# US 2013/0153551 A1 · Lighting solution for apparatuses for vacuum insulating glass (vig) unit tip-off, and/or associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153551 A1 - Document ID: US20130153551A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,893 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: Guardian Industries Corp. - Inventors: Ryan L. DEAR - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153551A1 ## CPC - E06B 3/6675: {for connection between the spacing elements and false glazing bars} - E06B 3/6612: {Evacuated glazing units} - Y02A 30/249: Glazing, e.g. vacuum glazing - Y02B 80/22: Glazing, e.g. vaccum glazing - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to apparatuses for sealing the tips of pump-out tubes of vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, and/or associated methods. In certain example embodiments, a laser source used in sealing the pump-out tube is thermally insulated from the VIG unit and emits a laser beam through one or more windows in an oven towards a mirror located therein. The mirror is located so as to redirect the laser beam onto the pump-out tube to thereby seal it. For instance, a substantially horizontal laser beam emitted from a laser source located outside the oven enters into the oven through one or more windows and is reflected by a mirror towards the pump-out tube to be sealed. The repositioning of the laser source advantageously can change its effective focal length and/or the location of the laser beam, e.g., because of the fixed location of the mirror. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser tip-off system for a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising: an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which at least one opening is formed, at least one window being located in the at least one opening; at least one reflector located in the oven interior; at least one laser source located outside of the oven, the at least one laser source being aligned with the window and configured to emit a laser beam towards the at least one reflector, wherein the at least one reflector is oriented within the oven interior to cause laser beams emitted from the at least one laser source to be redirected towards a pump-out tube of a VIG unit subassembly provided to the oven interior; a vision system configured to provide positional data for facilitating the melting of the pump-out tube; a lighting system located remote from the oven; and a quartz rod configured to convey light from the lighting system to an area proximate the pump-out tube and through VIG unit so as to increase contrast in that area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting system includes at least one LED light source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the quartz rod is opaque at ends thereof ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the quartz rod includes at least one bend. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one bend is located within the oven. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a majority of the quartz rod is located within the oven interior. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the or each said opening includes at least first and second windows. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the at least one reflector is located, the housing extending through the at least one opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, the housing supporting a first window aligned with the at least one laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the sidewall of the oven includes a plurality of openings, each said opening including at least one window located therein, the openings being spaced apart from one another; a plurality of reflectors are located in the oven interior, each said reflector being aligned with a corresponding opening and window; a plurality of laser sources are locatable outside of each said window, each said laser source being configured to emit a laser beam at a corresponding reflector, the corresponding reflector being oriented to redirected the corresponding laser beam that comes into contact therewith towards a pump-out tube of a VIG unit subassembly provided to the oven interior at a corresponding level thereof; and a quartz rod is provided for each said opening. ### Claim 10 A kit, comprising: at least one vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit subassembly, the VIG unit subassembly including a glass pump-out tube to be sealed and a pump cup located over the pump-out tube; and a laser tip-off system for sealing the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly, the system comprising: an oven having an oven interior and a wall in which at least one opening is formed, at least one window being located in the at least one opening; at least one reflector located in the oven interior; at least one laser source located outside of the oven, the at least one laser source being aligned with the window and configured to emit a laser beam towards the at least one reflector; an artificial vision system configured to (a) detect the placement of the VIG unit subassembly within the oven and (b) provide a signal to at least one processor of a control unit, the signal being interpreted by the at least one processor to determine whether a vertical adjustment of the at least one laser source is to be made to adjust the area on which the laser beam is to be focused in dependence on the detected placement; and a quartz rod configured to convey light from a lighting system to an area proximate the pump-out tube and through VIG unit so as to increase contrast in that area, wherein the at least one reflector is oriented within the oven interior to cause laser beams emitted from the at least one laser source to be redirected towards the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly when the VIG unit subassembly is provided to the oven interior. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The kit of claim 10, wherein the quartz rod includes at least one bend. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The kit of claim 10, wherein the laser tip-off system further comprises a housing in which the at least one reflector is located, the housing extending through the at least one opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, the housing supporting a first window aligned with the at least one laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window. ### Claim 13 A method of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising: providing an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which an opening is formed, wherein a reflector is located in the oven interior and at least one window is located in the sidewall; supplying a VIG unit subassembly to the oven, the VIG unit subassembly having a pump-out tube to be sealed; locating the pump-out tube using a vision system and a contrast-enhancing backlight, the contrast-enhancing backlight being originated from a light source located external to the oven and being conveyed to the oven interior via a quartz rod; emitting a laser beam from a laser source located outside of the oven, the laser beam being emitted through the at least one window and towards the reflector and being redirected by the reflector towards the pump-out tube to be sealed; and melting the pump-out tube using the laser beam in making the VIG unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the opening includes at least first and second quartz windows. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting a position of the laser source based on a control signal received from the vision system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the lighting system includes at least one LED light source. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the quartz rod is opaque at ends thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the quartz rod includes at least one bend. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one bend is located within the oven. ### Claim 20 A method of making vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, the method comprising: providing an oven having an oven interior and a wall in which a plurality of openings are formed, each opening corresponding to a different level of the oven and each level being suitable to accommodate a respective VIG unit subassembly, wherein a laser-grade mirror is located in the oven interior at each said level and wherein at least one window is located in each said opening; and supplying VIG unit subassemblies to the oven at different respective levels thereof, the VIG unit subassemblies each having a pump-out tube to be sealed; locating, at each level, the pump-out tube of the corresponding VIG unit subassembly, using a vision system and a contrast-enhancing backlight provided at that level, the contrast-enhancing backlight being originated from a light source located external to the oven and being conveyed to the oven interior via a quartz rod; emitting laser beams from laser sources located outside of the oven, each said laser beam being (a) emitted through an associated opening and any windows of the associated opening, (b) directed towards the mirror associated with that opening, and (c) redirected by the mirror towards the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly at the corresponding level; the pump-out tubes being melted in making the VIG units. ### Claim 21 A laser tip-off system for a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising: an oven; at least one laser source for melting a pump-out tube of the VIG unit; a vision system configured to provide positional data for facilitating the melting of the pump-out tube; a backlighting system located remote from the oven; and a quartz rod configured to convey light from the lighting system to an area proximate the pump-out tube and through VIG unit so as to increase contrast in that area and facilitate location of the pump-out tube by the vision system.