A home appliance includes a refrigerator including a panel assembly. The panel assembly includes: 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.

A depressurized multilayer glass panel 10 includes: a first glass plate 11; a second glass plate 12; a sealing portion forming an air gap portion 13 sealed in a depressurized state between the first glass plate 11 and the second glass plate 12; and a plurality of columns 16 disposed between the first glass plate 11 and the second glass plate 12, each column 16 including contact surfaces 21 in contact with facing surfaces 17, 18 of the first glass plate 11 and the second glass plate 12, and non-contact portion 23 provided around the contact surface 21 and spaced apart from the facing surfaces 17, 18 of the first glass plate 11 and the second glass plate 12, wherein the non-contact portion 23 is configured such that when the facing first glass plate 11 or second glass plate 12 is deformed by being subjected to a first external force, at least a part of the non-contact portion 23 is contactable with the deformed first glass plate 11 or second glass plate 12.

The glass panel unit includes a first glass panel, a second glass panel, a seal, an evacuated space, and a spacer. The second glass panel is placed opposite the first glass panel. The seal with a frame shape hermetically bonds the first glass panel and the second glass panel to each other. The evacuated space is enclosed by the first glass panel, the second glass panel 30, and the seal. The spacer is placed between the first glass panel and the second glass panel. The spacer contains polyimide having benzoxazole structures.

The glass panel unit includes a first glass panel, a second glass panel, a seal, an evacuated space, and at least one spacer. The second glass panel is placed opposite the first glass panel. The seal with a frame shape hermetically bonds the first glass panel and the second glass panel to each other. The evacuated space is enclosed by the first glass panel, the second glass panel, and the seal. The at least one spacer is placed between the first glass panel and the second glass panel. The at least one spacer has a height H1 smaller than a height H2 of the seal between the first glass panel and the second glass panel.

A glass panel unit includes: a first glass pane; a second glass pane facing the first glass pane; a frame member; an evacuated space; and a gas adsorbent. The frame member hermetically bonds the first glass pane and the second glass pane. The evacuated space is surrounded with the first glass pane, the second glass pane, and the frame member. The gas adsorbent is placed in the evacuated space. The gas adsorbent contains a getter material. The getter material contains a plurality of particles of a zeolite crystal. At least one particle accounting for a half or more of a total weight of the plurality of particles has a particle size equal to or greater than 200 nm. An activable temperature of the at least one particle is equal to or lower than 400° C.

Various embodiments herein relate to methods, structures, tools, installation systems, etc. for retrofitting a new electrochromic window in a pre-existing window recess. In many cases, the new electrochromic window is installed parallel to a lite of a pre-existing window, with the resulting structure including the new electrochromic window, the pre-existing window, and a pocket that forms between them. Installation of a new electrochromic window in tandem with a pre-existing window results in many benefits including improved insulation (e.g., due to the presence of the additional air pocket(s) and lite(s)), improved climate control (e.g., due to the ability to control the amount of sunlight entering the building via the electrochromic window), and enhanced aes thetics.

The invention relates to a method of providing vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units each comprising at least a first and a second glass pane and a plurality of support pillars distributed between opposing surfaces of said glass panes to provide a gap (8) between the glass panes. A plurality of pane elements are provided, and individual topographic representations (TOPREP_2a-TOPREP_2n) of each of said plurality of pane elements (2a-2n) are obtained based on input (4) from a measuring arrangement (3), and the topographic representations are stored in a data storage (DS). The stored topographic representations are processed and resulting surface distance characteristic between pairs of panes are estimated. Vacuum insulating glass (VIG) assemblies are thus provided based on estimated resulting surface distance characteristics. The invention additionally relates to a system for providing manufacturing layouts and a manufacturing facility.

A dynamic multi-pane insulating assembly and system including methods for dynamically maintaining the thermal resistance value of the assembly and system. The dynamic multi-pane insulating assembly and system includes an interior pane and first and second exterior panes. The first exterior pane and a first side of the interior pane defines an evacuated gap in communication with a vacuum source and a second side of the interior pane and the second exterior pane defines a pressurized gap in communication with the source of pressurized gas.

A skylight assembly, having framing members that define an interior space and rafters that span the interior space between framing members, for supporting panes of glass, each pane having at least one structural glass panel and a thermal panel. The framing members each have a vertical portion and support assembly extending inwardly, including an upper support surface, a lower support surface, and a vertical step therebetween. A glass setting block made of a rubbery material rests upon the upper support surface, vertical step, and lower support surface. The structural glass panels are fully supported by the upper support surface. The thermal panel is supported by the lower support surface, and is sealed to the upper support surface by a spacer, forming an insulating glass unit therewith. The full support of the structural glass, independent of the support of the thermal panel, allows the skylight to be thermally insulated and walkable.

Vacuum insulated glass (VIG) units having ring shaped pillars. The VIG unit comprises two sheets of glass, an edge spacer and multilayer sealants for hermetic sealing of peripheral edge with a high vacuum gap between two sheets of glass. A plurality of pillars is located between two sheets of glass to support vacuum compressive pressure. The ring shaped pillar is made of transparent engineering plastic or glass and can support a compressive strength of 400 MPa or more.