Materials and/or method of making vacuum insulating glass units including the same

• US 20120211146A1
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dennis, Timothy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,733,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/89.11
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 23/24 Making hollow glass sheets or bricks
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 27/06 Joining glass to glass by processes other than fusing fusing C03B23/20; units for use as elements for closing wall or like openings and comprising two or more parallel glass panes in spaced relationship, the panes being permanently secured together E06B3/66
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/04 containing zinc
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 8/24 Fusion seal compositions being frit compositions having non-frit additions, i.e. for use as seals between dissimilar materials, e.g. glass and metal; Glass solders
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6733 by applying, e.g. extruding, a ribbon of hardenable material on or between the panes

Abstract

Certain example embodiments relate to frit materials that have an improved IR absorption property. Certain examples relate to frit materials that substantially melt in about 3 minutes at a temperature of about 525° C. Certain examples relate to a method of making an edge seal by using IR energy. Certain examples relate to adjusting the IR energy applied to a frit material to form an edge seal. Certain examples also relate to making a VIG unit by applying IR energy and adjusting the amount of IR energy over multiple periods of time, e.g., in an oscillating manner.

Claims

1. A frit material, comprising:

a composition that includes bismuth oxide, zinc oxide, boric oxide, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide in amounts sufficient to absorb at least 80% of infrared (IR) energy having a wavelength of 1100-2100 nm impinging thereon.

2. A fit material, comprising:

a composition that includes bismuth oxide, zinc oxide, boric oxide, aluminum oxide, and magnesium oxide,

wherein the frit material substantially melts through when the frit material is held at a temperature of no greater than 525°

C. for no more than about 3 minutes.

3. The frit material of claim 2, wherein the temperature is no greater than 485°

C.

4. A method of making an edge seal for a VIG unit, the method comprising:

applying IR energy from at least one IR emitter operating at a first voltage for a first predetermined period of time to a frit material;

reducing the operating voltage of the at least one IR emitter from the first voltage to a second voltage for a second predetermined period of time so as to reduce the IR energy impinging upon the frit material;

increasing the operating voltage of the at least one IR emitter from the second voltage to a third voltage for a third predetermined period of time so as increase the IR energy impinging upon the frit material; and

cooling or allowing the frit material to cool over a fourth predetermined period of time.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined period is between about 3 and 6 minutes.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second predetermined period is between about 1 and 5 minutes.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the third predetermined period is between about 5 and 9 minutes.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising alternating the IR energy between a first threshold and a second threshold for a predetermined number of oscillations.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined number of oscillations is 3.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the fourth period of time is less than 30 minutes.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fourth period of time is less than 20 minutes.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the frit material has an IR absorption percentage of at least 80% in a wavelength range of between 1100-2100 nm.

15. A method of making a VIG unit, the method comprising:

providing first and second substantially parallel spaced apart glass substrates, a frit material being provided at a peripheral edge thereof; and

forming an edge seal in accordance with the method of claim 4.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising alternating the IR energy between a first threshold and a second threshold for a predetermined number of oscillations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined number of oscillations is about 3.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first predetermined period of time is between about 4 and 6 minutes,

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the second predetermined period of time is between about 2 and 4 minutes.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the third predetermined period of time is between about 6 and 8 minutes.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein a temperature differential across the first and second glass substrates does not exceed +/−

3°

C. during the first, second, and third periods of time.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the VIG subassembly includes a plurality of support pillars disposed between the glass substrates.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the fit material is at least initially disposed to a height greater than a height of the pillars.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a height of the edge seal is substantially equal to the height of the pillars.

13. A method of making a VIG unit, the method comprising:

exposing a VIG subassembly to a first base temperature, the VIG subassembly comprising first and second substantially parallel spaced apart glass substrates and a frit material provided around a peripheral edge between the first and second substrates;

applying IR energy to the VIG subassembly so as to increase a temperature of the frit material to melting temperature range, wherein the melting temperature range is no greater than 525°

C.; and

maintaining the IR energy at the melting temperature range for no more than 5 minutes,

wherein a temperature of the at least two glass substrates does not exceed about 475°

C. when the IR energy is maintained at the melting temperature range, and

wherein a temperature difference across the surface of the first and second substrates does not exceed about +/−

5°

C. until the frit material hardens after reaching the melting temperature.

14. The method of making a VIG unit, wherein the temperature difference does not exceed about +/−

3°

C.

25. A method of making an edge seal for a VIG unit, the method comprising:

applying a first IR energy from at least one IR emitter to a fit material for a first predetermined period of time;

after applying the first IR energy, applying a second IR energy from at least one IR emitter to the frit material for a second predetermined period of time so as to reduce the temperature of the frit material;

after applying the second IR energy, applying another IR energy different than at least the second IR energy from at least one IR emitter to the fit material for a third predetermined period of time so as increase the temperature of the frit material compared to the temperature of the frit material resulting from the second IR energy; and

after applying the another IR energy, cooling and/or allowing the fit material to cool over a fourth period of time.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first predetermined period is between about 3 and 6 minutes.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the second predetermined period is between about 1 and 5 minutes.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the third predetermined period is between about 5 and 9 minutes.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the frit material has an IR absorption percentage of at least 80% in a wavelength range of between 1100-2100 nm.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of applying a first IR energy comprises applying short-wave IR energy having a peak wavelength of approximately 1100 nm.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said step of applying another IR energy comprises applying short-wave IR energy having a peak wavelength of approximately 1100 nm.