TOOL FOR SHAPING A HOT SUBSTRATE

1 . A shaping tool comprising a membrane made of a polymer material, said membrane having a shaping surface, and a thermalization means inserted into said membrane.

2 . The shaping tool according to claim 1 , further comprising means for increasing the thermal conductivity of the membrane.

3 . The shaping tool according to claim 1 , wherein the thermalization means comprise at least one conduit traversing the membrane according to a profile of the membrane and wherein a heat transfer liquid flows.

4 . The shaping tool according to claim 3 , wherein the thermalization means comprise a series of conduits traversing the membrane according to said profile and wherein a heat transfer liquid flows, these conduits extending parallel to each other.

5 . The shaping tool according to claim 4 , wherein the heat transfer fluid in two adjacent conduits flows in opposite directions.

6 . The shaping tool according to claim 3 , further comprising a series of conduits extending in a direction orthogonal to a direction wherein a first series of conduits extend.

7 . The shaping tool according to claim 2 , wherein the means for increasing the thermal conductivity of the membrane comprise metallic or carbon-based particles embedded in the polymer material.

8 . The shaping tool according to claim 2 , wherein the means for increasing the thermal conductivity of the membrane comprise metallic or carbon-based fibers.

9 . The shaping tool according to claim 2 , wherein the means for increasing the thermal conductivity of the membrane comprise a textile.

10 . The shaping tool according to claim 9 , wherein the textile is composed of metal fibers or spun yarns or is a knit.

11 . The shaping tool according to claim 3 , wherein the heat transfer fluid is cooling or heating.

12 . A glass sheet bending device comprising, a pressing frame arranged to fit a glass sheet and press a glass sheet against an upper mold, the upper mold being a shaping tool according to claim 1 .

13 . A method for constructing a membrane of a shaping tool comprising:

providing a mold with a shape of the membrane to be made and a polymer material that constitutes the membrane;

pouring said material into the mold;

cross-linking the material;

providing thermalization means and providing means for increasing thermal conductivity.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the method comprises several steps of pouring said material into the mold and several steps of cross-linking the material, each step of pouring the material into the mold being followed by a step of cross-linking said material.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the providing of the thermalization means consists of providing the thermalization means and placing the thermalization means in the mold before the membrane material is poured.

16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the placing of the thermalization means consists of providing the thermalization means and of providing an intermediate mold having a surface that is similar to that of the membrane to be made but with a lesser thickness, placing the thermalization means in said intermediate mold, and pouring a part of the membrane material into the intermediate mold, the material being then cross-linked to form an intermediate slice, said intermediate slice being placed in the membrane mold during the pouring of said membrane material.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the placing of the thermal conductivity increasing means consists of providing the thermal conductivity increasing means in the form of metallic or carbon particles or fibers and mixing them with the membrane material before the material is poured.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the placing of the thermal conductivity increasing means consists of providing the thermal conductivity increasing means in the form of metallic or carbon particles or fibers and mixing them with the membrane material after pouring said membrane material.

19 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the placing of the thermal conductivity increasing means consists of providing the thermal conductivity increasing means in the form of a textile and placing it in the mold while the membrane material is being poured.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the placing of the thermal conductivity increasing means in the form of a textile consists of providing the textile and in providing an intermediate mold whose surface is similar to that of the membrane to be constructed but with a lesser thickness, placing said textile therein, and pouring a portion of the membrane material into said intermediate mold, the material being then cross-linked to form an intermediate slice, said intermediate slice being placed in the membrane mold during the pouring of said membrane material.

21 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the means for increasing thermal conductivity are magnetic and wherein at least one step of placing means for increasing thermal conductivity uses magnets to position them.

22 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising, before providing the thermalization means and providing the means for increasing thermal conductivity, pouring a portion of the membrane material and a cross-linking the membrane material.

23 . A method of thermalizing a shaping tool according to claim 1 , comprising continuously measuring a temperature of said shaping tool by temperature measuring means and comparing the measured temperature with a defined working temperature, if the measured temperature is lower than the defined working temperature then the thermalization means heat said tool, and if the measured temperature is higher than the defined working temperature, then the thermalization means cool said tool.