CZ2000439A3 - A method of bending forming a glass sheet and apparatus for performing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The glass sheet (18) is heated to the molding temperature moves the heating furnace (12) by means of a roller conveyor (20) into the forming zone (14). During shaping the individual rollers (20A to 20M) move vertically so that the conveyor forms a shape corresponding to the curvature of the sheet (18) and in the subsequent transport of the sheet (18) to the cooling coil a tempering device (16) having vertical individual positions the rollers (20A to 20M) change so that the respective surface shape CO of the conveyor (20) proceeds as a wave along with the board (18).

Description

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for bending glass sheets and apparatus for forming glass sheets for conveying machines, e.g., cars, boats, railway vehicles, airplanes, and so on. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for bending glass sheets suitable for bending shaped glass panes for automotive windows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to bend the glass sheet by heating the glass sheet to a temperature around the softening point in a heating furnace and transferring the glass sheet to a roller conveyor comprising curved rollers (e.g., U.S. Patent 4,123,246). According to this method, the softened glass sheet sits under its own weight and bends to match the curvature of the rollers.

Further, it is known to bend the glass sheet by heating the glass sheet to a temperature around the softening point in the heating furnace and repositioning the glass sheet by rollers inclined in the displacement direction such that the displacement path is curved (e.g., US Patent 4,820,327). According to this method, the softened glass sheet sits under its own weight and bends to match the curvature of the transfer path.

In the description, said bending in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction means that the shape of the bent-shaped glass sheet is a shape curved about an axis in the displacement direction. In other words, the bend-shaped glass sheet has a curved shape in a cross-section taken vertically along the axis of the displacement direction. Bending in the (along) direction of displacement means that the shape of the bending-shaped glass sheet is the shape of the bending-shaped glass sheet.

13103 -2 curved around, axes perpendicular to the direction of displacement. In other words, the bend-shaped glass sheet has a curved shape in cross-section extending vertically along an axis perpendicular to the displacement direction. Due to the shape of the curved surface shaped by the rollers as described below, a phrase bent in (along) the direction of displacement or the like has the same meaning as flexurally shaped in (along) the direction of displacement. The phrase bend-shaped in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction is also applicable to describe a curved surface relative to a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction.

In this description perpendicular to a particular direction means a direction perpendicular to a certain direction in a horizontal plane. Further, upper or lower in this specification means upper or lower relative to the horizontal plane.

In recent years, the automotive industry has grown and large boards with varying demands for producing small quantities of diversity, and are needed by glass curves in response to car models. In the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,246, it was necessary to replace the rollers with others having a curvature corresponding to the model of the car to be manufactured. The replacement work is time-consuming and it is necessary to prepare the rollers with the curvature required for the model of the car to be manufactured. In this method, the glass sheets are displaced in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction. When bending the glass pane for a side window of a car, the direction of the side of the glass pane mounted on the car corresponds to the direction of the rollers length. In such a state, the deformation occurring on the glass sheet by the deformed roller is clearly visible.

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According to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,327, it was necessary to rearrange the rollers to form a displacement path with a curvature that corresponds to the model to be produced. Such a change requires a lot of time.

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Further, in the method of US 4,820,327, the direction of movement of the glass sheet changes to a vertical direction. Therefore, the entire device to be used for the method of US 4, 820, 327 is necessarily large. Further, since the glass sheet is displaced against gravity, it is difficult to reposition the glass sheet at high speed and a special anti-slip mechanism must be used. Further, the transfer direction for the glass sheet subjected to flexural cooling and tempering must be changed from vertical to horizontal. The mechanism for changing the displacement direction is complex and there is a risk of destroying the glass sheet.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages of conventional processes and to provide a new bending molding method and a bending molding apparatus for glass sheets that is well known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In forming the invention, the above problems have been considered to provide a method of bending the glass sheet comprising heating the glass sheet to the bending molding temperature in a heating furnace and moving the heated glass sheet along the displacement surface formed by the roller conveyors during which the glass sheet is bent a predetermined curvature with its own weight, wherein the method of bending the glass sheet is characterized in that said displacement surface forming rollers are vertically adjusted depending on the displacement position of the glass sheet to form a curve in at least a portion of the displacement surface such that a predetermined curved surface it is shaped in a position to which the glass plate is moved and the curved surface is advanced as a wave from the inlet side to the outlet side of the roller conveyor The glass sheet is flexurally shaped to a predetermined curvature along the curved surface.

Further, the invention provides a method of bending the glass sheet comprising heating the glass sheet to a bending temperature. · * ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ * ♦ ♦ · * * * · ··

13103 -4-forming in a heating furnace and displacing the heated glass sheet along a transfer surface formed by rollers arranged side by side in the transporting direction of the glass sheet, during which the glass sheet is flexibly shaped to a predetermined curvature due to its own weight; The sheet is characterized in that the rollers in the position to which the glass sheet is displaced are vertically adjusted with the glass sheet displacement so that a predetermined curved surface that is curved in the displacement direction of the glass sheet is formed on at least a portion of the displacement surface by rollers. position, and each of said rollers is progressively vertically adjusted to move the glass sheet to move the curved surface in the transfer direction of the glass sheet with the glass sheet being moved, the glass sheet is flexibly shaped to correspond to the curved surface during displacement of the glass sheet.

Further, the invention provides a glass sheet bending molding apparatus comprising a heating furnace for heating a glass sheet to a bending molding temperature and molding means disposed on the outlet side of the heating furnace for bending the glass sheet into a predetermined curvature, the glass sheet bending molding device being characterized in that said forming means comprises a roller conveyor comprising rollers forming a displacement surface for displacing the glass sheet, vertically driving means for vertically moving the rollers, and control means that control the vertically driving means of the rollers such that at least a portion of the displacement surface is bent into curvature which corresponds to the curvature of the shaped glass sheet, wherein the predetermined curved surface is shaped by rollers in a position where the displaced glass sheet and the curved surface is moved as a wave advance from the inlet side to the outlet side of the roller conveyor, the glass sheet being displaced during the movement of the curved surface, the glass sheet being

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5-shaped to a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved surface.

Further, the invention provides a glass sheet bending molding apparatus comprising a heating furnace for heating a glass sheet to a bending molding temperature and molding means disposed on the outlet side of the glass sheet bending furnace to a predetermined curvature, wherein the glass sheet bending molding apparatus is characterized by wherein said molding means comprises a roller conveyor comprising rollers which are arranged side by side in the displacement direction of the glass sheet to form a displacement surface for displacing the glass sheet, vertically driving roller means and control means which control the vertically driving means to form a predetermined curved surface , curved in the transfer direction of the glass sheet at least on a portion of the transfer surface by means of rollers in the position where the glass sheet is being displaced and for progressively adjusting the rollers vertically with the glass sheet being displaced, the curved surface being displaced in the displacing direction of the glass sheet.

In particular, each of the rollers is vertically adjusted to move the glass sheet. By such a vertical movement, the curved surface is shaped by rollers in a position where the glass sheet being moved is currently and the curved surface is moved into the transporting direction of the glass sheet. In other words, the curved surface corresponds to a wavefront of a downwardly convex shape or a wavefront of an upwardly convex shape. Each of the rollers corresponds to the oscillating wave element and the stroke length of the vertical movement of each roller corresponds to the wave amplitude. The waveform is formed by creating a phase difference of the vertical movement of each of the rollers such that the phase of each roll as each oscillating element is gradually changed in the direction of travel in the transfer direction, the curved surface being displaced in the transfer direction of the glass sheet.

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For the vertical movement of each of the rollers, preferably one cycle of movement consists of a series of adjustments from the original position in the vertical direction through the descent and climb to return to the original position. In this case, each of the rollers occupies (a: initial state) which represents the beginning of the descent when the leading edge of the glass sheet as a whole is displaced to it in the transfer direction, (b) which represents one cycle of descent and climb movement the glass sheet as a whole and (c: end state), which represents the return movement to the original position when the rear edge of the glass sheet as a whole is displaced towards it in the displacement direction. Thus, the roller performs one cycle of vertical movement from the initial state to the final state while the glass sheet as a whole has passed through the roller. When a plurality of glass sheets are flexibly formed in succession, the glass sheets are displaced one after the other. Accordingly, each of the rollers is repeatedly vertically adjusted in the order of (a), (b) and (c) for each of the successive glass panes as a whole. When the ascending and descending movement of each of the rollers is performed, the initial state is determined such that the beginning of the ascent is at the moment when the leading edge of the glass sheet as a whole is displaced to it in the transfer direction of the glass sheet.

When a curved surface having a downwardly convex shape is to be formed by inducing vertical movement of each roller, the glass sheet as a whole is displaced as follows. When the leading edge and the trailing edge in the transfer direction of the glass sheet are placed on certain rollers, these rollers are in the initial state (end state). Accordingly, the positions in the vertical direction of the leading edge and the trailing edge in the transfer direction of the glass sheet are maintained in positions corresponding to the initial state of each roller. The height level in the imaginary surface (which is horizontal) of the vertical direction formed by each of the rollers in the initial state is referred to as the repositioning level. On the other hand, each of the rollers that corresponds to the intermediate portion of the glass sheet, as the portion between the front of the glass sheet.

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13103 -7the edge and the trailing edge in the transfer direction of the glass sheet is in the intermediate state in one cycle of vertical movement. Accordingly, the intermediate portion of the glass sheet is in a lower position than the transfer level (the intermediate portion sinks down). Accordingly, the glass sheet as a whole is displaced in such a way that the intermediate portion is in a lower position than the displacement level while the leading edge and the rear edge in the displacement direction are maintained at the displacement level. In the case of a curved surface with a convex shape facing upwards, the intermediate portion is in a higher position than the displacement level.

A glass sheet as a whole usually means a single glass sheet. In the case of moving two or more glass sheets in a stacked state as desired, two or more glass sheets may be bent at the same time. Thus, the term glass sheet as a whole comprises two or more glass sheets in a stacked state. According to the bending-molding method and the device according to the invention, one glass sheet as a whole may be successively bent-shaped or several glass sheets may be successively bent-shaped as a whole. Whether the assembly is a single sheet of glass or the assembly of multiple sheets of glass is in a stacked state does not significantly affect the basic operation of the bending-forming method and the bending-forming apparatus of the present invention. For this reason, the words as a whole may be deleted from this description.

As the rollers move vertically, the horizontal component of the transfer speed of the glass pane depends on the vertical position of each roll. In this case, if the angular speeds of the rollers are constant, the horizontal component of the roller speed on the bottom side is higher than that of the roller on the top side. If such a speed imbalance is created, slipping occurs between the roller and the glass sheet and the glass sheet is easily damaged. Therefore, preferably a rotary drive means is used to independently rotate the rollers and

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A control device for controlling the rotationally propelling means so that the horizontal components of the transfer speeds are aligned. With such measures, the aforementioned disadvantage can be eliminated, and a defect-free glass sheet can be obtained.

The curved surface formed by the rollers has the following meaning. First, it is assumed that each roller has a central axis line. Since each of the centerline lines extends in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction, the imaginary curved surface is formed by a smooth connection of all centerline lines. The imaginary curved surface corresponds to the curved surface formed by all the rollers. Since each of the rollers actually has a finite thickness, the curved surface formed by all the rollers is somewhat different from the imaginary curved surface. Namely, the radius of curvature of the curved surface formed by all the rollers is somewhat smaller (approximately by the radius of the roller) than the radius of curvature of the imaginary curved surface. Accordingly, the curved surface formed by all the rollers corresponds to a curved surface that is somewhat smaller than the radius of curvature of the imaginary curved surface.

The predetermined curved surface formed by all the rollers is the desired curved surface for displacing the glass sheet depending on the positions of the rollers. Particularly in the uppermost position in the displacement direction in the bending zone of the glass sheet, the curved surface to be formed by the rollers in this position provides a curved shape that is generally in agreement with the final curved shape of the glass sheet in the displacement direction of the glass sheet.

For example, the curved surface formed by the rollers located upstream of the rearmost position in the displacement direction has a radius of curvature that is larger than the curved surface formed by the rollers in the rearmost position in the displacement direction. In a further counter-displacement process, the curved surface formed by the rollers has an even greater radius of curvature.

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As another example, it is possible that at each position of the bending sheet of the glass sheet, the curved surface to be formed by the rollers is reproduced as a curved shape that is generally in accordance with the resulting curved shape in the displacement direction of the glass sheet. In any case, for bending the glass sheet into a curved shape of the glass sheet resultingly obtainable, the curved surface to be formed by the rollers is reproduced in accordance with the position where the glass sheet to be moved is. In this case, the shape of the curved sheet is determined taking into account the thickness of the glass sheet and the temperature of the glass sheet. It is preferred to provide the device in a manner capable of appropriately determining how the shape of the curved surface is changed (or a predetermined shape is provided) depending on these conditions.

The glass sheet cannot be bent by its own weight immediately. Accordingly, it is preferred that the radius of curvature of the curved surface formed by the rollers be reduced gradually from the inlet side to thereby produce a gradually reduced radius of curvature, whereby the predetermined curved shape of the glass sheet can be achieved at the extreme position in the displacement direction. in terms of sufficient transmission of the transfer driving force transmitted by each of the rollers to the glass sheet.

The aforementioned bending forming method and the bending forming apparatus of the glass sheet are intended to bend the glass sheet only in one direction of the transfer direction of the glass sheet. In the case of bending the glass sheet to a desired shape, e.g. a shape obtained by bending the glass sheet in only one direction (simply curved shape), a shape with portions each having a different curvature of the glass sheet of simply curved shape (combined curved shape) by bending the glass sheet in multiple directions (complex curved shape) and so on, it is preferred to add one or more than two measures such as

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10 is described below for the aforementioned bending molding method and the glass sheet bending molding apparatus.

(1: Adjusting the curved shape of the glass pane) A pressure roller is additionally positioned above the rollers. The pressure roller is positioned in the normal direction on the curved surface and the glass sheet is held between the pressure roller and the bending rollers of the glass sheet to match the curved surface. At this point, the pressure roller is always positioned in the normal direction on the curved surface by means of moving the pressure roller.

(2: Combined curved shape) The pressure roller is spaced apart above and between adjacent two rollers. The portion of the glass sheet corresponding to the position between the two rollers is compressed by a pressure roller to apply a load to that portion of the glass sheet where the glass sheet is flexurally shaped. In this case, the load on the glass sheet is transmitted by moving the pressure roller forward and back to the displacement surface by means of moving the pressure roller.

(3: Combined curved shape) The curved surface is shaped to have multiple radii of curvature in the displacement direction.

(4: Complexly curved shape) At least one top side and bottom side of the bend-shaped glass sheet is blown air from a plurality of air-blowing means arranged above and below the transfer surface, the air-blowing means being located on the sides of the bending-forming rollers. a direction of displacement, for bending the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction, wherein the cooling equilibrium of the upper surface and the lower surface of the glass sheet is adjusted.

(5: Complexly curved shape) The rollers 20 are arranged horizontally side by side in the transfer direction and the rollers

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Are inclined relative to the horizontal. Further, the rollers are arranged such that the inclination directions of adjacent rollers are alternately opposite (right side raised and left side raised in front of the tents in the direction of travel). Thus, the curved surface bent in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction is formed by two adjacent rollers bending the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Giant. 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of a bending forming apparatus for glass sheets according to an embodiment of the invention.

Giant. 2 is a transition diagram showing bending operations of a glass sheet by rollers arranged in a forming zone.

Giant. 3 is a perspective view corresponding to the transition diagram shown in FIG. 2.

Giant. 4 is a diagram showing the structures of the rotationally driven rollers and the vertically driven rollers.

Giant. 5 is a diagram showing the horizontal component of the transfer rate of a glass sheet

Giant. 6 is a side view for explaining the operations of a forced bending pressure roller positioned between the forming zone and the cooling device.

Giant. 7 is a front view showing the construction of a sandwich roller.

Giant. 8 is a transition diagram illustrating glass sheet repair operations performed by a sandwich roller.

Giant. 9 is a diagram showing the glass sheet bending operations performed by a sandwich roller.

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-12 ·· 44 * 4 • 4 * • 44

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Giant. 10 is a side view of a sandwich roller structure.

Giant. 11 is a front view showing the construction of a sandwich roller.

Giant. 12 is a transition diagram illustrating bending operations of a glass sheet performed by a plurality of rollers in a forming zone.

Giant. 13 is a side view showing the construction of a cooling and forming apparatus.

Giant. 14 is a front view showing the structures of the rotationally driven rollers, the vertically driven rollers and the tilting mechanism.

Giant. 15 is a front view showing the state of the rollers arrangement in a view opposite to the displacement direction.

Giant. 16 is a transition diagram illustrating bending operations of a glass sheet by a roller conveyor as viewed in the opposite direction of travel.

Giant. 17 is a front view showing the state of the rollers arrangement in a view opposite to the displacement direction.

Giant. 18 is a front view showing the state of the rollers arrangement in a view opposite to the displacement direction.

Giant. 19 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vertically driving means.

Giant. 20 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the vertically driving means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the bending-molding method and apparatus for a glass sheet according to the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

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Giant. 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of a bending forming apparatus for a glass sheet 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The forming apparatus 10 mainly comprises a heating furnace 12, a forming zone 14 and a cooling and tempering apparatus 16.

First, the folding step of the glass sheet 18 by the molding apparatus 10 will be described. The glass sheet 18 before bending is transferred to the heating furnace 12 by means of a roller conveyor (not shown) after determining the displacement position at the inlet of the heating furnace 12. The glass sheet 18 is heated by heaters in the heating furnace. 12 during transfer in the heating furnace 12 and is heated to a bending molding temperature (about 600 to 700 ° C) at the outlet side of the heating furnace 12. The glass sheet 18 heated to said temperature is transferred to the forming zone 14 located at the outlet side of the heating furnace 12 a roller conveyor 20 for bending forming.

When the glass sheet 18 is moved to the forming zone 14, it is flexibly shaped to have a predetermined curvature by the bending forming operations of the roller conveyor 20. The flexibly shaped glass sheet 18 is moved from the exit of the forming zone 14 to the cooling and tempering device 16 by the roller conveyor 22 for cooling. and a tempering device 16 for cooling and tempering. The cooling and tempering device 16 is provided with upper blow heads 24 and lower blow heads 26 which are positioned such that the roller conveyor 22 lies therebetween, and the glass sheet 18 is cooled and tempered by air directed at the glass sheet 18 by these blow heads 24, 26. The cooling capacity of the cooling and tempering device 16 is appropriately determined depending on the thickness of the glass sheet 18. The cooled and tempered glass sheet 18 is displaced from the outlet of the cooling and tempering apparatus 16 towards the control apparatus (not shown) in the next step by roller conveyor 28. Above the mentioned is 9 9 999 9 9 9 999 9 9 9 999 9 · ·· 9 9 9 9 9

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13103-14 during the forming step of the glass sheet 18 as a whole in the forming apparatus 10.

The roller conveyor 20 of the forming zone 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The roller conveyor 20 is formed by straight rollers (13 rollers 20A to 20M (FIG. 2) in this embodiment) arranged horizontally in the displacement direction. glass panes, rollers are parallel to each other. The glass sheet 18 is displaced by rotating the rollers 20A to 20M along the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20A to 20M.

The rollers 20A to 20M are respectively driven to rotate independently by each of their rotary drive means and are vertically driven independently of each other by their vertically drive means. The rotary drive means and the vertical drive means are controlled, for example, by a motion controller. Alternatively, numerical control (NC) can be performed by inputting various data to a personal computer (PC)

Giant. 4 is a structural diagram illustrating rotationally driving means and vertically driving means for each of the rollers 20A to 20M. Since these rotary drive means and the vertical drive means for each of the rollers 20A to 20M are of the same construction, their design description is made only for the roller 20A with reference to Fig. 4 and the description of the other designs for the other rollers 2OB to 20M is omitted.

The roller 20A is rotatably supported at both ends by bearings 32, 32 on a U-shaped movable frame 30. The spindle 40 of the servomotor 38 is connected by means of gears 34, 34 to the left end portion of the roller 20A in Fig. 4. the roller 20A rotates at a predetermined angular speed. The above is the construction of the rotatable driving means.

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13103-15 On the other hand, the movable frame 30 is supported on both sides by a vertically movable fixed frame 42 by means of a linearly movable guide. The linearly movable guide has guide rails 44 which are positioned vertically on the sides of the movable frame 30 and guide blocks on the sides of the fixed frame 42 engage with the guide rails 44.

The racks 48, 48 extend downwardly from both end portions at the bottom of the movable frame 30 and the pinions 50, 50 engage the racks 48, 48. The pinions 50, 50 are secured to the horizontally positioned rotating shaft 52. 4, which is connected to the spindle 58 of the servomotor 56. When the rotary shaft 52 is rotated by the servomotor 56, the rotational movement of the pinion 50 and the rack 48 changes into a linear movement wherein the movable frame 30 (i.e., the roller 20A) moves vertically. Thus, the construction of the vertically propelling means has been disclosed. In Fig. 4, the reference numerals 60, 62 designate heaters disposed in the forming zone 14.

The aforementioned rotary drive means and the vertical drive means are available on all other rollers 20B to 20M and the actuators 38, 56 for these means are controlled by the aforementioned motion controller.

The motion controller will be described. When the glass sheet model 18 is inserted by external input means, the motion controller prepares the angular velocity control data and the vertical motion control data for the rollers 20A to 20M that correspond to the curvature of the glass sheet 18. Then the motion controller controls the servomotors 38 based on the angular speed control data and servomotors 56 based on the vertical motion control data. In particular, the motion controller performs multi-axis control for the rollers 20A to 20M such that the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped to a predetermined curvature during displacement by the rollers 20A to 20M. The bending operation for a glass sheet based on multi-axis control of the rollers 20A to 20M will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

13103 -16 vertical roller movements are successive descending and ascending movements in the order of rollers 20A to 20M with the glass sheet being displaced. In the following description, the letter in brackets corresponds to the same letter in brackets in Fig. 2.

When the heated glass sheet 18 reaches the inlet-side roller 20A, all the rollers 20A to 20M are in the uppermost positions (start position) (A) the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20A to 20M is horizontal (corresponds to Fig. 3 (A)). When the glass sheet 18 is further displaced, the rollers 2OB, 20C are lowered.

When the glass sheet 18 is displaced, the rollers 20D to 20F are lowered wherein the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20D to 20F between the displacement surfaces formed by the rollers 20A to 20M is changed to a curved shape with a larger radius of curvature having a fine downward convex shape. ). At the same time, the glass sheet 18 swings down along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20D to 20F due to the inherent weight of the glass sheet 18 as it passes over the rollers 20D to 20F (corresponding to Figure 3 (B)). The curved surface formed by the rollers 20D to 20F forms a shape curved in the displacement direction of the glass sheet. In the description as described below, the curved surfaces of each roller have such shapes curved in the displacement direction of the glass sheet and the shape curved in the displacement direction is omitted from the description.

During the lowering of the rollers 20D to 20F, the transfer velocity V _x on the horizontal component of the glass sheet 18 depends on the vertical positions of the rollers 20D to 20F. In this case, when the angular speed (rotational speed) ω of the rollers 20D to 20F is constant, the V _{x of the} roller 20E in the lower position is higher than the V _{x of the} rollers 20D, 20F in the upper positions. When such a speed imbalance phenomenon occurs, it causes slip between the rollers 20D to 20F and the glass sheet 18 so that defects are easily formed on the glass sheet 18.

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13103-17 For this reason, the motion controller controls each servomotor 56 for rollers 20D to 20F so that the transfer rates V _x on the horizontal component of the glass sheet 18 of rollers 20D to 20F are the same as shown in Fig. 5. 20D to 20F to be ω ₀ > ω _Ε > ω _Γ where the vertical positions of the rollers 20D to 20F are used as parameters. By such measures, the aforementioned disadvantage is eliminated and the possibility that damage to the glass sheet 18 due to slippage occurs is low.

When the glass sheet 18 is further displaced, the rollers 20F to 20H are lowered slightly lower than the rollers 20D to 20F whereby the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20F to 2OH is deformed into a curved shape with a smaller radius of curvature than the radius of curvature of the previous curved surface. (C). Thus, the glass sheet 18 is further curved downwardly along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20F to 2OH when the glass sheet is transferred to the rollers 20F to 2 OH while being deformed into a shape according to the curved surface (corresponding to Fig. 3 (0)). the position of the roller 20D or the roller 20E is higher than the position in the condition of Figure 3 (B) and lower than the position in the condition of Figure 3 (C).

When the glass sheet 18 arrives substantially in the center of the displacement path, the rollers 20OH to 20J are lowered slightly lower than the previous rollers 20F to 2OH thereby deforming the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20OH to 20J to have a smaller radius of curvature than the radius of curvature of the previous curved surface. D). Thus, the glass sheet 18 is further bent down along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20 OH to 20J when the glass sheet is transferred to the rollers 20 OH to 20J while being deformed into a shape according to the curved surface (corresponding to FIG.

3 (D)).

Finally, when the glass sheet 18 reaches the rear side of the displacement path in the displacement direction, the rollers 20J to 20L are lowered slightly lower than the previous rollers 20H to 20J. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·········································

13103-18, whereby the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20J to 20L is deformed to have a curved shape with a curvature corresponding to a predetermined final curvature of the glass sheet 18 (Ε). Accordingly, when the glass sheet 18 is passed to the rollers 20J to 20L, the shape of the glass sheet is deformed to be along a curved surface whereby the glass sheet is flexibly shaped to have a predetermined curvature (corresponding to FIG.

3 (E). Thus, the above is the bending of the glass sheet 18 by means of rollers 20A to 20M.

Accordingly, each of the rollers in the forming zone 14 carries out one cycle of the lowering and lifting movement during the displacement of the individual glass sheet 18. This motion creates a downwardly convex waveform formed by a plurality of rollers on which the glass sheet 18 is disposed and the surface is moved as the glass sheet is moved

18. The leading edge in the transfer direction and the trailing edge in the transfer direction of the glass sheet 18 are held at the transfer level and the intermediate portion of the glass sheet 18 falls down from the transfer level depending on the downward position of each roller. Thus, the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped in the displacement direction when displaced by each of the rollers. In this case, since the leading edge in the transfer direction and the trailing edge in the transfer direction of the glass sheet 18 are maintained at the transfer level, the transfer direction of the glass sheet may be designated as being parallel to the transfer level.

Since the glass sheet 18 is greatly bent as it passes toward the rear side of the forming zone 14 in the displacement direction, the amplitude of the wave surface increases as the displacement direction progresses. In particular, the amplitude of the descending and ascending movement of each roller increases with the advancement direction in the forming zone 14.

The bending-forming method and the bending-forming apparatus for the glass sheets according to the invention are used for large quantities.

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-19glass panes. In particular, a plurality of glass sheets may be flexurally shaped by moving the plurality of glass sheets continuously one after the other. Accordingly, each roller in the forming zone 14 performs vertical oscillations repeatedly such that it bends the successively displaced glass sheets. Therefore, in the forming zone 14, a plurality of downwardly directed convex shapes are gradually shifted from the side of the heating furnace 12 to the cooling and tempering device 16.

The wave amplitude is increased from the side of the heating furnace 12 to the cooling and tempering device 16.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the straight rollers 20A to 20M are used as multiple rollers and the glass sheet 18 is flexibly shaped by the vertical movement of the rollers 20A to 20M in conjunction with the relocation of the glass sheet 18. Accordingly, the roll replacement work required in Common ways can be omitted. Furthermore, the time to change the order can be substantially eliminated because the glass sheet of another model can only be shaped by changing the data controlling the vertical movement of the rollers.

Further, in this embodiment, the cooling and tempering device 16 is located downstream of the forming zone 14 in the displacement direction. The cooling and tempering apparatus 16 rapidly cools the glass sheet after bending it to obtain a curved glass sheet 18 which has undergone heat treatment.

Further preferably, the curvature of the displacement surface is varied based on the data of the shape of the glass sheet 18 to be obtained. In particular, since the shape of the glass pane for an automotive window is previously obtained as CAD data, the CAD data may be associated with the above-mentioned motion controller such that the curvature change can be easily made.

Preferably, the roller conveyor 22 is located on the side of the cooling and tempering device 16 as well as the roller conveyor

13103

-20 ΦΦΦ · doprav • • • • φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav doprav ně řen vertically driving means which are controlled by a separate or the same movement control. In this case, the vertical position of each roller in the roller conveyor 22 may be varied such that the curvature of the displacement surface of the roller conveyor 22 is the same as the curvature of the glass sheet 18.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the upper blow heads 24 and lower blow heads 26 of the cooling and tempering device 16 are determined in accordance with the number of rollers of the roller conveyor 22. In this case the upper blow heads 24 and lower blow heads 26 can move vertically so The distances to the glass sheet 18 are always constant in connection with the movements of the corresponding rollers up. Thus, a glass sheet 18 with uniform strength over the entire surfaces can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, each of the rollers performs a downward and upward movement to form a wave surface of a downwardly convex shape, wherein the wave surface is displaced. Conversely, it is possible that each of the rollers provides a rising and falling surface to form a wave surface of an upwardly convex shape, wherein the wave surface is displaced. In this case, the leading and trailing edges in the transfer direction of the glass sheet, and not the central portion of the glass sheet, fall due to the weight of the glass sheet itself. In view of the fact that the displacement of the glass sheet is to be carried out smoothly, it is preferred to carry out the downward and upward movement of each of the rollers to move the wave surface downwardly convex.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the forming zone 14 is located in an enclosed space formed by the heating furnace 12. In particular, the forming zone 14 is located in and downstream of the heating furnace 12 in the displacement direction. The flexural forming apparatus for a glass sheet according to the invention comprises (i) a forming zone placed in the heating furnace, (ii) a forming zone located outside the heating furnace

13103

(Iii) a portion of the shaping zone is located outside the heating furnace. Due to the position of the forming zone, the above-mentioned options (i) to (iii) can be appropriately selected depending on the dimensions and shape of the glass sheet to be bent.

First, the relationship between the thickness of the glass sheet and the position of the forming zone will be described. The tempering treatment after bending the glass sheet is influenced by the thickness of the glass sheet. In particular, in the glass sheet, after the tempering treatment, a compressive stress in the surface and a tensile stress are created within the glass sheet. These residual stresses are derived from the temperature difference between the surfaces of the glass sheet and the interior of the glass sheet as a result of rapid cooling of the heated glass sheet. Since it is difficult to obtain such a temperature difference in the case of a glass sheet having a low thickness, it is necessary to increase the cooling performance at the time of rapid cooling when the glass sheet of a low thickness is to be tempered. As one measure to increase the cooling capacity, there is a method of increasing the blowing pressure or the amount of cooling air. Alternatively, there is a method of increasing the temperature of the glass sheet at the time of rapid cooling.

In the case of (i), the glass sheet after it has been flexibly formed can be immediately transferred to a cooling and tempering device because the glass sheet can be flexibly formed in a heating furnace. Accordingly, the glass sheet can be transferred to a cooling and tempering device without lowering the temperature of the glass sheet. Accordingly, the arrangement of the forming zone in (i) is advantageous when the glass sheet of low thickness is flexurally shaped and tempered.

In the following, the relationship between the curved shape of the glass sheet and the position of the forming zone will be described. In the case of bending molding into a fully curved shape, means for bending molding the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction are disposed in the forming zone. If these devices are located in a heating furnace, it is difficult to maintain • φφ·· · ·φφφφ φφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφφ

13103 -22space in the heating furnace closed. Vytváříο creates such a disadvantage that the temperature in the heating furnace cannot be maintained at a predetermined temperature. On the other hand, when these means are located outside the heating furnace, temperature stabilization in the heating furnace can be accomplished. Accordingly, the arrangement of the forming zone in (ii) is advantageous in the case of bending the glass sheet into a complex curved shape.

For flexural shaping and tempering treatment for flexural shaping of a low thickness glass sheet into a complex curved shape, (iii) is preferred as an intermediate method between (i) and (ii). Further, the arrangement of the flexure forming zone in (iii) is preferably at the following point, in addition to the advantage of the intermediate method. Especially for the requirement of low quantity and high product variability in the automotive industry, it is necessary to bend the glass sheets of many models in a single bend glass sheet forming machine. There is a large variation in the thicknesses and shapes of the glass panes depending on the models. Accordingly, one flexural forming device having the ability to form glass sheets of different thickness and shapes is preferred. The arrangement in (iii) provides a shaping zone arrangement usable for such requirements for low quantity and high product variability. There are different shapes of glass panes for automotive windows. For example, there are simply curved shapes, combined curved shapes, complex curved shapes, and so on. In bending the glass sheets having these shapes, it is preferred to add the mechanisms described below to the bending glass sheet forming apparatus relating to the above embodiment. In the following, a description will be made of some of these mechanisms.

For example, there is a case of using a glass pane for an automotive window that has a smaller radius of curvature in positions adjacent to the left and right sides and a larger radius of curvature in the central part (glass pane with a combined curvature).

13103

-23 • 0

0 0 0 0 0 shape). In this case, the pressure rollers 21, 23 are located between the shaping zone 14 and the cooling and tempering device 16 as shown in FIG. 6. When the pressure rollers 21, 23 grip the position 19 adjacent to the left or right side of the glass plate 18 the pressure roller 23 on the upper side is rotated counterclockwise along the geometric location of the circular arc in Fig. 6, with the left and right sides of the glass sheet 18 being forced to be bent to the desired shapes (shapes with smaller radius of curvature) by pressure rollers 21, 23. With the pressure rollers 21, 23, it can be used as a bending forming apparatus for a glass sheet having a combined curved shape.

An example that the pressure rollers can be used is described below. When the glass sheet is flexibly shaped in the displacement direction, the central region of the side portions that is parallel to the displacement direction of the glass sheet is sometimes curved in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction. Such a phenomenon readily occurs when the glass sheet is flexibly shaped at high speed. In order to correct such curvature of the glass sheet, it is preferable to use a sandwich roller 64 (FIG. 7) as described below.

Giant. 7 is a front view showing the construction of a sandwich roller 64 disposed above the transfer roller 20N that is located at the end portion of the forming zone 14. In particular, the sandwich roller 65 for correcting the curvature of the glass sheet is located at the end portion of the forming zone 14 in FIG.

The transfer roller 2ON is rotatably supported on the movable frame 30 by bearings 32, 32, 32. The driven gear 34 is mounted at the end (left end in Fig. 7) of the transfer roller 2ON and the driven gear 34 engages the drive gear 36. the gear 36 is coupled to the output shaft 40 of the servomotor 38. The transfer roller 20 is rotated at a predetermined angular speed by the servomotor 38. The above

13103

-24 * »

The mechanism is the same as the mechanism for the transfer roller 20A described with reference to FIG. 4.

A pair of oscillating tubes 67, 67 is rotatably supported on the movable frame 30 by bearings 69, 69 ... A pair of oscillating tubes 67, 67 is arranged on the same axis as the transfer roller 2ON. The rotating shaft of the transfer roller 2ON is inserted into one of the oscillating tubes 67 (on the left side of FIG. 7). The output shaft 73 of the oscillating drive motor 71 is coupled to the second oscillating tube 67 via a coupling 75.

The oscillating tubes 67, 67 are connected to each other by a connecting rod 77. The sandwich roller 64 is rotatably supported on the connecting rod 77 by means of bearings 79, equipped with oscillation capability.

Thus, the sandwich roller 64 is relative to the centerline, such as the center of oscillation, of the transfer roller 2ON.

The end (at the right end of FIG. 7) of the sandwich roller 67 is connected to the gear 81. The gear 81 engages a gear 83 firmly connected to the end (at the right end of FIG. 7) of the transfer roller 2ON. Accordingly, when the transfer roller 2ON is rotated, rotation is transmitted to the sandwich roller 64 by the gear wheels 81, 83 thereby rotating the sandwich roller.

The sandwich roller 64 constructed as described above, when the servomotor 38 for the transfer roller 2ON is driven, rotates at a predetermined angular speed together with the transfer roller 2ON. Then, when the oscillating drive servomotor 71 is driven, the displacement roller 2ON oscillates around its center axis as the center of oscillation. The glass sheet 18 is displaced between the sandwich roller 64 and the transfer roller 2ON.

The oscillating actuator 71 of the sandwich roller 64 is controlled by the motion controller in the same manner as the servomotor 38 as the rotary drive means.

• 0 0

0000

0

13103

A description will be made regarding the motion controller. When the glass sheet model data 18 is inputted from the external input means into the motion controller, it produces the angular velocity and vertical motion data of the transfer rollers 20A, 2OB ... and the oscillation control data for the sandwich roller 64 to match the curvature of the glass sheet model 18 Then, the servomotor 38 is controlled based on the angular velocity control data and the servomotor 56 is controlled based on the vertical movement control data. Further, the servomotor 71 is controlled based on vibration control data. In particular, the motion controller performs multiaxial control of each of the displacement rollers 20A, 2OB ... so that the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped to have the desired curvature during displacement on displacement rollers 20A, 20B ... operations of the glass sheet 18 according to the vertical movement of the transfer rollers 20A to 20M have already been described with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

It is effective to apply the sandwich roller 64 to the bend-shaped glass sheet 18 when it reaches the transfer roller 20M when a deflection occurs in the side portion of the glass sheet or a deflection can occur in that portion. The operation of the sandwich roller 64 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. In the description, the letter in brackets corresponds to the same letter in brackets shown in FIG. 8.

When the glass sheet 18 is moved to a position just in front of the transfer roller 2ON, the sandwich roller 64 is in a standby position inclined at a predetermined angle ((). In particular, it is in a standby position inclined at a predetermined angle such that the curved glass sheet 18 is introduced between the transfer roller 20 ON and the sandwich roller 64. at this point the sandwich roller 64 is in its standby position inclined so that it is positioned in the direction normals to the curved surface of the glass sheet 18.

The front end of the glass sheet 18 displaced to the transfer roller 20N is sandwiched between the sandwich roller 20. 4 9 9 9 9 9

9900 9 99 999 99 99

13103 -2664 and 2ON transfer roller (B). Then, the glass sheet is moved in a state that is held between the sandwich roller 64 and the transfer roller 2ON (C), (D).

At this point, the transfer roller 2ON moves the glass sheet 18 vertically to maintain the shape of the bent-shaped glass sheet 18. On the other hand, the sandwich roller 64 performs a vertical movement in conjunction with the vertical movement of the transfer roller 2ON and at the same time is inclined to position. which is always positioned in the normal direction to the curved surface of the glass sheet formed by the transfer rollers. Therefore, even if a deflection occurs in the side portion of the glass sheet 18, the deflection is compressed by the sandwich roller 64 and the glass sheet 18 is repaired to a state without any deflection. Thus, the glass sheet can be accurately flexurally shaped without any deflection.

After transfer of the glass sheet 18 to the transfer roller 2ON, the transfer roller N is returned to its original position, i.e. the highest position. Then the sandwich roller 64 is returned to a position just above the transfer roller 2ON (E).

As described above, the sandwich roller 64 is positioned in the normal direction to the curved surface formed by the transfer rollers and the glass sheet is held between the transfer roller 2ON and the sandwich roller 64. Thus, the glass sheet 18 can be flexibly formed exactly without deviating in the side portion.

A sandwich roller 64 with the structure as shown in Fig. 7 can be used to flexibly shape a glass sheet with a combined curved shape as follows. Even if the glass sheet 18 is bend-shaped to have a predetermined curvature using a sandwich roller 64, the glass sheet 18 is bend-shaped to have a predetermined curvature in a displacement direction using the aforementioned displacement rollers 20A-2OL. Especially sandwich

13103

-27 * · 4 • 9 9 9 9 9

999999 9

9 9 9

9900 9 99

99

9

999 · 99

9

9

The roller 64 performs another predetermined bending molding of the glass sheet 18 which has been bending shaped to have a predetermined curvature by displacement rollers 20A to 20L. In the following, a case will be described where a glass sheet 18 which has been flexurally shaped to have a predetermined curvature by means of transfer rollers 20A to 20L is flexurally shaped by a sandwich roller 64.

The sandwich roller 64 is inclined at a predetermined angle from a position along the normal direction to the bending direction to load the glass sheet 18 with a predetermined bending load. Thus, the portion of the glass sheet 18 that is loaded with a predetermined bending load is flexurally shaped.

Especially Yippee sandwich roller 64 usually placed in direction normály to relocating desktop (giant. 9 (A)). When it is glass sheet 18 bending shaped Yippee executed tilt o in advance

the determined angle α from the normal direction to the bending forming direction (Fig. 9 (B)). Thus, a predetermined bending load, due to the sandwich roller 64 as a support, is provided by the glass sheet 18 positioned between the transfer roller 20M and the transfer roller 2ON. As a result, there is a curved glass sheet 18 in which different curves can be obtained depending on the positions in the displacement direction.

The sandwich roller 64 may oscillate at an angle as desired. Accordingly, when the glass sheet 18 is flexibly shaped to have a smaller radius of curvature, the sandwich roller 64 is to be inclined at a greater angle of inclination, thereby applying a large bending load to the glass sheet 18 and the glass sheet 18 may be flexibly shaped to have a smaller radius. curvature.

Since the sandwich roller 64 can be freely oscillated, the selected portion of the glass sheet 18 can be flexurally shaped in the displacement direction by the selection slope. Thus, the use of a sandwich roller 64 allows bending of a selected portion of the glass sheet 18 according to the selective curvature. Furthermore, since the glass sheet 18 is held between the sandwich panel, the glass sheet 18 is held between the sandwich panel. φ φ φ φ »» »» »» »

13103 -28 by roller 64 and displacement rollers 20M and 2ON, the skew formed in the side portion of the glass sheet 18 can be repaired. Thus, the glass sheet 18 may be bent-shaped more accurately.

The position of the sandwich roller 64 is not limited to the position above the transfer roller 2ON. For example, it may be located at an intermediate position of the forming zone 14, or it may be located at an end position of the displacement path. Further, the number of sandwich rollers 64 is not limited to one, but multiple sandwich rollers may be provided.

The sandwich roller 64 is not limited to a free-oscillation design relative to the centerline of the transfer roller 2ON. For example, the sandwich roller 64 may be provided in an embodiment freely movable in a vertical direction to the transfer surface for the glass sheet 18. Such a structure is shown below.

The sandwich roller 64 is positioned above the transfer surface and between the transfer roller 20M and the transfer roller 2ON and is rotatably supported on the support frame 87 by bearings 85, 85. The output shaft of the actuator 89 is connected to the end (right end of Fig. 11) of the sandwich roller 64.

A pair of guide rods 91, 91 are positioned vertically at the upper ends of the support frame 87. These guide rods 91, 91 are freely slidably mounted in guide blocks 93, 93 which are respectively attached to the main frame body of the device (not shown).

The racks 95, 95 are connected vertically to the upper ends of the guide rods 91, 91 The pinions 97, 97 respectively engage the racks 95, 95 and the pinions are secured to the pivot shaft 99. The pivot shaft 99 is rotatably supported in the bearings 101, 10 which are attached to the main frame body (not shown). The output shaft of the actuator 102 is

13103

-29 ·· · * 4 ···· * 4 44 4 · * 4 4 4 · 4 · 4

4 4 · 4 44 »4 '4 4 • r ···« · c · · · o • »· spoj en en spoj spoj en spoj spoj en en en the end of FIG. 11) of the rotary shaft 99 and the servomotor 102 is connected to the main frame body of the device (not shown).

As described above, a mechanism for rotating and vertically moving the sandwich roller 64 is provided. According to this mechanism, the sandwich roller 64 is rotatably driven by the servomotor 89. Further, the sandwich roller 64 is vertically driven by the servomotor 102. Especially when the servomotor 102 is driven, the rotary shaft 99 rotates and its rotary movement is converted into linear motion by the pinion 97 and the rack. 95 for moving the support frame 87 in the vertical direction. The vertical movement of the support frame 87 causes the vertical movement of the sandwich roller 64.

When the sandwich roller 64 constructed as described above is pressed onto the glass sheet 18 between the transfer roller 20M and the transfer roller 2ON while rotating at a predetermined angular speed a predetermined bending load acts on the glass sheet 18. Thus, in addition to bending the glass sheet in the transfer direction by means of rollers 20A to 20L, the predetermined portion of the glass sheet can be flexibly shaped in the same direction to have a predetermined curvature.

The following method can be considered as a bending forming method for bending a glass sheet to have a combined curved shape. In particular, in the glass sheet bending-molding operations explained with reference to FIG. 2, the curved surface bent in the displacement direction formed by the rollers 20A to 20M is a curved surface with one radius of curvature. Accordingly, the folded glass sheet 18 is bent to have one radius of curvature. On the other hand, as described below by shaping the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20A to 20M to have a curved surface that includes multiple radii of curvature, the glass sheet 18 may be flexibly shaped to have a curved surface curved in the displacement direction that includes multiple radii of curvature. The curved surface in this 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 φ «· ·· 0 0 0 0 0 • · · · · ·

13103-30 where the curved surface is curved in the displacement direction. In the following description, the curved surface curved in the displacement direction is omitted.

The case of bending the glass sheet 18 to have a combined curved surface comprising a curved surface having a radius of curvature R1 and a curved surface having a radius of curvature R2 with reference to FIG.

In this description, the letter in parentheses corresponds to the same letter in parentheses in Fig. 12. In the following, the description will be made as an example of bending the glass sheet with two different radii of curvature. However, bending the glass sheet with three or more radii of curvature can be accomplished by the same way of thinking.

In the state where the heated glass sheet 18 reaches the roller 20A on the inlet side, all the rollers 20A to 20M are in the uppermost position and the displacement surface formed by the rollers 20A to 20M is horizontal (A). As the rollers are gradually lowered, the transfer surface formed by the rollers 20C to 20G is changed to a slightly curved shape (B). Accordingly, when the glass sheet 18 passes onto the rollers 20C to 20, it bends down under its own weight along the curved surface of the rollers 20C to 20G so that it has a shape according to this curved surface.

On further displacement of the glass sheet 18, the rollers 20E to 201 are lowered than the previous rollers 20C to 20G wherein the displacement surface formed between the rollers 20E to 201 becomes a curved surface with a smaller curvature radius than the previous curved surface as a whole (C). The curved surface formed between the rollers 20E to 201 is not formed with one radius of curvature but is formed as a curved surface in which two curved surfaces are combined with different radii of curvature. In particular, it consists of combining a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature formed between rollers 20E to 20F and a curved surface with a larger radius of curvature formed between rollers 20F to 201. With this, while the glass sheet 18 passes

13103

The rollers 20E to 201 are further bent down along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20E to 201 such that the shape is altered along the curved surface, i.e., the curved surface. the curved surface has two different radii of curvature.

As the glass sheet 18 is moved further, the rollers 20G to 2OK are lowered than the previous rollers 20E to 201 so that the displacement surface formed between the rollers 20G to 20K is changed to a curved mold having a smaller radius of curvature than the previous curved surface as a whole. ). The curved surface formed between the rollers 20G to 2OK is also formed into a shape in which two curved surfaces are combined with different radii of curvature in the same manner as above. In particular, the curved surface is formed into a shape comprising a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature formed between rollers 20G to 20H and a curved surface with a larger radius of curvature formed between rollers 20OH to 20K. With this, when the glass sheet 18 passes onto the rollers 20G to 2OK, it is further bent down along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20G to 20K, wherein the shape is changed to a shape along the curved surfaces, ie. the curved surface has two different radii of curvature.

Finally, when the glass sheet 18 reaches a position at the lower end of the displacement path in the forming zone 14 in the displacement direction, the rollers 201 to 20M are lowered than the previous rollers 20G to 20K and the displacement surface formed between the rollers 201 to 20M is changed to a curved surface curvature of the final shape of the glass sheet 18 (E). In particular, the displacement surface formed between rollers 201 to 20J is curved into a curved surface in which the radius of curvature is R2 and the displacement surface formed between rollers 20J to 20M is curved into a curved surface in which the radius of curvature is R1. With this, when the glass sheet 18 is passed to the rollers 201 to 20M, it is further bent down along the curved surface formed by the rollers 201 to 20M while being flexibly formed into a final shape, i.e., a combined curved shape, in which · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·· · 9 · · · · · · · ·

13103 -32, a curved surface with a radius of curvature R1 and a curved surface with a radius of curvature R2 are combined.

In the following, as an example of bending the glass sheet to have a complex curved shape, a description will be given of a bending molding method for bending the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction using the cooling and forming apparatus 15 shown in Figure 13.

The cooling and shaping device 15 cools the upper surface and the lower surface of the glass sheet 18 in a poorly balanced manner whereby the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction. In particular, the glass has such properties that when a temperature difference is created by a poorly balanced cooling of the upper surface and the lower surface of the glass sheet, the sheet is deformed three-dimensionally due to the viscosity of the glass. By using such a nature of glass, the cooling and shaping device 15 bends the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cooling and shaping device 15 is provided with an upper air blowing opening 15A and a lower air blowing opening 15B, which are arranged to be inserted into a bending forming roller conveyor 20. The upper air blow hole 15A and the lower air blow hole 15B have a slotted hole extending along the axis direction of each roller. The upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet 18 are first cooled by the air blown from the upper air blowing opening 15A and from the lower air blowing opening 15B as the glass sheet passes therebetween.

The pressure of the blown air blown from the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B is controlled by the blower air control, although not shown. The blower pressure controller determines the blower air pressure blown from the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B in the following manner.

4 4 4 4 44 4444 4444 4444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444 444444

4444 4 44 4 ·· 44 44

When the glass sheet model 18 is inserted from the external input means, the blower pressure controller generates the blower air pressure data according to the curvature of the model glass sheet 18 and determines the blower air pressure to be blown from the upper air blowing opening 15A and the lower opening 15B for blowing air based on the generated blow air pressure data. In particular, the blower pressure regulator determines the blower air pressure to be blown from the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B such that the glass sheet 18 is flexibly shaped to have the desired curvature in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

In the following, a description will be made regarding the bending-forming operations of the glass sheet 18 guided by the chilling and forming apparatus 15 constructed as described above.

The glass sheet 18 flexibly shaped in the direction of the displacement direction in the forming zone 14 is transferred to the cooling and forming apparatus 15 by means of a roller conveyor 20 for bending forming. At this point, the conveyor 20 moves the glass sheet 18 when the rollers move vertically to maintain the shape of the glass sheet 18 that is finally received in the forming zone 14 (the glass sheet 18 is moved while the displacement surface maintains a predetermined curved shape).

The glass sheet 18 transferred to the cooling and shaping device 15 extends between the upper air blowing opening 15A and the lower air blowing opening 15B. At the time of passing between the upper air opening 15A and the lower air opening 15B, the upper surface and the lower surface are cooled by the air blown from the upper air opening 15A and the lower air opening 15B.

The air is blown from the upper air inlet 15A and the lower air inlet 15B with the pressure

13103

The blower air is controlled to be at a predetermined pressure by the blower air pressure controller, wherein the upper surface and the lower surface of the glass sheet 18 are cooled in a poorly balanced manner by air whose pressure is controlled to a predetermined value. As a result, a temperature difference is formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the glass sheet and the predetermined bending forming operation is conducted in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

The folding operation of the glass sheet 18 in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction using the cooling and shaping device 15 has been described above. The glass sheet 18 bend-shaped in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction is transferred from the bending roller conveyor 20 to the roller conveyor 22 for cooling and tempering and is transferred to the cooling and tempering apparatus 16. Then the glass sheet is cooled and tempered by the cooling and tempering apparatus 16 .

Thus, bending in the direction perpendicular to the displacement direction may be performed in addition to the bending in the direction along the displacement direction, whereby a glass sheet having the desired complex curved shape may be formed.

Variations in the curvature in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction can be easily accomplished by simply varying the pressure of the blown air blown from the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B. In this case, due to the determination of the blowing air pressure blown from the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B, the shapes of the windshields for automotive windows are pre-prepared as CAD data, the blowing air pressure setting can easily be changed by connecting CAD data to the controller air pressure.

Regarding the shape of the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B may be considered

13103

-35 various types of shapes, eg slot type, series arrangement of a large number of tubular-shaped blow holes, and so on. For the upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B, structures where air is blown uniformly along the direction of the rollers axis or structures where the air blowing areas are selected may be used. For example, it is possible for the blow region to be divided into three parts, of which it can be blown as desired.

The upper air blowing hole 15A and the lower air blowing hole 15B are fixed in predetermined positions. However, they may be designed to be movable vertically in conjunction with the rollers of the vertically movable bending roller conveyor 20. The cooling and shaping device 15 is preferably located in a position where the temperature of the glass sheet is high and the sensitivity to forming by changing the cooling conditions is high.

In the following, another example of bending the glass sheet into a complex curved shape will be described. This example is of such a construction that, in addition to the rotational drive means, each roller 20A, 2OB ... of the roller conveyor 20 shown in Fig. 1 is tilted vertically independently of one another by a tilting mechanism. Thus, each of the rollers 20A, 2OB ... is arranged horizontally one next to the other in the displacement direction and is able to be inclined relative to the horizontal. Furthermore, they can be arranged such that the tilt direction of adjacent rollers is alternately different (right ascent and left ascent in front view).

Giant. 4 is an elevational view showing the structure of the rotatable driving means, the vertically driving means, and the tilting mechanism for the roller 20A. For each of the rollers 20A, 20B, ..., the structures of the rotary drive means, the vertically driven means and the tilting mechanism are the same, and the structures of the rotary drive means, the vertical drive means and the

9

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 ···· 99 99 99 9 99

13103-36 of the tilt mechanism only for the roller 20A are described and the description of these structures for the other rollers 20B, 20C, ... has been omitted.

First, the construction of the tilting mechanism is described. Both ends of the roller 20A are rotatably supported by a pair of bearings 32,

32. A pair of bearings 32, 32 are respectively supported on sliding blocks

The slide blocks 33, 33 are slidably mounted on the guide blocks 31, 31. The guide blocks 31, 31 are mounted on top of a U-shaped vertically movable frame 30. The guide surface 31a of the guide block 31 and the slide surface 33a of the slide The blocks 33 are respectively shaped to have the shape of a circular arc. Accordingly, when the sliding blocks 33 slide along the guide surfaces 31a of the guide blocks 31, the roller 20A is deflected. As a result, the roller 20A is inclined by a predetermined angle from the horizontal. The construction of the tilting mechanism is shown above. The roller 20A may be mounted in an inclined state by securing the sliding blocks 33 to the guide blocks 31 by means of locking means (eg, a set screw), not shown.

The structure of the rotary drive means shown in Fig. 4 and the vertical drive means are the same as those of the means and the like, the description is omitted. The direction capable of flexural shaping by vertical movement of the horizontally arranged rollers 20A, 20B, ... is limited only to the direction along the displacement direction of the glass sheet 18. Accordingly, it is impossible to flexibly shape glass sheets with a complex curved shape only in this manner. Accordingly, the following adjustment is necessary for bending the glass sheet with a complex curved shape.

As described above, each of the rollers 20A, 20B, ... is arranged to be capable of tilting vertically by a tilting mechanism. The transfer surface for the glass sheet 18 may be curved in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction of the glass sheet 18 by tilting each of the rollers 20A, 2OB, and the roll 20A, 2OB. · · ······· · ··· · · · · · · · · φ · • · · · · ·

13103 -37 ... so that the right-up and left-up states appear alternately (hereinafter simply referred to as alternate tilt) in the front view of the rollers (see Figure 15; Figure 15 shows roller 20L and roller M) . The glass sheet 18 is bent along the displacement surface of the curved shape while being flexibly shaped to have a complex curved shape with the vertical movement of each of the rollers.

The degree of the displacement surface curve formed by the inclinations of the rollers 20A, 20B, ... is adjusted to be gradually increased in the displacement direction towards the rear side of the displacement path. The displacement surface is formed flat without any roll of the rollers, in the region from the inlet portion to the intermediate portion of the displacement path. The degree of inclination of the rollers is gradually increased in the region from the intermediate portion to the outlet portion, the final curvature being formed in the displacement surface in the outlet portion. With such an arrangement, the glass sheet 18 is progressively flexurally shaped to have a predetermined curvature in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction during transfer on the roller conveyor 20.

In the following, the folding operations of the glass sheet 18 by the aforesaid roller conveyor 20 will be described. The rollers 20A, 20B, ... are moved vertically one after the other in the displacement direction with the glass sheet 18 moving. in accordance with the displacement of the glass sheet 18, it forms a curved portion in the displacement surface of the roller conveyor 20 in the displacement direction. During the displacement of the glass sheet 18 on the curved displacement surface, the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped in a direction along the displacement direction.

On the other hand, the rollers of the roller conveyor 20 are arranged in an alternately inclined state from an approximately intermediate portion of the transfer path. The degree of inclination angle is determined to gradually increase towards the outlet portion. Alternating

13103

-384 4 4 4 4 · 4 4 4 4

4444 4 44 4 • 4444 44 4

4 4 4 4 4 5

444 44 44 by tilting the rollers, the transfer surface of the roller conveyor 20 is curved in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction. When the glass sheet 18 is displaced on a curved displacement surface, the glass sheet 18 is flexurally formed in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction.

As described above, the roller conveyor 20 flexibly shapes the glass sheet 18 in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction by arranging the rollers 20A, 20B, ... in an alternately inclined condition when the roller conveyor 20 flexes the glass sheet 18 in a direction along the transfer direction due to vertical movement of the rollers. 20A, 20B, ... In combination of these folding forms, the glass sheet 18 is folded into a complex curved shape. The method of bending the glass sheet in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 16. In the description, the letters in brackets correspond to the same letter in brackets in Fig. 16.

Since the rollers 20A, 20B, ... disposed near the inlet portion of the transfer path are in a flat state, the glass sheet 18 is not flexurally formed in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction even though it passes onto the rollers 20A, 20B, ... (A).

In the intermediate portion of the transfer path, because the rollers 20E, 20F are alternately inclined, the transfer surface is curved in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction (B). When the glass sheet 18 has passed onto the rollers 20E, 20F is bent under its own weight along the curved surface formed by the rollers 20E, 20F and is flexurally shaped in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction.

The angle formed by the roller 20G and the roller 20OH following the rollers 20E, 20F in the displacement direction is even greater than the angle formed by the roller 20E and the roller 20F (C). Further, the angle formed by the roller 201 and the roller 20J following the rollers 20G, 20H is even greater than the angle formed by the roller 20G and the roller 2OH (D). Accordingly, the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped

13103

-3900 0 ····· 00 00 • 0 0 0 0 00 0 000 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 000 00

0000 0 00 000 00 00 such that the radius of curvature is gradually reduced as it passes to the rollers 20G, 20H, 201 and 20J.

In the part proximal to the extreme end of the forming zone, the angle formed by the roller 20K and the roller 20L is even greater than the angle formed by the roller 201 and the roller 20J, and the curved surface formed by the rollers 201, 20J has the same curvature as the final glass sheet 18 (E). The glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped to have a final curvature when it passes to the rollers 20K, 20L.

The rollers 20M, 20 ON, ... following the rollers 20K, 20L are arranged with an alternate tilt with the same tilt angle as the rollers 20K, 20L, and these rollers move the glass sheet 18 so as to maintain the curved shape of the glass sheet.

Thus, the roller conveyor 20 flexibly shapes the glass sheet 18 in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction by the alternately inclined rollers 20A, 20B, ... when it flexibly shapes the glass sheet 18 in a direction along the transfer direction due to vertical movements of the rollers 20A, 20B, ... Forming, the glass sheet 18 is flexurally shaped into a complex curved shape. Thus, bending forming in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction can be performed as well as bending forming in a direction along the transfer direction. In this way, the glass sheet 18 may be flexurally shaped to have the desired complex curved shape. The design of the device is very simple and the curvature can be easily changed by varying the tilt angle of the rollers. Thus, the glass sheet 18 with the desired complex curved shape can be easily flexibly shaped.

Each of the rollers may be crossed in a position shifted at a predetermined distance laterally from the center as shown in Fig. 17 (which shows the rollers 20L, 20M). As shown in FIG. 18 (which shows rollers 20L, 20M), one of the adjacent rollers may be alternately tilted. Even in this way, the glass sheet can be bent-shaped to

• φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ φ

13103 had the desired curvature in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction. In the case of flexural shaping only in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction, the glass sheet 18 is displaced without the vertical movement of the rollers. In addition to the above method, the rollers are alternately tilted from the portion around the intermediate portion in the transfer path and the degree of tilt is gradually increased, the method that the rollers are alternately tilted from the inlet portion and the degree of tilt is gradually increased.

The method described below is also effective for forming a glass sheet into a complex curved shape. In the foregoing embodiments, the rollers 20A to 20M are formed straight. By changing these rollers to rollers that are curved in a direction perpendicular to the transfer direction, the glass sheet is flexibly shaped into a complex curved shape. As vertically driving means, Fig. 4 shows an example that each of the rollers 20A, 20B, ... moves vertically by the action of the rack and pinion. However, different systems may be used as vertical propulsion means other than the above system. For example, a system as shown in Figs. 19 or 20 may be used as a vertical propulsion means.

The vertical propulsion means shown in FIG. 19 is of the type using the feed screw, which is constructed as follows. Each roller 70, 70, ... is rotatably mounted on each movable frame 72, 72, ... each having both recess-shaped ends by each bearing 74, 74 ... Each roller has an end which is connected to the spindle of each servomotor 80, 80, ... by means of intermediate gears 76, 78. Each of the rollers 70, 70, ... rotates a predetermined angular speed, each of the servomotors 80, 80, ...

The movable frames 72, 72, ... for supporting the rollers 70, 70 have both side portions which are supported by the fixed frame 82 so as to be vertically movable by means of LM guides. The LM guides are located on the side of the movable frames 72, 72, ... with the guide rails 84, 84, ... extending in the vertical direction. Guide blocks 86, 86, ...

13103

-41 • 4,444 • · 4444 ··

4 4 4 4 * · • 4 4 4 4 4

4,444 44 4

4 4

444 44 4 »arranged on the side of the fixed frame 82 engage the rails 84, 84, ...

guiding

The nut parts 88, 88 are respectively fixed to the central portion at the bottom of each of the movable frames 72, 72, ... and the threaded rods 90, 90, ... are received in the nut parts 88, 88, ... 90, 90, ... are rotatably supported by bearings

92, 92, ... mounted on the fixed frame 82 and the driven pulleys 94, 94, ... are attached to the lower end portion of the fixed frame. On the other hand, the servomotors 96, 96, ... are connected to the fixed frame 82 and the spindles of the servomotors 96, 96, ... are connected to the drive pulleys 98, 98, ... The drive belts 100, 100, ... are wrapped. around the drive pulleys 98, 98, ... and the driven pulleys 94, 94, ... so that the rotation of the servomotors 96, 96, ... is transmitted to the threaded rods 90, 90, ... by the drive belts 100, 100, ... The rotation of the threaded rods 90, 90, ... causes the vertical movement of the movable frames 72, 72, ..., ie. rollers 70, 70, ...

The vertical driving means using the feed screw have the construction described above. In Fig. 19, the reference numeral 102 designates a heater placed in the forming zone 14.

The vertical propulsion means shown in Figure 20 is of the pantograph type, which is constructed as described below. Each roller 70, 70, ... is rotatably mounted in each movable frame 72, 72, ^with both ends of the recess shape by means of bearings 74, 74, ... Each of the rollers 70, 70, ... has an end portion which it is connected to the spindle of each servomotor 80, 80, ... by means of gears 76, 78. Each of the rollers 70, 70, ... is rotated at a predetermined angular speed of the servomotors 80, 80, ...

The two end portions of the links 106, 108 are connected by pins to both ends of the bottom of each of the movable frames 72, 72, ... by means of brackets 104, 104, ... The links 106, 108 are arranged to intersect and intersect the parts are connected by a pin. The end portions of the rods 106, 106, ... are connected by pins to the brackets 112, 112, ... connected to • 4

13103

4445 4 9

44 4 4 4 4 4 4 of the fixed frame 110 and the end portions of the rods 108, 108, ... are connected by pins to the end portions of the rods 114, 114, ... located on the fixed frame 110. When the rollers 114 are , 114, ... driven to extend or retract the bars, the movable frames 72, 72, ... move vertically by the operation of the rods 106, 108 while the rollers 70, 70, ... move vertically.

The vertical propulsion means using the pantograph has a construction as described above. In Fig. 20, the reference numeral 102 indicates a heater in the forming zone 104.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the bending-molding method and the glass sheet apparatus of the invention are adapted to move the rollers vertically depending on the displacement position of the glass sheet to bend the displacement surface formed by the rolls wherein the glass sheet is bent-shaped to have a predetermined curvature under its own weight. . In this case, the curved surface formed by the rollers is moved in the displacement direction as the glass sheet progresses. By the bending-molding method and the glass sheet device according to the invention, the glass sheet can be bent-shaped without the use of rollers with curvature formed according to the model. Accordingly, the bending-forming method and the glass sheet apparatus of the present invention may lack the roller replacement operations required in conventional methods.

Further, in accordance with the bending-molding method and the glass sheet device of the invention, a glass sheet of another model can be shaped by simply changing the control data for the vertical movement of the rollers. Accordingly, the order change time can basically be eliminated. Further, the curved surface may be positioned in a position where the glass sheet is on the displacement surface by simply vertical movement of the rollers, and the displacement of the glass sheet may be performed smoothly because the curved surface is simply displaced.

* 9,999 • 9,9 · · ·

9 9 9 9 999 · ····· 9 · · 9 • 999 9 99 ···

13103

-4399 99 • 9 9

9 9 9

9 9 9

9 9 9

9 9 9

By controlling the rotary drive means for the rollers so that the transfer rate on the horizontal component of the glass sheet, a glass sheet without defects can be obtained.

Claims (14)

PATENT CLAIMS A method of bending a glass sheet comprising heating a glass sheet to a bending molding temperature in a heating furnace and moving the heated glass sheet along a transfer surface formed by rollers of a roller conveyor during which the glass sheet is bent to a predetermined curvature due to the weight of the glass sheet; The method of flexurally forming a glass sheet is characterized in that said rollers for forming the displacement surface are moved vertically depending on the displacement position of the glass sheet to form a curve in at least a portion of the displacement surface such that a predetermined curved surface is formed in the displacement position. the plate and the curved surface are moved as a wave advance from the inlet side to the outlet side of the roller conveyor, the glass sheet being flexurally shaped to have a predetermined curvature along the curved surface. A method of bending a glass sheet comprising heating the glass sheet to a bending molding temperature in a heating furnace and moving the heated glass sheet along a transfer surface formed by rollers arranged side by side in the transfer direction of the glass sheet during which the glass sheet is bend shaped a predetermined curvature due to the weight of the glass sheet, wherein the method of bending the glass sheet is characterized in that the rollers, in the position where the glass sheet is moved, move vertically to move the glass sheet to form a predetermined curved surface that is curved in the displacement direction of the glass sheet, at least on a portion of the displacement surface by means of rollers in said position and each of said rollers progressively vertically moving with displacement of the glass sheet to move the iven area in a displacement direction of the glass sheet with the moving glass sheet, wherein · ·· ·· 000 000 00 00 »0 0 0 0 000 000 0 000 «0 00 0 0 0000 00 0 0 · 0 00 0 0 0 · 0 00000 0000 0 00 0 · 00 00 00 The glass sheet is flexurally shaped during displacement of the glass sheet to match the curved surface. Method of bending the glass sheet according to claim 1 1 or 2, characterized in that, relative to the vertical movement of each of the rollers, each of the rollers moves vertically in the order of (a), (b) and (c) on successive glass panes as units where (a) represents commencing the lifting or lowering of the roller when the leading edge is displaced in the transfer direction of the glass sheet as a single unit; (b) represents one cycle of lowering and raising or raising and lowering during the movement of the glass sheet as one unit; and (c) represents the return movement to the original position when the rear edge is displaced in the transfer direction of the glass sheet as one unit. The method of bending the glass sheet according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the radius of curvature of the curved surface is reduced towards the exit side in the displacement direction of the glass sheet. A method for bending the glass sheet according to claim 1 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the curved surface is shaped into a curved shape only in the displacement direction. A method of bending the glass sheet according to claim 1 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that when forming the curved surface, provided that the curved surface is a wave surface of a downwardly convex shape or a wave surface of an upwardly convex shape; each of the rollers is an oscillating element and the stroke length of the vertical movement of each roller is the amplitude of the wave, the phase difference is applied to the vertical movement of each of the rollers so that the phase of each roller as the oscillating element is progressively changed as the wave surface formed by the curved surface is displaced in the displacement direction, whereby 4 4 4 4 ft 4 444 4,444 4 44 * 4,444 4 · 4,444 44 4 4 44 44444 4444 4 44 444 44 4 · 13103 -46glass sheet is flexurally shaped to conform to the curved surface. A method of bending the glass sheet according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, characterized in that the position of each roller in the vertical direction corresponding to the leading edge of the glass pane in the transporting direction of the glass pane and are maintained at a displacement level formed by the original position of each of the rollers and the glass sheet is displaced when the intermediate portion that is the portion between the leading edge and the rear edge in the displacing direction of the glass sheet is determined to be raised or lowered relative to the displacement level it is flexibly shaped to match the curved surface. A glass sheet bending apparatus comprising a heating furnace for heating a glass sheet to a bending molding temperature and molding means disposed on the exit side of the glass sheet bending furnace to a predetermined curvature, wherein the glass sheet bending molding apparatus is characterized by: wherein said shaping means comprises a roller conveyor comprising rollers forming a transfer surface for moving the glass sheet, vertically driving means for vertically moving the rollers, and control means which controls the vertically driving means for vertically moving the rollers such that at least a portion of the transfer surface is bent into curvature corresponding to the curvature of the shaped glass sheet wherein the predetermined curved surface is shaped by the rollers in a position where the displaced glass sheet is and curved the surface is moved as a wave process from the inlet side to the outlet side of the roller conveyor, wherein the glass sheet is displaced during the displacement of the curved surface, wherein the glass sheet is flexibly shaped to have a predetermined curvature corresponding to the curved surface. 9 » 13103 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 * 9 A glass sheet bending apparatus comprising a heating furnace for heating a glass sheet to a bending molding temperature and molding means disposed on the exit side of the glass sheet bending furnace to a predetermined curvature, wherein the glass sheet bending molding apparatus is characterized by: wherein said shaping means comprises a roller conveyor comprising rollers which are arranged side by side in the transfer direction of the glass sheet to form a transfer surface for moving the glass sheet, vertically driving means for vertically moving the rollers, and control means which control the vertically driving means to form a predetermined curved surfaces curved in the transporting direction of the glass sheet at least on a portion of the transporting surface by means of rollers in a position where the transported glass sheet and for successive movement in the vertical direction of the glass sheet displacement rollers, the curved surface being displaced in the displacement direction of the glass sheet. Glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the control means controls the vertical movement of each of the rollers in such a way that each of the rollers moves vertically in the order of (a), (b) and (c) on consecutively disposed glass sheets as units, wherein (a) it represents the beginning of lifting or lowering of each roller when the leading edge is displaced in the displacement direction of the glass sheet as a single unit; (b) represents one cycle of lowering and raising or raising and lowering during the movement of the glass sheet as one unit; and (c) represents the return movement to the original position when the rear edge is displaced in the transfer direction of the glass sheet as one unit. Glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that there are rotatable driving means for rotating the rollers and said rollers. 13103 • 4,444 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 • 44 4 4 4 4 4 The control controls rotationally the driving means such that the transfer rate on the horizontal component of the glass sheet is constant. Glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that the curved surface is shaped into a shape curved only in the displacement direction. Glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that the control means controls the shaping of the curved surface in such a way that, provided that the curved surface is a wavefront of a downwardly convex shape or a wavelet. an upwardly facing convex shape; each of the rollers is an oscillating element and the stroke length of the vertical movement of each roller is the amplitude of the wave, the phase difference is applied to the vertical movement of each of the rollers so that the phase of each roller as the oscillating element is progressively changed as the wave surface formed by the curved surface is displaced in the displacement direction, the glass sheet being flexibly shaped to coincide with the curved surface. A glass sheet bending apparatus according to claim 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein the glass sheet is displaced such that the position of the roller corresponding to the leading edge of the displaced glass sheet in the displacement direction and the position of the roller corresponding to the rear the edges of the displaced glass sheet in the displacement direction are in the original roller positions and the position of the rollers corresponding to the intermediate portion that is the portion between the leading edge and the rear edge in the displacement direction of the glass is higher or lower than the displacement level 1/19