Apparatus and method for heat treating a glass substrate

Abstract

An apparatus and method for heat treating a plurality of glass substrates. The glass substrates are supported on support platform and housed in a heat treating furnace. The substrates are supported in a substantially vertical orientation by restraining pins extending through walls of the furnace, and are separated from each other by frame-shaped spacing members. The spacing members reduce convection currents between the substrates and reduce or eliminate the post-heat treating distortion of each glass substrate to less than 100 μm over the entire surface of the substrate.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for heat treating a plurality of glass substrates comprising:
 a furnace comprising an outer enclosure wall, an inner enclosure wall, a first side and a second side;   a first plurality of restraining pins extending through the first side of the furnace into an interior volume defined by the furnace inner enclosure wall, the first plurality of restraining pins being rigidly fixed; and   a second plurality of restraining pins extending through the second side of the furnace, each restraining pin of the second plurality of restraining pins being movable along a longitudinal axis of the restraining pin, and wherein each restraining pin of the second plurality of restraining pins comprises a biasing assembly configured to apply a force against the plurality of glass substrates.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the inner enclosure wall is corrugated. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein each restraining pin of the first plurality of restraining pins comprises a contact member that configured to contacts a glass substrate of the plurality of glass substrates and an extension member coupled to the biasing assembly, and wherein a joint movably connects the contact member and the extension member. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein each restraining pin of the second plurality of restraining pins comprises a contact member that-configured to contacts a glass substrate of the plurality of glass substrates and an extension member coupled to the biasing assembly, and wherein a joint movably connects the contact member and the extension member. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a pneumatic cylinders. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the biasing assembly comprises a springs. 
     
     
         17 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a position sensor is coupled to each biasing assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a computer in electrical communication with each biasing assembly, and wherein the computer is configured to controls a position of each biasing assembly individually. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a force sensor is coupled to each biasing assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein a floor of the furnace is movable from a position outside the furnace to a position within the furnace. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the floor of the furnace comprises wheels. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for heat treating a plurality of glass substrates comprising:
 a furnace comprising a first side and a second side;   a first plurality of rigidly fixed restraining pins extending through the first side of the furnace into an interior volume of the the furnace; and   a second plurality of restraining pins extending through the second side of the furnace into the interior volume of the furnace, each restraining pin of the second plurality of restraining pins being movable along a longitudinal axis of the restraining pin, and wherein each restraining pin of the second plurality of restraining pins comprises a biasing assembly configured to apply a force against the plurality of glass substrates.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein a floor of the furnace is movable from a position inside the furnace to a position outside the furnace. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the floor comprises wheels configured to engage with one or more rails. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the floor comprises a substrate support member that is a wall of the furnace. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the floor comprises heating elements. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the substrate support comprises heating elements. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , further comprising a guide member extending from a location outside the furnace to a location within the furnace and configured to support the glass substrates in a vertical orientation. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the guide member is a cable extending along a rail.