6151results about "Glass reforming apparatus" patented technology

Methods, devices, and systems for ultrashort pulse laser processing of optically transparent materials are disclosed, with example applications in scribing, marking, welding, and joining. For example, ultrashort laser pulses create scribe features with one pass of the laser beam across the material, with at least one of the scribe features being formed below the surface of the material. Slightly modifying the ultrashort pulse laser processing conditions produces sub-surface marks. When properly arranged, these marks are clearly visible with correctly aligned illumination. Reflective marks may also be formed with control of laser parameters. A transparent material other than glass may be utilized. A method for welding transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create a bond through localized heating. In some embodiments of transparent material processing, a multifocus beam generator simultaneously forms multiple beam waists spaced depthwise relative to the transparent material, thereby increasing processing speed.

A thin film made of an amorphous material having supercooled liquid phase region is formed on a substrate. Then, the thin film is heated to a temperature within the supercooled liquid phase region and is deformed by its weight, mechanical external force, electrostatic external force or the like, thereby to form a thin film-structure. Thereafter, the thin film-structure is cooled down to room temperature, which results in the prevention of the thin film's deformation.

A chip having a desired shape is formed from a platelike workpiece. The chip manufacturing method includes a shield tunnel forming step of applying a pulsed laser beam to the workpiece from a focusing unit included in a pulsed laser beam applying unit along the contour of the chip to be formed, with the focal point of the pulsed laser beam set at a predetermined depth from the upper surface of the workpiece, thereby forming a plurality of shield tunnels inside the workpiece along the contour of the chip to be formed. Each shield tunnel has a fine hole and an amorphous region formed around the fine hole for shielding the fine hole. In a chip forming step, ultrasonic vibration is applied to the workpiece to break the contour of the chip where the shield tunnels have been formed, thereby forming the chip from the workpiece.

A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. Antimony (Sb) is used in the glass to improve stability of the solar performance of the glass upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and / or sunlight. The combination of low iron content, antimony, and / or the patterning of the glass substrate results in a substrate with high visible transmission and excellent light refracting characteristics.

Methods for separating glass articles from strengthened glass substrate sheets and strengthened glass substrate sheets are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes forming at least one groove on at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet and strengthening the glass substrate sheet by a strengthening process. The groove defines the glass article and partially extends through a thickness of the glass substrate sheet. The method further includes generating an initiation defect on the groove at an initiation location to cause a through crack to self-propagate through the glass substrate sheet along the groove, thereby separating the glass article from the glass substrate sheet. In another embodiment, a strengthened glass substrate sheet includes a strengthened glass having a glass article groove and an initiation groove on a surface, the glass article groove defining a glass article.

Methods for ultrashort pulse laser processing of optically transparent materials. A method for scribing transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create multiple scribe features with a single pass of the laser beam across the material, with at least one of the scribe features being formed below the surface of the material. This enables clean breaking of transparent materials at a higher speed than conventional techniques. Slightly modifying the ultrashort pulse laser processing conditions produces sub-surface marks. When properly arranged, these marks are clearly visible with side-illumination and not clearly visible without side-illumination. In addition, a method for welding transparent materials uses ultrashort laser pulses to create a bond through localized heating. The ultrashort pulse duration causes nonlinear absorption of the laser radiation, and the high repetition rate of the laser causes pulse-to-pulse accumulation of heat within the materials. The laser is focused near the interface of the materials, generating a high energy fluence at the region to be welded. This minimizes damage to the rest of the material and enables fine weld lines.

Methods of forming a glass article are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming a glass article includes translating a pulsed laser beam on a glass substrate sheet to form a laser damage region between a first surface and a second surface of the glass substrate sheet. The method further includes applying an etchant solution to the glass substrate sheet to remove a portion of the glass substrate sheet about the laser damage region. The method may further include strengthening the glass substrate sheet by an ion-exchange strengthening process, and coating the glass substrate sheet with an acid-resistant coating. Also disclosed are methods where the laser damage region has an initial geometry that changes to a desired geometry following the reforming of the glass substrate sheet such that the initial geometry of the laser damage region compensates for the bending of the glass substrate sheet.

Apparatus, systems and methods for improving strength of a thin glass member for an electronic device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the glass member can have improved strength by using multi-bath chemical processing. The multi-bath chemical processing allows greater levels of strengthening to be achieved for glass member. In one embodiment, the glass member can pertain to a glass cover for a housing of an electronic device.

Thin substrates, such as flat glass panels, are levitated on a porous media air bearing creating a pressurized film of air and preloaded against the air film by negative pressure areas. The pressure can be distributed most uniformly across the pressure areas by defusing the pressure through a porous medium. Such a bearing can be used for glass flattening by holding the glass such that the unevenness is migrated to the side opposite the side to be worked on.

Methods for separating strengthened glass articles from glass substrate sheets and strengthened glass substrate sheets are described herein. In one embodiment, a method of separating a glass article from a glass substrate sheet includes forming at least one groove on at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet. The at least one groove continuously extends around a perimeter of the glass article and extends partially through a thickness of the glass substrate sheet. The method further includes strengthening the glass substrate sheet by a strengthening process and separating the glass article from the glass substrate sheet along the at least one groove such that one or more edges of the glass article are under compressive stress. In another embodiment, a strengthened glass substrate sheet includes an ion exchanged glass having one or more grooves in one or more strengthened surface layers, the one or more grooves defining glass articles.

Al2O3—Y2O3—ZrO2 / HfO2 ceramics (including glasses, crystalline ceramics, and glass-ceramics) and methods of making the same. Ceramics according to the present invention can be made, formed as, or converted into glass beads, articles (e.g., plates), fibers, particles, and thin coatings. The particles and fibers are useful, for example, as thermal insulation, filler, or reinforcing material in composites (e.g., ceramic, metal, or polymeric matrix composites). The thin coatings can be useful, for example, as protective coatings in applications involving wear, as well as for thermal management. Certain ceramic particles according to the present invention can be are particularly useful as abrasive particles.

A method of fabricating a high-density array of holes in glass is provided, comprising providing a glass piece having a front surface, then irradiating the front surface of the glass piece with a UV laser beam focused to a focal point within + / −100 μm of the front surface of the glass piece most desirably within + / −50 μm of the front surface. The lens focusing the laser has a numerical aperture desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.4, more desirably in the range of from 0.1 to 0.15 for glass thickness between 0.3 mm and 0.63 mm, even more desirably in the range of from 0.12 to 0.13, so as to produce open holes extending into the glass piece 100 from the front surface 102 of the glass piece, the holes having an diameter the in range of from 5 to 15 μm, and an aspect ratio of at least 20:1. For thinner glass, in the range of from 0.1-0.3 mm, the numerical aperture is desirably from 0.25 to 0.4, more desirably from 0.25 to 0.3, and the beam is preferably focused to within + / −30 μm of the front surface of the glass. The laser is desirable operated at a repetition rate of about 15 kHz or below. An array of holes thus produced may then be enlarged by etching. The front surface may be polished prior to etching, if desired.

Methods for separating glass articles from glass substrate sheets are described herein. In one embodiment, a method includes focusing a laser beam on at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet such that the laser beam has an asymmetrical intensity distribution at the at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet. The method further includes translating the laser beam on the at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet along a desired groove line to form at least one groove on the at least one surface of the glass substrate sheet. The at least one groove extends partially through a thickness of the glass substrate sheet along the desired groove line and has bevelled or chamfered walls. The glass article may be separated from the glass substrate sheet along the at least one groove.

A method of cutting a glass sheet that has been thermally or chemically strengthened along a predetermined line, axis, or direction with high speed and with minimum damage on the cut edges. The strengthened glass sheet may be cut into at least two pieces, one of which having a predetermined shape or dimension. At least one damage line is formed within the strengthened glass sheet. The at least one damage line is formed outside the strengthened compressive stress surface layers and within the tensile stress layer of the strengthened glass sheet. The at least one damage line may be formed by laser treatment. A crack is initiated in the strengthened glass sheet and propagated along the at least one damage line to separate the strengthened glass sheet along the predetermined line, axis, or direction into at least two pieces.

A preparatory tempered glass structure for a cutting treatment includes a glass substrate and at least one trench. The glass substrate is given a strengthening treatment to form, from a surface to the inside of the glass substrate, at least one compression stress layer and a tensile stress layer corresponding to the compression stress layer. The trench is formed in the compression stress layer of the glass substrate and overlaps a predetermined cutting path for the cutting treatment.

A housing case for a small electric device and communication device includes a flat plate having a dimension substantially the same as that of the front portion of the housing case and comprising at least a glass plate, and a resin frame integrated with the flat plate to support the backside periphery of the flat plate.

The present invention relates to a glass frit and a sealing method for an electric element using the same, and more particularly, to a glass frit which provides a good sealing effect to moisture and gas and is processable at low temperatures, and a sealing method for an electric element using the same.

In a cleaving apparatus (1) for a glass film, an initial crack (10), which is formed at a leading end portion of a preset cleaving line (7) of a glass film (G), is propagated along the preset cleaving line (7) by a thermal stress generated in the glass film (G) through localized heating performed along the preset cleaving line (7) and cooling of a heated region resulting from the localized heating. At this time, a resin sheet (R) having higher flexibility than the glass film (G) is arranged in a cleaving region, and the resin sheet (R) is floated by blowing a gas on a lower surface of the resin sheet (R) by a floating unit (3). Then, a preset cleaving portion of the glass film (G) including the preset cleaving line (7) is lifted and supported while being covered with the floated resin sheet (R) from below, and in this state, the glass film (G) is cleaved.

A front end for a glass forming operation comprises an open channel and at least one burner. The channel has at least one surface. The surface has at least one hole therein. The burner is oriented in the hole at an acute angle relative to the surface. In another embodiment of the invention, the channel has a top and a pair of sidewalls each having a surface. At least one hole is in at least one of the surfaces. The hole is at an acute angle relative to at least one surface. The burner is an oxygen-fired burner. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the top and sidewalls each have a super structure surface constructed of refractory material. The channel has an upstream end and a downstream end. At least one of the surfaces has a plurality of holes therein. The burners extend at an acute angle relative to at least one surface and in a plane extending between the upstream end and the downstream end and perpendicular to at least one surface. Oxygen-fired burners extend axially through corresponding holes.

A method of cutting an article (172) from a chemically strengthened glass substrate (110) includes generating a pulsed laser beam (108) from a laser source (106). The pulsed laser beam (108) may have a pulse duration of less than about 1000 fs and an output wavelength such that the chemically strengthened glass substrate (110) is substantially transparent to the pulsed laser beam (108). The pulsed laser beam (108) may be focused to form a beam waist (109) that is positioned in the same horizontal plane as an inner tensile region (124) of the chemically strengthened glass substrate (110). The beam waist (109) may be translated in a first pass along a cut line (116), wherein the beam waist (109) traverses an edge (111) of the chemically strengthened glass substrate. The beam waist (113) may then be translated in a second pass along the cut line (116) such that a crack (119) propagates from the edge (113) along the cut line (116) ahead of the translated beam waist (109) during the second pass.

A method for cutting apart a glass substrate is provided whereby scribing of the glass substrate is possible without being affected by the presence or thickness of a deposited film formed thereon and without scratching the deposited film. To treat a glass substrate (1) having a deposited film (1a), such as a thin film or resin film, formed on one surface thereof, there are provided a shaving means (202), which is a blade that removes strip-shaped portions of the deposited film (1a) to expose strip-shaped regions on the glass substrate (1), and a wheel cutter (14a) that forms scribed lines along the strip-shaped regions exposed on the glass substrate (1). The glass substrate (1) is cut apart along the scribed lines.

A method of forming a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on a mold such that a first glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a first mold surface area of the mold and a second glass area of the glass sheet corresponds to a second mold surface area of the mold. The first glass area and the second glass area are heated such that the viscosity of the second glass area is 8 poise or more lower than the viscosity of the first glass area. A force is applied to the glass sheet to conform the glass sheet to the mold surface. During the heating of the second glass area, the first mold surface area is locally cooled to induce a thermal gradient on the mold.

A high-refractivity high-dispersion optical glass for producing an optical element, which requires no machining, such as polishing or lapping, of an optical-function surface after precision press molding, containing B2O3, SiO2, La2O3, Gd2O3, ZnO, Li2O, ZrO2 and Ta2O5 as essential components, containing 0 to 1 mol % of Sb2O3 as an optional component, substantially containing none of PbO and Lu2O3, having a glass transition temperature of 630° C. or lower, and (1) having a refractive index nd and an Abbe's number nud which satisfy all of the following relational expressions, 1.80<nd<=1.90, 35<nud<=50, and nd>=2.025-(0.005xnud) or (2) having an nd of greater than 1.85 and a nud of greater than 35.

A silicon casting apparatus for producing polycrystal silicon ingot by heating a silicon melt (8) held in a mold (4) from above by a heater (3) and cooling it from below while changing the heat exchange area of a heat exchange region (HE), defined between a pedestal (5) having the mold (4) placed thereon and a bottom cooling member (6), in such a manner as to keep pace with the rise of the solid-liquid interface of the silicon melt (8), thereby causing unidirectional solidification upward along the mold (4); and a method of producing polycrystal silicon ingot using such apparatus. According to this production method, the temperature gradient given to the silicon melt (8) can be maintained at constant by adjusting the heat exchange area, so that polycrystal silicon ingot having good characteristics can be produced with good reproducibility.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to edge sealing techniques for vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units. More particularly, certain example embodiments relate to techniques for providing localized heating to edge seals of units, and / or unitized ovens for accomplishing the same. In certain example embodiments, a unit is pre-heated to one or more intermediate temperatures, localized heating (e.g., from one or more substantially linear focused IR heat sources) is provided proximate to the peripheral edges of the unit so as to melt frits placed thereon, and cooled. In certain non-limiting implementations, the pre-heating and / or cooling may be provided in one or more steps. An oven for accomplishing the same may include multiple zones for performing the above-noted steps, each zone optionally including one or more chambers. Accordingly, in certain example embodiments, a temperature gradient proximate to the edges of the unit is created, thereby reducing the chances of breakage and / or at least some de-tempering of the substrates.

A high transmission and low iron glass is provided for use in a solar cell. The glass substrate may be patterned on at least one surface thereof. Antimony (Sb) is used in the glass to improve stability of the solar performance of the glass upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and / or sunlight. The combination of low iron content, antimony, and / or the patterning of the glass substrate results in a substrate with high visible transmission and excellent light refracting characteristics.

A thin lithium-aluminosilicate glass is provided. The glass is suitable for three dimensional precision molding and suitable for toughening, wherein after toughening, the glass has a center tension smaller than 50 Mpa, a surface compressive stress of 600-1200 Mpa, and a bending strength of up to 500 MPa. The glass also has a transition point lower than 550° C.

Methods and apparatus for refining and delivering a supply of molten glass include melting a supply of glass in a melter and discharging a stream of molten glass. A refining section is provided to refine the molten glass discharged by the melter and to deliver the molten glass downstream to a glass forming apparatus. The refining section is mounted for movement into and out of contact with the stream of molten glass to connect and disconnect the glass forming apparatus with the stream of molten glass.