The invention relates to a method for treating the edge of a piece, particularly for edge grinding, wherein in a treatment center the treatment of the edge of a piece, such as a glass sheet for edge grinding, fixed by a fixing arrangement in a stationary manner substantially on a horizontal support surface, at a known distance therefrom, is carried out by a machining means, fixed in at least one movable frame in a machining device and being rotatable around a substantially vertical axis of rotation.

For the edge grinding of particularly planar pieces, such as metal plates or glass sheets, it is known to use a variety of arrangements ranging from manual sanding machines to fully automatic grinding lines. Conventionally, the edges of relatively small metal plates are chamfered manually with an abrasive disc. Particularly in glass manufacture, it is conventional to use e.g. a grinding line of several grinding de¬ vices, due to the great risk of breaking the glass. In a corresponding manner, the treatment of relatively large metal pieces requires a certain degree of automation, due to the large mass of the metal pieces.

Particularly in glass manufacture, the purpose of edge grinding is:

to remove sharp burrs arisen in connection with removing the surrounding glass edges,

to chamfer the glass edges so that the further treatment of the glass sheet can be carried out with bare hands and/or that the edges of the glass sheet do not wear silk excessively,

- to remove from the edge any cracks exposing the glass sheet to breaking and thus also to reinforce the semifinished product and the final product, and

- to form the edge of the glass sheet to a ground surface with a uniform appearance.

Off-hand grinding is conventionally carried out by so-called cross-belt grinding, wherein for edge grinding the glass sheet is moved usually in a horizon¬ tal plane against two crosswise moving grinding belts, wherein both the upper and lower edges of the glass sheets are being ground simultaneously. This grinding method primarily removes the burrs and chamfers the contact angles. The cracks at the edge of the glass can be removed by diamond grinding, wherein the grinding is carried out using one or several e.g. groovelike or conical abrasive discs reinforced with diamond, also grinding both contact angles simul- taneously. For achieving a ground edge surface with a uniform appearance, CNC-controlled diamond grinding is still required by the current techniques.

Particularly for glass products, the quality standards have been continuously raised, wherein good edge grinding is generally required of a manufactured glass product. In practice, this means that for securing a sufficient quality of edge grinding, diamond grinding is to be used.

Applying a relatively common diamond grinding techni¬ que, conventionally four separate abrasive discs are used, one for each side. The glass sheet is thus carried in the grinding center conventionally on a horizontal conveyor arrangement, wherein it passes first between two abrasive discs opposite to each other, after which its direction of moving is usually changed to be perpendicular to the original direction,

wherein the glass sheet passes, for treatment of the two opposite sides left, between another pair of ab¬ rasive discs in a corresponding way. This grinding method and the grinding devices of so-called lazy arm type applied therein involve several problems, such as:

the grinding machine must be prepared separately for each glass type in the beginning of the series, wherein the preparation time required for a short series usually becomes excessively long,

the abrasive discs of the grinding machine cannot follow difficult glass shapes sufficiently closely, wherein the quality of edge grinding does not fully meet the current standards, and

the starting points of the abrasive discs cause problems, wherein part of the edge is conventionally ground twice; moreover, there is usually also excessive variation of the grinding force e.g. on curved surfaces, due to the fact that the supporting arm of the grinding machine is long in order to achieve as great an extension as possible, and thus also excessively heavy.

On the other hand, particularly from edge grinding carried out by CNC technique it is known to fix the glass piece for grinding in a stationary manner at a distance from the support surface and to grind it with a moving abrasive disc. Thus the profile of the abrasive disc to be used is usually concave, wherein it grinds the whole surface of the glass into a uniform ground surface. In applications of this type, the abrasive disc must be positioned extremely precisely in relation to the edge to be ground, wherein a grinding device with a relatively large extension involves high manufacturing costs and a massive con¬ struction. Consequently, the application of CNC

technique is excessively expensive particularly in view of the other process phases of glass manufacture. Moreover, both the programming and the small changes to be made in the short series are relatively difficult to carry out.

The purpose of the method according to this invention is to provide a decisive improvement in the disadvan¬ tages presented above and thus to improve substantially the prior art in the field. For achieving this aim, the method according to the invention is primarily characterized in that the machining device is supported substantially in the vertical position at least partly by means of a pressurized medium arrangement, such as a fluid or air bedding, against the support surface.

The most important advantages of the method according to the invention include simplicity and reliability, wherein operative breaks, e.g. due to re-positioning, can also be avoided. The method according to the invention makes the optimal quality standard with regard to the edge grinding of the treated product possible in all conditions. The method according to the invention can be carried out with substantially simpler equipment than the methods currently in use, wherein also the requirement for space is substantially smaller. Applying the method according to the inven¬ tion, it is possible to treat pieces of a variety of sizes and shapes with a range substantially greater than in current methods. In spite of the large exten¬ sion made possible by the method, the positioning of the abrasive disc in relation to the edge to be treated is precise, wherein the large extension does not involve any load on the actual machining device.

The other dependent claims on the method disclose advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention.

The invention relates also to an apparatus for applying the method. The apparatus is defined more closely in the preamble of the independent claim on the apparatus. The features primarily characterizing the apparatus are presented in the characterizing part of the correspond¬ ing claim.

By the apparatus according to the invention, it is possible in a simple and reliable manner to achieve an optimal grinding result based on the fact that by supporting the grinding head according to the invention e.g. against the support surface supporting the piece, the precise positioning of the abrasive disc in relation to the edge to be treated is achieved for a variety of pieces to be treated. Also, the need of space for the apparatus is also substantially smaller than for present apparatuses, wherein the apparatus can be easily fitted with manufacturing processes already in use. Further, the apparatus according to the in¬ vention can be constructed to have a substantially greater extension than present apparatuses, wherein the greater extension does not, however, cause actual loading on the machining device. Consequently, the apparatus according to the invention can be used for treating a substantially larger product range than present apparatuses. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, an application of the grinding head is also possible wherein only a grinding force perpen- dicular to the edge to be treated is effective from the supporting arm of the machining device on the abrasive disc or the like, preferably by using a border line preferably automatically pre-defined into the data processing unit connected with the machining device.

The dependent claims on the apparatus disclose advanta¬ geous embodiments of the device according to the in¬ vention.

In the following description, the invention is illus¬ trated in detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Figs, la and lb show an advantageous apparatus applying the method according to the invention in a perspective view and in a front view,

Fig. 2 shows an advantageous alternativemachining device used in the apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 3 shows the support of the glass sheet onto the support surface in a cross-section, and

Fig. 4 shows an advantageous grinding arrangement according to the invention.

The invention relates to a method for treating the edge of a piece, such as for edge grinding or the like, which is carried out by a machining device 1 in a treatment center I in at least a data transmitting connection with a data processing unit, such as a microprocessor, an analogous circuit and/or the like. The machining device 1 comprises at least one machining means la, such as an abrasive disc or the like, for treating the edge of a piece 3 on a support surface 2 in a treatment center I. The treatment of the edge of the piece 3, supported on the support surface 2 in a stationary manner by a fixing arrangement 4 at least for the time of the treatment phase, is preferably carried out by a machining means la which is movable along the edge of the piece 3 and rotates around an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the plane of the piece 3 when pressed against the edge of the piece 3 to be treated. For at least facilitating the positioning of the machining means la in relation

to the edge to be treated, the machining means la of the maching device 1 is supported, at least for the time of treatment of the piece 3, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the piece 3 to be treated on a preferably solid surface which is substantially parallel to the piece 3 and/or the support surface 2.

In the embodiments shown in Figs, la—4, the piece 3 to be treated is supported on a horizontal support surface 2 in the treatment center I. Thus the treatment of the edge of the piece 3, fixed at a distance e from the support surface 2, is carried out by an abrasive disc la, fixed in a movable supporting arm lb in the machining device 1, such as in a robot as shown in Figs, la, lb and 2, and revolving around a substan¬ tially vertical axis of rotation. Thus at each grinding point of the piece 3, e.g. each upper and lower corner of the edge or the whole edge can be ground simul- taneously. In the embodiments shown, the abrasive disc la is supported in a substantially vertical direction, whereby the mass M of the grinding head is compensated by a supporting force FM generated with a fluid bed 5a and directed from the support surface 2 at the location of the grinding head, as shown in Fig. 4. The supporting arm lb of the robot 1 is thus used preferably by means of a constant power arrange¬ ment le primarily for transmission of a force effecting solely the movement of the abrasive disc la on the support surface 2.

With particular reference to Fig. la, the abrasive disc la is pressed by preferably adjustable power means le2 against the edge to be treated, for direct- ing the grinding force f at the edge substantially in the plane of the piece 3 to be treated. In this connection, with reference also to Fig. 4, the grinding force f of the abrasive disc la effected preferably

by power means le2 of the power arrangement le is directed using the external form, such as the border line, of the piece 3 to be treated, preferably defined in advance into the data processing unit, wherein the grinding force f is continuously directed at the edge to be treated, in a substantially perpendicular direction to the edge, such as the tangent of the border line or the like.

Further with reference to Fig. 4, it is advantageous in the method to use in the treatment of the edge a grinding fluid m, such as water, oil and/or the like, which is led at least to' the grinding point of the edge to be treated. Thus in an advantageous embodiment of the method, the grinding fluid m is used as the carrier medium of the medium arrangement 5 that supports the abrasive disc la on the support surface 2 functioning as the contact surface, the grinding fluid m being led between a carrier surface lc con- nected with the abrasive disc la and the support surface 2, for forming a fluid bed 5a. Thus the grinding fluid m to be fed in connection with grinding onto the support surface 2 runs e.g. from the edges of the support surface to collecting flutes, from which the fluid is led further through a purifier to be used again. After the work stage, it is advanta¬ geous to clean the support surface e.g. by using water and by drying.

As presented above, the grinding head and the support surface 2 are mounted on bearings in relation to each other by a so-called hydrodynamic bearing system. Thus in an advantageous embodiment, the grinding fluid is led through a supporting arm connected with the abrasive disc la underneath the carrier surface lc, wherein by the action of the fluid bed 5a formed, the grinding head glides upon the fluid bed 5a with a height of preferably about 0.15 mm. The function

of the grinding head is thus made to have as little friction and to be as insensitive to impurities as possible. Furthermore, the flowing grinding fluid removes from the support surface the glass particles formed as a result of grinding.

The apparatus according to the invention, as shown in Figs, la and lb, thus comprises in its simplest form a machining device 1, preferably a robot, a rotatable abrasive disc la being connected therewith by a sup¬ porting arm lb and grinding the edge of the piece 3, fixed in a stationary manner at the distance e from the support surface 2, when moving along the edge. Figures la and lb show a robot 1 fixed above the piece 3 to be treated, and Fig. 2 shows a robot fixed alternatively at the side of the piece 3.

The embodiments shown in Figs, la—4 largely represent a device suitable for edge grinding of a glass sheet, wherein the glass sheet 3 is placed for edge grinding onto a horizontal support surface 2 in the treatment center I. Thus the abrasive disc la revolves around a vertical axis of rotation, pressed against the edge of the glass sheet 3 to be treated.

In the embodiments shown in the figures, the grinding head is supported in an advantageous embodiment by means of a fluid bed 5a onto the support surface 2, wherein the force guiding the movement of the abrasive disc la on the support surface 2 is transmitted from the arm lb of the robot 1 by means of a constant power arrangement le to the grinding head. In an advantageous embodiment, an underpressure arrangement 4a, such as one or several suction pads, is at least partly used in the treatment of the glass sheet 3. Thus the fixing arrangement 4 comprises preferably several supporting pieces 4al, which can each be fixed at its first end A in a stationary manner preferably by means of

the underpressure arrangement 4a, e.g. by the suction pad principle, to the glass sheet 3 and at its second end B to the support surface 2 by a mechanic, elec¬ tronic and/or pressurized-medium driven system.

With particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4, each supporting piece 4al of the fixing arrangement 4 is arranged to be fixed both at its first end A and at its second end B by means of the underpressure arrange- ment 4a, wherein a suction pad is arranged at its both ends, the underpressure thereof being preferably achieved by an external flow arrangement, which particularly in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is carried out by suction hoses 4a2 connecting each support piece 4al to a suction fan 4a3. The above described arrangement has the advantage that the distance e between the lower surface of the glass sheet to be ground and the support surface 2 is constant, wherein variations in the thickness of the glass sheet to be treated can be taken into account in the adjustments of the grinding head. Thus also the suction pads 4al can be almost freely placed at the points required by the treatment of the glass sheet 3. For positioning the suction pads 4al, the support surface 2 is preferably chequered, wherein the same square division is utilized preferably also in the data processing unit. Naturally, the number of suction pads needed depends on the size of the glass sheet to be treated.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the mass M of the grinding head of the robot 1 is compensated by a supporting force FM effected from the support sur¬ face 2 at the point of the grinding head, wherein the forces transmitted from the grinding head to the supporting arm lb of the robot 1 can be minimized. Consequently between the supporting arm lb and the grinding head, primarily only the grinding force f is

effective, namely in the plane of the piece 3 to be ground and against the edge thereof, as shown in Fig. la. Thus particularly in the embodiments shown in Figs, la and 4, the electric motor Id revolving the abrasive disc la and the abrasive disc la are formed as an integrated grinding head, which is connected to the supporting arm lb of the machining device 1 by a substantially horizontal constant power arrangement le comprising a linear conduit lei with a variable length and a pressurized air cylinder le2 effecting the grinding force f. The constant power arrangement le is intended for use as a flexible element, wherein it thus allows for small variations in the size of the glass sheet to be treated and inaccuracies of programming. Thus the grinding force f to be directed by the abrasive disc la can be adjusted simply by adjusting the pressure to be fed into the pressurized air cylinder le2.

In the apparatus according to the invention, the support surface 2 is preferably formed as a flat grinding table which is preferably ca. 300 mm larger at its edges than the largest glass sheet to be treated. Thus upon manufacturing regular windscreens, the size of the grinding table is ca. 3500 mm x 2700 mm. Further, the electric motor of the abrasive disc la is preferably a squirrel-cage motor, wherein the speed of rotation of the abrasive disc la can be adjusted simply by means of a frequency transformer. The attachment of the abrasive disc la to the axle of the motor is preferably carried out by means of a quick fixing arrangement. Naturally, the integrated grinding head formed by the electric motor Id and the abrasive disc la can be adjusted in the vertical direc- tion by a variety of arrangements.

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments presented above but it can be modified

considerably within the scope of the basic idea, due to the large extent of the method and of the apparatus for applying the same. Thus firstly the machining device can be modified to have a construction substan- tially different from that presented, wherein the grinding head is supported e.g. according to the portal principle, i.e. it is fixed to a carriage moving in a rail arrangement in the treatment center. Naturally, the abrasive disc can be driven, as distinct from that presented above, e.g. by pressurized air or by a motor in connection with the machining device, wherein the rotational movement generated thereby is transmitted by a power transmission arrangement led through the supporting arm. Naturally, the above- mentioned construction is more complex than the presented embodiment and may induce unnecessary com¬ plexity and large dimensions. Naturally, the supporting pieces used for supporting the piece to be treated can be modified by a variety of arrangements, wherein in the simplest form it may be possible to use solely a compact, self-driven construction provided at its both ends with suction pads.