Mold apparatus and method for vacuum forming glass sheets
US5951733A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 4, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 14, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC03B23/0357
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Glass sheet forming apparatus (12) and a glass sheet forming method utilize a mold (20) having a curved forming face (22) with holes (26) in which a vacuum is drawn to form a glass sheet. A vacuum distributor (48) of the apparatus distributes a vacuum impulse of at least 0.1 atmospheres of vacuum from a valved vacuum reservoir (52) through a plurality of tubes (58) to a limited number of the holes (26) to provide additional forming of the glass sheet. The vacuum impulse distributor (48) is located within a vacuum chamber of the mold (20) that draws the vacuum by a gas jet pump in the holes (26) to which the vacuum impulse is not distributed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.