The glass sheet composite of the present invention includes at least two sheets, a liquid layer held between two adjacent sheets of the at least two sheets, and a seal material disposed between the two sheets so as to seal up the liquid layer, in which at least one of the two sheets is a glass sheet, the glass sheet composite including a light-shielding part disposed so as to overlay a boundary between the liquid layer and the seal material when the glass sheet composite is viewed in a plan view. Because of this, the boundary can be concealed, and this not only results in an improvement in designability and a wider choice of materials for the liquid layer and the seal material.

Plate glasses of the same material are stacked each other to form a hollow portion between the plate glasses. The stacked plate glasses are heated to a temperature which is a softening point thereof or below and is a temperature or above at which the material can be diffusion-bonded at a predetermined pressure or higher. The heated and stacked plate glasses are pressed to a predetermined pressure or higher using a die. Together with or subsequent to the pressing, a gas pressure is applied into the hollow portion by feeding gas into the hollow portion. Next, the stacked plate glasses, in which the gas pressure is applied to the hollow portion, are cooled to the strain point while being held with the die.

In a general aspect, a vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers bonded to each other. The stack of layers includes a first end layer disposed at a first end of the body and a second end layer disposed at a second, opposite end of the body. Intermediate layers extend between the first and second end layers and define an internal cavity extending through the body between the first end layer and the second end layer. The stack of layers also includes first and second sets of tabs. The first set of tabs extends outward from the intermediate layers on a first exterior side of the body, and the second set of tabs extends outward from the intermediate layers on a second exterior side of the body. The vapor cell also includes a vapor or a source of the vapor disposed in the internal cavity.

In a general aspect, a vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers bonded to each other. The stack of layers defines an array of cavities that includes first and second subsets of cavities. The first subset of cavities extends through intermediate layers of the stack of layers and the second subset of cavities extends entirely through the stack of layers. The vapor cell includes a vapor or a source of the vapor disposed in each of the first subset of cavities. The stack of layers includes a first end layer disposed at a first end of the body and a second end layer disposed at a second, opposite end of the body. The intermediate layers are positioned between the first and second end layers.

In a general aspect, a vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers bonded to each other. The stack of layers includes a first end layer disposed at a first end of the body and a second end layer disposed at a second, opposite end of the body. Intermediate layers extend between the first and second end layers and define an internal cavity extending through the body between the first end layer and the second end layer. Each intermediate layer includes a through-hole that defines a portion of the internal cavity through the intermediate layer. The vapor cell also includes a vapor or a source of the vapor disposed in the internal cavity.

In a general aspect, a vapor cell includes a body defined by a stack of layers bonded to each other. The stack of layers includes a first end layer disposed at a first end of the body and a second end layer disposed at a second, opposite end of the body. Intermediate layers extend between the first and second end layers and define an internal cavity extending through the body between the first end layer and the second end layer. Each intermediate layer includes a through-hole that defines a portion of the internal cavity through the intermediate layer. The vapor cell also includes a vapor or a source of the vapor disposed in the internal cavity.

A first substrate, having an evacuation port, and a second substrate are bonded together with a first sealing material in a frame shape interposed between them to create an internal space. The internal space is evacuated through the evacuation port, and the evacuation port is sealed up with the internal space kept evacuated. At this time, a second sealing material inserted into the evacuation port is heated and melted while being pressed toward the second substrate such that the evacuation port is sealed up with the second sealing material melted. The evacuation port and the second sealing material have dissimilar shapes when viewed along the center axis of the evacuation port in a state where the second sealing material has been inserted into the evacuation port but has not melted yet.

Provided is a vacuum insulation glass panel assembly manufacturing method and apparatus. The vacuum insulation glass panel assembly manufacturing method includes an edge sealing step of sealing an edge of a glass panel assembly of glass panels spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and an exhaust port sealing step of causing a lid member to seal an exhaust port of the glass panel assembly formed so as to communicate with a space between the glass panels whose edges are sealed. A glass solder having a high melting point is used in the edge sealing step, and a glass solder having a low melting point is used in the exhaust port sealing step. A specially designed lid member closing device is used for exhaust port sealing.

Provided is a vacuum insulation glass panel assembly manufacturing method and apparatus. The vacuum insulation glass panel assembly manufacturing method includes an edge sealing step of sealing an edge of a glass panel assembly of glass panels spaced apart at a predetermined interval, and an exhaust port sealing step of causing a lid member to seal an exhaust port of the glass panel assembly formed so as to communicate with a space between the glass panels whose edges are sealed. A glass solder having a high melting point is used in the edge sealing step, and a glass solder having a low melting point is used in the exhaust port sealing step. A specially designed lid member closing device is used for exhaust port sealing.

A method and a device for hermetically encapsulating components using at least one gas discharge lamp, an inorganic material that is transparent for light and a light-absorbing inorganic medium, are provided. With a suitable selection, inorganic materials or inorganic media guarantee a very low level of permeability for oxygen, water vapor and reactive gases in contrast to organic materials or organic media. The encapsulation occurs in a time period of less than one second. In addition, the average temperature of the component only increases slightly, such that even components with temperature-sensitive regions can be encapsulated.