Vacuum Insulated Panel Tube Seal Structure for Hermetic Stress Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum insulating panels face issues with seal structures for evacuation tubes, leading to breakage and cracking, which compromises hermeticity and results in premature window failures.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum insulating panel design featuring a specific bore configuration with varying diameters and a tube seal supported on a recessed surface, allowing for a gap that is partially unfilled with seal material, enhancing adhesion and reducing seal failures and glass breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the evacuation tube is sealed directly without a gap, then the seal structure appears complete, but the seal material creates excessive stress concentration leading to breakage and cracking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gap between the evacuation tube and the recessed surface that is partially filled with seal material, creating a cushioning effect that prevents excessive stress concentration. This design anticipates thermal expansion and contraction forces, providing a buffer zone that maintains seal hermeticity while preventing breakage and cracking of the seal structure.
2Strength
If the seal material completely fills the gap, then the seal appears more robust, but thermal stress causes breakage and premature window failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having the seal material partially fill the gap rather than completely filling it. This creates a localized sealing zone that provides robustness where needed while leaving an unfilled portion to accommodate thermal stress, thereby preventing breakage and premature window failures.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional seal structures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but seal breakage and tube breakage failures occur frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the seal structure by introducing a gap that is only partially filled with seal material. This segmentation divides the sealing function into two parts: the filled portion provides sealing, while the unfilled gap provides stress relief. This segmented approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while significantly improving seal and tube durability.
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 design improves evacuation tube seal adhesion, maintains hermeticity, reduces seal and glass breakage, and enhances durability under thermal stress, while facilitating faster manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
The gap between the substrates may be at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure to provide insulating properties. Providing a vacuum in the space between the substrates reduces conduction and convection heat transport, and thus provides insulating properties.
Data Source
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AI summary
A vacuum insulating panel may include: a first substrate; a second substrate; a plurality of spacers provided in a gap between at least the first and second substrates, wherein the gap is at pressure less than atmospheric pressure; an evacuation tube extending at least partly into an aperture in one of the substrates; and an evacuation tube seal at least partially surrounding the tube. A laser beam (e.g., spot laser beam, or donut/ring-shaped laser beam) may be used to heat the tube seal material to form a hermetic seal around the tube. A gap (e.g., G1) may be provided between the tube seal and a tube support surface, and a significant amount of volume of the gap may be free of and/or not filled with seal material of the tube seal, which has advantageously been found to reduce seal failures and tube breakage failures.