Preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass

Abstract

The invention discloses a preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass, and relates to the technical field of glass preparation, and the preparation process of the curved tempered vacuum glass comprises the following steps: feeding two pieces of plate glass into a hot bending furnace for primary heating and hot bending forming to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products; the two curved-surface annealed glass semi-finished products subjected to hot bending forming are placed on rigid supporting molds respectively, a supporting column slurry array is arranged on one of the curved-surface annealed glass semi-finished products, and the two curved-surface annealed glass semi-finished products are coated with metallization slurry; feeding the two curved-surface annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold into a toughening furnace for secondary heating and toughening, so that the support column slurry array, the metallized slurry and the curved-surface annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered, combined and physically toughened to form curved-surface toughened glass; and combining the two pieces of curved toughened glass, vacuumizing and sealing. According to the invention, high forming precision of the curved glass is realized in the curved tempering process, and the sealing solder is also protected.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of glass preparation technology, and in particular to a process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum glass, with its high-vacuum cavity formed between two panes of glass, effectively eliminates heat transfer and sound transmission through gas convection, resulting in significantly superior heat and sound insulation performance compared to traditional insulated glass. Therefore, it shows broad application prospects in high-performance buildings, energy-saving windows and doors, and the automotive industry. As modern architectural designs increasingly favor curved forms, the fabrication of curved vacuum glass has gradually become a cutting-edge focus in the industry. The core manufacturing challenge lies in producing two curved tempered glass components with highly matched curvatures, reliably sealed together using sealing solder to form the vacuum cavity.

[0003] Currently, the forming of curved glass mainly relies on two tempering processes: one is a hot bending tempering process based on a roller conveyor system. This method uses adjustable rollers to bend the glass, offering high forming flexibility. However, the direct contact between the rollers and the high-temperature softened glass can easily scratch or contaminate the pre-coated sealing solder or functional layers such as support pillars on the glass surface, thus affecting the sealing performance and quality of the final device. The other is a gravity hot bending process based on a mold. This process uses the glass's own weight to form the glass, allowing for some control over the forming of specific curved surfaces. However, the gravity hot bending process requires waiting for the glass to fully soften and conform to the mold to achieve the preset curvature, consuming a significant amount of time and energy, leading to increased manufacturing costs. Furthermore, during the high-temperature forming process, the solder itself is in a softened state and, under prolonged gravity, is prone to displacement or even peeling, preventing the sealing solder from forming an effective bond with the glass substrate and severely affecting the sealing quality of the vacuum chamber.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies have not yet provided a feasible path to simultaneously achieve high forming accuracy and intact protection of functional coatings during the curved surface tempering process, which has become a key technological bottleneck restricting the industrialization of curved vacuum glass. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to propose a manufacturing process for curved tempered vacuum glass, which aims to achieve high forming precision of curved glass during the tempering process while also protecting the sealing solder, thereby improving the product quality of curved tempered vacuum glass.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this invention proposes a process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass, the steps of which include: Two flat glass panels are sent into a hot bending furnace for one heating and hot bending to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products. Two hot-bent annealed curved glass semi-finished products are placed in a rigid support mold, and a support column slurry array is placed on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products, and metallization slurry is applied to both of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products. After being placed, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering, so that the support column slurry array, the metallization slurry and the curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and physically tempered to form curved tempered glass. The two tempered curved glass sheets are then joined together, and then vacuumed and sealed.

[0007] In one embodiment, the step of feeding two flat glass panes into a hot bending furnace for a single heating and hot bending process to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products includes: Two flat glass plates are fed into a hot bending furnace and heated to a softening temperature. The flat glass plates are then hot-bent into curved glass semi-finished products according to a preset target curvature in the hot bending furnace; or, the flat glass plates are hot-bent into curved glass semi-finished products using a mold with a predetermined curvature. The shaped curved glass semi-finished product is annealed by slow blowing to cool it down, so that the curved glass semi-finished product becomes a curved annealed glass semi-finished product.

[0008] In one embodiment, the steps of placing a support column slurry array on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products and coating the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products with metallization slurry include: At room temperature, a support column slurry array is placed at a designated position on at least one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or dispensing, and a metallizing slurry is coated on the sealing area of ​​the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or coating technology.

[0009] In one embodiment, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are jointly fed into a tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering, so that the support column slurry array, the metallizing slurry and the curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and physically tempered to form curved tempered glass. The steps include: The furnace temperature of the tempering furnace is raised to the tempering temperature. Then, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating until the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and bonded with the support column slurry and the coated metallization slurry. The two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are quickly removed from the tempering furnace and sent to the air grid for synchronous strong air cooling from top to bottom, so that the two glass semi-finished products can be physically tempered.

[0010] In one embodiment, the step of combining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets includes: Place the getter on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location.

[0011] In one embodiment, the method further includes, prior to the step of placing the getter cloth on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location: A low-melting-point metal solder is pre-welded to the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass.

[0012] In one embodiment, the method further includes, prior to the step of placing the getter cloth on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location: Low-melting-point metal solder strips are laid on the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass.

[0013] In one embodiment, after the steps of assembling two tempered curved tempered glass sheets, followed by vacuuming and sealing, the method further includes: Apply protective adhesive to the edges of the sealed curved glass and activate the getter.

[0014] In one embodiment, the rigid support mold consists of a convex mold and a concave mold that match the curvature of the glass, and fully supports the glass during the processes of applying metallization slurry, laying support column slurry, and secondary heating.

[0015] In one embodiment, the steps of joining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets, followed by vacuuming and sealing include: The two curved tempered glass sheets, after being joined together, are placed in a vacuum furnace. After being evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level, the solder is melted and sealed under heating conditions to form a vacuum cavity.

[0016] The technical solution of this invention involves hot bending the glass in the first thermal cycle followed by controlled slow cooling for annealing, resulting in a geometrically stable and stress-free curved annealed glass semi-finished product. This creates conditions for subsequent precise coating of support columns and metallizing paste under stable room temperature conditions, completely avoiding scratches, contamination, or displacement of sensitive coatings caused by high-temperature softening and external bending. Subsequently, in the second thermal cycle, with the full support of a rigid mold precisely matched to the curvature of the glass, the glass simultaneously completes high-temperature sintering and rapid cooling physical tempering of the functional paste in the tempering furnace. Its curved shape is maintained at high temperatures, thus achieving the best results. The final product simultaneously achieves high-precision surface matching, robust and reliable functional layer bonding, and enhanced glass mechanical properties. This is achieved by separating the processes of "hot bending-annealing" and "tempering-sintering" into two independent thermal cycles, successfully resolving the inherent contradiction in existing technologies where geometric precision and functional coating integrity cannot be simultaneously achieved under a single high-temperature softening state of the glass. This also overcomes the dilemma of "protective coating and efficient forming" faced by traditional integrated process routes. Thus, this project achieves high forming precision of curved glass during the curved surface tempering process while also effectively protecting the sealing solder, thereby improving the product quality of curved tempered vacuum glass. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] 1. Curved tempered glass; 2. Metal sealing layer; 3. Support column; 4. Getter; Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the process steps for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the curved tempered vacuum glass provided by the present invention.

[0019] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0022] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0023] In the fabrication of curved vacuum glass, due to the inherent characteristics of the curved tempering process, the sealing solder and the functional layer of the support pillars are susceptible to mechanical damage or displacement during the high-temperature forming stage. Furthermore, ensuring a high degree of curvature matching between the two pieces of curved glass is difficult. In existing roller-type hot bending tempering processes, direct contact between the rollers and the high-temperature softened glass leads to scratches or contamination of the functional layers. Gravity hot bending processes require waiting for the glass to fully soften and conform to the mold to achieve the preset curvature, consuming significant time and energy, thus increasing manufacturing costs. Simultaneously, during the high-temperature forming process, the solder itself is in a softened state and, under prolonged gravity, is prone to displacement or even peeling, preventing the sealing solder from forming an effective bond with the glass substrate, resulting in an uneven and discontinuous sealing interface. Consequently, the sealing reliability of the vacuum cavity is directly affected, leading to insufficient thermal and sound insulation performance to meet application requirements.

[0024] If the aforementioned problems are not addressed, the sealing quality of curved vacuum glass will fail to meet reliable standards, leading to persistent leakage within the vacuum cavity and resulting in deterioration of its thermal and sound insulation performance. Simultaneously, curvature mismatch will cause stress concentration during the lamination process, increasing the risk of product breakage. As a preferred implementation method, these technical defects will severely hinder the large-scale application of curved vacuum glass in high-performance buildings and automobiles, thus impeding industrialization.

[0025] For this, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2This application proposes a process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass, comprising the following steps: S1: Two flat glass plates are sent into a hot bending furnace for one heating and hot bending to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products. S2: Two hot-bent annealed curved glass semi-finished products are placed in a rigid support mold, and a support column slurry array is placed on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products, and metallization slurry is applied to both of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products. S3: The two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold after placement are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering, so that the support column slurry array, metallization slurry and curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and physically tempered to form curved tempered glass 1, one of which has support columns 3 on its surface. S4: Combine the two tempered curved tempered glass sheets, then vacuum and seal them.

[0026] This application relates to a manufacturing process for curved tempered vacuum glass, the core of which lies in solving the problems of functional layer protection and curvature matching during the curved tempering process through a staged processing strategy. The hot bending furnace refers to the heating equipment used for hot bending of glass, which can be implemented using a continuous heating system based on roller conveyors. For example, the glass bending shape can be controlled by dynamically adjusting the roller spacing and temperature distribution, primarily to achieve a precise conversion from flat glass to a curved shape. Alternatively, conventional gravity hot bending molds can be used, where the glass adheres to the mold under gravity during the heating and softening process, achieving a preset curvature.

[0027] Furthermore, a rigid support mold refers to a support structure that matches the curvature of the curved glass. It can be a combination of a punch and a die made of metal or ceramic materials, for example, through precision machining or adjustable curvature molds (multi-jointed high-temperature resistant molds), ensuring that the mold surface matches the target curvature. Its main purpose is to provide stable rigid support in subsequent processes to prevent glass deformation. In practical applications, placing a support column slurry array refers to the operation of arranging support column material on the surface of one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products. Specifically, it involves arranging a support column slurry array on the convex surface of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product. This can be done using screen printing or dispensing methods, such as using a high-precision nozzle to deposit slurry at designated locations. Its main purpose is to form a support structure inside the vacuum cavity.

[0028] Specifically, applying metallizing paste refers to the process of applying metallizing paste to the sealing area of ​​two curved annealed glass semi-finished products. This can be achieved using screen printing or coating techniques, such as uniformly applying a metallizing paste layer using a coating device. Its main purpose is to establish a reliable sealing interface. The metallizing paste can be silver, copper, nickel, etc. Therefore, secondary heating tempering refers to the strengthening process of heating and rapidly cooling the curved annealed glass semi-finished product after the application of the metallizing paste functional layer. Rapid cooling can be achieved using rapid air cooling, such as through a wind grid system for simultaneous top and bottom strong air cooling. The secondary heating process is mainly to sinter the metallizing paste with the curved annealed glass semi-finished product and complete physical tempering. This application places the hot bending step before the functional layer placement, allowing the curved annealed glass semi-finished product to form a stable curved substrate in the annealed state, avoiding direct exposure of the functional layer to external interference during the high-temperature forming stage. Simultaneously, the rigid support mold supports the glass throughout the processes of applying metallizing slurry, placing the support column slurry, and secondary heating, ensuring precise positioning and sintering of the functional layer in a non-softened state. Therefore, this process effectively avoids the problems of functional layer scratches caused by roller conveyor systems and solder displacement in gravity hot bending processes in existing technologies, achieving the preparation of curved tempered glass with highly consistent curvature, providing a technical foundation for reliable sealing of the vacuum cavity. Overall, this embodiment, through the synergistic effect of process sequence optimization and rigid support, ensures the unity of functional layer integrity protection and curved surface forming accuracy.

[0029] The fabrication process of this curved tempered vacuum glass achieves complete protection of the functional layers and a high degree of curvature matching through a staged processing strategy. Specifically, two flat glass panes are fed into a hot bending furnace for a single heating and bending process, forming two curved annealed glass semi-finished products. This step completes the hot bending process before the functional layers of the metallizing slurry are applied. The flat glass is bent using the precise curvature control of the hot bending furnace and / or hot bending mold, while the annealing treatment eliminates internal stress, providing a stable base for subsequent operations.

[0030] Further, two hot-bent curved annealed glass semi-finished products are placed on rigid support molds, and a support column slurry array is placed on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products. Metallization slurry is then applied to both curved annealed glass semi-finished products. This step involves placing the metallization slurry functional layer based on the annealed state, ensuring precise positioning of the metallization slurry in a non-softened state. The rigid support mold provides rigid support with matching curvature, preventing glass displacement and deformation. Subsequently, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are jointly sent to a tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering. This allows the support column slurry array, metallization slurry, and glass semi-finished products to sinter and physically temper, forming curved tempered glass 1. This step achieves simultaneous sintering and physical tempering through full mold support, ensuring that the support column material and metallization material are firmly bonded to the glass substrate at a controlled temperature. Simultaneously, rapid cooling with strong air enhances the tempering strength, ensuring curvature consistency and the integrity of the sealing interface. Finally, the two tempered curved tempered glass sheets 1 were joined together, then vacuumed and sealed. The sealing technology was used to avoid the weakening of the tempering strength by high temperature, and the vacuuming formed a high vacuum cavity, achieving a reliable seal under the complete protection of the functional layer.

[0031] As a specific embodiment, in actual operation, the hot bending furnace is specifically implemented as an industrial hot bending equipment equipped with a precision roller conveyor adjustment mechanism. Flat glass is heated to the softening temperature range and bent into shape according to a preset curvature through roller conveyors to form a curved annealed glass semi-finished product. Under normal temperature conditions, the support column slurry array is placed at a designated position on the inner surface of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product, and the metallizing slurry is coated on the edge sealing area. The placed glass semi-finished product and the rigid support mold are sent together into an electrically heated tempering furnace for secondary heating, so that the slurry and glass are sintered and bonded together to complete physical tempering. After lamination, a vacuum is drawn and the glass is sealed under certain conditions to form a vacuum cavity.

[0032] Therefore, this process effectively avoids the risk of damage to the functional layer during the curved tempering process, ensures that the curvatures of the two curved glass pieces are highly matched, and strengthens the integrity of the sealing interface. This solves the key problem of the difficulty in balancing functional layer protection and curvature matching in the existing technology, and provides technical support for the reliable manufacturing of curved vacuum glass.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes step S1: sending two flat glass panes into a hot bending furnace for a single heating and hot bending process to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products, including: Two flat glass panes are fed into a hot bending furnace and heated to a softening temperature. The flat glass panes are then hot-bent into curved glass semi-finished products according to the target curvature preset by the hot bending furnace or hot bending mold. The formed curved glass semi-finished products are then annealed by slow blowing to make them curved annealed glass semi-finished products. A roller-type hot bending furnace can be used here.

[0034] Among them, softening temperature refers to the temperature point at which the glass material reaches a plastic state. It can be achieved by dynamically adjusting the temperature range according to the glass composition and thickness, with the aim of making the glass easy to be precisely formed under the action of pressure rollers or hot bending molds. The preset target curvature can be understood as the desired degree of curvature of the curved glass. It can be achieved by using curvature parameters preset based on design drawings or digital models, with the aim of ensuring that the semi-finished glass product after hot bending is highly consistent with the target shape. Slow air blowing cooling specifically refers to the annealing process that controls the cooling rate. It can be achieved by using a blowing strategy that reduces the air speed in stages or extends the cooling time, with the aim of gradually releasing internal thermal stress and preventing stress concentration or deformation caused by rapid cooling.

[0035] Specifically, the solution of this application first heats the flat glass to its softening temperature to make it malleable, facilitating precise adaptation to preset curvature requirements under the constraint of rollers or molds. Then, the mechanical rigidity of the rollers or molds is used to create a curved glass semi-finished product with a highly consistent curvature. Finally, the formed curved glass semi-finished product is subjected to slow-speed air blowing for cooling and annealing, gradually releasing internal thermal stress, thus forming a curved annealed glass semi-finished product. This synergistic mechanism of temperature control and cooling rate ensures that the glass maintains a low-stress state during the forming process, providing a highly stable foundation for subsequent tempering and functional layer processing.

[0036] As a preferred embodiment, the solution of this application is specifically implemented as follows: During the hot bending process, the softening temperature can be optimized according to the specific type and thickness of the glass; the hot bending furnace precisely bends the glass according to the preset curvature parameters, and / or the glass adapts to the preset curvature of the mold through gravity after heating and softening; during the annealing stage, a controllable wind speed blowing system is used to achieve slow cooling by adjusting the wind speed in stages, thereby effectively releasing thermal stress.

[0037] Through the above-mentioned solution, this application effectively suppresses the accumulation of thermal stress, avoids the generation of curvature deviation, microcracks or deformation, ensures the reliability of the sintering and bonding of the support column slurry and the metallization slurry during the secondary heating and tempering process of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product, and improves the quality of vacuum cavity sealing.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2This application further proposes the steps of placing a support column slurry array on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products, and coating two curved annealed glass semi-finished products with metallization slurry, including: At room temperature, a support column slurry array is placed at a designated position on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or dispensing, and a metallizing slurry is applied to the sealing area of ​​the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or coating technology.

[0039] Here, "room temperature state" refers to the ambient temperature range, typically 15-35°C, to prevent the paste from softening and flowing due to high temperatures, ensuring placement accuracy. Screen printing refers to transferring the paste to the glass surface using a customized curved screen. "Dispensing method" refers to using precision dispensing equipment to control paste deposition, aiming to achieve high-precision positioning and shape control of the support column paste. "Designated position" refers to the pre-designed support point layout based on the vacuum chamber structure requirements, ensuring uniform distribution of support columns to maintain the stability of the vacuum chamber structure. "Screen printing" refers to coating the paste using a curved, adaptable screen, with coating techniques including spraying or scraping, aiming to form a continuous and uniform metallization layer in the sealing area. "Sealing area" refers to the area on the glass edge used for sealing, aiming to ensure full bonding between the metallization layer and subsequent sealing materials, improving sealing reliability.

[0040] Specifically, the solution proposed in this application effectively avoids the risk of damage to the functional layer caused by high-temperature operation by implementing the placement and coating process at room temperature. Operation at room temperature prevents the slurry from softening and flowing, ensuring the initial morphological stability of the functional layer; screen printing or dispensing methods ensure precise positioning of the support column array and prevent positional deviation; screen printing or coating technology guarantees the uniformity and integrity of the metallization layer; these features work synergistically to ensure the geometric accuracy of the support column array and the integrity of the metallization layer, laying the foundation for reliable sealing of curved vacuum glass.

[0041] After the curved annealed glass semi-finished product cools to room temperature, a support column slurry array is placed by screen printing using a customized curved screen. Then, a metallization slurry is formed in the sealing area of ​​the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products using a coating technology, thereby achieving precise distribution of support columns and uniform coverage of the metallization layer.

[0042] By employing the above-mentioned solution, this application avoids the problems of softening, flowing, displacement, or peeling of the support column slurry and metallization slurry at high temperatures, ensuring uniform distribution of the support column array and integrity of the metallization layer, effectively improving the sealing performance and structural stability of the vacuum cavity, and thus improving the product quality of curved vacuum glass.

[0043] In practical applications, some embodiments of this application propose a secondary heating tempering step to achieve sintering and physical tempering of the support column slurry array and metallization slurry with the curved annealed glass semi-finished product. However, in the process of implementation, improper control of heating and cooling may lead to insufficient sintering of the slurry or peeling of the coating due to thermal stress concentration during strong wind cooling, affecting the functional layer integrity and structural reliability of the curved tempered glass 1.

[0044] For this, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes a process in which two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and a rigid support mold are placed together and sent into a tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering, so that the support column slurry array, metallization slurry and curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and physically tempered to form curved tempered glass 1. The process includes the following steps: The furnace temperature of the tempering furnace is raised to the tempering temperature. Then, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating until the curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and bonded with the support column slurry and the coated metallization slurry. The two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are quickly removed from the tempering furnace and sent to the air grid for synchronous strong air cooling from top to bottom, so that the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products can be physically tempered to obtain curved tempered glass 1.

[0045] Tempering temperature refers to the specific temperature range required for the glass material during the tempering process. It can be achieved by using a temperature range determined according to the glass composition and thickness, with the aim of ensuring uniform softening of the glass to achieve physical tempering. Co-feeding can be understood as the glass semi-finished product and the rigid support mold being fed into the tempering furnace as a whole unit, with the aim of maintaining the stability of the glass curvature during the heating process. Sintering bonding refers to the process in which the support column slurry and metallization slurry form a firm connection with the surface of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product at high temperature. Rapid removal can be understood as the immediate removal from the high-temperature environment after sintering, which can be achieved using a conveying system or pneumatic mechanism, with the aim of reducing the high-temperature exposure time and preventing the slurry from overheating and the glass from softening and collapsing. Simultaneous strong air cooling from top and bottom refers to the rapid cooling by applying strong airflow to the upper and lower surfaces of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product at the same time, which can be achieved using a symmetrically arranged fan array or adjustable nozzles, with the aim of achieving uniform cooling and avoiding thermal stress concentration that could lead to coating peeling.

[0046] Specifically, the solution in this application avoids thermal shock when the glass semi-finished product is put into the furnace by preheating the tempering furnace to the tempering temperature, ensuring that the slurry is fully sintered during uniform heating; the curved annealed glass semi-finished product is fed in together with the rigid support mold, and the curvature is maintained by the mold constraint throughout the process to prevent glass displacement; after sintering and bonding are completed, the glass is quickly removed to reduce the high-temperature residence time; finally, uniform cooling is achieved by synchronous strong airflow from top and bottom to avoid thermal stress concentration, thereby synergistically ensuring the firmness of the sintering bond and the integrity of the physical tempering.

[0047] As a preferred embodiment, the solution of this application is implemented as follows: the tempering furnace is preheated to the required temperature by resistance heating; the curved annealed glass semi-finished product with slurry and the rigid support mold are synchronously fed into the furnace by an automated conveyor belt; the sintering bonding process is monitored by a vision system to monitor the melting state of the slurry; after bonding, the whole unit is quickly moved out by the conveyor roller and sent into the air grid; the upper and lower fan arrays in the air grid are started at the same time to uniformly and strongly cool the surface of the curved annealed glass semi-finished product.

[0048] Through the above solution, this application effectively avoids the problems of insufficient sintering of slurry and coating peeling, and ensures the integrity of the functional layer and the structural reliability of the curved tempered glass 1.

[0049] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes a process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass, including the following steps: before the step of assembling two tempered curved tempered glass sheets 1, the process further includes: placing a getter 4 on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass sheets 1 or at a designated location.

[0050] Among them, getter 4 refers to the material used to absorb residual gas in the vacuum chamber. It can be implemented using non-evaporable or evaporable getters, and its purpose is to maintain the long-term vacuum level of the vacuum chamber. The metallization layer is formed by sintering the metallization paste coated on the glass surface. It can be a metal oxide layer or alloy layer formed by screen printing or coating technology. Its purpose is to provide a sealing area and serve as the basis for the placement of getter 4. The designated location refers to the key area inside the vacuum chamber. It can be a position near the sealing edge. Its purpose is to ensure that getter 4 efficiently adsorbs easily released gases.

[0051] Specifically, the solution of this application ensures that the getter 4 is correctly positioned before the vacuum chamber is sealed by placing the getter 4 before the lamination step; the getter 4 is placed on the metallization layer or at a designated location. The placement method of the designated location ensures that the getter 4 is located in a critical area inside the chamber, such as near the sealing edge or other parts where gas is easily released. After the getter 4 is activated, it can efficiently adsorb residual gas and prevent the vacuum degree from decaying.

[0052] As a specific implementation method, the solution of this application is implemented as follows: before lamination, a non-evaporable getter is placed on the sealing edge of one of the curved tempered glass pieces 1; the getter 4 can be an iron-zirconium-vanadium getter.

[0053] Through the above solution, this application ensures the long-term stability of the vacuum cavity and effectively prevents the vacuum degree from decaying due to residual gas, thereby improving the heat insulation and sound insulation performance of curved tempered vacuum glass.

[0054] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes a process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass, including the following steps: before placing the getter 4 on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass 1 or at a designated location, the process further includes: pre-welding a layer of low-melting-point metal solder onto the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass 1.

[0055] In practical applications, low-melting-point metal solder refers to metal alloy materials with melting points significantly lower than the glass tempering temperature and subsequent sealing temperature. It can be achieved using tin-based alloys, indium-based alloys, or bismuth-based alloys. The purpose is to form a stable metallurgical bonding interface with the metallization layer through melting characteristics, thereby forming a dense hermetically sealed packaging structure, namely the metal sealing layer 2.

[0056] Specifically, the solution in this application involves pre-welding a low-melting-point metal solder. During heating, the solder melts and fully bonds with the metallization layer to form a uniform intermetallic compound bonding layer. In subsequent lamination, vacuuming, and sealing stages, because the melting point of this intermetallic compound bonding layer is higher than the sealing temperature, the bonding layer remains in a solid state, effectively resisting the effects of mechanical disturbances and temperature fluctuations. Since the low-melting-point solder is much lower than the softening point of glass, during the sealing process, while the pre-fabricated metal solder layers of the two curved glass sheets melt and rapidly connect upon heating, the vacuum glass does not de-temper.

[0057] During the implementation process, the inconsistent curvature of the curved glass can easily lead to defects such as localized incomplete welding or over-welding in the sealing area, resulting in unstable vacuum sealing performance and increased risk of leakage.

[0058] This application further proposes to include, prior to the step of placing the getter 4 on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass 1 or at a designated location, the following: placing a low-melting-point metal solder strip on the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass 1.

[0059] In practical applications, the use of low-melting-point metal solder for sealing before placing the getter 4 on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass 1 or at a designated location refers to applying solder to all or critical areas to be sealed. This can replace the pre-welding metal solder step, avoiding material redundancy and process complexity caused by full-area sealing. Its purpose is to achieve precise strengthening based on the curvature distribution characteristics of curved glass. The low-melting-point metal solder can be a tin-based alloy or an indium-based alloy material, whose melting temperature is lower than the glass softening temperature. It can melt quickly and fill tiny gaps during the sealing process, and its purpose is to be compatible with the overall process and prevent the risk of thermal damage.

[0060] The solution of this application achieves precise alignment and tight fit by sealing the glass surface with a low-melting-point metal solder strip before the getter 4 is applied. The solder strip is applied to key areas to take into account the curvature distribution characteristics of curved glass, so that the solder strip melts rapidly during the sealing stage to form a dense and uniform sealing layer, effectively filling the tiny gaps caused by curvature mismatch, thereby ensuring the continuity and reliability of the sealing area, while avoiding the material redundancy problem caused by sealing the entire area.

[0061] As a specific implementation method, the solution of this application is implemented as follows: Before the getter 4 is placed, the tin-based alloy solder strip is cut into strips and placed only in the high curvature area and stress concentration point at the edge of the curved tempered glass 1; when the two pieces of curved tempered glass 1 are placed with the getter 4, the solder strip is in direct contact with the metallization layer and keeps its position fixed. In the subsequent sealing stage, after the solder strip melts, it wets and reacts with the metallization layer to form a reliable connection, effectively strengthening the sealing performance of weak parts.

[0062] The above technical solution effectively solves the problem of poor local contact in the sealing area caused by inconsistent curvature of curved glass, significantly improves the sealing stability of the sealing area of ​​curved vacuum glass, and reduces the risk of vacuum leakage.

[0063] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes that after the steps of joining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets 1 together, vacuuming and sealing them, the application also includes: applying protective adhesive to the edge of the sealed curved glass and activating the getter 4.

[0064] Specifically, edge sealing coating protective adhesive refers to applying a continuous physical barrier material to the sealing area. This can be achieved using organic polymer materials such as epoxy resin, silicone sealant, or polyurethane sealant. The purpose is to isolate external mechanical impacts and environmental pollutants, and enhance the durability of the edge sealing structure. Activating the getter 4 can be understood as converting the getter 4 from a chemically inert state to an actively adsorbed state through external energy input. This can be achieved through thermal activation, photoactivation, or electroactivation. The purpose is to trigger the getter 4's adsorption function on residual gas molecules in the vacuum chamber, thereby maintaining a high vacuum environment.

[0065] Specifically, the solution in this application provides immediate protection to the newly formed vulnerable sealing area by immediately applying protective adhesive to the sealing edge after sealing. This prevents micro-leakage caused by external forces during subsequent handling or installation, and also avoids corrosion from environmental pollutants such as moisture. Simultaneously, the getter 4 is activated after sealing, ensuring that it enters its working state at the initial stage of complete vacuum chamber sealing, adsorbing residual gas molecules. This precise timing of operations organically connects edge sealing protection and gas adsorption functions, effectively solving the overall deficiencies in vacuum chamber sealing reliability and gas retention capacity.

[0066] As a preferred embodiment, the solution of this application is implemented as follows: After the sealing process is completed, silicone sealant is immediately used to uniformly coat the edge of the curved glass to form a continuous protective layer; then, the getter 4 placed on the sealing edge is thermally activated by an infrared heating device so that its surface quickly enters an active adsorption state.

[0067] Through the above solution, this application effectively improves the environmental adaptability and structural integrity of the edge sealing, avoids the degradation of vacuum sealing performance, and ensures that the getter 4 plays a gas adsorption role in the early stage of vacuum cavity formation, thereby maintaining the long-term stability of the high vacuum environment and ensuring the long-term reliability of the thermal and sound insulation performance of curved vacuum glass.

[0068] For this, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application further proposes that the rigid support mold consists of a convex mold and a concave mold that match the curvature of the glass, which fully supports the glass during the processes of applying metallization slurry, laying support column slurry, and secondary heating.

[0069] Among them, rigid support molds refer to support structures made of high heat-resistant materials that maintain shape stability in high-temperature environments. They can be made of materials such as ceramics, graphite, or special alloys, with the aim of providing a stable support foundation. Matching the curvature of the glass means that the geometric curvature of the mold surface is precisely consistent with the curvature of the semi-finished glass to be processed. This can be achieved by custom-processing the mold or adjusting the curvature of the mold joints, with the aim of eliminating support gaps and ensuring uniform force distribution. Convex molds and concave molds refer to special support molds corresponding to convex and concave glass, respectively. The convex mold has an outward convex curved surface to support concave glass, and the concave mold has an inward concave curved surface to support convex glass. They can be implemented using symmetrical or asymmetrical designs, with the aim of adapting to glass with different curvature shapes. Fully supporting the glass means that the mold maintains full contact with the glass surface throughout the entire temperature change process after hot bending, including coating the metallized slurry, placing the support column slurry, and secondary heating. This can be achieved by precisely matching the curvature of the mold surface with that of the glass, with the aim of preventing local deformation or stress concentration of the glass during heat treatment.

[0070] Specifically, the solution in this application provides comprehensive support for the glass during the secondary heating and tempering process by employing convex and concave molds precisely matched to the curvature of the glass. This matching design ensures that the mold surface perfectly conforms to the curved geometry of the glass semi-finished product, avoiding localized stress concentration or support gaps caused by curvature deviations. During heating, the glass expands uniformly due to heat, and thanks to the complete support of the mold, the glass will not sag or deform locally due to gravity. Especially for convex glass, the design of the concave mold places the solder side of the glass upwards, avoiding direct contact between the solder side and the mold surface, thereby eliminating the risk of friction interference to the metallization paste at high temperatures. At the same time, the complete support mechanism dynamically maintains the overall shape of the glass during temperature changes, preventing warping caused by thermal stress and ensuring that the support column paste array and the metallization paste remain stable in situ during the sintering bonding stage.

[0071] As a specific implementation method, the mold can be made of high-purity graphite material that matches the geometry of the target curved glass surface. Its surface is precisely ground to match the curvature of the glass. During the secondary heating and tempering process, the semi-finished curved annealed glass is placed on the corresponding convex mold or concave mold to ensure that the mold is in full contact with the glass surface, and then sent into the tempering furnace for heating treatment.

[0072] As a specific implementation method, the mold can be an adjustable multi-joint stainless steel mold. By adjusting the joints with different support surface angles, an arc matching the curvature of the target curved glass can be formed. During the secondary heating and tempering process, the semi-finished curved annealed glass is placed on the corresponding convex mold or concave mold to ensure that the mold is in full contact with the glass surface, and then sent into the tempering furnace for heating treatment.

[0073] The above solution effectively solves the problem of insufficient support caused by the mismatch between the mold and the curvature of the glass, avoids displacement or peeling of the metallization paste at high temperatures, and significantly improves the sealing reliability and forming accuracy of curved tempered vacuum glass.

[0074] This application further proposes a step of joining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets 1 together, then vacuuming and sealing them, including: placing the two joined curved tempered glass sheets 1 into a vacuum furnace, evacuating to a predetermined vacuum level, and then melting and sealing them with solder to form a vacuum cavity.

[0075] Among them, a vacuum furnace refers to equipment used to provide a vacuum environment, which can be achieved by using a vacuum chamber in conjunction with a pumping system. The purpose is to isolate external air and ensure that the sealing process is carried out under contamination-free conditions. A predetermined vacuum level refers to a specific vacuum level set to achieve effective sealing. It can be determined based on the glass material and the characteristics of the sealing material. The purpose is to eliminate gas interference and ensure the performance of the vacuum chamber. Bottom fusion sealing refers to melting the metallization layer or solder at a relatively low temperature to complete the sealing. It can use a precise temperature control system to control the heating process. The purpose is to prevent solder flow or thermal stress damage caused by high temperature.

[0076] Specifically, the solution of this application first places the assembled glass assembly in a vacuum furnace and evacuates it to a predetermined vacuum level to establish a stable low-pressure environment to eliminate gas interference. Then, under certain conditions, the melting process of the metallization layer or solder is triggered, so that the molten sealing is completed in a clean interface without external air intrusion, thereby ensuring a strong bond between solders or between solder and metallization layer, and finally forming a highly sealed vacuum cavity.

[0077] As a preferred embodiment, the solution of this application is specifically implemented as follows: the vacuum furnace can be a sealed chamber system equipped with a molecular pump group, and the sealing can be achieved by heating with infrared radiation within a suitable temperature range to melt the low melting point metal solder, so as to ensure that the solder melts uniformly without damaging the curved glass structure.

[0078] By employing the above-mentioned solution, this application effectively avoids the problems of external air ingress and interface contamination during the sealing process, ensuring the sealing integrity of the vacuum cavity and thus improving the long-term reliability of curved vacuum glass in practical applications.

[0079] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings under the technical concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A process for preparing curved tempered vacuum glass, characterized in that, The manufacturing process of the curved tempered vacuum glass includes the following steps: Two flat glass panels are sent into a hot bending furnace for one heating and hot bending to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products. Two hot-bent annealed curved glass semi-finished products are placed in a rigid support mold, and a support column slurry array is placed on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products, and metallization slurry is applied to both of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products. After being placed, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering, so that the support column slurry array, the metallization slurry and the curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and physically tempered to form curved tempered glass. The two tempered curved glass sheets are then joined together, and then vacuumed and sealed.

2. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of feeding two flat glass panels into a hot bending furnace for a single heating and hot bending to form two curved annealed glass semi-finished products includes: Two flat glass plates are fed into a hot bending furnace and heated to a softening temperature. The flat glass plates are then hot-bent into curved glass semi-finished products according to a preset target curvature in the hot bending furnace; or, the flat glass plates are hot-bent into curved glass semi-finished products using a mold with a predetermined curvature. The shaped curved glass semi-finished product is annealed by slow blowing to cool it down, so that the curved glass semi-finished product becomes a curved annealed glass semi-finished product.

3. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps of placing a support column slurry array on one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products and coating the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products with metallization slurry include: At room temperature, a support column slurry array is placed at a designated position on at least one of the curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or dispensing, and a metallizing slurry is coated on the sealing area of ​​the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products by screen printing or coating technology.

4. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold, after being placed, are jointly fed into a tempering furnace for secondary heating and tempering. The steps of forming curved tempered glass after sintering and physical tempering of the support column slurry array, the metallization slurry and the curved annealed glass semi-finished products include: The furnace temperature of the tempering furnace is raised to the tempering temperature. Then, the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are sent into the tempering furnace for secondary heating until the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products are sintered and bonded with the support column slurry and the coated metallization slurry. The two curved annealed glass semi-finished products and the rigid support mold are quickly removed from the tempering furnace and sent to the air grid for synchronous strong air cooling from top to bottom, so that the two curved annealed glass semi-finished products can be physically tempered.

5. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The process of combining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets includes the following steps: Place the getter on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location.

6. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The procedure prior to placing the getter cloth on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location also includes: A low-melting-point metal solder is pre-welded to the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass.

7. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The procedure prior to placing the getter cloth on the metallization layer of one of the curved tempered glass surfaces or at a designated location also includes: Low-melting-point metal solder strips are laid on the metallization layer of the curved tempered glass.

8. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, After combining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets, followed by vacuuming and sealing, the process also includes: Apply protective adhesive to the edges of the sealed curved glass and activate the getter.

9. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rigid support mold consists of a convex mold and a concave mold that match the curvature of the glass, and it fully supports the glass during the processes of applying metallization slurry, laying support column slurry, and secondary heating.

10. The preparation process of curved tempered vacuum glass as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steps of joining two tempered curved tempered glass sheets together, followed by vacuuming and sealing, include: The two curved tempered glass sheets, after being joined together, are placed in a vacuum furnace. After being evacuated to a predetermined vacuum level, the solder is melted and sealed under heating conditions to form a vacuum cavity.

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