ITTO20120076A1 - METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING A GLASS ROOM - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the patent for industrial invention entitled:

"METHOD AND MACHINE FOR THE FORMING OF A CHAMBER GLASS"

The present invention relates to a method for forming a double glazing unit.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method for forming a double glazing comprising at least three glass sheets facing each other, two of which are lateral and one intermediate, spaced from each other by internal perimeter frames that define, together with to the relative plates, two sealed chambers containing a heavy inert gas.

A triple-pane insulating glass of the type described above is made by initially forming a single-chamber glass pane, i.e. by arranging a pair of glass panes on opposite sides of an internal spacing frame so as to form a chamber for the inert gas and filling the chamber itself with inert gas before forcing the plates against each other making them integral with the internal frame.

Once the single-chamber glass has been formed, a further glass plate is brought into a position facing one of the two glass plates of the single-chamber glass, after which a second internal perimeter frame is associated with the further plate, forming a second chamber , in which the inert gas is inserted before making the glass plates integral with the second internal frame. At this point, respective beads of sealing material are deposited on the internal periphery of the internal frames and the relative plates.

The production of double-chamber glazing is long, complex and expensive and does not ensure product quality consistency, especially when the double glazing is made "vertically", that is, arranging and maintaining the cutting glass sheets throughout the forming process. . In these conditions, in fact, the single-chamber double glazing is kept suspended by suction cups which are coupled to one of the glass sheets. The single-chamber glass is, therefore, cantilevered supported being one of the plates coupled to the suction cups and the other held only by the coupling made through the internal frame. It follows that, during the advancement, positioning and coupling of the further glass sheet, inevitable relative displacements often occur between the glass sheets of the single chamber glass with the consequence that geometric and dimensional constancies cannot be guaranteed. and the airtightness of both chambers which, at the end of the molding, can be only partially filled with gas.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a double glazing which allows the above problems to be solved in a simple and economical manner.

According to the present invention, a method is provided for forming a double glazing comprising two lateral glass plates, a central glass plate and an internal spacing frame interposed between each lateral glass plate and said central glass plate, the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of arranging the three cutting glass sheets in positions that are spaced apart and parallel to each other, of inserting the relative internal spacing frame in the space between each side glass sheet and the central glass sheet, of moving the three glass panes in a vertically translated position, in which the lateral glass panes and the central glass pane are vertically offset from each other, to simultaneously insert an inert gas into said spaces supporting the glass panes in said vertically shifted position, to translate the lateral glass panes and the central glass pane one resp to the other in a vertical direction bringing the sheets into a leveled position, in which the lower edges of the three glass sheets lie on a common horizontal plane and to tighten together the glass sheets and said internal spacing frames. .

The present invention also relates to a machine for forming a double glazing unit.

According to the present invention, a machine for forming a double glazing is realized as claimed in claim 8.

The invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting examples of implementation, in which:

Figures 1 to 14 schematically and substantially illustrate in blocks a machine for forming a double glazing according to the present invention arranged in different functional conditions; And

Figures 15 and 16 show a variant of a detail of Figures 1 to 14.

In figures 1 to 14, 1 indicates, as a whole, a machine for forming a double glazing 2 (figure 14) comprising two lateral glass sheets 3 and 4, a central glass sheet 5 and an internal frame 6 of spacing interposed between each lateral glass plate 3,4 and the central glass plate 5.

The machine 1 comprises a base 8 and a conveying unit 9 for advancing the glass sheets 3-5 in a longitudinal direction 10 between a station 11 for the entry of the sheets 3-5 and an exit station 12 for the double glazing 2.

The conveying unit 9 comprises its own frame 14 coupled to the base 8 of the machine 1 by means of a guide and slide assembly 15 to slide in opposite directions in a horizontal transversal direction 16 and orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 10 under the thrust of its own linear actuator 18.

The conveying unit 9 also comprises three motorized belt conveyors, indicated with 19, 20 and 21, arranged side by side and comprising respective belts 19a, 20a and 21a wound in a ring around relative deviating rollers 22 and having different widths. The diverter rollers 22 have the same external diameter, are rotatable around respective horizontal axes parallel to each other and to the transverse direction 16 and divide the relative belts 19a, 20a and 21a into an upper delivery branch 19b, 20b and 21b horizontal and parallel to the longitudinal direction 10 and in a lower return branch.

The conveyor 21 is coupled to the frame 14 in a vertically fixed position, while a respective lifting actuator device 23 is interposed between each of the conveyors 19 and 20 and the frame 14 itself, known per se and not described in detail. Each device 23 is able to move vertically and orthogonally to the directions 10 and 16 the relative conveyor 19,20 and, in particular, the delivery branch 19b, 20b between a raised position (figures 3 and 11) and a lowered position (figures 1 and 12), in which the delivery branches 19b, 20b and 21b are coplanar and lying in a horizontal plane P parallel to directions 10 and 16.

Still with reference to Figures 1 to 14, the machine 1 also comprises a lateral reference group 25 and support for the lateral glass plates arranged substantially above the conveying assembly 9 and, in turn, comprising a device 26 for support and front movement and a device 27 for support and rear movement arranged facing each other.

The support devices 26 and 27 comprise respective devices for retaining the glass sheets 3 and 4, conveniently of the suction cup type, known per se and not described in detail, each capable of retaining a relative glass sheet arranged for cutting. in a position orthogonal to the transverse direction 16 and parallel to the longitudinal direction 10.

At least the device 26 or, as in the present solution, both the devices 26 and 27 are coupled to the base 8 in a sliding manner to translate in opposite directions parallel to themselves and to each other in the transverse direction 16 under the thrust of respective actuators independent of each other and indicated with 28 and 29.

Each support device 26 and 27 then comprises a plurality of relative dispensing nozzles 30 adapted to generate respective flows of inert gas above the conveyors 19, 20 and 21. The nozzles 30, which in the specific case are aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction 10, are arranged in a position adjacent to the plane P and the delivery branches 19b, 20b and 21b, when the delivery branches 19b, 20b and 21b themselves are arranged in their lowered position, as can be seen for example in Figure 1.

Still with reference to Figures 1 to 14, the machine 1 also comprises a frontal longitudinal reference and retention device 32, which is arranged upstream of the output station 12 and comprises a striker body 33, which extends upwards from the conveyor assembly 9 and is coupled to the base 8 in a sliding manner in a direction parallel to the transverse direction 16 under the thrust of its own actuator 34 independent of the actuators 28 and 29. The body 33 has, above the plane P, a vertical groove 35 suitable for housing and retaining a front perimeter portion of the central glass sheet 5.

In the machine 1 described, the double glazing 2 is made in the following way.

Starting from the condition illustrated in Figure 1, in which the delivery branches 19b, 20b and 21b are arranged in their lowered coplanarity position and the side devices 26 and 27 and the front one 32 are arranged in their rear waiting position, the plate side of the glass 3 is arranged substantially cut above the delivery branch 19b of the conveyor 19 and advanced from it in the longitudinal direction 10 until it abuts against the body 33 of the device 32 and rests on the device 27, as can be seen in the figure 2. At this point, the delivery branch 19b is raised and the plate 3 brought with its lower edge 3a above the nozzles 30 (fig. 3), after which the device 26 is advanced towards the device 27 in the direction 16 until it is positively coupled to the plate 3 (Figure 4), then the device 26 is retracted again to its waiting position or to a position close to this. Once the retraction of the plate 3 is completed, the conveying unit 9 advances towards the device 27 until the branch 20b of the conveyor 20 extends below the device 27 itself. At this point, the central glass plate 5 supporting one of the internal frames 6 is arranged above the branch 20b and advanced by the branch 20b itself and in contact with the device 27 in the direction 10 towards the front device 32, as illustrated in Figure 6. .

Simultaneously with or prior to the loading of the sheet onto the branch 20b, the front device 32 is adjusted in position in the direction 16 in such a way as to allow the insertion and retention of the front end portion or edge of the sheet 5 inside the slot 35 and the consequent maintenance of the plate 5 itself in a vertical position (Figure 7).

Then, the conveying unit 9 is retracted again until the branch 19b is brought back below the device 27 by spacing the glass plate 7 from the device 27, as shown in figure 7, after which the lateral glass plate 4 with coupled the relative internal frame 6 is arranged on the conveyor 19 and progressively moved from the branch 19b and against the device 27 until it abuts against the body 33 (figure 8). Once the body 33 has been reached, the conveyor 19 is raised and the plate 4 brought to the same height as the plate 3, ie in a position such as to have its own lower edge 4a arranged above the nozzles 30 (Figure 9). The side plates 3 and 4 retained by the suction cups of the relative devices 26 and 27 are, at this point, translated parallel to themselves by moving the devices 26,27 in the direction 16, approached to the central plate 5 and stopped in such positions as to leave between the relative frames 6 and the corresponding glass sheets 3 and 5 a predefined access passage to the space between the glass sheets and laterally delimited by the same frames 16 (Figure 10).

Through the nozzles 30 and through the aforementioned passages, two flows of inert gas are simultaneously sent from below, directed towards the central plate 5 until the spaces between the central plate 5 and the lateral ones 3,4 are filled with inert gas. . Once this condition has been reached, the delivery branch 20b is moved upwards and the central plate 5 is raised to bring it to a level condition, in which the lower edges 3a, 4a and 5a of the plates 3, 4 and 5 all lie on one side. a plane parallel to the plane P, as shown in figure 11. By holding the glass plates 3, 4 and 5 in this position, the devices 26 and 27 are moved towards each other in the transverse direction 16, tightening together in a pack the sheets 3, 4 and 5 and the relative frames 6 forming the double glazing 2. Once the tightening is completed, the devices 26 and 27 release the relative glass sheets and the branch 20b of the conveyor 20 is lowered again and, when it reaches coplanarity with the other delivery branches (figure 12), the double glazing 2 always resting on the delivery branches 19b, 20b and 21b and guided by the device 27 is advanced by the conveyor assembly 9 towards the outlet station 12 and evacuated (figures 13 and 14 ).

The variant illustrated in figures 15 and 16 relates to a machine 40 similar to the machine 1 and whose constituent parts are marked, where possible, with the same reference numbers as the corresponding parts of the machine 1.

In the machine 40, only the conveyor 20 is adjustable in height with respect to the conveyors 19 and 21 which are vertically fixed and support the relative lateral glass plates 4 and 3 resting on the plane P. In this position the plates 3 and 4 are blocked by the suction cups of the relative holding devices 26 and 27.

In the machine 40, the devices 26 and 27 have no dispensing nozzles 30 which are, instead, carried by the central conveyor 20 to send two opposed flows of inert gas towards the lateral glass plates 3 and 4 when the conveyor 20 and the relative branch 20b are arranged in their raised position, illustrated in Figure 16.

The steps of forming the double glazing 2 by means of the machine 40 differ from those carried out in the machine 1 in that the lateral glass sheets 3 and 4 are no longer raised with respect to the plane P but are kept stationary above the branches 19b and 21b i.e. above vertically fixed bearing surfaces. In the machine 40, on the other hand, only the central glass plate 5 is moved which is raised by moving the conveyor 20 vertically so as to allow the inert gas flows to be sent through the passages present between the plates 3 and 5 and the internal frames 6 (figure 16).

In the machine 40, once the gas has been inserted, the central plate 5 is lowered and brought into the leveled position with the external glass plates 3, i.e. with the lower perimeter edges 3a, 4a and 5a arranged on the plane P (figure 15), after which, the plates 3, 4 and 5 and the frames 6 are tightened in a pack by moving the devices 26 and 27 towards each other in the direction 16 thus forming the double glazing 2 which, at this point it is simply moved and advanced towards the exit station 12.

From the foregoing it is evident that in both the machines 1 and 40 described, the glass plates are always supported and, therefore, always kept in predetermined positions without, therefore, any possibility of relative movement during the entire forming process. The foregoing allows to produce double glazing which all have the same qualitative level as well as invariant dimensions, geometry and thermo-acoustic capacity.

From the foregoing it is then evident that, with respect to known solutions, the machines 1 and 40 and the forming methods described make it possible to drastically reduce the forming times. The foregoing is a consequence of the fact that the three glass plates are positioned in succession and only after positioning are they forced against each other, avoiding the forming of intermediate semi-finished products.

Furthermore, according to the forming methods described above, the spaces between the glass plates are filled simultaneously with gas and not in successive steps as in known solutions, reducing the time and simplifying the filling.

From the above it is evident that the conveying unit 9 could comprise a different number of conveyors and one or more conveyors could be replaced by a common fixed surface for supporting and / or sliding the glass sheets.

Furthermore, the central glass sheet 5 could be kept in a vertical position by using, in combination with, or in place of, the longitudinal reference and retention device 32, a gripper or jaw device adapted to couple to a perimeter edge of the sheets 5, for example the upper one. Finally, the device 23 could comprise a further abutment body, for example facing the body 33 and provided with seats or other retention elements of the central plate 5.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. Method for forming a double glazing comprising two lateral glass plates, a central glass plate and an internal spacing frame interposed between each lateral glass plate and said central glass plate, the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of arranging the three cutting glass sheets in positions that are spaced apart and parallel to each other, of inserting the relative internal spacing frame in the space between each side glass sheet and the central glass sheet, of moving the three glass sheets in a vertically translated position, in which the lateral glass sheets and the central glass sheet are vertically offset relative to each other, to simultaneously insert an inert gas into said spaces supporting the glass sheets in said vertically translated position, of translate the lateral glass plates and the central glass plate with respect to each other in the vertical direction portand or the plates in a leveled position, in which the lower edges of the three glass plates lie on a common horizontal plane and to tighten together the glass plates and said internal spacing frames. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement of the glass sheets in said offset position comprises the steps of keeping the central glass sheet in a vertically fixed position and of lifting the lateral glass sheets with respect to the central glass sheet . 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said inert gas is inserted into said spaces by causing respective flows of inert gas to flow simultaneously under the lower perimeter edges of said lateral glass plates. 4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement of the glass plates in said offset position comprises the steps of keeping the lateral glass plates in vertically fixed positions and of lifting the central glass plate with respect to the lateral glass plates . 5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that said inert gas is inserted into said spaces by causing respective flows of inert gas to flow simultaneously in opposite directions and under the lower perimeter edge of said inner glass plate. 6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement and support of said glass plates in said offset and leveled positions is carried out by placing the glass plates on lower movable supports, vertically translating at least part of said movable supports and holding the lateral glass plates by means of suction cup means and the central plate in a fixed retention seat. 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting arrangement of said glass sheets comprises the steps of advancing cutting and in succession in a longitudinal direction one of the lateral glass sheets until it abuts against a axial stop member and resting against a lateral abutment parallel to the longitudinal direction, to distance the glass plate from said lateral abutment by moving it in a direction orthogonal to said longitudinal direction, to arrange the central glass plate against said lateral abutment, of inserting an end portion of said central plate in a positioning and retention seat carried by said axial stop member, to distance the central glass plate from said lateral abutment and to bring the other lateral glass plate into contact with said lateral abutment and said axial stop member. 8. Machine for forming a double glazing comprising two lateral glass plates, a central glass plate and an internal spacing frame interposed between each lateral glass plate and said central glass plate, the machine being characterized in that it comprises , for each of said glass sheets, a relative support plane for supporting the relative glass sheet arranged for cutting in a transversely spaced and parallel position to the other glass sheets, advancement means for advancing the glass sheets in a longitudinal direction , actuator means for vertically moving at least one of said support surfaces with respect to the other support surfaces between a leveled position, in which it is coplanar with the other support surfaces, and a vertically offset position, first and second nozzles to send two flows simultaneously of an inert gas between each side glass sheet and the central glass sheet, mez releasable reference and retention means adapted to couple to said lateral glass plates and to said central glass plate and forcing means to move the reference and retention means of said lateral glass plates with respect to each other in a direction transverse to the said longitudinal direction. 9. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said nozzles are carried by said reference and retention means of said lateral glass plates. 10. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said nozzles are carried by said vertically movable support surface. 11. Machine according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that said support surfaces are defined by the delivery branches of respective belt conveyors. 12. Machine according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said reference and retention means of said central glass plate comprise a housing seat for an end portion of said central glass plate. 13. Machine according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that said support surfaces are movable in said transverse direction. METHOD AND MACHINE FOR FORMING AN INSULATED GLASS SHEET 1. A method for forming an insulated glass sheet comprising two side glass sheets, a central glass sheet and an internal spacing frame interposed between each side glass sheet and said central glass sheet, the method being characterized by comprising the steps of arranging the three glass sheets vertically in reciprocally spaced and parallel positions, of inserting in the space between each side glass sheet and central glass sheet the relative internal spacing frame, of displacing the three glass sheets in a vertically translated position, in which the side glass sheets and the central glass sheet are vertically offset one with respect to another, of simultaneously introducing an inert gas in said spaces, supporting the glass sheets in said vertically translated position, of translating the side glass sheets and the central glass sheet one with respect to another in a vertical direction bringing the sheets in a leveled position, in which the lower edges of the three glass sheets lie o n a common horizontal plane and of clamping in a pack the glass sheets and said internal spacing frames. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement of the glass sheets in said offset position comprises the steps of maintaining the central glass sheet in a vertically fixed position and of lifting the side glass sheets with respect to the central glass sheet . 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that said inert gas is introduced in said spaces inducing respective inert gas flows to flow simultaneously under the lower peripheral edges of said side glass sheets. 4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement of the glass sheets in said offset position comprises the steps of maintaining the side glass sheets in vertically fixed positions and of lifting the central glass sheet with respect to the side glass sheets. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that said inert gas is introduced in said spaces inducing respective inert gas flows to flow in opposite directions and under the lower peripheral edge of said internal glass sheet. 6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement and the support of said glass sheets in said offset and leveled positions is performed by resting the glass sheets on lower mobile supports, vertically translating at least part of said mobile supports and retaining the side glass sheets by means of suction means and the central sheet in a fixed retaining seat. 7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical arrangement of said glass sheets comprises the steps of vertically feeding in a sequence in a longitudinal direction one of the side glass sheets until it is arranged in abutment against an axial catch member and resting against a side stop parallel to the longitudinal direction, of spacing the glass sheet from said side stop displacing it in a direction orthogonal to said longitudinal direction, of arranging the central glass sheet against said side stop, of introducing an end segment of said central sheet in a positioning and retaining seat borne by said axial catch member, of spacing the central glass sheet from said side stop and of bringing the other side glass sheet in contact with said side stop and said axial catch member. 8. A machine for forming an insulated glass sheet comprising two side glass sheets, a central glass sheet and an internal spacing frame interposed between each side glass sheet and said central glass sheet, the machine being characterized by comprising, for each of said glass sheets , a relative resting plane for supporting the relative glass sheet arranged vertically in a transversally spaced position and parallel to the other glass sheets, feeding means for feeding the glass sheets in a longitudinal direction, actuator means to vertically displace at least one of said resting planes with respect to the other resting planes between a leveled position, in which it is coplanar with the other resting planes, and a vertically offset position, first and second nozzles to simultaneously convey two inert gas flows between each side glass sheet and central glass sheet, releasable reference and retaining means adapted to couple to said side glass sheets and to said central glass sheet and forc ing means for displacing the reference and retaining means of said side glass sheets one with respect to another in a direction transversal to said longitudinal direction. 9. The machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said nozzles are borne by said reference and retaining means of said side glass sheets. 10. The machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said nozzles are borne by said vertically mobile resting plane. 11. The machine according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that said resting planes are defined by the delivery branches of respective conveyor belts. 12. The machine according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said reference and retaining means of said central glass sheets comprise a housing seat for an end segment of said central glass sheet. 13. The machine according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that said resting planes are mobile in said transversal direction.