A compressible pillar for the preparation of a vacuum insulated glazing (VIG) unit, having a longitudinal extent in the pre-compressed state and including a deformable part having an open structure, which open structure will at least partially collapse when the pillar is subject to a compression force acting in the longitudinal direction of the pillar, the compression force being of at least one value selected within the range of 60 N to 320 N, the pillar will exhibit a partly irreversible deformation causing a reduction in the longitudinal extent of the pillar when the pillar is subjected to the compression force, so that when the compression force is fully released the pillar will exhibit an expansion in the longitudinal direction of the pillar which is less that the reduction in the longitudinal extent of the pillar. Further is shown a process for manufacturing of a compressible pillar, a method of producing a VIG unit as well as a VIG unit.

An evacuated glazing assembly has first and second spaced-apart, non-metal substrates connected to each other by a seal element to form an evacuable interior space therebetween. The seal element is formed by bonding a metallic bridge element to at least one of the substrates by cold welding to form a first stage seal and forming a second stage seal at least partially in contact with the first stage seal. The seal element is configured to hermetically isolate the interior space from the surrounding environment, and both the first stage seal and the second stage seal contribute to the hermeticity of the seal element.

A manufacturing method of a glass panel unit of the present invention includes a bonding step, a pressure reduction step, and a sealing step. In the bonding step, a first substrate and a second substrate are hermetically bonded together with a seal having a frame shape. In the pressure reduction step, a pressure in an inside space formed between the first substrate and the second substrate is reduced through an exhaust port. In the sealing step, sealant disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate is deformed, and the sealant thus deformed seals an opening of the exhaust port.

A glass panel unit manufacturing method includes a bonding step, a pressure reducing step, and a sealing step. The bonding step includes bonding together a first substrate including a wired glass pane and a second substrate including a non-wired glass pane with a first sealant in a frame shape to create an inner space. The pressure reducing step includes producing a reduced pressure in the inner space through an exhaust port that the first substrate has. The sealing step includes irradiating the second sealant with an infrared ray externally incident through the second substrate to seal the exhaust port up with the second sealant that has melted.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to edge sealing techniques for vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units. More particularly, certain example embodiments relate to techniques for providing localized heating to edge seals of units, and/or unitized ovens for accomplishing the same. In certain example embodiments, infrared (IR) heating elements are controllable to emit IR radiation at a peak wavelength in the near infrared (NIR) and/or short wave infrared (SWIR) band(s), and the peak wavelength may be varied by adjusting the voltage applied to the IR heating elements. The peak wavelength may be selected so as to preferentially heat the frit material used to form a VIG edge seal while reducing the amount of heat provided to substrates of the VIG unit. In certain example embodiments, the substrates of the VIG unit do not reach a temperature of 325 degrees C. for more than 1 minute.

Certain example embodiments relate to vacuum insulating glass units having edge seals based on solder alloys that, when reactively reflowed, wet metallic coatings pre-coated on the glass substrates' perimeters, and/or associated methods. The alloys may be based on materials that form a seal at temperatures that will not de-temper glass and/or decompose a laminate, and/or remain hermetic and lack porous structures in their bulks. Example alloys may be based on inter-metallics of Sn and one or more additional materials selected from post-transition metals or metalloids; Zintl anions (e.g., In, Bi, etc.) from Group 13, 14, 15 or 16; and transition metals (e.g., Cu, Ag, Ni, etc.); and excludes Pb. Thin film coatings in certain example embodiments work with the solder material to form robust and durable hermetic interfaces. Because low temperatures are used, certain example embodiments can use compliant and visco-elastic spacer technology based on lamellar structures and/or the like.

This glass bonding material (21) is made of a cladding material (1) in which at least a first layer (11) made of an Al-based alloy and configured to be bonded to glass and a second layer (12) made of an Fe—Ni based alloy having a thermal expansion coefficient from 30° C. to 400° C. of 11.5×10.sup.−6 (K.sup.−1) or less are bonded.

The present invention relates to a glass, in particular a glass for the joining of glass panes for the production of vacuum insulating glasses at processing temperatures ≦420° C., to the corresponding composite glass, and to the corresponding glass paste. Moreover, the present invention relates to a vacuum insulating glass produced using the glass paste according to the invention, to the production process thereof, and to the use of the inventive glass and/or composite glass, and glass paste. The glass according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises the following components, in units of mol-%: V.sub.2O.sub.5 5-58 mol-%,Te0.sub.2 40-90 mol-%, and at least one oxide selected from ZnO 38-52 mol-%, or Al.sub.2O.sub.3 1-25 mol %, or MoO.sub.3 1-10 mol-%, or WO.sub.3 1-10 mol-%, or a combination thereof.

Methods of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) window unit, including edge sealing techniques relating to the same, are provided. Certain example embodiments relate to providing an infrared (IR) absorbing element(s) such as a clip or clamp proximate an edge portion of a VIG assembly during formation of an edge seal. The IR absorbing element(s) absorb applied IR radiation and heat up during an edge seal formation process. Because the IR absorbing element(s) is/are thermally conductive and in contact with at least one of the glass substrates the element(s) causes/cause heat to be transferred from the element(s) to the adjacent glass substrate(s) and to the adjacent edge seal material thereby helping the edge seal material to heat up faster during the edge seal formation process and keeping other areas of glass at lower temperatures.

A glass panel unit assembly includes a pair of glass substrates arranged to face each other, a peripheral wall, a partition, an air passage, and an evacuation port. The peripheral wall has a frame shape and is provided between the pair of glass substrates. The partition partitions an internal space, surrounded with the pair of glass substrates and the peripheral wall, into a first space and a second space. The air passage connects the first space and the second space together. The evacuation port connects the second space to an external environment. The partition has a broader width than the peripheral wall.