Method and apparatus for coating a glass substrate

Claim 1

In a method of coating a glass ribbon wherein the coating method includes the step of forming a glass ribbon in a forming chamber having a controlled atmosphere and means positioned adjacent an exit end of the forming chamber for maintaining the atmosphere in the forming chamber and for minimizing heat convection from the forming chamber; advancing the glass ribbon along a predetermined path out of the forming chamber toward coating means, coating a first surface of the ribbon at the coating means, the ribbon as it advances past the coating means warps, the improvement comprising: directly heating a second surface of the glass ribbon opposite the first surface in an amount sufficient to substantially reduce the warpage; and practicing said heating step adjacent the second surface of the glass ribbon below a coating zone of the coating means.

Claim 9

An apparatus for manufacturing a coated glass ribbon wherein the apparatus is of the type having a chamber for forming a glass ribbon, the forming chamber having a controlled atmosphere and including means positioned adjacent exit end of the forming chamber for minimizing heat convection from the forming chamber and for maintaining the atmosphere in the forming chamber; coating chamber positioned downstream of the forming chamber, the coating chamber including coating means therein; and means for moving the glass ribbon from the forming chamber past the minimizing and maintaining means toward the coating chamber along a ribbon movement path, the movement path having a first side and a second opposite side with the coating chamber and coating means mounted above the first side of the ribbon movement path, the improvement comprising infrared heating means mounted outside the forming chamber between (1) the minimizing and maintaining means and (2) coating chamber to direct infrared energy toward the ribbon movement path; means for heating mounted on the second side of the ribbon path and spaced from the coating means said heating means directing heat toward the second side of the ribbon movement path.

Claim 10

An apparatus for manufacturing a coated glass ribbon wherein the apparatus is of the type having a chamber for forming a glass ribbon, the forming chamber having a controlled atmosphere and including means positioned adjacent exit end of the forming chamber for minimizing heat convection from the forming chamber and for maintaining the atmosphere in the forming chamber; coating chamber positioned downstream of the forming chamber, the coating chamber including coating means therein; and means for moving the glass ribbon from the forming chamber past the minimizing and maintaining means toward the coating chamber along a ribbon movement path, the movement path having a first side and a second opposite side with the coating chamber and coating means mounted above the first side of the ribbon movement path, the improvement comprising infrared heating means mounted outside the forming chamber between (1) the minimizing and maintaining means and (2) coating chamber to direct infrared energy toward the ribbon movement path; means for heating mounted on the second side of the ribbon path and spaced from the coating means said heating means directing heat toward the second side of the ribbon movement path.