Vacuum insulating glass (vig) unit pump-out tube protecting techniques, and/or vig units incorporating the same

A vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising:

• first and second substantially parallel spaced apart glass substrates at least partially defining a cavity therebetween, the cavity being evacuated to a pressure less than atmospheric;
• a plurality of support pillars interposed between the first and second substrates;
• an edge seal located around a periphery of the first and second substrates;
• a glass pump-out tube including a sealed portion that protrudes outwardly from an outer surface of the first substrate;
• and
• a cap disposed over the sealed portion of the pump-out tube, the cap including a dome-shaped upper portion forming a recess for receiving the sealed portion of the pump-out tube, and a generally flat base portion for facilitating a connection between the cap and the outer surface of the first substrate.

A method of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising:

• providing a first substrate;
• disposing a plurality of pillars on the first substrate;
• providing a second substrate substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the first substrate so as to at least partially define a cavity between the first and second substrates;
• forming an edge seal at a periphery of the first and/or second substrates;
• evacuating the cavity to a pressure less than atmospheric through a pump-out tube located in either the first or second substrate;
• sealing the pump-out tube;
• disposing a cap over an outwardly protruding portion of the pump-out tube, the cap being connected to the outer surface of the substrate from which the outwardly protruding portion of the pump-out tube protrudes,
• wherein the cap and the pump-out tube are mechanically isolated from one another.