Encapsulated oven window pack
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oven door window assemblies are costly, require multiple components, and struggle with heat conduction, sealing, and pressure imbalances due to complex assemblies and metal components.
Innovation Solution
The use of injection molding to create a single-piece plastic frame that encapsulates at least one glass pane, reducing the need for insulating seals and allowing for modular variants with glass and plastic, while enabling pressure equalization through non-airtight gaps between glass panes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional insulated glass units with multiple insulating seals and metal components are used, then thermal insulation is provided, but heat conduction through metal increases and assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (glass panes, insulating seals, spacers) into a single integrated encapsulated structure. The encapsulating material forms a unified body that simultaneously provides spacing, insulation, and structural support, eliminating the need for separate metal components and multiple seals, thus reducing heat conduction paths and assembly complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with glass panes encapsulated in an insulating material matrix. This composite structure combines the transparency and strength of glass with the thermal insulation properties of the encapsulating material, creating a hybrid assembly that reduces heat conduction while maintaining structural integrity without requiring metal components
2Strength
If multiple insulating seals and metal components are used in conventional assemblies, then structural support is provided, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple structural components into a single encapsulated unit where the encapsulating material serves multiple functions simultaneously: providing structural support, thermal insulation, and spacing between glass panes. This integration reduces the number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby lowering manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the encapsulating material into a modular frame structure that can be independently manufactured and then assembled with glass panes. This segmentation allows for standardized production of the encapsulating material in controlled environments, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost compared to assembling multiple custom-fitted components
3Reliability
If conventional assemblies with gaskets are used, then sealing is provided, but reliability decreases when gaskets dry out and crack
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional organic gaskets with an inorganic encapsulating material that does not degrade over time. The encapsulated design creates a permanent bond between glass panes and the encapsulating material, eliminating the need for replaceable gaskets and ensuring long-term sealing reliability without the service life limitations of organic materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction where glass panes are permanently encapsulated in an inorganic material matrix. This composite structure creates inherent sealing through the encapsulation process itself, eliminating the need for separate gasket components that can dry out and fail, thereby improving long-term reliability and service life
4Loss of energy
If completely airtight sealing is achieved, then thermal insulation is improved, but pressure equalization is prevented causing explosive failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different sealing characteristics to different regions of the assembly. The encapsulating material provides effective thermal insulation at the edges and perimeters where it contacts the glass panes, while the interior space allows for pressure equalization. This localized differentiation of sealing quality maintains thermal performance without creating pressure differential hazards
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
Minimizes heat transfer, eliminates the need for complex assembly, and prevents explosive failures by allowing air to equalize pressure, thus improving thermal insulation and reducing assembly costs.
Implementation Method 1
Certain types of plastics (e.g. resins and polymers) provide better thermal insulation as compared to metal, so heat transfer across the assemblies of the present disclosure can be minimized if not eliminated through the selection of the plastic used as the encapsulating material.
Implementation Method 2
The encapsulation process can provide correct spacing between the panes of glass to achieve desired thermal performance and to eliminate the need for various insulating seals used in conventional assemblies. The use of injection molding can create one singular part that holds the glass by encapsulation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a glass assembly having a plastic frame and two glass panes in spaced parallel arrangement, wherein at least one of the glass panes is encapsulated within the plastic frame. The glass assembly is part of a door that is connected to an oven to allow selective access to the interior oven cavity. The encapsulated glass pane can face the interior oven cavity, or face away from the interior oven cavity, toward the environment outside the oven. Each glass pane can also be encapsulated within a frame half, and the two frame halves can be connected to one another. The disclosure also provides a method of making the glass assembly.