Plate Assembly Sealing With Pressure-Controlled Micron Gaps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing electronic components, such as photovoltaic panels, struggle to achieve uniform and narrow gaps with consistent layer thicknesses, particularly below 100 micrometers, due to limitations in the float glass process and gravitational force-based sealing techniques.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of a pressure difference between the space between plates and the external environment, with controlled temperature and viscosity of the solder material, to achieve precise and consistent gap formation, potentially using particles as spacers to set the desired distance, and a device for vacuum suction and temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gravitational force is used to seal the gap between glass plates, then the sealing process is simple, but the gap uniformity is insufficient and process time is long
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies a pressure difference before heating to pre-compress the solder material and plates, ensuring uniform contact and gap formation. This preliminary compression action, combined with subsequent heating, achieves both simple processing and high gap uniformity by preparing the materials in advance for optimal bonding.
2Reliability
If the upper glass plate is deformed and placed on the lower glass plate using weight forces, then sealing is achieved, but the process time is relatively long at acceptable temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The method changes the pressure parameter by applying a pressure difference (vacuum or overpressure) during the sealing process. This parameter change accelerates the compression and bonding of the solder material and plates, significantly reducing process time while maintaining reliable sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The method utilizes the phase transition of the solder material from solid to liquid state through controlled heating. This phase transition enables rapid flow and uniform distribution of the solder, achieving effective sealing quickly without requiring prolonged weight-based compression.
3Ease of manufacture
If float glass panes are used with waviness of a few tenths of a millimeter, then manufacturing is straightforward, but uniform gap thickness of less than 100 micrometers is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The method applies a controlled pressure difference during the sealing process to compensate for the inherent waviness of float glass panes. By adjusting the pressure parameter uniformly across the plate surface, the glass plates are pressed into close contact, achieving uniform gap thicknesses below 100 micrometers despite the initial waviness of the glass surfaces.
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 allows for the production of plate arrangements with gaps as small as 5 to 50 micrometers, reducing the time required for deformation and ensuring uniformity, enabling the sealing of electronic components with high precision and fluid-tightness.
Implementation Method 1
creating a pressure difference between the gap between the plates and the external space surrounding the plates, such that the pressure in the external space is higher than in the gap
Implementation Method 2
setting a temperature to seal the gap between the glass plates at which, on the one hand, the glass solder melts
Implementation Method 3
at which, on the one hand, the glass solder melts and, on the other hand, the glass plates soften
Implementation Method 4
Gravitational force forces the upper pane to rest on the lower pane, creating a small, acceptably defined gap
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 5~7
Figure 8~9
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a plate assembly with two plates (1, 2) which have, at least in some sections, an interstice (4) between them and a uniform distance (d) from each other and/or are arranged parallel to each other with a meltable solder material (3, 3') between them. The problem of setting a defined distance between the plates as precisely as possible is solved according to the invention in that a pressure difference is generated between the interstice (4) between the plates and the outer space surrounding the plates such that the pressure in the outer space is greater than in the interstice (4) and that the temperature of the solder material (3, 3') is temporarily increased at least intermittently to above the melting temperature thereof while the pressure difference prevails.