Method and apparatus for processing glass
A slot orifice design that delivers glass ribbon at a uniform temperature and flow across the slot orifice width is provided. The slot orifice design can include a transition section, a pressure tank, and a slot extension.
1. A glass forming apparatus comprising:
an upper transition member, the upper transition member including a transition chamber, wherein the upper transition member is tapered along a height from a lower end to an upper end, where the lower end has a lower end width and a lower end opening distance, and the upper end has an upper end width and an upper end opening distance, where the lower end width is greater than the upper end width, and the upper end opening distance is greater than the lower end opening distance, wherein the transition chamber has a transition chamber width less than the upper end width; and
a pressure tank attached to the upper transition member, the pressure tank comprising an upper orifice and a lower orifice, such that a chamber within the pressure tank is in fluid communication with the transition chamber.
2. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper pressure tank support positioned across the upper orifice;
a lower pressure tank support positioned across the lower orifice; and
a slot extension attached to the pressure tank such that an interior area of the slot extension is in fluid communication with the pressure tank.
3. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second upper pressure tank support positioned across the upper orifice.
4. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second lower pressure tank support positioned across the lower orifice.
5. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the upper orifice comprises a first upper aperture and a second upper aperture,
wherein the upper pressure tank support is positioned between the first upper aperture and the second upper aperture, and
wherein the upper pressure tank support is integrally formed in a wall of the pressure tank.
6. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the lower orifice comprises a first lower aperture and a second lower aperture,
wherein the lower pressure tank support is positioned between the first lower aperture and the second lower aperture, and
wherein the lower pressure tank support is integrally formed in a wall of the pressure tank.
7. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the apparatus includes a heat source.
8. The glass forming apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the heat source is the slot extension such that a first end of the slot extension is configured to receive a first electrical connection and a second end of the slot extension is configured to receive a second electrical connection.
9. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an upper transition member support positioned across the transition chamber.
10. The glass forming apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a height of the slot extension is in a range from about 18 mm to about 22 mm.
11. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure tank comprises:
an end dimension extending along an end plane, the end plane being parallel to a first end of the pressure tank;
a width extending between the first end and a second end of the pressure tank; and
are opening dimension along an opening direction, the opening direction being parallel to the end plane and perpendicular to the width,
wherein an interior opening dimension of the pressure tank is greater than an opening distance of the lower orifice.
12. The glass forming apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the interior opening dimension distance is in a range from about two to about ten times greater than the opening distance of the lower orifice.
13. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pressure tank comprises a cylindrical shape,
wherein a longitudinal axis of the pressure tank extends along a width of a lower end of the upper transition member,
wherein the lower orifice has a width and an opening distance, and
wherein a diameter of the pressure tank is greater than the opening distance of the lower orifice.
14. The glass forming apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the chamber within the pressure tank is in fluid communication with the transition chamber through the upper orifice.
15. The glass forming apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the transition member comprises a trapezoidal shape.
16. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower orifice comprises a width in a range from about 50 mm to about 1.5 m.
17. The glass forming apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the lower orifice comprises a width in a range from about 150 mm to about 300 mm.