Glass manufacturing – Processes – Reshaping or surface deformation of glass preform
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2002-04-16
Fiorilla, Christopher A. (Department: 1731)
Glass manufacturing
Processes
Reshaping or surface deformation of glass preform
C065S102000, C065S108000, C264S311000, C264S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370916
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flare manufacturing method and flare manufacturing apparatus for bulbs such as incandescent, fluorescent lamps or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A configuration of a flare manufacturing machine for use in a flare manufacturing method for conventional bulbs, for example, incandescent and fluorescent lamps will be described with reference to FIG.
9
.
Rotating heads
52
each including a chuck mechanism
52
a
for chucking an outer peripheral portion of a glass bulb
51
are mounted on an index plate
53
using a number of head screws
52
b
. The rotating head
52
can be rotated by a drive motor
54
in an arrow I direction. In addition, the drive motor
54
has a mechanism for intermittently feeding the index plate
53
depending on the rotation speed of the rotating heads
52
, and rotates in an arrow J direction. A base
55
has a glass bulb positioning jaw
57
that is operated by an air cylinder
56
to chuck a tip portion of the glass bulb
51
and that can be moved in arrow K and L directions. A glass bulb positioning base
58
is operated by an air cylinder
59
for movement in arrow M and N directions. A molding plate
61
, which forms a flare shape when rotated by a molding motor
60
, is attached to the molding motor
60
via a molding shaft
61
a
. Besides, the molding plate
61
is attached to the molding motor
60
for rotation in an arrow O direction and for movement by a molding cylinder
62
in arrow P and Q directions. Reference numeral
63
denotes a burner for heating a peripheral portion of the glass bulb
51
. In addition, the base
55
has a burner
63
attached to the base
55
for heating the glass bulb
51
after the flare shape has been formed, as also shown in
FIG. 10
, and a bulb cutter
64
also attached to the base
55
for cutting the glass bulb
51
into predetermined sizes.
A process for manufacturing a flare using a conventional bulb flare manufacturing machine of the above described configuration will be described.
First, in a first position, an automatic insertion machine (not shown) inserts the glass bulb
51
into the rotating head, and the glass bulb positioning jaw
57
chucks the glass bulb
51
and moves it in the arrow K direction. Then, a glass bulb positioning base
58
moves in an arrow N direction and then stops at a predetermined position to abut on the tip portion of the glass bulb
51
in order to establish a predetermined length size. Then, the chuck mechanism
52
a
chucks the outer peripheral portion of the glass bulb
51
, and the glass bulb positioning jaw
57
stops chucking and then moves in the arrow L direction. The glass bulb positioning base
58
also moves in an arrow M direction to leave the glass bulb
51
. Next, upon detecting the insertion of the glass bulb
51
, the rotating head
52
starts rotating in the arrow I direction.
In a second position, the burner
63
gradually heats the peripheral portion of the tip of the glass bulb
51
until the glass bulb reaches its softening point.
In a third position, the molding plate
61
is moved in the arrow Q direction and is inserted slowly into the inside of the tip portion of the glass bulb
51
. Then, the rotating force of the molding plate
61
causes the glass bulb
51
to gradually expand starting with its tip portion along the molding plate
61
. The molding plate
61
is further inserted and then stopped at a predetermined position. Then, the glass bulb
51
is deformed into a flare shape entirely corresponding to the shape of the molding plate
61
, and the molding plate
61
moves in the arrow P direction.
Subsequently, the burner
63
heats the glass bulb
51
in a fourth position, and the bulb cutter
64
cuts the glass bulb
51
in a fifth position to complete flare manufacturing.
According to such a conventional flare manufacturing method for bulbs, the outer peripheral portion of the glass bulb is chucked to mold the bulb into a flare shape by defining this shape from inside of the glass bulb. The glass bulb, however, is not externally molded during the formation of the flare shape, resulting in large variations in dimensional accuracy such as the outer-diameter accuracy and roundness of the flare and the concentricity between the bulb portion and the flare portion.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flare manufacturing method and apparatus for bulbs which can obtain a flare with a stable dimensional accuracy.
A flare manufacturing method for bulbs according to the present invention comprises: a cylindrical bulb; heating means for heating and melting the bulb; a first mold having a recess formed into a flare shape and rotatively moved by rotation drive means; and a second mold having a projection fitted in the first mold to form a flare-shaped gap, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: inserting the bulb into the first mold for rotational motion; using the heating means to mold the bulb into a flare shape almost identical to the flare-shaped gap; and forming the flare shape using the second mold.
This configuration can stabilize the dimensional accuracy of the flare shape.
In addition, in the flare manufacturing method for bulbs according to the present invention, when inserting the bulb into the first mold to rotatively move it by means of the rotation drive means and then using the heating means to mold the bulb into the flare shape almost identical to the flare-shaped gap, the almost identical flare shape is formed using flare formation support means having a shape almost identical to the shape of the second mold before forming the flare shape using the second mold.
According to this configuration, when the bulb has failed to expand into the almost identical flare shape despite the heating of the bulb by the heating means and the subsequent rotation of the first mold by means of the drive means, the flare formation support means enables the expansion to improve productivity.
Furthermore, in the flare manufacturing method for bulbs according to the present invention, at least one of the first and second molds has heat insulating means for maintaining temperature.
This configuration can reduce variations in mold temperature to further stabilize the dimensional accuracy of the flare shape.
A flare manufacturing apparatus for bulbs according to the present invention comprises: a first mold having a recess formed into a flare shape and rotatively moved by rotation drive means; a second mold having a projection fitted in the first mold to form a flare-shaped gap; and heating means for heating and melting a cylindrical bulb held by the first mold.
This configuration improves the dimensional accuracy of the flare shape.
In addition, in the flare manufacturing apparatus for bulbs according to the present invention, flare formation support means, which forms a flare shape almost identical to a projection of the second mold when rotated, is mounted on an index plate with the first mold.
According to this configuration, when the bulb has failed to expand into the flare shape despite the rotation of the first mold, the flare formation support means enables the expansion to improve productivity.
Furthermore, the flare manufacturing apparatus for bulbs according to the present invention has a shape recognition sensor for checking whether the glass bulb has a flare shape almost identical to that of the mold.
This configuration can check whether or not the bulb has failed to expand into the flare shape despite the rotation of the first mold.
In addition, at least one of the first and second molds has heat insulating means for maintaining temperature.
This configuration can reduce variations in mold temperature to further stabilize the dimensional accuracy of the flare shape.
As described above, by expanding the bore of the glass bulb based on the rotational force of the lower mold to form the general flare shape and then fitting the lower mold on the upper mold to form the complete flare shape, the present invention can provide a flare manufacturi
Fiorilla Christopher A.
Matsushita Electronics Corporation
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P
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