JP2022151004A - Glass film manufacturing method and manufacturing device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve work efficiency by easily and simply cutting a belt-like glass film being conveyed laterally after molding and to perform the appropriate cutting processing with pressing-in force from an operation part however thin the thickness is.SOLUTION: A glass film manufacturing method comprises: a molding process of molding a belt-like glass film G; a lateral conveyance process of conveying the belt-like glass film G laterally by lateral conveying means 4; and a cutting process of cutting the belt-like glass film G along a width direction during the execution of the lateral conveyance process to cut out a glass film G1 with a predetermined length. The cutting process includes a process of forming a flaw Gx as a cutting starting point at a part of a reverse surface Gb of the belt-like glass film G and a process of letting pressing force operate on the belt-like glass film G from an operation member 13 arranged above the belt-like film G, wherein the flaw Gx is developed in the width direction of the belt-like glass film G with the pressing force from the operation part 13 to cut the belt-like glass film G.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a glass film manufacturing technique, and more particularly to a technique for obtaining a glass film of a predetermined length by cutting in the width direction a band-shaped glass film transported in the lateral direction after molding.

In the field of glass film production, a band glass film that is continuously formed by a downdraw method, a float method, or the like is cut in the width direction while being transported in the horizontal direction to obtain a predetermined length. Obtaining a glass film has been done.

As a specific example, in Patent Document 1, after forming score lines (scribe lines) along the width direction on the lower surface of a thin sheet glass that is conveyed in the lateral direction after molding, a folding roller is applied to the area where the scribe lines are formed. A device is disclosed for breaking and cutting sheet glass by lowering.

JP-A-9-52725

By the way, in the apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, a scribe line is formed by moving the cutter wheel from one end to the other end in the width direction with respect to the lower surface of the thin plate glass conveyed in the lateral direction (the same See paragraph [0021] of the literature, etc.). According to such a method, the cutting process of the thin plate glass becomes troublesome and complicated, and the work efficiency deteriorates.

In addition, the same document describes that the thickness of the thin plate glass is, for example, 1.5 mm or less (see paragraph [0010] of the same document). Among the thin sheets of glass within this thickness range, there are those thin enough to be referred to as glass films that are too thin to form scribe lines. This problem is more pronounced when scribe lines are formed on the bottom surface of the glass film than when scribe lines are formed on the top surface of the glass film. Therefore, in the technique of cutting by pushing force by lowering the working member (folding roller) as disclosed in the same document, there is a problem that the cutting process cannot be performed appropriately as the thickness of the glass film becomes smaller. There is

From the above point of view, the present invention makes it possible to easily and simply perform a cutting process by applying a pushing force from an upper action member to the strip-shaped glass film being conveyed in the lateral direction after molding, thereby improving work efficiency. Another object of the present invention is to appropriately perform the above-described cutting process no matter how small the thickness of the strip glass film is.

A first aspect of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the above problems, includes a forming step of forming a strip glass film, a horizontal conveying step of conveying the strip glass film in a horizontal direction by a horizontal conveying means, A glass film manufacturing method comprising a cutting step of cutting the glass film of a predetermined length by cutting the strip glass film in the width direction during the conveying step, wherein in the cutting step, the lower surface of the strip glass film and a process of applying a pressing force to the strip glass film from an acting member arranged above the strip glass film, and the pressing force from the acting member is performed. is characterized by extending the flaw in the width direction of the strip glass and cutting the strip glass film.

According to such a configuration, during the horizontal conveying step, that is, during the horizontal conveying of the band-shaped glass film after molding, a simple process of forming a scratch that serves as a cutting starting point on a part of the lower surface of the formed band-shaped glass film can be performed. done. Then, the band-shaped glass film is cut by extending the damage in the width direction by the pressing force from the acting member. Therefore, the strip glass film can be easily and simply cut by applying a pushing force from the acting member above the strip glass film, thereby improving working efficiency. Moreover, since the scratch that serves as the starting point for cutting is not a scribe line, the scratch can be appropriately formed on the lower surface of the strip-shaped glass film, no matter how thin it is. Therefore, regardless of the thickness of the band-shaped glass film, it is possible to perform appropriate cutting processing by the pressing force from the acting member.

In this configuration, in the cutting step, after the scratch is formed on the strip glass film, the pressing force is applied to the scratch forming region, or the pressing force of the strip glass film is applied. You may make it form the said crack|wound in the area|region.

In the above configuration, the acting member is a roller having a central axis along the width direction of the band-shaped glass film, and the roller has a central axis at least when the pressing force is applied to the band-shaped glass film. rotate around

In this way, since the pressing force acts on the band-shaped glass film by the rotating roller, problems such as scratching of the band-shaped glass film due to rubbing can be avoided. In this case, the roller may be a free roller or a driving roller to which a rotational driving force is applied. In the case of the driving roller, it is preferable that the conveying speed and the peripheral speed of the band-shaped glass film are the same.

In the above configuration, the band-shaped glass film has ears at both ends in the width direction, the thickness of which is thicker than that at the center thereof. , the pressing force may be applied to the strip glass film.

In this way, when applying a pressing force to the band-shaped glass film, only the ear portion (one ear portion or both ear portions), which is an unnecessary portion, is pressed against the acting member. The member does not contact the central effective area between the ears. Therefore, the effective area of the band-shaped glass film is not scratched, and the effective area is properly protected.

In the above configuration, the horizontal transport means includes a first transport means and a second transport means arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the first transport means and at a position lower than the first transport means. may have

In this way, the step between the first conveying means and the second conveying means can be effectively used for executing the cutting process.

This structure WHEREIN: You may form the said crack|wound on the lower surface of the said strip|belt-shaped glass film using the clearance gap between said 1st conveyance means and said 2nd conveyance means.

In this way, the gap between the two conveying means can be effectively utilized as a gap for inserting a tool for forming scratches on the lower surface of the strip glass film.

In this configuration, the scratch may be formed on the lower surface of the strip of glass film between the downstream end of the first transporter and the upper part of the second transporter.

With this configuration, the strip glass film is inclined downward toward the downstream side from the downstream end of the first conveying means to the upper portion of the second conveying means. A sufficiently large space exists below the strip glass film in this tilted state. This space is effectively used as a working space for forming scratches on the lower surface of the band-shaped glass film with a tool. Therefore, workability is improved when performing work for forming a scratch.

In these configurations, the pressing force may be applied to the strip glass film while the strip glass film reaches the upper portion of the second transport device from the downstream end of the first transport device.

Even in this case, there is a sufficiently large space below the inclined glass strip film, as in the case described above. This space is effectively used as a space for exerting a pressing force on the strip glass film. Therefore, the workability is improved when performing the work to apply the pressing force.

In this configuration, when the acting member is lowered to apply the pressing force to the strip glass film to cut the strip glass film, before the acting member presses the upper part of the second conveying means, the Lowering of the action member may be restricted.

In this way, the presence of the space allows the action member to be lowered until a pressing force of sufficient magnitude to develop the flaw acts on the strip glass film. Moreover, even if the working member is lowered until the strip glass film is cut, the working member does not press the upper part of the second conveying means. As a result, problems such as damage to the second conveying means due to impact from the action member can be avoided.

In these configurations, the conveying speed of the second conveying means may be higher than that of the first conveying means.

In this way, when both the cut side ends of the strip glass film and the cut glass film are received on the upper part of the second conveying means after cutting, the cut side ends are properly spaced apart from each other. be transported. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of cracks, breakage, etc., between the two cut ends due to contact between the two ends.

In these configurations, the horizontal transport means further includes a third transport means arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the second transport means, and the third transport means is closer to the second transport means than the second transport means. , the conveying speed may be high.

In this way, the glass films that are cut in order are transferred from the second conveying means to the third conveying means and conveyed, and along with this, the distance between the cut side ends of the adjacent glass films increases. even longer. Therefore, not only is the contact between the cut-side ends of the adjacent glass films more reliably prevented, but also the adjacent glass films are prevented from interfering with the post-treatment of each glass film. can.

In the above configuration, the working member may be lowered to apply the pressing force to the strip glass film to cut the strip glass, and then the acting member may be raised.

In this way, after the strip glass film is cut, a situation such as the cutting side end being caught by the action member is less likely to occur, and the strip glass film can be conveyed smoothly.

In the above configuration, the pressing force may be applied from the acting member to the strip glass film by lifting the strip glass film upward at a position downstream of the acting member.

By doing so, it is not necessary to move the working member downward, and problems such as the pressing force from the working member acting on the upper portion of the second conveying means can be reliably avoided.

A second aspect of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises forming means for forming a band-shaped glass film, horizontal conveying means for conveying the band-shaped glass film in the horizontal direction, and conveyance by the horizontal conveying means. and a cutting means for cutting the strip glass film in the width direction to cut out a predetermined length of the glass film, wherein the cutting means is provided on a part of the lower surface of the strip glass film. A process for forming a scratch that serves as a starting point for cutting and a process for applying a pressing force to the strip-shaped glass film from an acting member disposed above the strip-shaped glass film are performed, and the pressing from the acting member is performed. It is characterized in that the scratch is developed in the width direction of the strip glass by force to cut the strip glass film.

According to this, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the above-described manufacturing method having substantially the same configuration as this manufacturing apparatus.

According to the present invention, the cutting process can be easily and simply performed by applying a pressing force from an upper action member to the band-shaped glass film being transported in the horizontal direction after molding, thereby improving work efficiency. No matter how small the thickness of the band-shaped glass film is, the cutting process can be performed appropriately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the whole structure of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic plan view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows operation|movement of the bladed member which is a component of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a bottom view which shows the strip|belt-shaped glass film obtained using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic front view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the whole structure of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the glass plate manufacturing apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic side view which shows the principal part of the modification of embodiment of this invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A band-shaped glass film manufacturing apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a manufacturing apparatus) and a glass film manufacturing method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view schematically showing the overall configuration of a manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes, as main components, a forming means 2 for forming the band-shaped glass film G, and a direction changing section 3 for changing the conveying direction of the band-shaped glass film G which continuously descends after forming. and a horizontal conveying means 4 for horizontally conveying the strip-shaped glass film G that has passed through the direction changing section 3 . Further, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a cutting means 5 for cutting the strip-shaped glass film G conveyed by the horizontal conveying means 4 in the width direction (a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction) for each predetermined length, and the cutting means 5 in order. A pallet 6 is provided for storing glass films G1 of a predetermined length cut and transported by the horizontal transport means 4 in a layered manner in a flat position. In this case, it is preferable that the glass film G1 and protective sheets (not shown) such as foamed resin sheets or resin film sheets are alternately stacked on the pallet 6 . Here, the thickness of the strip glass film G (thickness of the effective area) is preferably 300 μm or less, 200 μm or less, or 100 μm or less.

The forming means 2 comprises a forming body 7 of substantially wedge-shaped cross-section having an overflow groove 7a at its upper end. Below the molded body 7, the molten glass strip is formed into a strip glass film G having a predetermined width, and then heat treatment is performed to slowly cool the strip glass film G. After that, the strip glass film G is exposed to an ambient temperature ambient atmosphere. Then, a cooling process is performed to cool to near room temperature.

The direction change part 3 guides the direction change of the strip|belt-shaped glass film G after shaping|molding. In this embodiment, the direction changing section 3 includes a plurality of guide rollers 8 arranged in a curved shape. These guide rollers 8 are in contact with the back surface of the band-shaped glass film G. As shown in FIG.

The horizontal conveying means 4 includes a plurality of conveying means (first conveying means 9, second conveying means 10, third conveying means 11) arranged in the horizontal direction (three in the figure for convenience). In this embodiment, these transport means 9, 10 and 11 are all belt conveyors. Hereinafter, these belt conveyors are called a first conveyor 9, a second conveyor 10 and a third conveyor 11 in order from the upstream side.

The second conveyor 10 is arranged at a position lower than the first conveyor 9 . The second conveyor 10 and the third conveyor 11 are arranged at the same height position. In the present embodiment, the upper portion (upper surface portion) 10a of the second conveyor 10 is positioned lower than the lower portion (lower surface portion) 9b of the first conveyor 9 . In other words, the first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 are vertically separated. Further, the upstream portion of the second conveyor 10 is positioned right below the downstream portion of the first conveyor 9 . In other words, the first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 overlap each other in the lateral direction. Furthermore, the second conveyor 10 has a higher transfer speed than the first conveyor 9 , and the third conveyor 11 has a higher transfer speed than the second conveyor 10 .

The cutting means 5 includes a bladed member 12 for forming a scratch Gx (details will be described later) on a portion of the lower surface Gb of the strip glass film G, and a roller as an acting member for applying a pressing force to the strip glass film G. 13.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the bladed member 12 has a cutting edge 12a at its tip and is movable in the direction indicated by the arrow A from the retracted position shown. As shown in FIG. 3, the cutting edge 12a of the bladed member 12 is arranged on one end side of the strip glass film G in the width direction. The widthwise length of the cutting edge 12a is set to a length corresponding to a part of the widthwise length of the band-shaped glass film G. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the bladed member 12 is moved along a straight line in the direction of arrow A by an air cylinder, ball screw mechanism, or the like (not shown) (see FIG. 2). The configuration for moving the bladed member 12 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a configuration as shown in FIG. This structure consists of a rotating shaft 15 held by a holding table 14 downstream of the first conveyor 9 and to which a rotational driving force is applied so as to be able to rotate forward and backward, and a supporting member 16 rotating integrally with the rotating shaft 15. , and the bladed member 12 is connected to the tip portion 16 a of the support member 16 . The holding table 14 is fixedly installed on a floor surface or the like. Note that the tip portion 16a of the support member 16 is bent toward the center in the width direction, and the bladed member 12 is fixed to this bent portion. In this way, the bladed member 12 moves along an arc as indicated by the arrow X from the retracted position indicated by the dashed line in FIG. to the retracted position. Alternatively, the bladed member 12 may be manually moved by an operator.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the rollers 13 are spaced upward from the upper surface portion 10 a of the second conveyor 10 . Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of rollers 13 are provided at positions corresponding to both ends of the band-shaped glass film G in the width direction. These rollers 13 are free rollers (rollers to which rotational driving force is not applied) rotatable around a central axis (center axis line) 17 . Further, these rollers 13 are held via a central shaft 17 by tip portions 19 a of a pair of arms 19 arranged outside of both ends in the width direction of the first conveyor 9 . The pair of arms 19 rotate integrally with a rotating shaft 21 which is held by a base 20 at a position downstream of the first conveyor 9 and to which rotational driving force is applied so as to rotate forward and reverse. The base 20 is fixedly installed on a floor surface or the like. Therefore, these rollers 13 can descend from the retracted position shown in FIG. 2 along an arc as indicated by arrow B, and then ascend along the arc to the retracted position. In this case, the descent and ascent of these rollers 13 are restricted at predetermined positions. This regulation is performed by stoppers (not shown) that stop the forward and reverse rotational movements of the pair of arms 19 at predetermined positions. The movement path of these rollers 13 (the path indicated by arrow B) is positioned downstream of the movement path of the bladed member 12 (the path indicated by arrow A). The roller 13 may be a single roller 13 that extends from a position corresponding to one widthwise end of the strip glass film G to a position corresponding to the other widthwise end. Also, the structure for lowering and raising the roller 13 may be one using, for example, an air cylinder or a ball screw mechanism. In this case, the roller 13 can be moved, for example, along a straight line in the vertical direction.

Next, a glass plate manufacturing method using the glass plate manufacturing apparatus 1 having the configuration described above will be described.

The glass plate manufacturing method according to the present embodiment includes a forming process, a horizontal conveying process, and a cutting process.

The forming step is a step of forming the strip glass film G by the formed body 7, the heat treatment section, and the cooling section.

A horizontal conveyance process is a process of conveying the strip|belt-shaped glass film G after shaping|molding, and the cut glass film G1 of predetermined length in a horizontal direction.

The cutting step is a step of cutting the band-shaped glass film G conveyed by the horizontal conveying means 4 in the width direction to cut out the glass film G1 of a predetermined length.

More specifically, in the cutting step, first, as shown in FIG. Specifically, the strip glass film G extends from the downstream end 9x of the first conveyor 9 to the upper surface 10a of the second conveyor 10, that is, the cutting edge 12a is placed on the lower surface Gb of the strip glass film G in an inclined state. Strike. As a result, a scratch Gx is formed on the lower surface Gb. In this case, the gap 22 between the first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 is effectively used as a gap for inserting the bladed member 12 . In this embodiment, since the first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 are separated vertically, when inserting the bladed member 12 at an angle as indicated by the arrow A, a sufficiently large gap is required. 22 can be secured, and workability is improved. When the cutting edge 12a abuts against the lower surface Gb of the strip glass film G, the bladed member 12 may be slid in the width direction of the strip glass film G by a predetermined length at the same time as the abutment.

Further, the strip glass film G is inclined downward toward the downstream side from the downstream end 9x of the first conveyor 9 to the upper surface portion 10a of the second conveyor 10. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the bladed member 12 moves in a direction (direction of arrow A) that inclines upward toward the downstream side. Therefore, the direction in which the bladed member 12 is moved intersects the band-shaped glass film G at an appropriate angle. That is, the crossing angle can be made closer to a right angle. Thereby, the scratches Gx can be appropriately formed on the lower surface Gb of the band-shaped glass film G. As shown in FIG.

Moreover, a large space 23 is formed below the strip glass film G in the inclined state. This large space 23 is effectively used as a working space for forming the above-mentioned scratches Gx with the bladed member 12 . More specifically, when the thickness or type of the strip glass film G is changed, the tilt angle of the tilted strip glass film G with respect to the horizontal plane changes. In this case, it is also necessary to change the angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane when moving the bladed member 12 . In the configuration here, since the work space 23 is large, such a request can be accurately met, and workability is improved.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing a state in which a scratch Gx is formed on the bottom surface Gb of the band-shaped glass film G. FIG. As shown in the figure, the scratch Gx is formed at one end of the strip glass film G in the width direction. Ear portions Gd having a thickness greater than that of the central region (effective region) Gc are formed at both ends of the band-shaped glass film G in the width direction. In this embodiment, the scratch Gx is formed across the effective area Gc from one ear Gd. The flaw Gx extends along the width direction, and the length in the width direction is, for example, 5 to 30 mm, preferably with a lower limit of 10 mm and an upper limit of 20 mm. It should be noted that the location where the scratch Gx is formed may be only the effective area Gc near the ear portion Gd or only the ear portion Gd. Also, the scratches Gx may be formed at both ends of the strip glass film G in the width direction.

After that, as shown in FIG. 7, with the bladed member 12 retracted, the roller 13 is lowered in the direction of the arrow B to come into contact with the upper surface Ga of the strip glass film G in the inclined state and apply a pressing force. act. At this time, the roller 13 rotates in the arrow Z direction. As a result, problems such as scratches on the upper surface Ga of the band-shaped glass film G can be avoided. In addition, since the strip glass film G in the inclined state is smoothly curved and connected to the upper surface portion 10a of the second conveyor 10, bending deformation or the like does not occur in this connected portion. Therefore, problems such as breakage of the band-shaped glass film G at this continuous portion can be avoided.

At this point, as shown in FIG. 8, the pair of rollers 13 presses only the tabs Gd at both ends in the width direction of the band-shaped glass film G, and does not contact the effective area Gc. As a result, problems such as contact scratches on the effective area Gc are avoided, and the effective area Gc is appropriately protected. It should be noted that the effective area Gc is appropriately protected in the same manner even if the single roller described above is used instead of the pair of rollers 13 .

Here, referring to FIG. 7, since the large space 23 was formed below the strip glass film G in the inclined state as described above, when the roller 13 is lowered, the strip glass film G The roller 13 can be lowered until a pressing force of sufficient magnitude is applied. When this sufficiently large pressing force acts on the formation area of the scratch Gx of the strip glass film G, the scratch Gx develops in the width direction of the strip glass film G. In the present embodiment, when the scratch Gx reaches the movement path of the roller 13 (the path along the arrow B) as the strip glass film G is conveyed, a pressing force sufficient to develop the scratch Gx is applied to the strip glass film G. Roller 13 descends to act on G. In addition, the above-mentioned "formation area of the scratch Gx" means the area including the scratch Gx of the band-shaped glass film G and covering the entire length in the width direction. This is because even if the above-mentioned sufficient pressing force acts only on the scratch Gx, the scratch Gx does not necessarily grow appropriately, and the above-mentioned sufficient pressing force acts on the region over the entire width direction where the scratch Gx should grow. This is because the flaw Gx is appropriately propagated.

Then, as the scratch Gx appropriately develops in the width direction of the strip glass film G, the strip glass film G is cut in the width direction, and a predetermined length of the glass film G1 is cut off as shown in FIG. In this case, before the roller 13 presses against the upper surface portion 10a of the second conveyor 10, its descent is restricted by the previously described stopper. Therefore, even if the roller 13 is lowered until the strip glass film is cut, the roller 13 does not press the upper surface portion 10 a of the second conveyor 10 . As a result, problems such as damage to the second conveyor 10 due to the impact from the roller 13 can be avoided.

After this cutting is performed, the roller 13 is raised toward the retracted position indicated by the dashed line. Therefore, the cut edge Ge of the strip glass film G is less likely to be caught by the roller 13, and the strip glass film G is smoothly transported. Also, at this point, the cut edge Ge of the strip glass film G and the cut edge Gf of the cut glass film G1 are properly received by the upper surface portion 10a of the second conveyor 10 . Therefore, problems such as sagging or bending deformation of both cut side ends Ge and Gf can be avoided. Furthermore, at this time point, since the second conveyor 10 has a higher transport speed than the first conveyor 9, both cutting side edges Ge and Gf are appropriately spaced apart. As a result, problems such as breakage or damage to both G and G1 due to contact between the cut side ends Ge and Gf can be avoided. Also, at this time, the conveying force from the third conveyor 11 is mainly acting on the glass film G1 that has been cut in advance. Since the third conveyor 11 has a higher transport speed than the second conveyor 10, both the cut side ends Gh and Gi of the glass film G1 are further separated from each other. As a result, not only is the contact between the cut side ends Gh and Gi of the glass films G1 reliably prevented, but also the preceding glass film G1 is post-processed (for example, stored in the pallet 6). This avoids problems such as obstruction of the subsequent glass film G1.

<Second embodiment>
FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of essential parts showing a state in which a cutting step according to the second embodiment of the present invention is being performed. The cutting process according to the second embodiment is different from the cutting process according to the first embodiment described above in that the area where the pressing force of the roller 13 of the band-shaped glass film G is acting is provided with a blade. It is located where the cutting edge 12a of the member 12 abuts. In this case, when the pressing force is applied to the strip glass film G and when the cutting edge 12a is abutted, the cutting edge 12a may be applied at the same time, or after the pressing force is applied to the strip glass film G. may be pushed. Since the rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment already described, constituent elements common to both embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. 10, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

<Third embodiment>
FIG. 11 is a schematic side view schematically showing the overall configuration of the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment is different from the manufacturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above in that a ribbon glass is provided on the upstream side of the first conveyor 9. A device 24 is provided for cutting and removing the edge portion Gd of the film G (more specifically, the unnecessary portion including the edge portion Gd). This device 24 cuts and separates the edges Gd of the strip glass film G with a laser cutting machine 26 while the strip glass film G that has passed through the direction changing section 3 is being transported in the horizontal direction by two upstream conveyors 25. Then, the selvage Gd after being cut and separated is conveyed by the inclined conveyor 27 and collected. Note that the laser cutting machine 26 irradiates the band-shaped glass film G thereunder with a laser 28 and jets a coolant 29 to cut and separate the ear portions Gd. According to the third embodiment, the strip-shaped glass film Gcc in the effective region from which the ear portions Gd have been removed is subjected to the same cutting process as in the first embodiment described above, thereby cutting the glass film G1c into a predetermined length. can be cut out. Since the rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment already described, constituent elements common to both embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. 11, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 12 is a schematic side view of essential parts showing a state in which a cutting process according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is being performed. The cutting process according to the fourth embodiment differs from the cutting process according to the first embodiment described above in that the band-shaped glass film G is lifted upward at a position downstream of the roller 13. The pressing force of the roller 13 is applied to the formation area of the scratch Gx of the band-shaped glass film G, and the band-shaped glass film G is cut. Also in this case, the scratch Gx may be formed in the area where the strip glass film G is lifted and the pressing force of the roller 13 is applied. When executing this cutting step, it is not necessary to provide a conveyor downstream of the first conveyor 9 as the horizontal conveying means 4 . In this case, the rollers 13 are preferably fixedly installed at the same height position as the upper surface portion 9a of the first conveyor 9 or at a slightly lower position. Moreover, it is preferable that the bladed member 12 moves right up to form a scratch Gx on the lower surface Gb of the band-shaped glass film G. As shown in FIG. Furthermore, it is preferable that the strip glass film G is lifted manually by an operator. In this case, it is preferable to lift the strip glass film G to a position higher than the roller 13 . In addition, instead of the operator's manual work, the belt-shaped glass film G may be lifted using a mechanism or the like that moves upward while holding the strip-shaped glass film G with a gripping member or a suction pad.

Although the glass plate manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention have been described above, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is possible to apply

In the above embodiment, the strip glass film G is formed by the overflow down-draw method, but it may be formed by other down-draw methods such as the slot down-draw method and the redraw method, or by the float method.

In the above embodiments, the acting member is a roller, but other member may be used as long as it can apply a pressing force to the band-shaped glass film.

In the above embodiments, the lower surface of the strip glass film is in contact with the upper surface of each conveyor in the horizontal conveying process, but a protective sheet such as a foamed resin sheet is interposed between the strip glass film and the upper surface of each conveyor. may be made. In this case, the length of the protective sheet in the width direction is shortened so that the protective sheet can be collected at the end of transportation on the first conveyor 9, or the lower surface of the band-shaped glass film can be scratched. need to keep

In the above embodiment, the first conveyor and the second conveyor overlap each other in the horizontal direction and are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 may be horizontally spaced and vertically spaced apart, or as indicated by symbol Y2 in the figure, the first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 may be horizontally spaced and vertically overlapped. You may do so.

In the above embodiment, the first transport means, the second transport means, and the third transport means constituting the horizontal transport means are belt conveyors, but other transport means such as roller conveyors may be used.

1 glass plate manufacturing apparatus 2 forming means 4 horizontal conveying means 5 cutting means 9 first conveyor (first conveying means)
9a Upper part of the first conveyor (top part)
9x Downstream end of first conveyor 10 Second conveyor (second conveying means)
10a Upper part of the second conveyor (upper surface part)
11 third conveyor (third conveying means)
13 Roller (action member)
17 Roller central axis (central axis)
22 Gap between both transportation means G Strip-shaped glass film Gc Strip-shaped glass film in effective area G1 Glass film G1c Glass film Gb Lower surface of strip-shaped glass film Gd Edge Gx Scratches

Claims (14)

A forming step of forming a band-shaped glass film, a horizontal conveying step of conveying the band-shaped glass film in the horizontal direction by a horizontal conveying means, and a predetermined length by cutting the band-shaped glass film in the width direction during the horizontal conveying step. A glass film manufacturing method comprising a cutting step of cutting a glass film of thickness,
In the cutting step, a process of forming a scratch that serves as a cutting starting point on a part of the lower surface of the strip glass film, and a process of applying a pressing force to the strip glass film from an acting member arranged above the strip glass film. and cutting the strip glass film by extending the scratch in the width direction of the strip glass by the pressing force from the acting member. In the cutting step, after the scratch is formed on the strip glass film, the pressing force is applied to the scratch forming region, or the pressing force is applied to the region of the strip glass film to which the pressing force is applied. The glass film manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein scratches are formed. The acting member is a roller having a central axis along the width direction of the band-shaped glass film, and the roller rotates around the central axis at least when the pressing force is applied to the band-shaped glass film. Item 3. The method for producing a glass film according to item 1 or 2. The band-shaped glass film has lugs at both ends in the width direction, the thickness of which is greater than that of the central side. The glass film manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressing force is applied to the. 2. The horizontal conveying means includes a first conveying means and a second conveying means arranged adjacent to the downstream side of the first conveying means and at a position lower than the first conveying means. 5. The method for producing a glass film according to any one of -4. The glass film manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the scratches are formed on the lower surface of the band-shaped glass film by using a gap between the first conveying means and the second conveying means. 7. The glass film according to claim 6, wherein the scratch is formed on the lower surface of the strip glass film from the downstream end of the first transport means to the upper part of the second transport means. Production method. 8. Any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the pressing force is applied to the band-shaped glass film from the downstream end of the first conveying means to the upper part of the second conveying means. The glass film manufacturing method described. When cutting the band-shaped glass film by lowering the action member to apply the pressing force to the band-shaped glass film, the action member descends before the action member presses the upper part of the second conveying means. The glass film manufacturing method according to claim 8, which regulates. The glass film manufacturing method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the second conveying means has a higher conveying speed than the first conveying means. As the horizontal transport means, a third transport means is further provided downstream and adjacent to the second transport means, and the third transport means has a higher transport speed than the second transport means. The method for producing a glass film according to any one of claims 5 to 10. The glass film manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the acting member is lowered to apply the pressing force to the strip glass film to cut the strip glass, and then the acting member is raised. The glass film according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pressing force is applied from the acting member to the strip glass film by lifting the strip glass film upward at a position downstream of the acting member. Production method. A forming means for forming a strip glass film, a horizontal conveying means for conveying the strip glass film in a lateral direction, and a glass film having a predetermined length by cutting the strip glass film being transported by the lateral transport means in the width direction. A glass film manufacturing apparatus comprising a cutting means for cutting the
The cutting means includes a process of forming a scratch as a cutting starting point on a part of the lower surface of the strip glass film, and a process of applying a pressing force to the strip glass film from an acting member arranged above the strip glass film. And, by the pressing force from the acting member, the scratch is propagated in the width direction of the strip glass, and the strip glass film is cut. manufacturing device.

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