Two-stage airtight seal and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

To provide a seal structure capable of obtaining highly reliable airtightness by a method of high cost performance.SOLUTION: A vacuum glass assembly connects non-metallic substrates with first and second spaces with a seal element to form an exhaustible internal space between them. The seal element is formed by forming a first stage seal by joining a metal bridge element to at least one of the substrates through inspired welding, and a second stage seal in at least partial contact with the first stage seal. The seal element is configured to hermetically seal the internal space from the surrounding environment, and both the first stage seal and the second stage seal contribute to the sealing capability of the seal element.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Claims

1. The first substrate and A second substrate is placed a gap between it and the first substrate, defining an internal space between them. The device comprises a sealing element disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and configured to seally isolate the internal space from the surrounding environment, The aforementioned sealing element is A metal bridge element extending between the first substrate and the second substrate, A first stage seal is defined as a cold weld between the metal bridge element and the first substrate, and has an inner end extending along the metal bridge element and the first substrate. A vacuum glass assembly comprising a second stage seal that at least partially contacts the first stage seal along its inner end to tightly seal the first stage seal.

2. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first stage seal includes a metallic or inorganic intermediate layer between the metal bridge element and the first substrate.

3. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second stage seal includes a sealing material supplied so as to be in at least partial contact with the first stage seal.

4. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second stage seal includes a welded portion of the metal bridge element that is different from the cold welded portion.

5. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first stage seal defines a structural connection between the metal bridge element and the first substrate having a shear strength greater than the tensile strength of the metal bridge element.

6. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein both the first-stage seal and the second-stage seal contribute to the airtightness of the sealing element.

7. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second stage seal is configured to fill a defect in the first stage seal.

8. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first substrate is made of a non-metallic material.

9. The vacuum glass assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second substrate is made of a non-metallic material.

10. A method for forming a sealing element for sealing tightly between two substrates of a vacuum glass assembly, The first sealing stage is formed by joining the metal bridge elements via cold-welded joints to each of the two substrates, The sealing material is supplied along one or both inner ends of the joint so as to be at least partially in contact with the first sealing stage seal, A method for forming a sealing element, comprising heating a sealing material to airtightly seal the first sealing stage seal in order to form a second sealing stage seal.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the cold welding connects the metal bridge element and one of the substrates without applying heat.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sealing material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of solder glass, metal, and organic sealing material.

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