# US 2019/0169922 A1 · Evacuation and port sealing techniques for vacuum insulating glass units, and/or vacuum oven for accomplishing the same

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- Number: US 2019/0169922 A1
- Document ID: US20190169922A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/273,335
- Filed: 2019-02-12
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-14
- Assignees: Guardian Glass, LLC
- Applicants: Guardian Glass, LLC
- Inventors: David J. COOPER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169922A1

## CPC

- E06B 3/6612: {Evacuated glazing units}
- E06B 3/6775: {Evacuating or filling the gap during assembly}
- E06B 3/6736: {Heat treatment (for soldering E06B3/67334)}
- E06B 3/67365: {Transporting or handling panes, spacer frames or units during assembly (E06B3/67304 - E06B3/67339 take precedence)}
- E06B 3/67369: {Layout of the assembly streets}
- 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 evacuation and sealing techniques for VIG units, and/or multi-chamber vacuum ovens for accomplishing the same. In certain example embodiments, a VIG assembly is inserted into a multi-chamber apparatus to successively reduce the chamber pressure and thus the pressure between substrates comprising the VIG assembly until a final evacuation pressure is reached. Once the final evacuation pressure is reached, a pump-out port or tube of the VIG assembly is sealed forming a VIG unit while the VIG assembly is still in the vacuum chamber. After sealing, chamber pressures are gradually increased to atmospheric while the gap between the substrates of the VIG unit remains at a pressure less than atmospheric which is close to the final evacuation pressure.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-26. (canceled)

### Claim 27

A method of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) window unit, the method comprising:
providing, in a heating area, a VIG subassembly comprising first and second spaced-apart glass substrates, a gap provided between the first and second glass substrates, a plurality of spacers provided in the gap between the first and second glass substrates, a pump-out port provided at least partially in the first or second glass substrate, the first and second glass substrates to be sealed, and a frit provided at least partially between the first and second glass substrates for sealing portions to be sealed;
pre-heating the VIG subassembly substantially in its entirety to at least one intermediate temperature, each said intermediate temperature in the pre-heating being below a melting point of the first and second glass substrates and below a melting point of the frit;
providing at least near infrared (IR) radiation at a near IR wavelength proximate to one or more portions to be sealed so as to provide a localized temperature of from about 350 to 500 degrees C. at the frit so as to at least partially melt the frit, the near IR being provided in a manner so that at least some areas of the VIG subassembly not proximate to the portions to be sealed are kept at a temperature(s) below melting temperature of the frit; and
evacuating the gap between the first and second glass substrates of the VIG subassembly to at least one reduced pressure, said reduced pressure being less than atmospheric pressure; and
sealing the pump-out port during or after the evacuating of the gap.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the portions to be sealed are edge portions and extend proximate the entire periphery of the glass substrates, so that the seal extends proximate the entire periphery of the glass substrates.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, comprising substantially sealing the portions to be sealed before beginning the evacuating.