Glass molding apparatus including adjustable cooling nozzles and methods of using the same

Abstract

A molding apparatus for forming a glass article comprises a mold shell comprising a cooling surface comprising at least a first zone and a second zone; an adjustable nozzle system comprising a mold-facing surface having a plurality of apertures sized to receive a nozzle or a plug; a plurality of nozzles, each coupled to one of the apertures to direct a stream of fluid onto the cooling surface; and a fluid supply providing a fluid through the plurality of nozzles. The fluid is jetted through the nozzles to impinge against the first zone or the second zone of the cooling surface, and a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the first zone of the cooling surface is different than a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the second zone of the cooling surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A molding apparatus for forming a glass article comprising:
 a mold shell comprising a cooling surface and a glass contact surface, wherein the cooling surface comprises at least a first zone and a second zone; and   an adjustable nozzle system comprising a mold-facing surface having a plurality of apertures, sized to receive a nozzle or a plug;   a plurality of nozzles, each of the plurality of nozzles coupled to and extending through a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures and oriented to direct a stream of fluid onto the cooling surface of the mold shell;   a fluid supply coupled to the adjustable nozzle system for providing a fluid through the plurality of nozzles of the adjustable nozzle system, wherein:
 the fluid is jetted through the plurality of nozzles to impinge against the first zone or the second zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell; and 
 a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the first zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell is different than a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the second zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell. 
   
     
     
         2 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first zone and the second zone are thermally isolated from one another by a deflector extending outward from the cooling surface, a groove in the cooling surface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one plug coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures, wherein the at least one plug causes an amount of fluid impinging against the first zone to differ from an amount of fluid impinging against the second zone. 
     
     
         4 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of fluid impinging against the first zone is greater than an amount of fluid impinging against the second zone. 
     
     
         5 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply provides fluid through an inlet in the adjustable nozzle system, and the fluid exits the adjustable nozzle system through two or more of the plurality of nozzles. 
     
     
         6 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of nozzles in the adjustable nozzle system is fluidly coupled to a corresponding inlet of a plurality of inlets;   the fluid supply provides fluid through one or more of the plurality of inlets; and   the fluid exits the corresponding nozzle fluidly coupled to each of the one or more of the plurality of inlets.   
     
     
         7 . A molding apparatus for forming a glass article comprising:
 a mold shell comprising a cooling surface and a glass contact surface, the glass contact surface defining a cavity within the mold shell for receiving a flow of molten glass, wherein the cooling surface comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, wherein the first zone and the second zone are thermally isolated from one another; and   an adjustable nozzle system comprising a mold-facing surface having a plurality of apertures, sized to receive a nozzle or a plug;   a plurality of nozzles, each of the plurality of nozzles coupled to and extending through a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures and oriented to direct a stream of fluid onto the cooling surface of the mold shell; and   a fluid supply coupled to the adjustable nozzle system for providing a fluid through the plurality of nozzles of the adjustable nozzle system, wherein:
 the fluid is jetted through the plurality of nozzles to impinge against the first zone or the second zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell; and 
 a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the first zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell is different than a number of nozzles through which the fluid is jetted to impinge against the second zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell. 
   
     
     
         8 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the cooling surface comprises a deflector extending outward from the cooling surface, and wherein the deflector redirects the fluid impinging the first zone or the second zone to prevent the fluid from contacting the other of the second zone or the first zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell. 
     
     
         9 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the cooling surface further comprises at least one groove between the first zone and the second zone. 
     
     
         10 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one deflector extends outward from the cooling surface along a longitudinal edge of the at least one groove. 
     
     
         11 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the cooling surface comprises at least one groove between the first zone and the second zone. 
     
     
         12 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising at least one plug coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures, wherein the at least one plug causes an amount of fluid impinging against the first zone to differ from an amount of fluid impinging against the second zone. 
     
     
         13 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the first zone is disposed adjacent a glass inlet into which molten glass is flowed and the second zone is disposed adjacent a glass outlet of which a solid glass article is produced. 
     
     
         14 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the amount of fluid impinging the first zone is greater than an amount of fluid impinging the second zone. 
     
     
         15 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid supply provides fluid through an inlet in the adjustable nozzle system, and the fluid exits the adjustable nozzle system through two or more of the plurality of nozzles. 
     
     
         16 . The molding apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of nozzles in the adjustable nozzle system is fluidly coupled to a corresponding inlet of a plurality of inlets;   the fluid supply provides fluid through one or more of the plurality of inlets; and   the fluid exits the corresponding nozzle fluidly coupled to each of the one or more of the plurality of inlets.   
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling molten glass to form a glass article comprising:
 flowing molten glass into a cavity defined by a cooling surface of a mold shell, wherein the cooling surface comprises at least a first zone and a second zone, wherein the first zone and the second zone are thermally isolated from one another;   supplying fluid to an adjustable nozzle system comprising a mold-facing surface having a plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of apertures sized to receive one of a nozzle or a plug; and   jetting the fluid through the plurality of nozzles, each of the plurality of nozzles coupled to and extending through a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures and oriented to direct a stream of fluid onto the cooling surface of the mold shell, to impinge against the first zone to cause a first cooling intensity and to impinge against the second zone of the cooling surface to cause a second cooling intensity, the first cooling intensity and the second cooling intensity drawing heat away from the molten glass, thereby cooling the molten glass to form a glass article, wherein the second cooling intensity is different from the first cooling intensity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a number of the plurality of nozzles directing a stream of fluid to impinge against the first zone is greater than a number of the plurality of nozzles directing a stream of fluid to impinge against the second zone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a temperature of the fluid impinging against the first zone is less than a temperature of the fluid impinging against the second zone. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cooling surface comprises a deflector extending outward from the cooling surface, and wherein the deflector redirects the fluid impinging the first zone or the second zone to prevent the fluid from contacting the other of the second zone or the first zone of the cooling surface of the mold shell.