Glass plate housing jig and method for manufacturing chemically reinforced glass plate

{
  "publication_number": "US11220451B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Glass plate housing jig and method for manufacturing chemically reinforced glass plate",
  "abstract": "A glass sheet accommodating jig (1) accommodates a plurality of glass sheets (2) under a state in which the plurality of glass sheets (2) are arranged upright at intervals in a thickness direction in order to immerse the plurality of glass sheets (2) in a chemical tempering liquid. The glass sheet accommodating jig (1) includes a string-shaped body (7) being formed of at least one metal fiber. An end portion (2 a) of the glass sheet (2) is supported by a V-shaped recess (7 c) formed by intersection of a pair of string-shaped bodies (7 a and 7 b).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A glass sheet accommodating jig, which is in a form of frames and configured to accommodate a plurality of glass sheets under a state in which the plurality of glass sheets are arranged upright at intervals in a thickness direction, the glass sheet accommodating jig comprising: a plurality of columns that extend in a vertical direction; a plurality of girders that extend in a horizontal direction parallel to the glass sheets, the plurality of girders being located between the plurality of columns to connect the plurality of columns; and a plurality of support parts that extend in the thickness direction, each of the plurality of support parts being fixed to the plurality of girders, wherein each of the plurality of support parts includes a pair of string-shaped bodies and a fixing member onto which the pair of string-shaped bodies are fixed, each of the pair of string-shaped bodies comprising a plurality of twisted metal fibers, and wherein, for each of the plurality of support parts, the pair of string-shaped bodies are fixed onto the fixing member to extend in the thickness direction in a zig-zag shape while intersecting with each other to form a plurality of V-shaped recesses in the thickness direction configured to support the glass sheets at end portions of the glass sheets.",
    "2. The glass sheet accommodating jig according to claim 1, wherein, for each of the plurality of support parts, the pair of string-shaped bodies are fixed onto the fixing member at apexes of the zig-zag shape.",
    "3. The glass sheet accommodating jig according to claim 1, wherein at least an upper end portion and a pair of side end portions of each of the glass sheets are respectively supported by the pair of string-shaped bodies of any one of the plurality of support parts.",
    "4. A method of manufacturing a chemically tempered glass sheet, the method comprising: an immersion step of immersing a plurality of glass sheets in a chemical tempering liquid under a state in which the plurality of glass sheets are arranged upright at intervals in a thickness direction by using the glass sheet accommodating jig according to claim 1, wherein, in the immersion step, the string-shaped bodies support the plurality of glass sheets at the end portions of the glass sheets.",
    "5. A chemical tempering tank comprising the glass sheet accommodating jig according to claim 1."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to improved technologies of a glass sheet accommodating jig, which is configured to accommodate a plurality of glass sheets under a state in which the plurality of glass sheets are arranged upright at intervals in a thickness direction in order to immerse the plurality of glass sheets in a chemical tempering liquid, and a method of manufacturing a chemically tempered glass sheet.\n\nAs a method for enhancing a mechanical strength of a glass sheet, there has hitherto been used a method called chemical tempering. The chemical tempering involves immersing the glass sheet in a chemical tempering liquid to replace ions on a glass surface by ions in the chemical tempering liquid. Such replacement of ions generates compressive stress on the glass surface to enhance the mechanical strength.\n\nThe chemical tempering generally involves steps of preheating, tempering, and annealing in the stated order. The steps of chemical tempering is described in detail. First, in the preheating step, the glass sheet at normal temperature is air-heated to about 400° C. for 1 hour to 2 hours. Then, in the tempering step, the glass sheet is immersed in the chemical tempering liquid at about 400° C. for 2 hours to 4 hours. Finally, in the annealing step, the glass sheet is cooled to normal temperature over 3 hours to 4 hours.\n\nIncidentally, in the steps of chemical tempering, when the glass sheet is immersed in the chemical tempering liquid in a chemical tempering tank, a glass sheet accommodating jig is used.",
  "cpc": [
    "C03B 35/14",
    "B65D 85/48",
    "C03B 35/205",
    "C03B 35/207",
    "C03C 21/00",
    "C03C 21/001",
    "C03C 21/002",
    "Y02P 40/57"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65D 85/48",
    "C03B 35/14",
    "C03C 21/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Nippon Electric Glass Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kazunobu Kunitomo",
    "Tatsuo Imai",
    "Kiyotaka Kinoshita"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-07-14",
  "publication_date": "2022-01-11",
  "grant_date": "2022-01-11",
  "priority_date": "2014-08-19",
  "application_number": "US-201515317253-A",
  "family_id": "55350544",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}