US 12,467,311 B2
Insulated glass unit manufacturing station and assembly line with controlled heating of spacer
Morgan Donohue, North Oaks, MN (US); Carl D. Enger, St. Francis, MN (US); Dale J. Hatch, Milaca, MN (US); and Larry M. Berning, Buffalo, MN (US)
Assigned to Erdman Automation Corporation, Princeton, MN (US)
Filed by Erdman Automation Corporation, Princeton, MN (US)
Filed on Jan. 12, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/574,336.
Prior Publication US 2023/0220723 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. E06B 3/673 (2006.01); C03C 27/10 (2006.01); E06B 3/663 (2006.01); G01J 5/10 (2006.01); G05D 23/19 (2006.01); G05D 23/27 (2006.01); H05B 1/02 (2006.01); H05B 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC E06B 3/6736 (2013.01) [C03C 27/10 (2013.01); E06B 3/66342 (2013.01); E06B 3/67365 (2013.01); G01J 5/10 (2013.01); G05D 23/193 (2013.01); G05D 23/27 (2013.01); H05B 1/023 (2013.01); H05B 3/0038 (2013.01); H05B 2203/032 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of facilitating adhesion of spacer material having an integrated contact adhesive to lites of an insulating glass unit (IGU), comprising:
applying the spacer material having the integrated contact adhesive to at least a spacer applied lite of the IGU;
in an ambient temperature environment individually monitoring a local temperature of portions of the spacer material of an individual insulated glass unit, portions of the integrated contact adhesive associated with the spacer material of the individual insulated glass unit or both proximate at least one location of the portions where the integrated contact adhesive is in contact or proximate contact with the lites of the insulated glass unit by application of individual temperature sensors wherein each of the individual temperature sensors is associated with an individual focused infrared heater;
identifying the portions of the spacer material where a local ambient temperature of the integrated contact adhesive is below a desired temperature to facilitate adhesion between the integrated contact adhesive and lites of the insulated glass unit because of reduced wettability of the integrated contact adhesive below the desired temperature of the adhesive that inhibits adhesion of the integrated contact adhesive with the lites of the insulated glass unit;
selectively applying focused infrared energy to at least the portions of the spacer material where the local temperature of the integrated contact adhesive is below a desired temperature to facilitate adhesion until the local temperature is raised to facilitate wettability and adhesion of the integrated contact adhesive with the lites of the insulated glass unit; and
identifying the portions of the spacer material where the local ambient temperature of the integrated contact adhesive is at the desired temperature to facilitate adhesion between the integrated contact adhesive and lites of the insulated glass unit and maintaining the integrated contact adhesive at the desired temperature.