Glass Panel Unit with Segmented Vacuum and Buffer Spaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing thermally insulating glass panel units face challenges in maintaining internal pressure balance, leading to potential damage to glass substrates and partitioning members, which reduces production yield.
Innovation Solution
A work in progress for a glass panel unit is designed with a pair of glass substrates, a peripheral wall, boundary walls, and an evacuation port. The internal space is hermetically separated into evacuation, buffer, and ventilation spaces, with the evacuation and buffer spaces having lower internal pressure than the ventilation space, reducing pressure differences and potential damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the internal space is partitioned into evacuation space and ventilation space with pressure difference, then the evacuation space can be evacuated to vacuum for thermal insulation, but the pressure difference causes force that may damage glass substrates and partitioning members
Solution Approach 1:
The internal space is segmented into three distinct spaces: evacuation space (for vacuum), buffer space (intermediate pressure), and ventilation space (atmospheric pressure). This segmentation creates a pressure gradient that reduces the direct pressure difference between vacuum and atmospheric sides, thereby protecting the structural integrity while maintaining vacuum insulation performance
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer space acts as an intermediary between the evacuation space and ventilation space. By introducing this intermediate pressure zone, the abrupt pressure transition is softened, reducing the net force on glass substrates and partitioning members while still allowing the evacuation space to maintain vacuum conditions
2Reliability
If the partitioning member is melted to close the air passage, then the evacuation space is hermetically sealed as vacuum space, but this requires high temperature heating that may cause thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented and distributed to multiple components: the peripheral wall for outer sealing and the boundary wall for inner sealing. This allows the melting and sealing process to occur at lower temperatures compared to sealing the entire structure at once, reducing thermal stress on glass substrates
3Productivity
If the provisionally assembled unit is cut off into separate parts, then individual glass panel units are obtained, but the pressure difference during cutting may cause damage reducing production yield
Solution Approach 1:
The unit is designed with a buffer space that extends to the cutting line, creating a pressure buffer zone at the separation point. This segmentation ensures that when cutting occurs, the buffer space absorbs pressure differential forces, preventing damage to glass substrates and partitioning members during the cutting process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases the production yield of glass panel units by minimizing damage from internal pressure differences and improving the manufacturing process efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The air in the first space is exhausted to an external environment through an air passage, the second space, and a ventilation port to evacuate the first space to a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
the partitioning member is melted by heating to be deformed to close the air passage
Data Source
AI summary
A work in progress includes: a pair of glass substrates arranged to face each other; a peripheral wall having a frame shape and disposed between the pair of glass substrates; a boundary wall; and an evacuation port. The boundary wall hermetically separates an internal space, surrounded with the pair of glass substrates and the peripheral wall, into an evacuation space, a buffer space, and a ventilation space. The evacuation port connects the ventilation space to an external environment. The evacuation space and the buffer space have a lower internal pressure than the ventilation space. A predetermined part, including the evacuation space but excluding parts covering the buffer space and the ventilation space, of the work in progress, forms the glass panel unit.