Apparatuses and methods for holding, retaining, and/or processing glassware articles

Abstract

According to embodiments disclosed herein, an apparatus may hold and retain glass articles during processing. The apparatus may define a plurality of receiving volumes for holding glass articles. The apparatus may include a bottom support floor, a glassware-securing member positioned above the bottom support floor, and a cover plate positioned above the glassware-securing member. The bottom support floor may include a plurality of fluid passages, the glassware-securing member may include a plurality of glassware-retaining openings, and the cover plate may include a plurality of fluid passages.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for holding and retaining glass articles during processing, the apparatus defining a plurality of receiving volumes for holding glass articles and comprising:
 a bottom support floor comprising a plurality of fluid passages;   a glassware-securing member positioned above the bottom support floor and comprising a plurality of glassware-retaining openings; and   a cover plate positioned above the glassware-securing member and comprising a plurality of fluid passages;   
       wherein:
 each of the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate is substantially planar; 
 the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate are substantially parallel with one another; 
 each glassware-retaining opening of the glassware-securing member defines a width dimension of the receiving volume; and 
 the bottom support floor and the cover plate define a height dimension of the receiving volume. 
 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising vertical supports that securely connect the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second glassware-securing member positioned between the bottom support floor and the cover plate. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the glassware-retaining openings of the glassware-securing member are circularly shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are aligned with a glassware-retaining opening. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are circularly shaped. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are aligned with a glassware-retaining opening;   one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are circularly shaped; and   a diameter of each fluid passage that is circularly shaped and aligned with a glassware-retaining opening is less than a diameter of glassware-retaining opening with which it is aligned.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cover plate and the bottom support floor are substantially identical. 
     
     
         9 . An assembly for holding and retaining glass articles, the assembly comprising a plurality of magazine apparatuses, wherein one or more of the magazine apparatuses defines a plurality of receiving volumes and comprises:
 a bottom support floor comprising a plurality of fluid passages;   a glassware-securing member positioned above the bottom support floor and comprising a plurality of glassware-retaining openings; and   a cover plate positioned above the glassware-securing member and comprising a plurality of fluid passages;   
       wherein:
 each of the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate is substantially planar; 
 the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate are substantially parallel with one another; 
 each glassware-retaining opening of the glassware-securing member defines a width dimension of the receiving volume; and 
 the bottom support floor and cover plate define a height dimension of the receiving volume. 
 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the magazine apparatuses do not comprise a cover plate. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein for at least one magazine apparatus the height dimension of the receiving volume is defined by the bottom support floor of a lower magazine apparatus and a bottom support floor of an upper magazine apparatus, wherein the upper magazine apparatus and the lower magazine apparatus are stacked on one another and are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 9 , where one or more of the magazine apparatuses further comprises vertical supports that securely connect the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 9 , where one or more of the magazine apparatuses further comprises a second glassware-securing member positioned between the bottom support floor and the cover plate. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the glassware-retaining openings of the glassware-securing member are circularly shaped. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are aligned with a glassware-retaining opening. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are circularly shaped. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein:
 one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are aligned with a glassware-retaining opening;   one or more of the fluid passages of the cover plate are circularly shaped; and   a diameter of each fluid passage that is circularly shaped and aligned with a glassware-retaining opening is less than a diameter of glassware-retaining opening with which it is aligned.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the cover plate and the bottom support floor are substantially identical. 
     
     
         19 . A method for ion-exchanging glass articles comprising:
 supplying an apparatus for holding and retaining glass articles during processing, the apparatus defining a plurality of receiving volumes for holding glass articles and comprising:
 a bottom support floor comprising a plurality of fluid passages; 
 a glassware-securing member positioned above the bottom support floor and comprising a plurality of glassware-retaining openings; and 
 a cover plate positioned above the glassware-securing member and comprising a plurality of fluid passages; 
   wherein:
 each of the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate is substantially planar; 
 the bottom support floor, the glassware-securing member, and the cover plate are substantially parallel with one another; 
 each glassware-retaining opening of the glassware-securing member defines a width dimension of the receiving volume; and 
 the bottom support floor and the cover plate define a height dimension of the receiving volume; 
   positioning one or more glass articles in one or more of the receiving volumes;   at least partially submerging the apparatus in an ion-exchange bath to contact the one or more glass articles with the ion-exchange bath.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the glass article is submerged in the ion-exchange bath at a non-normal angle relative to the surface of the ion-exchange bath.