Welding/sealing glass-enclosed space in a vacuum
Abstract
A method of welding and sealing the edges of two juxtaposed glass sheets together to seal a vacuum space between the sheets comprises the steps of positioning a radiation absorbant material, such as FeO, VO.sub.2, or NiO, between the radiation transmissive glass sheets adjacent the edges and then irradiating the absorbant material, preferably with a laser beam, through at least one of the glass sheets. Heat produced by the absorbed radiation in the absorbant material melts glass in the portions of both glass sheets that are adjacent the absorbant material, and the melted glass from both sheets flows together to create the weld when the melted glass cools and hardens. The absorbant material can be dissolved and diffused into the melted glass to the extent that it no longer absorbs enough energy to keep the glass melted, thus, with appropriate proportioning of absorbant material to source energy power and welding heat needed, the process can be made self-stopping.
- Inventors:
-
- Golden, CO
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 870280
- Patent Number(s):
- 5489321
- Assignee:
- Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03C - CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUS ENAMELS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- welding; sealing; glass-enclosed; space; vacuum; method; edges; juxtaposed; glass; sheets; seal; comprises; steps; positioning; radiation; absorbant; material; feo; vo; nio; transmissive; adjacent; irradiating; preferably; laser; beam; heat; produced; absorbed; melts; portions; melted; flows; create; weld; cools; hardens; dissolved; diffused; extent; absorbs; energy; appropriate; proportioning; source; power; process; self-stopping; heat produced; glass sheets; glass sheet; laser beam; glass melt; sealing glass; radiation transmissive; enclosed space; material melts; vacuum space; /65/156/
Citation Formats
Tracy, C Edwin, and Benson, David K. Welding/sealing glass-enclosed space in a vacuum. United States: N. p., 1996.
Web.
Tracy, C Edwin, & Benson, David K. Welding/sealing glass-enclosed space in a vacuum. United States.
Tracy, C Edwin, and Benson, David K. Mon .
"Welding/sealing glass-enclosed space in a vacuum". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/870280.
@article{osti_870280,
title = {Welding/sealing glass-enclosed space in a vacuum},
author = {Tracy, C Edwin and Benson, David K},
abstractNote = {A method of welding and sealing the edges of two juxtaposed glass sheets together to seal a vacuum space between the sheets comprises the steps of positioning a radiation absorbant material, such as FeO, VO.sub.2, or NiO, between the radiation transmissive glass sheets adjacent the edges and then irradiating the absorbant material, preferably with a laser beam, through at least one of the glass sheets. Heat produced by the absorbed radiation in the absorbant material melts glass in the portions of both glass sheets that are adjacent the absorbant material, and the melted glass from both sheets flows together to create the weld when the melted glass cools and hardens. The absorbant material can be dissolved and diffused into the melted glass to the extent that it no longer absorbs enough energy to keep the glass melted, thus, with appropriate proportioning of absorbant material to source energy power and welding heat needed, the process can be made self-stopping.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}