Back to results
US 8,910,453 B2Granted
Vacuum insulated glass units system
OwnerRobert S. Jonesinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vacuum systems comprising vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units are provided. The vacuum spaces within the VIG units are connected to one another and to one or more vacuum pumps that are configured to operate during the service lives of the VIG units.
Claims24
A vacuum system comprising:
- multiple vacuum insulated glass units, each unit comprising a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet with a vacuum space in between, wherein each vacuum space is connected to one or more other vacuum spaces via one or more conduits;
- and
- at least one vacuum pump in communication with the vacuum spaces and configured to maintain a vacuum in all or most of the vacuum spaces indefinitely when the vacuum insulated glass units are in service in a building structure;
- wherein the vacuum to be maintained is defined by the mean free path of an air molecule in the vacuum being greater than the distance between the first and second glass sheets or the distance between obstructions within a vacuum space as measured perpendicular to the glass sheets.
1 more element
A vacuum system comprising:
- multiple vacuum insulated glass units, each unit comprising a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet with a vacuum space in between at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, wherein each vacuum space is connected to one or more other vacuum spaces via one or more conduits;
- at least one vacuum pump in communication with the vacuum spaces and configured to maintain the pressure at less than atmospheric pressure in the vacuum spaces when the vacuum insulated glass units are in service in a building structure;
- and
- at least one vacuum valve that is configured to be forced closed directly by the effect of a pressure difference, wherein the valve comprises:
- a port;
- a material or materials having a backside and a face opposite to the backside,
- wherein the material or materials are configured to pivot in response to air rushing into the vacuum system as the result of a breach to the atmosphere in a vacuum insulated glass unit, such that pressure created by air, acting on the backside of the material or materials, forces the value from an open position, in which the material or materials do not cover the port, into a closed position, by causing the material or materials to pivot so that the face opposite to the backside of the material or materials seats and seals around the port, thereby closing the vacuum valve.
4 more elements
A method for maintaining a vacuum system, the vacuum system comprising multiple vacuum insulated glass units, each unit comprising a first glass sheet and a second glass sheet, wherein each vacuum space is connected to one or more other vacuum spaces via one or more conduits;
- and at least one vacuum pump in communication with the vacuum spaces, the method comprising:
- maintaining a vacuum in all or most of the vacuum spaces indefinitely when the vacuum insulated glass units are in service in a building structure by running the at least one vacuum pump;
- wherein the vacuum being maintained is defined by the mean free path of a gas molecule in the vacuum being greater than the distance between the first and second glass sheets or the distance between obstructions within a vacuum space as measured perpendicular to the glass sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.