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US 9,546,513 B2Granted
Edge seal assemblies for hermetic insulating glass units and vacuum insulating glass units
AssigneeEverSealed Windows, Inc.
InventorsDavid H. Stark, Patrick Michael Honor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing VIGUs and IGUs comprises providing a first lite; providing a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween; and encircling the lites with a one piece band. Spacers of a metal solder alloy or other reflowable material are inserted between the band and the perimeter edges of the lites. The assembly is heated in an evacuated environment, causing the spacers to melt and hermetically bond to the lites, but not until the cavity has been substantially evacuated.
Claims12
A vacuum insulating glass unit (“VIGU”) comprising:
- a first lite;
- a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween;
- wherein each of the first and second lites includes
- a respective inward facing surface facing the cavity,
- a respective outward facing surface facing away from the cavity and
- a respective edge disposed around a periphery of the lite between the inward and outward facing surfaces and
- one piece hermetic band encircling the first and second lites and hermetically bonded to the respective edges of the lites to hermetically seal the cavity from an environment, the cavity having a reduced-pressure atmosphere relative to the environment;
- wherein the hermetic band, when viewed in cross section, includes
- a first bonding region at a first end of the hermetic band, the first bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the first lite, the first bonding region having
- an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the first lite and
- an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite;
- a second bonding region at a second end of the hermetic band, the second bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the second lite, the second bonding region having
- an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the second lite and
- an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite;
- and
- a center region extending continuously from the outward portion of the first bonding region to the outward portion of the second bonding region without passing through the inward portions of the first and second bonding regions and including a first section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites.
13 more elements
An insulating glass unit (“IGU”) comprising:
- a first lite;
- a second lite spaced apart from the first lite to form a cavity therebetween;
- wherein each of the first and second lites includes
- a respective inward facing surface facing the cavity,
- a respective outward facing surface facing away from the cavity and
- a respective edge disposed around a periphery of the lite between the inward and outward facing surfaces and
- a one piece hermetic band encircling the first and second lites and hermetically bonded to the respective edges of the lites to hermetically seal the cavity from an environment, the cavity having a modified-composition atmosphere relative to the environment;
- wherein the hermetic band, when viewed in cross section, includes
- a first bonding region at a first end of the hermetic band, the first bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the first lite, the first bonding region having
- an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the first lite and
- an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the first lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the first lite;
- a second bonding region at a second end of the hermetic band, the second bonding region hermetically bonded to the respective edge of the second lite, the second bonding region having
- an inward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective inward facing surface of the second lite and
- an outward portion bonded to the respective edge of the second lite proximate to the respective outward facing surface of the second lite;
- and
- a center region extending continuously from the outward portion of the first bonding region to the outward portion of the second bonding region without passing through the inward portions of the first and second bonding regions and including a first section of three-dimensional corrugations disposed in a line substantially parallel to the respective edges of the lites.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.