EA040088B1 - ASYMMETRIC SAFETY VACUUM INSULATION GLAZING UNIT - Google Patents

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The present invention relates to a vacuum insulating glazing unit in which the glass panels are of different thicknesses and the thinner glass panel is additionally laminated.

Prerequisites for the creation of the invention

Vacuum insulating glazing units are recommended due to their high performance thermal insulation. A vacuum insulating glazing unit typically consists of at least two glass panels separated by an interior space in which a vacuum has been created. In general, in order to achieve high performance thermal insulation (heat transfer coefficient U is U<1.2 W/m ² K), the absolute pressure inside the glazing unit is usually 0.1 mbar or less, and usually at least one of the two glass panels is covered with low emission layer. To obtain such a pressure inside the glazing unit, a hermetically connecting seal is placed on the periphery of two glass panels, and a vacuum is created inside the glazing unit using a pump. To prevent indentation into the glazing unit under atmospheric pressure (due to the difference in pressure inside and outside the glazing unit), separate spacers are placed between two glass panels.

The modern vacuum insulated glazing unit is designed asymmetrically so that one glass panel is thicker than the other glass panel to improve mechanical performance. Indeed, JP 2001316137 describes the configuration of an asymmetric vacuum insulating glazing unit, wherein the inner glass panel located on the inside is thicker than the outer glass panel in order to prevent deformation or distortion from occurring even if the glass panels are exposed to strong sunlight. JP 2001316138 describes an opposite VIG design in which the outer glass panel located on the outside is thicker than the inner glass panel to improve impact resistance and acoustics.

In addition to the mechanical performance, the vacuum insulating glazing unit must comply with the safety requirements in accordance with the European standard EN12600 (ICS 81.040.20; 91.100.99 of November 2002).

EP 1544180 discloses a vacuum insulating glazing unit in which one of the glass plates has an outer surface bonded to the plate-shaped element by an adhesive layer to minimize distortion of reflected images while maintaining a low heat transfer coefficient.

In addition, natural lighting in interior spaces, in particular buildings, is critical to creating a pleasant and healthy environment for people. Daylight is the most interesting source of such lighting, and it is important that building envelopes have some transparent parts to let this light into the interior of the building. Therefore, there is a tendency in the market to increase the size of windows and transparent doors, while high mechanical performance is required. Therefore, there is a need to increase the size of vacuum insulating glazing units. In order to maintain such large dimensions, it is necessary to limit the overall thickness of the vacuum insulating glazing unit. In addition, renovations of older buildings often require new glazing to fit into existing openings, which usually provide less space. In such circumstances, it is also necessary to limit the overall thickness of the vacuum insulating glazing unit.

None of the solutions in the art solves the technical challenge of providing vacuum insulating glazing units with high mechanical performance that are successfully tested for safety requirements and can be designed with a minimum overall thickness.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum insulating glazing unit extending along a plane P formed by a longitudinal axis X and a vertical axis Z, comprising:

a) a first glass panel having a thickness Z1 and a second glass panel having a thickness Z2, the thicknesses being measured in the direction normal to the plane P and Z1 being greater than Z2 (Z1>Z2). The ratio of the thicknesses Z1/Z2, ie the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 to the thickness of the second glass panel Z2, is equal to or greater than 1.10 (Z1/Z2>1.10). The thickness of the first glass panel Z1 is equal to or greater than 6mm, (Z1>6mm);

b) a set of separate spacers (3) located between the first and second glass panels, maintaining the distance between the first and second glass panels;

c) a hermetically connecting seal (4) sealing the distance between the first and second glass panels along their perimeter;

d) the internal volume V, formed by the first and second glass panels and a set of separate spacers and closed by a hermetically connecting seal, and there is an absolute vacuum

- 1 040088 cuum with pressure less than 0.1 mbar.

The second glass panel has an inner surface (22) of the panel and an outer surface (23) of the panel. The outer surface (23) of the panel of the second glass panel (2) is layered on at least one glass sheet (5) by means of at least one intermediate polymer layer (6), forming a multilayer assembly, with at least one glass sheet having a thickness Zs equal to or greater than 0.5 mm (Zs>0.5 mm), while the thickness is measured in the direction normal to the plane P.

The present invention further relates to a partition separating an outside space from an inside space. Said partition comprises an opening closed by a vacuum insulating glazing unit according to the present invention, preferably with the first glass panel facing the outside. The present invention further relates to the use of a vacuum insulating glazing unit according to the present invention for closing the opening of such a partition.

Other aspects and advantages of the embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example the principles of the described embodiments.

Brief description of graphic materials

The drawing shows a cross-sectional view of an asymmetric vacuum insulating glazing unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vacuum insulating glazing unit (hereinafter referred to as VIG) that exhibits high mechanical performance, meets safety requirements, and can be made with a minimum overall thickness while still providing large dimensions.

The present invention relates to a vacuum insulating glazing unit typically comprising a first glass panel and a second glass panel connected to each other by means of a set of separate spacers that hold said panels at a certain distance from each other, typically in the range of 50 to 1000 µm, preferably from 500 to 500 µm, more preferably from 50 to 150 µm, and between said glass panels, the inner space contains at least one first cavity in which there is a vacuum with an absolute pressure of less than 0.1 mbar, said space being closed by a peripheral hermetically connecting seal, placed on the periphery of the glass panels around the specified interior space.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum insulating glazing unit (10) extends along a plane P formed by the longitudinal axis X and the vertical axis Z. The asymmetric VIG according to the present invention comprises:

a) a first glass panel (1) having a thickness Z1 and a second glass panel (2) having a thickness Z2, the thicknesses being measured in the direction normal to the plane P. The second glass panel has an inner surface (22) of the panel and an outer surface ( 23) panels. The outer surface of the panel of the second panel is additionally layered on at least one glass sheet (5) by means of at least one intermediate polymer layer (6), forming a multilayer assembly;

b) a set of separate spacers (3) located between the first and second glass panels and maintaining the distance between the first and second glass panels;

c) a hermetically connecting seal (4) sealing the distance between the first and second glass panels along their perimeter;

d) an internal volume V formed by the first and second glass panels and a set of separate spacers and closed with a hermetically bonding seal, and there is a vacuum with an absolute pressure of less than 0.1 mbar.

In VIG, the first glass panel has an inner surface (12) of the panel and an outer surface (13) of the panel. The second glass panel has an inner surface (22) of the panel and an outer surface (23) of the panel. The inner surfaces of the panels face the inner volume V of the asymmetric VIG. The outer surfaces of the panels face the outside of the VTG. Along with this, at least one sheet of glass has an inner surface of the sheet and an outer surface of the sheet, with the inner surface of the sheet facing the glass panel on which it is laminated, and the outer surface of the sheet facing the outer part of the VIG.

In the present invention, Z1 is larger than Z2 (Z1>Z2), so the thickness ratio Z1/Z2 for the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 and the thickness of the second glass panel Z2 is equal to or greater than 1.10 (Z1/Z2>1.10). In a preferred embodiment, the thickness ratio Z1/Z2 is equal to or greater than 1.30 (Z1/Z2>1.30), preferably equal to or greater than 1.55 (Z1/Z2>1.55), more preferably 1.60 to 6.00 (1.60<Z1/Z2<6.00), ideally between 2.00 and 4.00 (2.00<Z1/Z2<4.00). Surprisingly, it has been found that the higher the Z1/Z2 ratio, the better in terms of achieving high mechanical performance. Deformation or curvature may be

- 2 040088 are damaged even if the surfaces of the glass panels are subjected to severe temperature differences between the indoor and outdoor environments.

In the present invention, the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 of the asymmetric VIG is equal to or greater than 6 mm (Z1>6 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 7 mm (Z1>7 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 8 mm (Z1>8 mm). Typically, the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 is at most 12 mm, preferably at most 10 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the second glass panel Z2 of the asymmetrical VIG is equal to or greater than 1 mm (Z2>1 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 2 mm (Z2>2 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 3 mm (Z2>3 mm). Typically, the thickness of the second glass panel Z2 does not exceed 10 mm, preferably does not exceed 8 mm. However, in order to improve mechanical resistance and to minimize the overall thickness of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention, it is preferable to keep the thickness of the second panel Z2 to a minimum.

In the present invention, the outer surface of the panel of the second glass panel (23) is additionally layered on at least one glass sheet (5) by at least one intermediate polymer layer (6), forming a multilayer assembly. Said glass sheet has a thickness Zs equal to or greater than 0.5 mm (Zs>0.5 mm). The thickness is measured in the direction normal to the P plane.

The present invention is based on the unexpected finding that the asymmetric VIG of the present invention provides high mechanical performance, meets safety requirements while minimizing the overall thickness of the VIG. The total VIG thickness is obtained by adding the thicknesses of the first glass panel, the second glass panel, all additional glass sheets and all intermediate polymer layers. In the table below. 1 shows a safe asymmetrical VIG with a smaller overall thickness than its corresponding safe symmetrical VIG.

Table 1

Symmetric VIG (comparative example) Asymmetric VIG (in the present invention) First glass panel sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 6 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 6 mm Second glass panel sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z2 = 6 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 3 mm thermoplastic intermediate layer 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral Additional sheet of glass sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm Total thickness 14.76 mm 11.76 mm

As can be understood from the above table, the total thickness of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention is 11.76 mm, while the total thickness of the corresponding symmetrical VIG reaches 14.76 mm. Minimizing the overall thickness of the VIG is very useful in reconstruction and for adjusting the dimensions of large VIGs.

Glass panels and sheets

The first glass panel, the second glass panel, and at least one of the glass sheets according to the present invention may be selected from clear float glass, extra clear glass, or colored glass. The term glass in this document refers to any type of glass or equivalent transparent material such as mineral glass or organic glass. The mineral glass used may independently be one or more known types of glass such as soda lime silicate, aluminosilicate or

- 3 040088 borosilicate, crystalline and polycrystalline glass. The glass panels and/or glass sheet(s) may be produced by a float process, a drawing process, a rolling process, or any other known process for making a glass panel, starting from a molten glass composition. The glass panels and/or glass sheet(s) may optionally have ground edges. Edge grinding turns sharp edges into smooth edges, which are much safer for people who may come into contact with the glazing vacuum insulating block, in particular the glazing edge. Preferably, the glass panels and/or glass sheet(s) according to the present invention are made of soda lime silicate glass, aluminosilicate glass or borosilicate glass. Preferably the glass panels are panels made from soda lime silicate glass and at least one sheet of glass is made from aluminosilicate glass. More preferably, and due to lower manufacturing costs, the glass panels are panels made from soda lime silicate glass, and the glass sheet(s) of the present invention are made from soda lime silicate glass.

In a preferred embodiment, to maintain high mechanical performance and/or to further increase the safety of the VIG, the first glass panel and/or one or more of the at least one sheet of glass may be tempered glass. Tempered glass refers to heat-strengthened glass, thermally toughened impact-resistant glass, or chemically toughened glass. When one glass sheet is a sheet of tempered glass, it is preferred that such glass sheet has a thickness equal to or less than 2 mm (Zs < 2 mm) and is preferably laminated to the outer surface (22) of the second glass panel of the asymmetric VIG.

Heat-strengthened glass is heat treated using a controlled heating and cooling process in which the outer glass surfaces are subjected to compression and the inner glass surface to tensile stress. This heat treatment method provides a glass with a bending strength greater than annealed glass but less than thermally toughened impact glass.

Thermally toughened impact resistant glass is heat treated using a controlled heating and cooling process in which the outer glass surface is subjected to compression and the inner glass surface to tensile stress. Such stresses cause the glass, when impacted, to break into small particles in the form of granules instead of shattering into sharp fragments. Granular particles are less likely to injure people or damage objects.

Chemical hardening of a glass product is a heat-induced ion exchange, consisting in the replacement of small alkaline sodium ions in the surface layer of glass with larger ions, such as alkaline potassium ions. An increase in surface compressive stress occurs in glass as larger ions are introduced into small areas previously occupied by sodium ions. Such chemical treatment is usually carried out by immersing the glass in a bath of ion-exchange melt containing one or more molten salts with larger ions, under precise control of temperature and time. Aluminosilicate-type glass compositions, such as those derived from Asahi Glass Co.'s DragonTrail® product line, Corning Inc.'s Gorilla® product line, for example, are also known for high chemical tempering efficiency.

Preferably, the composition for the first and second glass panels and/or at least one sheet of asymmetric VIG glass according to the present invention contains the following components in weight percent, expressed relative to the total weight of the glass (comparison A). More preferably, the glass composition (comparison B) is a soda-lime-silicate glass type with a basic glass matrix composition containing the following components in weight percent, expressed relative to the total weight of the glass.____________________________________________

Comp. A Comp. IN SiO2 40-78% 60-78%

- 4 040088

A12OZ 0-18% 0-8 preferably weight.% wt.%, 0-6 B2OS 0-18% 0-4 preferably weight.% wt%, 0-1 Na2O 0-20% 5-20 preferably weight.% wt.%, 10-20 CaO 0-15% 0-15 preferably weight.% wt.%, 5-15 MgO 0-10% 0-10 preferably weight.% wt.%, 0-8 K2O 0-10% 0-10 wt% VAO 0-5% 0-5 preferably wt%. wt%, 0-1

Another preferred glass composition for the first and second glass panels and/or at least one sheet of glass of the asymmetric VIG block according to the present invention contains the following components in weight percent, expressed relative to the total weight of the glass:

Comp. WITH Comp. D Comp. E 65 < SiO2 < 78 wt% 60 < SiO2 < 78% 65 < SiO2 < 78 wt% 5 < Na2O < 20 wt% 5 < Na2O < 20% 5 < Na2O < 20 wt% 0 < K2O < 5 wt.% 0.9 < K2O < 12% 1 < K2O < 8 wt.% 1 < A123 < 6 wt.%, preferably 3 < A123 <5% 4.9 < A12OZ < 8% 1 < A123 < 6 wt.% 0 < CaO < 4.5 wt% 0.4 < CaO < 2% 2 < CaO <10 wt% 4 < MgO <12 wt% 4 < MgO < 12% 0 < MgO < 8 wt.% (MgO/(MgO+CaO)) > 0.5, preferably 0.88 < [MgO/(MgO+CaO)] < 1. K2O/(K2O+Na2O): 0.1-0.7.

In particular, composition examples for a base glass matrix according to the present invention are described in PCT patent application publications WO 2015/150207A1, WO2015/150403A1, WO 2016/091672A1, WO 2016/169823A1 and WO 2018/001965 A1.

The glass panels may have the same dimensions or different dimensions and thus form a stepped VIG. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second glass panels comprise first and second peripheral edges, respectively, wherein the first peripheral edges are recessed relative to the second peripheral edges, or where the second peripheral edges are recessed relative to the first peripheral edges. The peripheral edges of at least one sheet (5) of glass are aligned with the peripheral edges of the stack

- 5 040088 sheet panel on which it is layered. This configuration increases the strength of the hermetically sealing seal.

Multi-layer assembly

The multilayer assembly in the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention may contain from 1 to 4 additional sheets of glass and corresponding additional layers of the intermediate polymer layer. However, in order to minimize the overall thickness of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention, it is preferable to laminate 1 to 2 sheets of glass, preferably only 1 sheet of glass, to the outer surface of the second glass panel.

Said glass sheet has a thickness Zs equal to or greater than 0.5 mm (Zs>0.5 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 1 mm (Zs>1 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 2 mm (Zs>2 mm), even more preferably equal to or greater than 3 mm (Zs>3 mm). Typically, the thickness of the glass sheet Zs is at most 8 mm, preferably at most 6 mm. The thicknesses are measured in the direction normal to the P plane.

The intermediate polymer layer to be used in the present invention typically contains a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyisobutylene (PIB), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyesters, copolyesters, polyacetals , cycloolefin polymers (COP), ionomer and/or UV-activated adhesive and other materials known in the art of laminated glass. Mixed materials using any compatible combination of these materials may also be suitable. In a preferred embodiment, at least the intermediate polymeric layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate and/or polyvinyl butyral, more preferably polyvinyl butyral. The intermediate resin layer is also referred to as the bonding intermediate layer because the intermediate resin layer and the glass panel form a bond that allows the glass panel and the intermediate resin layer to adhere.

In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate polymeric layer to be used in the present invention is a transparent or translucent intermediate polymeric layer. However, for decorative applications, the intermediate polymeric layer may be dyed or patterned.

Typical thicknesses (measured in the direction normal to plane P) for at least one intermediate polymeric layer are 0.3 to 3.5 mm, preferably 0.75 to 1.75 mm. Commercially available intermediate polymer layers are polyvinyl butyral (PVB) layers with thicknesses of 0.38 and 0.76 mm, 1.52, 2.28 and 3.04 mm. One or more of these films may be used to achieve the desired thickness.

Polyvinyl butyral intermediate polymer layers are preferably used to form the multilayer assembly in the VTG according to the present invention. Polyvinyl butyral (or PVB) is a resin known for applications requiring strong bonding, optical clarity, multi-surface adhesion, strength and flexibility. It is made from polyvinyl alcohol by reaction with butyraldehyde. Trade names for PVB films include KB PVB, Saflex, GlasNovations, WINLITE, S-Lec, Trosifol and EVERLAM. The binding process takes place under heat and pressure, it is also called the autoclave process, which is well known in the art. When layered under these conditions, the PVB interlayer becomes optically clear and bonds the two glass panels together. After compaction relative to each other, the multilayer element is one piece and looks like ordinary glass. The PVB intermediate polymer layer is strong and ductile so that brittle cracks do not propagate from one side of the laminate to the other.

Another process known from the prior art, which is preferred for the present invention, is the manufacture of laminated glass without the use of an autoclave. As the name suggests, this process does not involve the use of an autoclave for layering. Only the so-called vacuum bagging process is required.

This process reduces energy costs, but there is a disadvantage in limiting the types and thicknesses of the intermediate polymer layer. In a furnace without an autoclave, EVA and specialized PVB laminated glass are preferably formed. In this case, to achieve the required thickness and safety requirements, one or more intermediate polymer layers made without the use of an autoclave can be used.

The intermediate polymer layer used in the multilayer assembly according to the present invention contributes to the safety of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention as follows: firstly, the intermediate polymer layer distributes impact forces over a larger area of the glass panels, thus increasing the impact resistance of the glass; secondly, the intermediate polymer layer binds the resulting fragments if the glass eventually breaks; thirdly, the intermediate polymer layer undergoes plastic deformation upon impact and due to static loads after impact, absorbing energy and reducing the penetration of

- 6 040088 acting object, as well as reducing the impact energy transmitted to the acting object.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first glass panel may also be further laminated to at least one sheet of glass with at least one intermediate polymeric layer, forming a multilayer assembly. In this embodiment, the at least one sheet of glass typically has a thickness Zs2 not greater than the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 (Zs2<Z1). All of the embodiments and preferred technical features of the glass sheet and intermediate polymer layer described above with respect to the second glass panel apply, as appropriate, to the laminated assembly of the first glass panel.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the outer surface (11) of the first glass panel is provided with at least one anti-shatter polymer film, preferably a polyester anti-shatter polymer film. In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the first glass panel is made of borosilicate glass, soda lime silicate glass or aluminosilicate glass, more preferably soda lime silicate glass. Preferably, such an asymmetric VIG is used to cover the opening of the partition, whereby the first panel faces the outside.

A suitable anti-shatter polymer film for use in the present invention has a high modulus, excellent tear strength, and excellent tack directly to glass. Thus, a suitable intermediate polymer layer material or blend should have a Young's modulus of at least 50 MPa at a temperature not exceeding 40°C. This may be useful for changing the thickness of the anti-shatter polymer film in order to improve, for example, tear strength. Typical thicknesses (measured in the direction normal to plane P) for anti-shatter polymer film are at least 1.0 mm, preferably at least 1.25 mm. The anti-shatter polymer film is usually self-adhesive directly to the outer surface of the first glass panel. The term self-adhesive means that no polymeric film/glass surface is required, and thus possibly no intermediate layers of adhesives and/or pre-treatment of the glass surface to obtain a bond suitable for use as safety glass. A suitable polyester anti-splinter polymer film, which is advantageous in the practice of the present invention, can be purchased from the market, for example, from E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company under the trade name SentryGlass®. It has been found that the first glass panel provided with such an anti-splinter resin film exhibits excellent durability, impact resistance, toughness, and resistance to cuts caused by glass when glass is broken. Therefore, this VIG configuration is particularly useful for architectural applications in buildings exposed to hurricanes and storms.

Partition

The asymmetric VTG according to the present invention is generally used to cover an opening in a partition such as general purpose glazing units, building wall, automotive glazing units or architectural glazing units, electrical appliances and the like. This partition separates the external space from the internal space, usually the partition separates the external space from the internal space of the building. In a preferred embodiment, the asymmetric VTG according to the present invention closes the opening of the partition separating the outer space from the inner space, whereby the first glass panel of the asymmetric VIG faces the outer space. Indeed, it has been found that in order to maximize the technical advantages of the asymmetric VG according to the present invention, a first glass panel having a thickness equal to or greater than 6 mm may be suitable for passing the safety test and helps to limit the overall thickness of the asymmetric VIG unit.

The present invention also relates to the use of an asymmetric vacuum insulating glazing unit, as described above, to close the opening of a partition separating the outside from the inside, with the first glass panel facing the outside.

In some embodiments of the present invention, films such as low emissivity films, solar control films (heat reflective films), antireflection films, antifog films, preferably a heat reflective film or low emissivity film, may be provided on at least one of the interior surfaces (12, 22) of the panel and/or outer surfaces (13, 23) of the panel of the first and/or second float glass panel (1, 2) of the vacuum insulating glazing unit (10). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the drawing, the inner surfaces (22) of the second asymmetric VIG float glass panels (2) are provided with a heat ray reflective film or low emission

- 7 040088 film (7). Preferably, when using an asymmetric VIG to close the opening of the partition, whereby the first panel faces the outside, the inner surfaces (22) of the second glass panel (2) of the vacuum insulating glazing unit (10) are provided with a heat ray reflective film or a low-emissivity film.

Reinforced soundproofing with acoustic laminated glass can also be used in the present invention. In this case, the intermediate polymer layer contains at least one additional acoustic material placed between two polyvinyl butyral films.

Glass panels with electrochromic, thermochromic, photochromic or photovoltaic cells are also compatible with the present invention.

Laminated insulating glazing

In another embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is also applicable to any type of glazing unit comprising glass panels (two, three or more) linking insulating or non-insulating internal spaces (also referred to as laminated glazing units), provided that a partial vacuum is applied in at least one of these interior spaces. Therefore, in one embodiment, in order to improve the mechanical performance of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention, the third additional glass panel can be connected to at least one of the outer surfaces (13 and/or 23) of the first and second glass panels along the periphery of the VIG by means of a peripheral spacer, also known as a separation window profile, creating an insulating cavity sealed with an edge seal. The specified peripheral spacer frame maintains a specific distance between the third glass section and at least one of the outer surface of the panel of one of the first and second glass panels. Typically said spacer contains a moisture absorber and typically has a thickness in the range of 6 to 20 mm, preferably 9 to 15 mm. In general, said second internal volume is filled with a predetermined gas selected from the group consisting of air, dry air, argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. Said target gas is effective in preventing heat transfer and/or may be used to reduce sound transmission.

Spacers

As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum insulating glazing unit according to the present invention comprises several separate spacers (3), also called studs, located between the first and second glass panels (1, 2) to maintain the internal volume V. According to the present invention, individual spacers are located between the first and second glass panels. panels, keeping the distance between the first and second glass panels and forming an array with a pitch X of 10 to 100 mm (10 mm<λ<100 mm). Pitch refers to the spacing between the individual spacers. In a preferred embodiment, the pitch is 20 to 80 mm (20 mm<λ<80 mm), more preferably 20 to 50 mm (20 mm<λ<50 mm). The array in the present invention is usually a uniform array based on an equilateral triangle, square or hexagon pattern, preferably based on a square pattern.

The individual spacers may have different shapes, such as cylindrical, spherical, thread-like, hourglass-shaped, C-shaped, cruciform, prismatic, and so on. It is preferable to use small racks, i.e. posts having a common contact surface with the glass section formed by their outer circumference equal to or less than 5 mm ² , preferably equal to or less than 3 mm ² , more preferably equal to or less than 1 mm ² . These values can provide good mechanical stability while remaining aesthetically abstract. The individual spacers are typically made of a material having strength capable of withstanding the pressure exerted by the surfaces of the glass panels, capable of withstanding a high temperature process such as annealing and heat curing, and slightly outgassing after the glass panel is manufactured. Such a material is preferably a hard metal material, a quartz glass or a ceramic material, in particular a metal material such as iron, tungsten, nickel, chromium, titanium, molybdenum, carbon steel, chromium steel, nickel steel, stainless steel, nickel-chromium steel, manganese steel, chromium-manganese steel, chromium-molybdenum steel, silicon steel, nichrome, duralumin and the like, or a ceramic material such as corundum, alumina, mullite, magnesia, yttrium oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride and the like.

Hermetically sealing seal

As shown in the drawing, the internal volume V, limited between the glass panels (1, 2) of the vacuum insulating glazing unit (10) according to the present invention, is closed by a hermetically connecting seal (4) placed on the periphery of the glass panels around the said internal space. Said hermetically bonding seal is impermeable and solid. In the present description, unless otherwise indicated, the term impervious means

- 8 040088 It is impervious to air or any other gas present in the atmosphere.

There are various technologies for hermetically bonding sealing. The first type of seal (the most common) is a glass solder seal, which has a melting point lower than that of the glass panes of the glazing unit. The use of this type of seal limits the selection of low emissivity layers to those that do not decompose during the thermal cycle required for the glass solder application, i.e. those that are able to withstand temperatures that can reach 250°C. Additionally, since this type of seal based on glass solder can only be deformed to a small extent, it prevents the effects of relative expansion between the glass panel on the inside of the glazing unit and the glass panel on the outside of the glazing unit when these panels are subjected to a large absorption temperature difference. Consequently, sufficiently significant stresses are generated at the periphery of the glazing unit, and this can lead to the destruction of the glass panels of the glazing unit.

The second type of seal is a metal seal, such as a thin metal strip (<500 µm), soldered around the periphery of the glazing unit with a primer coated at least partially with a layer of solderable material, such as soft solder. One significant advantage of this second type of seal over the first type of seal is that it is able to partially deform to partially absorb the relative expansion created between the two glass panels. There are different types of undercoats on glass panel.

Patent application WO 2011/061208 A1 describes one exemplary embodiment of a second type of peripheral tight seal for a vacuum insulating glazing unit. In this embodiment, the seal is a metal strip, for example made of copper, which is soldered by means of a solderable material to an adhesive tape provided on the periphery of the glass panels.

Internal volume

A vacuum with an absolute pressure of less than 0.1 mbar, preferably less than 0.01 mbar, is created in the internal volume V, formed by the first and second glass panels and a set of separate spacers, and is closed by a hermetically connecting seal inside the asymmetric VIG of the present invention.

The internal volume of the asymmetric VIG according to the present invention may contain a gas, for example, but not exclusively, air, dry air, argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), carbon dioxide, or a combination thereof. The transfer of energy through an insulating panel having this conventional structure is reduced due to the presence of gas in the interior relative to the single glass glass panel.

Any gas can also be evacuated from the internal volume, thereby creating a vacuum glazing unit. The transfer of energy through an insulating vacuum insulated glazing unit is greatly reduced by the vacuum. To create a vacuum in the interior of the glazing unit, a hollow glass tube is usually provided on the main surface of one of the glass panels to provide communication between the interior and the exterior. Thus, a partial vacuum is generated in the interior by pumping out the gases in the interior with a pump connected to the outer end of the glass tube.

To maintain a predetermined vacuum level in the vacuum insulating glazing unit for a certain time, the getter can be used in the glazing unit. In particular, the inner surfaces of the glass panels constituting the glazing unit may release, over time, the gases previously absorbed by the glass, thereby increasing the internal pressure in the vacuum insulating glazing panel and thus reducing the vacuum performance. In general, such a getter is made of alloys of zirconium, vanadium, iron, cobalt, aluminum, etc. and is applied as a thin layer (several microns thick) or made as a bar placed between the glass panels of the glazing panel so that it is not visible (for example, hidden by outer enamel or part of a peripheral impermeable seal). The getter forms a passivation layer on its surface at room temperature, and therefore it must be heated to remove the passivation layer and thus activate the getter properties of its alloy. The getter is considered to be heat activated.

Examples

Examples 1 and 2 show different embodiments of an asymmetric VTG according to the present invention, demonstrating high mechanical performance to meet safety requirements while minimizing 5 the overall thickness of the VIG configuration.

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Example 1 Example 2 First glass panel sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 8 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 6 mm Second glass panel sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z2 = 4 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z1 = 3 mm Intermediate polymer layer 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral Additional sheet of glass sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm Total thickness 14.76 mm 11.76 mm

Examples 3 and 4 show different embodiments of an asymmetric VTG according to the present invention, demonstrating high mechanical performance, meeting improved safety requirements, while minimizing the overall thickness of the VIG configuration. ___________________________________________________

Example 3 Example 4 First glass panel hardened sodium- calcium silicate glass Z1 = 6 mm sodium silicate glass Zl= 6 mm Coating on the outer surface (12) panels No shatterproof layer, supplier's SentryGlass = 1.25 mm Second glass panel sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z2 = 3 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Z2 = 3 mm Intermediate polymer layer 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral 0.76 mm polyvinyl butyral Additional sheet of glass sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm sodium-calcium- silicate glass Zs = 2 mm Total thickness 11.76 mm 13.01 mm

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Reference position Component 10 Vacuum insulating glazing 1 First glass panel 12 Inner surface of the first glass panel 13 The outer surface of the first glass panel 2 Second glass panel 22 Inner surface of the second glass panel 23 The outer surface of the second glass panel 3 Separate spacer 4 Hermetically sealing seal 5 glass sheet 6 Intermediate polymer layer 7 Thermal reflective film or low-emissivity film V Internal volume

CLAIM

Claims (13)

1. Vacuum insulating glazing block (10) extending along the plane P formed by the longitudinal axis X and the vertical axis Z, and containing: a) a first glass panel (1) having a thickness Z1 and a second glass panel (2) having a thickness Z2 and having an inner surface (21) of the panel and an outer surface (22) of the panel, the thicknesses being measured in the direction normal to the plane P; b) a set of separate spacers (3) located between the first and second glass panels, maintaining the distance between the first and second glass panels; c) a hermetically connecting seal (4) sealing the distance between the first and second glass panels along their perimeter; d) an internal volume V formed by a first and a second glass panel and a set of separate spacers and closed with a hermetically bonding seal, while there is an absolute vacuum of less than 0.1 mbar and the internal surface of the panel faces the internal volume V; characterized in that the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 is equal to or greater than 6 mm (Z1>6 mm), while the ratio of thicknesses Z1/Z2, that is, the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 to the thickness of the second glass panel Z2, is equal to or greater than 1.10 ( Z1/Z2>1.10), while the outer surface (22) of the second glass panel (2) is layered on at least one glass sheet (5) by means of at least one intermediate polymer layer (6), forming a multilayer assembly, wherein at least one sheet of glass has a thickness Zs equal to or greater than 0.5 mm (Zs>0.5 mm), the thickness being measured in the direction normal to the plane P. 2. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the thickness of at least one sheet of glass is equal to or greater than 1 mm (Zs > 1 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 2 mm (Zs > 2 mm), more preferably equal to or more than 3 mm (Zs>3 mm). 3. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness ratio Z1/Z2 is equal to or greater than 1.30 (Z1/Z2>1.30), preferably equal to or greater than 1.55 (Z1/Z2>1 .55), more preferably 1.60 to 6.00 (1.60<Z1/Z2<6.00), even more preferably 2.00 to 4.00 (2.00<Z1/Z2< 4.00). 4. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the second glass panel Z2 is equal to or greater than 1 mm (Z2>1 mm), preferably equal to or greater than 2 mm (Z2>2 mm), more preferably equal to or more than 3 mm (Z2>3 mm). 5. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the first glass panel Z1 is equal to or greater than 7 mm (Z1>7 mm), more preferably equal to or greater than 8 mm (Z1>8 mm). 6. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one intermediate polymer layer contains a material selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, polyisobutylene, polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane, polyvinyl chlorides, polyesters, copolyesters, polyacetals, cycloolefin polymers , an ionomer, an ultraviolet activated adhesive and/or combinations thereof, preferably selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate and/or polyvinyl butyral, more preferably polyvinyl butyral. 7. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness, measured in the direction normal to the plane P, of at least one intermediate polymer layer is from 0.3 to 3.5 mm, preferably from 0.75 up to 1.75 mm. 8. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the set of individual spacers forms an array having a pitch of 10 to 100 mm, preferably 20 to 80 mm and more preferably 20 to 50 mm. 9. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second glass panels have an inner surface (12, 22) of the panel, respectively, and an outer surface (13, 23) of the panel, respectively, while the inner surfaces of the panel face the inner volume V and at the same time at least one of the inner surfaces (12, 22) and/or outer surfaces (13, 23) is provided with at least a film that reflects heat rays or a low-emissivity film (7). 10. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first glass panel is a tempered glass panel. I. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of pi. 1-9, characterized in that the outer surface of the first glass panel (13) is layered on at least one glass sheet by means of at least one intermediate polymer layer, forming a multilayer assembly, wherein at least one glass sheet has a thickness Zs2 equal to or less than the thickness of the first panel Z1 (Zs2<Zl). - 11 040088 12. Vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of pi. 1-9, characterized in that the outer surface of the first glass panel (13) is provided with at least one anti-shatter polymer film, preferably a polyester anti-shatter polymer film. 13. A partition forming an outer space and an inner space, said partition comprising an opening closed by a vacuum insulating glazing unit according to any one of the preceding claims, with the first glass panel facing the outer space.