Vacuum Insulating Glass Edge Seals With Localized IR Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit manufacturing techniques require high temperatures and long heating times, which degrade the temper strength of tempered glass substrates and can affect low-E coatings, leading to increased breakage risk and deformation.
Innovation Solution
Localized heating using a unitized oven with staged heating and cooling, employing a substantially linear focused infrared (IR) heat source to melt the frit at the edges, maintaining the rest of the unit below the glass melting point, thereby reducing the heating time and preserving temper strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire assembly is heated to approximately 500°C for one to eight hours to form the edge seal, then the glass frit melts and forms a hermetic peripheral seal, but the temper strength of tempered glass substrates is degraded and low-E coatings are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies localized heating only to the peripheral edges where the frit seal is located, rather than heating the entire assembly uniformly. This allows the seal formation process to occur at the edges while the central portions of the glass substrates remain at lower temperatures, preserving their temper strength and protecting low-E coatings from thermal degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating process is segmented into different zones: a localized high-temperature zone at the peripheral edges for frit melting, and lower-temperature zones for the rest of the assembly. This segmentation enables differential temperature control, allowing seal formation without subjecting the entire structure to high temperatures that would degrade the glass properties.
2Reliability
If the entire assembly is heated to approximately 500°C for one to eight hours to form the edge seal, then the glass frit melts and forms a hermetic peripheral seal, but the heating time is excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
By concentrating heating energy only at the peripheral edges where seal formation is needed, the process achieves the same sealing result in significantly less time. The localized high-temperature zone melts the frit quickly, eliminating the need for prolonged heating of the entire assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent rushes through the heating process by applying intense localized heat directly to the frit at the edges, bypassing the need for slow, uniform heating of the entire assembly. This allows the sealing process to complete rapidly while the rest of the assembly remains at lower temperatures.
3Reliability
If the entire assembly is heated to approximately 500°C to form the edge seal, then the glass frit melts, but energy consumption is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The heating energy is concentrated only at the peripheral edges where it is actually needed for frit melting, rather than being distributed throughout the entire assembly. This localized energy application dramatically reduces total energy consumption while achieving the same sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heating function from the entire assembly and applies it only to the specific location (peripheral edges) where seal formation is required. This extraction of the heating function to a localized zone eliminates wasteful energy consumption in heating large areas that do not require high temperatures.
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
The method maintains at least 50% of the tempered glass's original temper strength and reduces the risk of breakage and deformation by minimizing exposure to high temperatures, while also saving energy and time.
Implementation Method 1
providing localized heating (e.g., from one or more substantially linear focused infrared (IR) heat sources) is provided proximate to the peripheral edges of the unit so as to melt frit(s) placed thereon
Implementation Method 2
pre-heating the glass substrates and the frit to at least one temperature below a melting point of the first and second substrates and below a melting point of the frit
Implementation Method 3
cooling the unit and allowing the frit to harden in making the vacuum insulating glass (VIG) window unit
Data Source
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AI summary
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to edge sealing techniques for vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units. More particularly, certain example embodiments relate to techniques for providing localized heating to edge seals of units, and/or unitized ovens for accomplishing the same. In certain example embodiments, a unit is pre-heated to one or more intermediate temperatures, localized heating (e.g., from one or more substantially linear focused IR heat sources) is provided proximate to the peripheral edges of the unit so as to melt frits placed thereon, and cooled. In certain non-limiting implementations, the preheating and/or cooling may be provided in one or more steps. An oven for accomplishing the same may include multiple zones for performing the above-noted steps, each zone optionally including one or more chambers. Accordingly, in certain example embodiments, a temperature gradient proximate to the edges of the unit is created, thereby reducing the chances of breakage and/or at least some de-tempering of the substrates.