Apparatus and methods for separating edge portions from a glass ribbon
A glass manufacturing apparatus including a forming apparatus, the forming apparatus including an edge separation assembly. The edge separation assembly includes a scoring device with a scoring tool coupled thereto, a backing roller, a pair of stabilizing rollers configured to pinch a central portion of the glass ribbon therebetween, and a separation roller configured to apply a separation force against an edge portion of the glass ribbon to separate the edge portion from the central portion. The edge separation apparatus may further include a first plurality of guide rollers arranged to direct the separated edge portion away from the central portion and a second plurality of guide rollers configured to guide the central portion. The forming apparatus further includes a cross-cut assembly configured to separate a glass sheet from the central portion.
1 . A method of separating an edge portion from a moving glass ribbon, comprising:
forming a glass ribbon with a forming apparatus, the glass ribbon moving along a draw path in a draw direction along a draw plane, the glass ribbon comprising a central portion having a first thickness, and a first edge portion including an outside edge of the glass ribbon, the first edge portion adjacent the central portion and comprising a second thickness greater than the first thickness;
scoring the glass ribbon with a scoring tool to form a score along a length of the glass ribbon extending in the draw direction a predetermined distance from the outside edge while supporting the glass ribbon with a backing roller, wherein the scoring tool forces the glass ribbon against the backing roller to produce the score between the scoring tool and the backing roller while the glass ribbon moves along the draw path in the draw direction;
pinching the central portion of the glass ribbon during the scoring between a pair of stabilizing rollers inboard of the score; and
contacting the edge portion of the glass ribbon downstream of the scoring tool with a separation roller, the separation roller applying a force to the edge portion outboard of the score that forms a tensile stress across the score and causes the edge portion to separate from the central portion downstream of the scoring tool, thereby forming a separated edge portion.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising contacting the separated edge portion with a first plurality of guide rollers and guiding the edge portion away from the central portion.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of guide rollers guide the separated edge portion into a chute.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the chute directs the separated edge portion into a collection container.
5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising contacting the central portion with a second plurality of guide rollers downstream of the separation roller.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising cross-cutting the central portion after the edge portion is separated from the central portion to separate a glass sheet from the central portion.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the separation roller is canted relative to the to the draw plane during the scoring.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising cross-cutting the central portion orthogonal to the draw direction to separate a glass sheet from the glass ribbon.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the cross-cutting occurs downstream from the contacting the edge portion with the separation roller.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the cross-cutting comprises contacting the central portion with a second scoring device while the second scoring device translates in the draw direction at the same speed as the central portion.
11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising engaging and holding the glass sheet with at least two pairs of suction cups provided with a vacuum on a correspond pair of engagement arms during the cross-cutting.