US 12,326,036 B2
VIG unit with temporary evacuation gap in perimeter seal
Simon Johnsen, Hørsholm (DK); Thomas Lind Madsen, Hørsholm (DK); Søren Vejling Andersen, Hørsholm (DK); Annette Johncock Krisko, Hørsholm (DK); and Utku Ahmet Özden, Hørsholm (DK)
Assigned to VKR HOLDING A/S, Hørsholm (DK)
Appl. No. 17/417,888
Filed by VKR HOLDING A/S, Hørsholm (DK)
PCT Filed Jan. 20, 2020, PCT No. PCT/DK2020/050021
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/151794, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. PA201970045 (DK), filed on Jan. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0074260 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. E06B 3/673 (2006.01); E06B 3/66 (2006.01); E06B 3/663 (2006.01); E06B 3/677 (2006.01)
CPC E06B 3/6736 (2013.01) [E06B 3/6612 (2013.01); E06B 3/66333 (2013.01); E06B 3/66357 (2013.01); E06B 3/6733 (2013.01); E06B 3/6775 (2013.01); E06B 2003/66338 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a glass sheet assembly for a vacuum insulated glass unit, comprising:
applying an edge seal made of a first material to a perimeter of a first surface of a first glass sheet,
interrupting said applying of the edge seal to define a discontinuity;
disposing a first surface of a second glass sheet on the edge seal such that the discontinuity extends completely through the edge seal, and such that a gap is defined between the first surface of the first glass sheet and the first surface of the second glass sheet;
evacuating the gap to a predetermined pressure through the discontinuity;
and
locally heating the edge seal proximate the discontinuity to encourage a flow of the first material into the discontinuity to seal the discontinuity, the discontinuity is sealed while the glass sheet assembly is disposed within a vacuum process chamber and under vacuum;
wherein the local heating is conducted by a laser; and
wherein the discontinuity has a height that is substantially equal to a height of the gap.