, there is no inter-roller connecting shaft, and therefore this problem does not occur.

In the above structure, the first shaft component preferably has better wear resistance than the second shaft component.

Here, the first shaft component has a bearing-supported section, making it prone to wear, while the second shaft component does not have such a section and therefore does not experience wear. Based on this structure, the first shaft component exhibits superior wear resistance compared to the second shaft component, thus suppressing premature degradation caused by wear on the first shaft component and improving the durability of the first shaft component and even the glass conveyor roller.

In this case, the first shaft component is preferably made of high-carbon chromium bearing steel, carbon tool steel, or alloy tool steel.

Therefore, the wear resistance of the first shaft component can be made to be superior to that of the second shaft component.

In this structure, the second shaft component preferably has better heat resistance than the first shaft component.

Here, the second shaft component is connected to the roller section that contacts the high-temperature glass belt, making it prone to high-temperature conditions. In contrast, the first shaft component is separated from the roller section, thus making it less susceptible to high-temperature conditions. Based on this structure, the second shaft component exhibits superior heat resistance compared to the first shaft component. This suppresses premature degradation caused by heat in the second shaft component, thereby improving the durability of the second shaft component and even the glass conveyor roller.

In this case, the second shaft component is preferably made of austenite stainless steel or nickel alloy.

Accordingly, the heat resistance of the second shaft component can be made to be superior to that of the first shaft component.

A second aspect of the invention proposed to solve the aforementioned problem is a method for manufacturing a sheet of glass, characterized by comprising: a conveying step, using glass conveying rollers to convey a continuously formed glass strip.

According to this method, plate glass can be appropriately manufactured while ensuring the aforementioned advantages of the glass conveyor rollers. [Effects of the Invention]

According to the present invention, the machinability of the main shaft connected to the roller in the production of glass conveyor rollers can be improved.

The following describes the manufacturing method of the glass conveyor roller and plate glass according to the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment] Figure 1 illustrates the glass conveyor roller 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 enlarges its main parts. First, based on these figures, the general structure of the glass conveyor roller 1 of this embodiment will be explained.

The glass conveyor roller 1 includes a roller section 2R and a main shaft section 2S connected to the roller section 2R. The main shaft section 2S includes a support shaft section 3 supported by a first bearing B1 and a second bearing B2, and a connecting shaft section 4 connecting the roller section 2R and the support shaft section 3. The diameter of the connecting shaft section 4 is larger than the diameter of the support shaft section 3, and the diameter of the roller section 2R is larger than the diameter of the connecting shaft section 4.

A through hole 2a is formed in the roller portion 2R, extending along its central axis, and one end of the connecting shaft portion 4 (the left end in FIG. 1) is fitted and fixed in the through hole 2a. The axial length L1 of the extension shaft portion of the connecting shaft portion 4 extending from the roller portion 2R toward the support shaft portion 3 is longer than the axial length L2 of the support shaft portion 3.

A first step portion 5 is provided at the axial midpoint of the support shaft portion 3, such that the diameter of the portion closer to the connecting shaft portion 4 along the axial direction is relatively larger than the diameter of the portion farther from the connecting shaft portion 4. Furthermore, a second step portion 6 is provided between the connecting shaft portion 4 and the support shaft portion 3.

The first step portion 5 is located closer to the connecting shaft portion 4 than the axial center position of the supporting shaft portion 3. Therefore, the supporting shaft portion 3 has: a large-diameter shaft portion 3a, which is formed near the connecting shaft portion 4 and has a relatively short axial length L3; and a small-diameter shaft portion 3b, which is formed away from the connecting shaft portion 4 and has a relatively long axial length L4.

Furthermore, the axial length L1 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R towards the support shaft portion 3 of the connecting shaft portion 4 is, for example, 300 mm to 1300 mm, and the axial length L2 of the support shaft portion 3 is, for example, 200 mm to 600 mm, and the total length (L1+L2) is, for example, 700 mm to 1700 mm. Additionally, the diameter of the connecting shaft portion 4 is, for example, 40 mm to 90 mm. Furthermore, the diameter of the large-diameter shaft portion 3a of the support shaft portion 3 is, for example, 30 mm to 70 mm, and the diameter of the small-diameter shaft portion 3b is, for example, 20 mm to 60 mm.

An inner hole 7 is formed in the main shaft portion 2S, penetrating along its central axis. A blocking member 2x is fixed to the front end face (left end face in FIG. 1) 2b of the roller portion 2R, which covers the front end of the connecting shaft portion 4 including the inner hole 7. Alternatively, the blocking member 2x may be omitted. A third step portion 8 is provided in the inner hole 7, which makes the diameter of the hole near the roller portion 2R relatively larger than the diameter of the hole away from the roller portion 2R. The third step portion 8 is located on the inner periphery of the connecting shaft portion 4 and near the second step portion 6.

The diameter difference ΔD8 of the third differential section 8 (the difference between the diameter of the inner hole 7 located inside the connecting shaft section 4 and the diameter of the inner hole 7 located inside the supporting shaft section 3) is equal to the diameter difference ΔD6 of the second differential section 6 (the difference between the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the connecting shaft section 4 and the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter shaft section 3a). Consequently, the wall thickness t4 of the connecting shaft section 4 is equal to the wall thickness t3a of the large diameter shaft section 3a. Furthermore, no differential section is provided on the inner peripheral side of the supporting shaft section 3 with the inner hole 7.

The supporting shaft 3 is rotatably supported by a first bearing B1 and a second bearing B2. The first bearing B1 supports the large-diameter shaft portion 3a, and the second bearing B2 supports the small-diameter shaft portion 3b. In this case, the diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the first bearing B1 (inner ring diameter) is larger than the diameter of the inner circumferential surface of the second bearing B2 (inner ring diameter). Conversely, the diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the first bearing B1 (outer ring diameter) D1 is the same as the diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the second bearing B2 (outer ring diameter) D2.

Next, the characteristic structure of the glass conveyor roller 1 will be explained.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main shaft portion 2S of the glass conveyor roller 1 is formed by joining a first shaft component 3S on the support shaft portion 3 and a second shaft component 4S on the connecting shaft portion 4. The axial length L5 of the first shaft component 3S is shorter than the axial length L6 of the second shaft component 4S. Specifically, the axial length L6 of the second shaft component 4S is, for example, about 1.5 to 4 times the axial length L5 of the first shaft component 3S, and about 2 times in the example. Furthermore, the axial length L5 of the first shaft component 3S is shorter than the axial length L61 of the extension shaft portion of the second shaft component 4S extending from the roller portion 2R towards the support shaft portion 3. The two shaft components 3S and 4S are joined by welding or other methods.

The joint Sx of the two shaft components 3S and 4S is located closer to the roller portion 2R than the second differential portion 6. Therefore, this joint Sx does not interfere with the two support positions 3ax and 3bx of the main shaft portion 2S, which are supported by the two bearings B1 and B2. Furthermore, this joint Sx is formed closer to the second differential portion 6 than the axial center of the connecting shaft portion 4. Specifically, this joint Sx is located between the second differential portion 6 and the third differential portion 8 in the axial direction. The wall thickness t4a of this area is thicker than the wall thickness t4 of the connecting shaft portion 4 and thicker than the wall thickness t3a of the large diameter shaft portion 3a. Therefore, this joint Sx is located at the thickest part of the main shaft portion 2S. Furthermore, the distance (L1-L61) between the second step difference 6 and the joint Sx is, for example, 5 mm to 50 mm.

Here, the first shaft component 3S is preferably made of a material with better wear resistance than the second shaft component 4S. Furthermore, the second shaft component 4S is preferably made of a material with better heat resistance than the first shaft component 3S. Specifically, the first shaft component 3S is preferably made of high-carbon chromium bearing steel, carbon tool steel, or alloy tool steel. Furthermore, the second shaft component 4S is preferably made of Worsfield's iron-based stainless steel or nickel alloy. Alternatively, the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S can also be made of the same steel or alloy.

Figure 3 illustrates a glass conveying device 1A using the glass conveying roller 1 (strictly speaking, the glass conveying roller 1 supported by bearings B1 and B2) of the first embodiment. This glass conveying device 1A is configured by arranging multiple glass conveying rollers 1 in an annealing furnace 9. Each of these glass conveying rollers 1 is a single-supported roller with its roller portion 2R side being a free end. Specifically, multiple glass conveying rollers 1 are arranged around the furnace wall 9a at both ends in the width direction of the annealing furnace 9, and are arranged in groups of four on both sides in the width direction and both sides in the thickness direction of the glass strip GR, at multiple locations in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the two ends GRa of the glass strip GR in the width direction are respectively held by the rollers 2 of a pair of glass conveying rollers 1 from both sides in the thickness direction.

Furthermore, the annealing furnace 9 is used to anneal the glass ribbon GR continuously formed by the overflow downward drawing method, and has a prescribed temperature gradient facing downward. Additionally, a forming furnace (not shown) is provided above the annealing furnace 9, in which molten glass overflowing from the top of the wedge-shaped forming body and converging at the lower end is continuously formed into a glass ribbon. Furthermore, a cooling furnace (not shown) is provided below the annealing furnace 9, in which the annealed glass ribbon is cooled by venting.

Each glass conveyor roller 1 is in the following state: Roller section 2R is located inside the annealing furnace 9 and contacts both ends GRa of the main surface of the glass strip GR in the width direction. The connecting shaft section 4 spans the inside and outside of the annealing furnace 9 and is inserted into the through hole 9x of the furnace wall 9a through a gap 10. The supporting shaft section 3 is disposed outside the annealing furnace 9 and is supported by bearings B1 and B2 held by the peripheral mechanism 11. The peripheral mechanism 11 is provided on the base wall 9b extending from the furnace wall 9a to the outside of the annealing furnace 9. Furthermore, although not shown, the peripheral mechanism 11 includes: a mechanism for holding bearings B1 and B2; a mechanism for adjusting the position or tilt angle of the glass conveyor roller 1; and a drive mechanism for rotating the roller 2R or the connecting shaft 4 and supporting shaft 3. The glass conveyor roller 1 may also be a free roller without a drive mechanism.

Here, the joint Sx of the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S is located outside the annealing furnace 9. Therefore, the first shaft member 3S is positioned away from the furnace wall 9a towards the outer side of the annealing furnace 9. In contrast, the second shaft member 4S is positioned across the inside and outside of the annealing furnace 9, with most of its axial length (e.g., 2/3 to 9/10 of its length L6) protruding into the annealing furnace 9. A roller 2R that contacts the glass ribbon GR is connected to the free end of the second shaft member 4S.

Next, the effect of the glass conveyor roller 1 in the first embodiment will be explained in relation to the glass conveying device 1A.

As shown in Figure 3, when the glass ribbon GR passes through the annealing furnace 9, the glass conveyor roller 1 rotates while conveying the glass ribbon GR downwards. As shown in Figure 1, the main shaft portion 2S of the glass conveyor roller 1 is formed by joining the first shaft component 3S on the side of the supporting shaft portion 3 with the second shaft component 4S on the side of the connecting shaft portion 4. Therefore, although the axial length (L5+L6) of the main shaft portion 2S is long, the axial lengths of the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S are short. Therefore, the processing of the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S can be easily performed separately, thereby improving the processability.

Furthermore, the joint Sx between the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S is located closer to the first bearing B1 on the side of the roller 2R, which is closer to the roller 2R. Therefore, it does not interfere with the support positions 3ax and 3bx of the support shaft 3, which are supported by the two bearings B1 and B2. Thus, early deterioration of the joint Sx can be suppressed, and proper support of the two bearings B1 and B2 for the first shaft component 3S (support shaft 3) can be maintained for a long time, thereby improving the durability of the glass conveyor roller 1.

Furthermore, since the joint Sx is located away from the second step portion 6, which experiences large stresses, damage to the glass conveyor roller 1 originating from the second step portion 6 can be prevented. Moreover, the joint Sx is formed on the connecting shaft portion 4, which has a larger diameter than the supporting shaft portion 3, thus improving the bonding strength of the joint Sx and even the strength of the main shaft portion 2S.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, when the glass conveyor roller 1 rotates while conveying the glass strip GR downwards, the roller 2R contacts the downward-moving high-temperature glass strip GR, but the second shaft component 4S is positioned between the roller 2R and the first shaft component 3S. Therefore, heat from the roller 2R is not easily transferred to the first shaft component 3S. Moreover, the first shaft component 3S is positioned far from the furnace wall 9a towards the outer side of the annealing furnace 9, thus it is less affected by the high-temperature atmosphere inside the annealing furnace 9. In this case, the first shaft component 3S is formed of a material with better wear resistance than the second shaft component 4S. Therefore, the first shaft component 3S can effectively exert wear resistance while avoiding the disadvantages caused by heat. As a result, by properly supporting the first shaft component 3S (support shaft 3) with the two bearings B1 and B2, the first shaft component 3S is less prone to wear, which can help improve the durability of the glass conveyor roller 1.

On the other hand, a large portion of the second shaft component 4S protrudes axially into the annealing furnace 9, thus exposing it to the high-temperature atmosphere within the furnace. Furthermore, the free end of the second shaft component 4S is connected to the roller portion 2R that contacts the high-temperature glass strip GR, facilitating heat transfer from the roller portion 2R. Additionally, the second shaft component 4S is not supported by a bearing. In this case, the second shaft component 4S is formed of a material with superior heat resistance compared to the first shaft component 3S. Therefore, the second shaft component 4S can effectively maintain its heat resistance without being affected by wear, etc. As a result, even when the second shaft component 4S reaches high temperatures, it is less prone to strength reduction or degradation, contributing to improved durability of the glass conveyor roller 1.

[Second Embodiment] Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the overall structure of the glass conveyor roller 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention and the structure of its main parts. The glass conveyor roller 1 of this second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the supporting shaft portion 3 extends along the entire length L2 with the same diameter and does not have a stepped portion on its outer peripheral surface, and the diameters (diameters of the inner and outer peripheral surfaces) of the two bearings B1 and B2 supporting the supporting shaft portion 3 are set to be the same. Furthermore, the diameter of the supporting shaft portion 3 is the same as the diameter of the smaller diameter shaft portion 3b of the supporting shaft portion 3 in the first embodiment. Furthermore, the axial length L1 of the extended shaft portion extending from the roller 2R of the connecting shaft portion 4, the axial length L2 of the supporting shaft portion 3, the axial length L5 of the first shaft component 3S, the axial length L6 of the second shaft component 4S, and the axial length L61 of the extended shaft portion extending from the roller 2R of the second shaft component 4S are all the same as those in the first embodiment. Other structures and effects are the same as in the first embodiment; therefore, structural elements common to both embodiments are labeled with the same symbols in Figures 4 and 5, and their descriptions are omitted. Additionally, compared to the glass conveying device 1A illustrated in Figure 3, the glass conveying device using the glass conveying roller 1 of this second embodiment differs only in the structure of the glass conveying roller 1; therefore, its illustration and description are omitted.

[Third Embodiment] Figure 6 illustrates the structure of the main parts of the glass conveyor roller 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The glass conveyor roller 1 of this third embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment in that the position of the joint Sx between the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S coincides with the second step portion 6. Furthermore, the axial length L1 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R of the connecting shaft portion 4 and the axial length L2 of the supporting shaft portion 3 are the same as those in the second embodiment. Additionally, the axial length L5 of the first shaft member 3S, the axial length L6 of the second shaft member 4S, and the axial length L61 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R of the second shaft member 4S are substantially the same as those in the second embodiment. According to this third embodiment of the glass conveyor roller 1, in terms of suppressing breakage of the glass conveyor roller 1 starting from the second step portion 6, it is less effective than the second embodiment. However, the first shaft component 3S does not have a step portion, thus its processing becomes easier. Other structures and effects are the same as in the second embodiment; therefore, structural elements common to both embodiments are labeled with the same symbols in FIG. 6, and their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, compared to the glass conveying device 1A illustrated in FIG. 3, the glass conveying device using the glass conveyor roller 1 of this third embodiment differs only in the structure of the glass conveyor roller 1; therefore, its illustration and description are omitted.

[Fourth Embodiment] Figure 7 illustrates the structure of the main parts of the glass conveyor roller 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The glass conveyor roller 1 of this fourth embodiment differs from that of the second embodiment in that the joint Sx of the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S is located between the first bearing B1 and the second step portion 6 of the supporting shaft portion 3. Furthermore, the axial length L1 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R of the connecting shaft portion 4 and the axial length L2 of the supporting shaft portion 3 are the same as those in the second embodiment. Furthermore, the axial length L5 of the first shaft member 3S, the axial length L6 of the second shaft member 4S, and the axial length L61 of the extension shaft portion of the second shaft member 4S extending from the roller portion 2R are all substantially the same as those in the second embodiment. According to this fourth embodiment, the glass conveyor roller 1 is less effective than the second embodiment in suppressing breakage of the glass conveyor roller 1 starting near the first bearing B1 or near the second step portion 6. Other structures and effects are the same as in the second embodiment; therefore, structural elements common to both embodiments are labeled with the same symbols in FIG. 7, and their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, compared to the glass conveying device 1A illustrated in Figure 3, the glass conveying device using the glass conveying roller 1 of this fourth embodiment differs only in the structure of the glass conveying roller 1; therefore, its illustration and description are omitted.

[Fifth Embodiment] Figure 8 illustrates the overall structure of the glass conveyor roller 1 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The glass conveyor roller 1 of this fifth embodiment differs from that of the fourth embodiment in that the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S have the same diameter, and the inner hole 7 and the outer peripheral surface do not have a stepped portion. Furthermore, in this fifth embodiment, the connecting shaft portion 4 is a shaft portion closer to the roller portion 2R than the support position 3ax supported by the first bearing B1 (more specifically, a shaft portion closer to the roller portion 2R than the end portion 3x of the support position 3ax), and the supporting shaft portion 3 is a shaft portion on the opposite side closer to the roller portion 2R than the end portion 3x. The diameters of the support shaft portion 3 and the connecting shaft portion 4 in this fifth embodiment are the same as the diameter of the connecting shaft portion 4 in the fifth embodiment. Furthermore, the axial length L1 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R of the connecting shaft portion 4 and the axial length L2 of the support shaft portion 3 are substantially the same as those in the fifth embodiment. Additionally, the axial length L5 of the first shaft member 3S, the axial length L6 of the second shaft member 4S, and the axial length L61 of the extension shaft portion extending from the roller portion 2R of the second shaft member 4S are all the same as those in the fifth embodiment. Other structures and effects are the same as in the fifth embodiment; therefore, structural elements common to both embodiments are labeled with the same symbols in FIG8, and their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, compared to the glass conveying device 1A illustrated in Figure 3, the glass conveying device using the glass conveying roller 1 of this fifth embodiment differs only in the structure of the glass conveying roller 1; therefore, its illustration and description are omitted.

[Sixth Embodiment] Figure 9 illustrates the structure of the main parts of the glass conveyor roller 1 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. The difference between this sixth embodiment and the first embodiment is that the joint Sx of the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S is located further to the roller portion 2R than the third step portion 8. In other words, the third step portion 8 is formed in the first shaft member 3S, and both the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S are joined at a wall thickness t4. According to this sixth embodiment of the glass conveyor roller 1, the second shaft member 4S does not have a step portion, thus its processing becomes easier. Other structures and effects are the same as in the first embodiment; therefore, structural elements common to both embodiments are labeled with the same symbols in Figure 9, and their descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, compared to the glass conveying device 1A illustrated in Figure 3, the glass conveying device using the glass conveying roller 1 of this sixth embodiment differs only in the structure of the glass conveying roller 1; therefore, its illustration and description are omitted.

Next, a method for manufacturing a plate of glass according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Broadly speaking, the method for manufacturing the plate of glass includes a conveying step and a cutting step.

The conveying step involves the roller 2R of the glass conveying roller 1 contacting the two ends GRa of the continuously formed and downwardly moving glass strip GR in the width direction, thus conveying the glass strip GR downwards. This conveying step is performed in the annealing furnace, for example, as shown in Figure 3, to convey the glass strip GR downwards. It is also performed in essentially the same manner in the forming furnace and cooling furnace.

The cutting step is a process performed after the transport step, in which a sheet of glass of a specified length is cut from the glass strip GR to a predetermined length. This cutting step is performed by cutting the glass strip GR, which is transported downwards during the transport step, for example, by means of a cooling step, through methods such as breaking, laser cutting, or laser melting. By performing various known processing techniques on the cut sheet glass, glass substrates or cover glass for displays can be manufactured. Alternatively, the cutting step can be replaced by a removal step that removes both ends of the glass strip GR in the width direction and a winding step that winds the glass strip GR with its ends removed into a glass roll.

The above describes the glass conveyor roller and the method for manufacturing plate glass according to the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited thereto and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit.

In the aforementioned embodiment, the connecting shaft portion 4 is fitted and fixed to the inner hole 7 of the roller portion 2R. The fitted shaft portion and the extension shaft portion extending to one side from the roller portion 2R have the same diameter. However, if the fitted shaft portion has a smaller diameter or a larger diameter than the extension shaft portion, only the extension shaft portion becomes the connecting shaft portion 4. Alternatively, the connecting shaft portion 4 may not be fitted and fixed to the roller portion 2R. Instead, the two opposing end faces of the roller portion 2R and the connecting shaft portion 4 may be joined together.

In the aforementioned embodiment (first embodiment), the outer circumferential diameters of the first bearing B1 and the second bearing B2 that support the supporting shaft 3 are the same, but the outer circumferential diameters of the two can also be different.

In the aforementioned implementation, the number of bearings is set to two, but it can also be one or more than three. In this case, it is preferable to adjust the axial length of the bearings to be appropriate.

In the aforementioned embodiment, the glass conveying device 1A is applied to the annealing furnace 9, but it can also be applied to the forming furnace above the annealing furnace 9 or the cooling furnace (cooling chamber) below the annealing furnace 9. When applied to the forming furnace, the glass conveying device 1A is preferably a cooling mechanism that includes cooling the roller section 2R.

In the aforementioned embodiment, the glass conveyor roller 1 is configured as a single-support roller, but it can also be configured as a double-support roller (support structure at both ends). In this case, for each glass conveyor roller 1 at the same height position shown in FIG3, it can be constructed by extending and integrating the connecting shaft portion 4 of the right glass conveyor roller 1 and the connecting shaft portion 4 of the left glass conveyor roller 1.

In the embodiment, the joint Sx of the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S is located outside the annealing furnace 9. The first shaft member 3S is positioned away from the furnace wall 9a towards the outer side of the annealing furnace 9, but the joint Sx may also be located inside the furnace wall 9a of the annealing furnace 9. Alternatively, the joint Sx may be located inside a component that seals the gap between the furnace wall 9a and the shaft members (the first shaft member 3S and the second shaft member 4S). In these cases, the temperature at the location of the joint Sx is preferably below 400°C, and more preferably below 300°C. [Embodiment]

The following describes embodiments of the present invention. In Embodiment 1, regarding the glass conveyor roller 1 of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 8, SUS316 is used as the material for both the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S, and the first shaft component 3S is quenched. In Embodiment 2, regarding the glass conveyor roller 1 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, SUS316 is used as the material for both the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S, and the first shaft component 3S is quenched. In Embodiment 3, regarding the glass conveyor roller 1 of the second embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, SUJ2 is used as the material for the first shaft component 3S, and SUS316 is used as the material for the second shaft component 4S. The first shaft component 3S is quenched. In Comparative Example 1, regarding the glass conveyor roller 1 of the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 8, an integral component that does not join the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S is used. SUS316 is used as the material for this integral component, and the entire integral component is quenched. Then, for these four types of glass conveyor rollers, the machinability is determined, and the life of the glass conveyor roller 1 when used in the respective embodiments shown in Figure 3 is measured. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[Table 1] First axis component Second axis component Are there joints or not? The difference in diameter between the first and second shaft components Processability Lifespan Overall evaluation Implementation Example 1 SUS316 SUS316 have First shaft component = Second shaft component ○ ○ ○ Implementation Example 2 SUS316 SUS316 have First shaft component < Second shaft component ○ ○ ○ Implementation Example 3 SUJ2 SUS316 have First shaft component < Second shaft component ○ ◎ ◎ Comparative example 1 SUS316 SUS316 None (one body) First shaft component = Second shaft component × ○ ×

According to Table 1, in Examples 1, 2, and 3, by machining the first shaft component 3S and the second shaft component 4S separately before joining them, the size of the workpiece is reduced compared to Comparative Example 1, thus improving machinability. Furthermore, by quenching only the first shaft component 3S, machinability is also improved. Moreover, in Example 3, by using SUJ2 as the material for the first shaft component 3S, its service life is longer compared to Comparative Example 1.

1: Glass conveyor roller 1A: Glass conveying device 2a: Through hole 2b: Front end face 2R: Roller section 2S: Main shaft section 2x: Closing component 3: Support shaft section 3a: Large diameter shaft section of the support shaft section 3ax, 3bx: Support position 3b: Small diameter shaft section of the support shaft section 3S: First shaft component 3x: End point 4: Connecting shaft section 4S: Second shaft component 5: First step difference section 6: Step difference section (second step difference section) 7: Inner hole 8: Third step difference section 9: Annealing furnace 9a: Furnace wall 9b: Base wall 9x: Through hole 10: Clearance 11: Peripheral Mechanism B1, B2: Bearings D1: Diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the first bearing (outer ring diameter) D2: Diameter of the outer circumferential surface of the second bearing (outer ring diameter) GR: Glass strip GRa: Width direction of both ends of the main surface of the glass strip L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L61: Axial length Sx: Joint t3a, t4, t4a: Wall thickness ΔD6, ΔD8: Diameter difference

Figure 1 is a half-sectional view showing the overall structure of the glass conveyor roller of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged half-sectional view showing the main parts of the glass conveyor roller of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a partial sectional front view showing a glass conveying device using the glass conveyor roller of the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a half-sectional view showing the overall structure of the glass conveyor roller of the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is an enlarged half-sectional view showing the main parts of the glass conveyor roller of the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is an enlarged half-sectional view showing the main parts of the glass conveyor roller of the third embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the main parts of the glass conveyor roller of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a half-sectional view showing the overall structure of the glass conveyor roller of the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is an enlarged half-sectional view showing the main parts of the glass conveyor roller of the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

1: Conveyor rollers for glass applications

2a: Through hole

2b: Front end face

2R: Roll section

2S: Main shaft section

2x: Closure component

3: Support shaft

3a: Large-diameter shaft section supporting the shaft

3ax, 3bx: Supported locations

3b: Small-diameter shaft section supporting the shaft

3S: First Axis Component

4: Connecting shaft

4S: Second Axis Component

5: First grade difference

6: Second-order difference section

7: Inner Hole

8: Third grade difference

B1, B2: Bearings

L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L61: Axial length

Sx: Joint

Claims (8)

A glass conveyor roller includes: a roller portion for contacting a continuously formed glass strip; and a main shaft portion connected to the roller portion, wherein the main shaft portion includes: a support shaft portion supported by a bearing; and a connecting shaft portion connecting the roller portion and the support shaft portion, and is a glass conveyor roller for conveying the glass strip, characterized in that the main shaft portion is for... A first shaft component on the support shaft side and a second shaft component on the connecting shaft side are joined to form a connecting shaft. The diameter of the connecting shaft is larger than the diameter of the support shaft, and a stepped portion is formed between the connecting shaft and the support shaft. The engagement portion of the first shaft component and the second shaft component is located further towards the roller side than the stepped portion. The glass conveyor roller as described in claim 1, wherein the engagement portion of the first shaft member and the second shaft member is located further towards the roller portion than the support position of the support shaft supported by the bearing. The glass conveyor roller as described in claim 1 or claim 2 is used as a single-support roller with the roller portion side being the free end side. A glass conveyor roller as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first shaft component has superior wear resistance compared to the second shaft component. The glass conveyor roller as described in claim 4, wherein the first shaft component is formed of high-carbon chromium bearing steel, carbon tool steel, or alloy tool steel. The glass conveyor roller as described in claim 4, wherein the second shaft component has superior heat resistance compared to the first shaft component. The glass conveyor roller as described in claim 6, wherein the second shaft component is formed of Worthfield steel or nickel alloy. A method for manufacturing sheet glass, characterized in that it includes a conveying step of conveying a continuously formed glass strip using a glass conveyor roller as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.