Appeal No. 2000-0068
Application 08/858,116
THE INVENTION
The appealed subject matter is directed to a method for
shaping a sheet of glass heated to nearly its softening point.
The method comprises placing a heated sheet of glass on a ring
mold and subsequently lowering a mold having two shaping sections
in which a vacuum generated therein brings the heated sheet of
glass into proximity to the mold's shaping surfaces. A vacuum is
generated in the first shaping area to attract the heated sheet
to the mold's surface to shape a first area of the sheet.
Thereafter, a vacuum is generated in a second section of the mold
to attract the heated glass to the mold's second shaping surface
to shape the area of the heated sheet complementary to the first
area. After shaping the glass sheet is released onto a quenching
ring and transported on the quenching ring to a quenching zone.
According to appellants, their method obtains a shaped glass
sheet having higher quality than glass sheets as prepared by the
prior art methods. Additionally, appellants allege that their
method avoids damaging the glass sheet as happens using the prior
art methods.
Claim 10, the only independent claim before us for our
consideration, is believed to be adequately representative of the
appealed subject matter and is reproduced below for a more facile
understanding of the claimed invention.
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