Heat-regulating glass bending apparatus and method

Abstract

A sag-bending system is disclosed. The sag-bending system comprises a sag-bending glass support mold and a perimeter thermal manager. The sag-bending glass support mold has a quadrilateral shape, a collective upper surface, and a periphery. The support mold comprises a plurality of rib members extending in a first direction, each of the plurality of rib members having a curved upper surface shaped to form the collective upper surface having a position and shape to support a quadrilateral-shaped sag-bent glass sheet into a desired contour, each of the rib members further having a lower surface, and a plurality of support members extending in a second direction between at least two of the plurality of rib members, the second direction traverse to the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 heating a glass sheet above a glass support mold resulting in a curved glass sheet; and   cooling a first edge of the curved glass sheet and a non-edge portion of the curved glass sheet at substantially the same rate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling includes using a thermal manager positioned near the first edge of the curved glass sheet to control cooling of the first edge of the curved glass sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising coupling the glass support mold to the thermal manager. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said coupling is performed before said heating. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling includes using a thermal manager to control convective heat transfer at the first edge of the curved glass sheet during cooling. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling a second edge of the curved glass sheet, on an opposite side of the curved glass sheet, at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling includes using a thermal manager to reflect radiation at the first edge of the curved glass sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said cooling includes using a thermal manager that surrounds the glass sheet to control cooling of edges of the curved glass sheet. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 positioning a substantially flat sheet of glass above a sag-bending mold;   increasing the temperature of the sheet of glass above a first temperature;   altering the shape of the sheet of glass with an upper surface of the sag-bending mold;   decreasing the temperature of the sheet of glass below the first temperature; and   slowing cooling of an edge of the glass sheet.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said slowing cooling of the edge includes controlling convective heat transfer at the edge. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said slowing cooling of the edge includes reflecting infrared radiation at the edge. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising releasably coupling a thermal regulator performing said slowing to the sag-bending mold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising after said increasing, decoupling the upper surface of the sag-bending mold from the sag-bending mold. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising separating the glass sheet from the upper surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising slowing cooling of remaining edges of the glass sheet. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a glass support mold adapted to support a heated sheet of glass in a curved shape; and   a thermal regulator adapted to preserve heat near an edge of the glass support mold resulting in slower cooling of an edge of the heated sheet of glass.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal regulator is releasably coupled to the glass support mold. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal regulator includes an infrared reflective surface directed toward the glass support mold. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal regulator includes a perforated portion. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal regulator is adjustable between a first position near the edge of the glass support mold and a second position apart from the glass support mold.