Patent · US Expired

Vacuum IG window unit with edge seal at least partially diffused at temper and completed via microwave curing, and corresponding method of making the same

US6701749B2 · kind B2 · utility

108Cited by
77References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 7, 2001
Grant dateMar 9, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 14, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B80/22
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A vacuum insulating glass (IG) unit and method of manufacturing the same. A peripheral or edge seal (11) of a vacuum IG unit is formed utilizing microwave energy (17) in order to enable tempered glass sheets (2, 3) of the IG unit to retain a significant portion of their original temper strength. In certain exemplary embodiments, the edge seal may be formed of glass frit or solder glass. In certain embodiments, at least a portion (12, 12a, 301) of the edge seal material may be deposited on one or both substrates prior to a thermal tempering process so that during tempering the edge seal material is permitted to diffuse into (i.e., bond to) the glass substrate(s) (2, 3). Optionally, additional edge seal material (303) may be added after tempering. The final edge seal (11) is preferably formed via microwave heating (17) of the edge seal material.

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