US 10,119,327 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for an insulating glazing unit and compliant seal for an insulating glazing unit

AssigneeAstravac Glass, Inc.

InventorsWilliam H. Francis, IV, Gregg E. Freebury, Neal J. Beidleman, Michael Hulse

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Abstract

A Vacuum Insulating Glazing Unit (VIGU) comprises two or more glass lites (panes) spaced apart from one another and hermetically bonded to an edge seal assembly therebetween. The resulting cavity between the lites is evacuated to create at least one insulating vacuum cavity within which are disposed a plurality of stand-off members to maintain separation between the lites. The edge seal assembly is preferably compliant in the longitudinal (i.e., edgewise) direction to allow longitudinal relative motion between the two lites (e.g., from thermal expansion). The longitudinal compliance may be obtained by imprinting a three-dimensional pattern into the edge seal material. The edge seal assembly is preferably bonded to the lites with a first bond portion that is hermetic and a second bond portion that is load-resistant. Methods for producing VIGUs and/or compliant edge seal assemblies and VIGU and edge seal apparatus are disclosed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing an insulating glazing unit, the method comprising the following steps:

a) wrapping a first inner member around a first lite, joining ends of the first inner member together where the ends of the first inner member meet around the first lite to form a continuous band of first inner member abutting the first lite, and joining the first inner member to the first lite along an edge of the first lite abutting the first inner member after wrapping;
b) wrapping a second inner member around a second lite, joining ends of the second inner member together where the ends of the second inner member wrapped around the second lite meet to form a continuous band of second inner member abutting the second lite, and joining the second inner member to the second lite along an edge of the second lite abutting the second inner member after wrapping;
c) positioning the first lite and the second lite in a spaced-apart configuration forming an insulating cavity therebetween;
d) providing an outer member comprising a region with a three-dimensional surface pattern of protrusions repeating and extending in a plurality of directions along a surface of the region, wrapping the outer member around the assembly of first and second lites and first and second inner members, joining ends of the outer member together where the ends of the outer member wrapped around the assembly of first and second lites and first and second inner members meet to form a continuous band of outer member abutting the assembly of first and second lites and first and second inner members, and joining the outer member to each one of the first and second inner members to form a pair of continuous seals;
and
e) evacuating the insulating cavity and sealing the insulating cavity.

3 more elements

A method of manufacturing a vacuum insulating glazing unit, the method comprising the following steps:

a) providing a first lite formed from a hermetic transparent material and having an outer surface, an inner surface and a peripheral edge;
b) providing a second lite formed from a hermetic transparent material and having an outer surface, an inner surface and a peripheral edge;
c) positioning the first and second lites in a spaced-apart configuration to define an insulating cavity therebetween bounded by the respective inner surfaces of the first and second lites;
d) providing an edge seal extending between the first lite and the second lite, the edge seal being formed from a hermetic material and including a first lite bonding region, a second lite bonding region and a three-dimensional surface region disposed between the first and second lite bonding regions, the three-dimensional surface region comprising a three-dimensional pattern of protrusions repeating along a surface of the three-dimensional surface region, the three-dimensional pattern extending in a plurality of directions over the surface of the three-dimensional surface region;
e) forming a first hermetic bond between a first portion of the first lite bonding region of the edge seal and the first lite;
f) forming a first structural bond between a second portion of the first lite bonding region of the edge seal and the first lite, the first structural bond being disposed along the edge seal in an interposed configuration between the first hermetic bond and the three-dimensional surface region of the edge seal;
g) forming a second hermetic bond between a first portion of the second lite bonding region of the edge seal and the second lite;
and
h) forming a second structural bond between a second portion of the second lite bonding region of the edge seal and the second lite, the second structural bond being disposed along the edge seal in an interposed configuration between the second hermetic bond and the three-dimensional surface region of the edge seal.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/141,485Filed 28 Apr 2016 · continuation
Priority: 5 May 2011
Published: US 2017/0002602 A15 Jan 2017
Granted: 6 Nov 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification22 codes

E06B 3/673
Units comprising two or more parallel glass or like panes permanently secured together: assembling the units
B23K 1/06
Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering: making use of vibrations, e.g. supersonic vibrations
B32B 37/06
Methods or apparatus for laminating, e.g. by curing or by ultrasonic bonding: characterised by the heating method
B32B 38/1858
Handling of layers or the laminate: using vacuum

Family

Application61/482,701Us provisional application · filed 5 May 2011
Application13/464,951Parent of this continuation · filed 4 May 2012
US 2017/0002602 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jan 2017
US 9,328,512 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0279170 A1Published application
US 10,119,327 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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