Described herein are systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for implementing smart windows, smart home systems that include smart windows, and user devices and applications for control thereof. A smart window, or photovoltaic window, may include a photovoltaic configured to generate electrical power from incident light onto the photovoltaic window, store the electrical power, and send the electrical power to an electronics package or various electrical loads including a wireless communication system, sensors, or window functions. The photovoltaic window may communicate with various smart home system devices such as hub devices and user devices, which may include the reception of control data at the photovoltaic window and the transmission of sensor data captured by the window sensors.

Described herein are systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for implementing smart windows, smart home systems that include smart windows, and user devices and applications for control thereof. A smart window, or photovoltaic window, may include a photovoltaic configured to generate electrical power from incident light onto the photovoltaic window, store the electrical power, and send the electrical power to an electronics package or various electrical loads including a wireless communication system, sensors, or window functions. The photovoltaic window may communicate with various smart home system devices such as hub devices and user devices, which may include the reception of control data at the photovoltaic window and the transmission of sensor data captured by the window sensors.

A machine for the automatic sealing of the peripheral cavity of the insulating glass, which geometry is irregular for the planarity with regard to the theoretical one, comprising at least two glass panes having rectangular or other than rectangular shape and at least one spacer frame located in proximity of the perimeter at a finite distance from the boundary of the same glass panes or of the smaller glass pane, the glass panes being aligned or stepped along one or more or all peripheral sides and the thickness both of each glass pane, and of each spacer frame and consequently the total thickness of the insulating glass being mutable from insulating glass to insulating glass

A vacuum insulating glazing unit is described. The vacuum insulating glazing unit has a first glass pane and a second glass pane; a set of discrete spacers positioned between the first and second glass panes, maintaining a distance between the first and the second glass panes; a hermetically bonding seal sealing the distance between the first and second glass panes over a perimeter thereof; an internal volume defined by the first and second glass panes and the set of discrete spacers and closed by the hermetically bonding seal, where the internal volume has an absolute vacuum pressure of less than 0.1 mbar; and an absolute difference between a coefficient of thermal expansion of the first glass pane and a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second glass pane is at most 0.40*10.sup.−6/° C.

A vacuum glass panel including a vacuum glass, a sash, and a grazing gasket is provided. The vacuum glass includes a first glass plate, a second glass plate having substantially the same area as the area of the first glass plate in a front view, and a depressurized layer arranged between the first glass plate and the second glass plate opposed to the first glass plate. The lower face of the first glass plate and the lower face of the second glass plate are misaligned relative to each other in the vertical direction. The sash includes two groove walls that define a groove for receiving the upper, lower, right, and left peripheral edge portions of the vacuum glass in a front view. The grazing gasket is arranged on at least the lower portion of the vacuum glass inside the groove and seals a gap between the vacuum glass and the groove walls, and includes a clamping portion for clamping the vacuum glass from a first outer principal surface of the first glass plate and a second outer principal surface of the second glass plate near the top portions of the groove walls.

The present disclosure provides a device for generating electricity. The device comprises first and third panels that are each at least partially transmissive for visible light and are spaced apart from each other. The first panel defines a light receiving surface. The device further comprises first and second photovoltaic elements. The first photovoltaic element is arranged in a first orientation with respect to the light receiving surface and the second photovoltaic element being arranged in a second orientation that is different to both the orientation of the first photovoltaic element and the orientation of the light receiving surface. The first photovoltaic element and the second photovoltaic element are located within a projection of the circumference of the first panel in a direction along a surface normal of the first panel. The device further comprises a support for supporting portions of the device. The support has a channel that is outwardly open at an edge portion of the device. The third panel, the first photovoltaic element and the second photovoltaic element are located within the projection of the circumference of the first panel in a direction along a surface normal of the first panel.

A light transmitting panel assembly includes a first panel, a second panel, a frame, a gap between the first panel and the second panel, and a first active component located between the first panel and the second panel.

The present disclosure relates to methods of providing an edge sealing (2) for a vacuum insulated glass (VIG) unit. The methods may comprise providing one or more glass sheets (1a, 1b). A glass material (5) such as a solder glass material is heated to soften the glass material (5), and the heated glass material is then applied along edges of the one or more glass sheets (1a, 1b) to provide an edge sealing (2) for sealing a gap (13) between paired glass sheets (1a, 1b). The heated glass material (5) may be applied by means of a dispensing nozzle (6). The disclosure moreover relates to a VIG unit and a system.

An insulating glass unit (10) is formed from a plurality of transparent layers (16, 18, 20), in which at least one illuminable panel (20) is arranged between at least two mineral glass panels (16, 18). The mineral glass panels (16, 18) are held at a defined distance from one another by at least one spacer element (14). The illuminable panel (20) is held at least on one longitudinal marginal edge (24) by the spacer element (14). The spacer element (14) is formed by at least one hollow profile (15), which preferably comprises a plurality of adjoining hollow chambers (26, 28). The outer mineral glass panels (16, 18) each adjoins at least two lateral surfaces of the hollow profile (15). The illuminable panel (20) rests on or against the intermediate hollow chamber (28). An illumination element (32) is arranged within the intermediate hollow chamber (28).

The present invention provides a panel assembly, a refrigerator, and home appliances. The panel assembly of the present invention comprises: a first panel formed of a glass material; a second panel spaced apart from the first panel and formed of a glass material; a plurality of spacers provided between the first panel and the second panel so as to maintain a gap between the first panel and the second panel, and arranged to be spaced apart from each other; a sealing member disposed between the first panel and the second panel for sealing a space between the first panel and the second panel; an exhaust hole provided in at least one of the first panel and the second panel so as to discharge air such that the space between the first panel and the second panel becomes a vacuum insulation space; and a cover member covering the exhaust hole.