Apparatuses for vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit tip-off, and/or associated methods
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
C03B-023/00
B23K-026/20
C03B-023/057
출원번호
US-0326876
(2011-12-15)
등록번호
US-8794033
(2014-08-05)
발명자
/ 주소
Dear, Ryan L.
출원인 / 주소
Guardian Industries Corp.
대리인 / 주소
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
6인용 특허 :
7
초록▼
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to apparatuses for sealing the tips of pump-out tubes of vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, and/or associated methods. In certain example embodiments, a laser source used in sealing the pump-out tube is thermally insulated from the VIG unit and
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to apparatuses for sealing the tips of pump-out tubes of vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, and/or associated methods. In certain example embodiments, a laser source used in sealing the pump-out tube is thermally insulated from the VIG unit and emits a laser beam through one or more windows in an oven towards a mirror located therein. The mirror is located so as to redirect the laser beam onto the pump-out tube to thereby seal it. For instance, a substantially horizontal laser beam emitted from a laser source located outside the oven enters into the oven through one or more windows and is reflected by a mirror towards the pump-out tube to be sealed. The repositioning of the laser source advantageously can change its effective focal length and/or the location of the laser beam, e.g., because of the fixed location of the mirror.
대표청구항▼
1. A laser tip-off system for a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising: an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which at least one opening is formed, at least one window being located in the at least one opening;at least one reflector located in the oven interior; andat least one l
1. A laser tip-off system for a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, comprising: an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which at least one opening is formed, at least one window being located in the at least one opening;at least one reflector located in the oven interior; andat least one laser source located outside of the oven, the at least one laser source being aligned with the window and configured to emit a laser beam towards the at least one reflector,wherein the at least one reflector is oriented within the oven interior to cause laser beams emitted from the at least one laser source to be redirected towards a pump-out tube of a VIG unit subassembly provided to the oven interior. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the or each said opening includes at least first and second windows. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein each said window is made of quartz. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a series of rollers located in the oven, the rollers being suitable for conveying the VIG unit subassembly through the oven. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one laser source is repositionable to adjust an area on which laser beams emitted therefrom is focused. 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an artificial vision system configured to (a) detect the placement of the VIG unit subassembly within the oven and (b) provide a signal to at least one processor of a control unit, the signal being interpreted by the at least one processor to determine whether a vertical adjustment of the at least one laser source is to be made to adjust the area on which the laser beam is to be focused in dependence on the detected placement. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein: the sidewall of the oven includes a plurality of openings, each said opening including at least one window located therein, the openings being spaced apart from one another;a plurality of reflectors are located in the oven interior, each said reflector being aligned with a corresponding opening and window; anda plurality of laser sources are locatable outside of each said window, each said laser source being configured to emit a laser beam at a corresponding reflector, the corresponding reflector being oriented to redirected the corresponding laser beam that comes into contact therewith towards a pump-out tube of a VIG unit subassembly provided to the oven interior at a corresponding level thereof. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the laser sources are individually actuatable. 9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of doors located in the sidewall, each said door being provided to close off a corresponding opening in the sidewall. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing in which the at least one reflector is located, the housing extending through the at least one opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, the housing supporting a first window aligned with the at least one laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window. 11. A kit, comprising: at least one vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit subassembly, the VIG unit subassembly including a glass pump-out tube to be sealed and a pump cup located over the pump-out tube; anda laser tip-off system for sealing the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly, the system comprising: an oven having an oven interior and a wall in which at least one opening is formed, at least one window being located in the at least one opening;at least one reflector located in the oven interior; andat least one laser source located outside of the oven, the at least one laser source being aligned with the window and configured to emit a laser beam towards the at least one reflector,wherein the at least one reflector is oriented within the oven interior to cause laser beams emitted from the at least one laser source to be redirected towards the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly when the VIG unit subassembly is provided to the oven interior. 12. The kit of claim 11, wherein the laser tip-off system further comprises a housing in which the at least one reflector is located, the housing extending through the at least one opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, the housing supporting a first window aligned with the at least one laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window. 13. A method of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising: providing an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which an opening is formed, wherein a reflector is located in the oven interior and at least one window is located in the sidewall;supplying a VIG unit subassembly to the oven, the VIG unit subassembly having a pump-out tube to be sealed;emitting a laser beam from a laser source located outside of the oven, the laser beam being emitted through the at least one window and towards the reflector and being redirected by the reflector towards the pump-out tube to be sealed; andmelting the pump-out tube using the laser beam in making the VIG unit. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the opening includes at least first and second quartz windows. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the oven includes a plurality of rollers configured to convey the VIG unit subassembly therethrough. 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising vertically and/or horizontally repositioning the laser source to adjust an area on which the laser beam is focused. 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising: detecting, via a vision system, the placement of the VIG unit subassembly within the oven; andadjusting a position of the laser source based on the detected placement of the VIG unit subassembly to cause a corresponding adjustment in an area on which the laser beam is focused. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein a housing in which the at least one reflector is located is connected to the oven, the housing extending through the opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, the housing supporting a first window aligned with the laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window, the laser beam being emitted through the first window, redirected by the reflector, and through second window in that order. 19. A method of making vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, the method comprising: providing an oven having an oven interior and a wall in which a plurality of openings are formed, each opening corresponding to a different level of the oven and each level being suitable to accommodate a respective VIG unit subassembly, wherein a laser-grade mirror is located in the oven interior at each said level and wherein at least one window is located in each said opening; andsupplying VIG unit subassemblies to the oven at different respective levels thereof, the VIG unit subassemblies each having a pump-out tube to be sealed;emitting laser beams from laser sources located outside of the oven, each said laser beam being (a) emitted through an associated opening and any windows of the associated opening, (b) directed towards the mirror associated with that opening, and (c) redirected by the mirror towards the pump-out tube of the VIG unit subassembly at the corresponding level;the pump-out tubes being melted in making the VIG units. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the laser sources are individually actuatable. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein doors located in the wall of the oven are openable and closable to open and close associated openings in the wall when laser sources are and are not being used therethrough, respectively. 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the oven interior is heatable to a temperature of about 500 degrees C., while the laser sources remain at temperatures at or near ambient. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the oven interior is heatable to a temperature of about 300 degrees C., while the laser sources remain at temperatures at or below 50 degrees C. 24. The method of claim 19, wherein each said level supports a housing in which a corresponding mirror is located, each said housing extending through the corresponding opening in the sidewall and into the interior of the oven, each said housing supporting a first window aligned with the corresponding laser source and a second window that is substantially perpendicular to the first window, the laser beam being emitted through the first window, redirected by the reflector, and through second window in that order.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Benson David K. (Golden CO) Tracy C. Edwin (Golden CO), Laser sealed vacuum insulation window.
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