Manufacturing of glass sheet assemblies by means of preheated edge sealing material
AssigneeVKR Holding A/S
InventorsSøren Vejling ANDERSEN, Annette Johncock KRISKO, Simon Johnsen
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods of providing an edge sealing (2) for a vacuum insulated glass (VIG) unit. The methods may comprise providing one or more glass sheets (1a, 1b). A glass material (5) such as a solder glass material is heated to soften the glass material (5), and the heated glass material is then applied along edges of the one or more glass sheets (1a, 1b) to provide an edge sealing (2) for sealing a gap (13) between paired glass sheets (1a, 1b). The heated glass material (5) may be applied by means of a dispensing nozzle (6). The disclosure moreover relates to a VIG unit and a system.
Claims20
A method of forming an edge sealing of a glass material in the process of providing a glass sheet assembly for a vacuum insulated glass unit comprising paired glass sheets separated by support structures maintaining a gap between said paired glass sheets, wherein the method comprises:
- providing first and second thermally tempered glass sheets separated by support structures to define said gap, wherein one or both of the thermally tempered glass sheets comprises, at an edge zone, a layer configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation emitted by a laser, said layer being arranged separate to a low-e coating,
- applying an edge seal material comprising a glass solder frit material to the edge zone of at least one of the thermally tempered glass sheets;
- after application of the edge seal material, locally heating the edge zone using one or more radiation heaters comprising a laser emitting electromagnetic radiation in the range of 300 to 4000 nm, wherein the laser causes local heating of the edge zone so as to heat said layer and heat and soften the applied edge seal material,
- wherein the laser increases the temperature of said edge zone compared to the surrounding part of the glass sheet or sheets comprising the heated edge zone, and wherein said local heating of the edge zone causes at least a partial reduction of the stress induced by thermal tempering in the heated zone.
A method of manufacturing a vacuum insulated glass unit comprising paired glass sheets separated by support structures, which support structures maintain a gap between said paired glass sheets, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- providing first and second thermally tempered glass sheets, wherein one or both of the provided thermally tempered glass sheets comprises, at an edge zone, a layer configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation in the range of 300 to 4000 nm emitted by a laser, wherein said layer is arranged separate from a low-e coating present on the glass sheet,
- applying an edge seal material comprising a glass solder material to the edge zone of at least one of the thermally tempered glass sheets, wherein the glass solder material comprises in the range of 30-50% (w/w) tellurium dioxide,
- pairing said glass sheets so that support structures are arranged in the gap between the major surfaces of said gap, wherein said layer is arranged between the glass solder material and the glass sheet comprising the layer,
- wherein the thermally tempered glass sheets are pre-heated in a furnace to a temperature between 290° C. and 350° C.,
- wherein the edge zone is locally heated by means of a radiation heater comprising a laser emitting electromagnetic radiation in the range of 300 to 4000 nm, wherein the laser heats said layer and the glass solder material, and locally heats the edge zone further to a temperature above 400° C., wherein the local heating of the edge zone causes at least a partial reduction of the stress induced by thermal tempering in the heated edge zone,
- cooling the heated edge seal, and
- evacuating the gap and sealing the evacuated gap so as to keep the gap evacuated.
A method of manufacturing a vacuum insulated glass unit comprising paired glass sheets separated by support structures, which support structures maintain a gap between said paired glass sheets, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- providing first and second thermally tempered glass sheets,
- applying an edge seal material comprising a glass solder material to an edge zone of at least one of the thermally tempered glass sheets,
- pairing said glass sheets so that support structures are arranged in the gap between the major surfaces of said gap,
- wherein the thermally tempered glass sheets are pre-heated in a furnace to a temperature between 290° C. and 350° C.,
- wherein the edge zone is locally heated by means of a radiation heater comprising a laser emitting electromagnetic radiation in the range of 300 to 4000 nm, wherein the laser heats said glass solder material and locally heats the edge zone further to a temperature above 400° C., wherein the local heating of the edge zone causes at least a partial reduction of the stress induced by thermal tempering in the heated edge zone,
- cooling the heated edge seal, and
- evacuating the gap and sealing the evacuated gap so as to keep the gap evacuated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.