Method of making vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window unit including activating getter
AssigneeGuardian Glass, LLC
InventorsJohn P. Hogan, Andrew W. Pantke, Rudolph H. Petrmichl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods of making vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window units are provided, including activating getters in a process of making VIG window units. In certain example embodiments, at least one getter is activated during and/or at the end of a pump-out/evacuation process in which the cavity between the substrates is evacuated. In certain example embodiments, the getter(s) may be activated (e.g., by at least a laser beam that is directed through a pump-out tube) during and/or at the end of the evacuation process in which the cavity between the substrates is evacuated to a low pressure that is below atmospheric pressure.
Claims9
A method of making a vacuum insulated glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising:
- having first and second glass substrates, a plurality of spacers and a seal provided between at least the first and second glass substrates, a cavity to be evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure located between the first and second glass substrates, and at least one getter provided in the cavity;
- activating the getter via at least radiation emitted from outside of the cavity, during and/or substantially at an end of an evacuation process in which the cavity is evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric pressure;
- wherein the cavity to be evacuated is located between the first and second glass substrates, and wherein a pump-out tube for evacuating the cavity extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a major surface of at least one of the first and second glass substrates, and
- wherein the pump-out tube extends through at least part of one of the first and second glass substrates, the pump-out tube being elongated so that the pump-out tube has a length longer than its width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.