Cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film and cleaving method for a band-like glass film
A cleaving apparatus holds at least one surface (effective surface) of a band-like glass film in a non-contact state to suppress a situation that wavy portions reach a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved. The cleaving apparatus cleaves the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region. The localized heating and the cooling is performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film. The cleaving apparatus includes an air knife for supplying air to a front surface of the band-like glass film to retain the film on a conveyor at a position on an upstream side of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction.
1. A cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film, which is configured such that the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, is cleaved along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region resulting from the localized heating, the localized heating and the cooling being performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film,
the cleaving apparatus comprising:
support means for supporting a back surface side of the band-like glass film;
air supply means for supplying air during conveying of the band-like glass film to a front surface of the band-like glass film, while the back surface side of the band-like glass film is supported by the support means, to retain the band-like glass film on the support means at a position upstream of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction, the cleaving region being a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved; and
a roll-up device by which at least a part of the band-like glass film that has been cleaved is rolled,
wherein the band-like glass film is cleaved during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress after being retained on the support means.
2. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1 , wherein the air supply means supplies the air having a width that is larger than a width of the band-like glass film.
3. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1 , wherein the air supply means comprises an air knife.
4. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1 , wherein the air supply means blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film.
5. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
6. A cleaving method for a band-like glass film, in which the band-like glass film, which is being conveyed in a longitudinal direction thereof, is cleaved along a conveyance direction thereof using a thermal stress generated through localized heating and cooling of a heated region resulting from the localized heating, the localized heating and the cooling being performed on a preset cleaving line extending along the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film,
the cleaving method comprising:
supporting, by support means, a back surface side of the band-like glass film;
supplying, by air supply means, air during conveying of the band-like glass film to a front surface of the band-like glass film, while the back surface side of the band-like glass film is supported by the support means, to retain the band-like glass film on the support means at a position upstream of a cleaving region in the conveyance direction, the cleaving region being a region in which the band-like glass film is to be cleaved; and
rolling, with a roll-up device, at least a part of the band-like film that has been cleaved,
wherein the band-like glass film is cleaved during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress after being retained on the support means.
7. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2 , wherein the air supply means comprises an air knife.
8. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2 , wherein the air supply means blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film.
9. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 3 , wherein the air knife blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film.
10. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 7 , wherein the air knife blows the air in a direction from a position spaced away from the front surface of the band-like glass film on a downstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film toward a position on the front surface of the band-like glass film on an upstream side in the conveyance direction of the band-like glass film.
11. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 2 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
12. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 3 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
13. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 4 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
14. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 7 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
15. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 8 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
16. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 9 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
17. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 10 , wherein the support means comprises an air float table.
18. The cleaving apparatus for a band-like glass film according to claim 1 , further comprising a thermal stress cleaving device that cleaves the band-like glass film during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress.
19. The cleaving method for a band-like glass film according to claim 6 , further comprising cleaving, with a thermal stress cleaving device, the band-like glass film during the conveying of the band-like glass film along the conveyance direction using the thermal stress.