US 8,955,358 B2 · Vacuum-insulated glass windows with glass-bump spacers

Abstract

Vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) windows (10) that employ glass-bump spacers (50) and two or more glass panes (20) are disclosed. The glass-bump spacers are formed in the surface (24) of one of the glass panes (20) and consist of the glass material from the body portion (23) of the glass pane. Thus, the glass-bump spacers are integrally formed in the glass pane, as opposed to being discrete spacer elements that need to be added and fixed to the glass pane. Methods of forming VIG windows are also disclosed. The methods include forming the glass-bump spacers by irradiating a glass pane with a focused beam (112F) from a laser (110). Heating effects in the glass cause the glass to locally expand, thereby forming a glass-bump spacer. The process is repeated at different locations in the glass pane to form an array of glass-bump spacers. A second glass pane is brought into contact with the glass-bump spacers, and the edges (28F, 28B) sealed. The resulting sealed interior region (40) is then evacuated to a vacuum pressure of less than one atmosphere.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of forming a vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) window, comprising:

in a first glass pane having a first body portion with a first surface and a first edge and comprising a first glass material, integrally forming in the first surface a first plurality of glass-bump spacers consisting of the first glass material from the first body portion;
bringing a second glass pane having a second surface and a second edge and comprising a second glass material in contact with the first plurality of glass-bump spacers so that the first and second glass panes are spaced apart by a first distance between the first and second surfaces;
sealing the first and second edges to define an interior region between the first and second glass panes;
and
forming a vacuum pressure of less than one atmosphere in the interior region
wherein integrally forming the first plurality of glass-bump spacers further comprises:
a) irradiating the first glass pane at a location with a focused laser beam so that glass bump spacers are formed in the first glass pane, and terminating the irradiating to fix the glass-bump spacer;
and
b) repeating act a) a plurality of times for different locations to form the first plurality of glass-bump spacers.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vacuum-insulated glass windows with glass-bump spacers

Life of this patent

Vacuum-insulated glass windows with glass-bump spacers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19