Patent · US Expired

Laser sealed vacuum insulation window

US4683154A · kind A · utility

152Cited by
6References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 19, 1985
Grant dateJul 28, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B80/22
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A laser sealed evacuated window panel is comprised of two glass panes held spaced apart in relation to each other by a plurality of spherical glass beads and glass welded around the edges to provide an evacuated space between the glass panes that is completely glass sealed from the exterior. The glass welded edge seal is obtained by welding the edges of the glass panes together with a laser beam while the glass panes and bead spacers are positioned in a vacuum furnace and heated to the annealing point of the glass to avoid stress fracture in the area of the glass weld. The laser welding in the furnace can be directed around the perimeter of the glass panel by a combination of rotating the glass panel and linearly translating or aiming the laser with a relay mirror.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.