摘要 |
A thermally insulating glass panel comprising two spaced-apart sheets of glass [10,11] enclosing a low pressure space [30] and interconnected by a glass solder edge seal [13] and an array of support pillars [12]; characterized in that the glass sheets [10,11] are sized or configured, or bath, such that their edges [14,16] are not in registration , and, at any point around the periphery of the panel, the edge [14] of one of the sheets extends beyond the edge of the other in order to provide a peripheral stepped cavity in which solder glass material for forming the edge seal is deposited prior to being melted and fused. A method of forming the edge seal [13] for a thermally insulating glass panel comprising two spaced apart sheets of glass [10,11] enclosing a low pressure space [30] interconnected by a glass solder edge seal [13] and an array of pillars [12], the method characterized in that it includes the steps of (a) preparing first and second sheets of glass [10,11] such that when they are brought together their edges [14,16] are not in registration, and at any point around the periphery of the panel the edge [14] of one of the sheets of glass extends beyond the edge of the other; (b) depositing a strip of solder glass around the periphery of the panel on the extending edges of the glass sheets; (c)heating the panel to melt the solder glass such that it runs between the glass sheets; and (d) cooling the panel to solidify the solder glass. |