Wing-up light-directing slat, method of production, application, and sun protection system

• US 10,107,031 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helmut Koester
• Original Assignee: Helmut Koester
• Inventors: Koester, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Darryl J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deherrera, Kristina
• Application Number:
  US14/652,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20150315841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,776 Days
• Field of Search: 359613, 359301-602
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2643 Screens between double windows
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/264 Combinations of lamellar blinds with roller shutters, screen windows, windows, or double panes; Lamellar blinds with special devices
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/386 Details of lamellae
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/40 Roller blinds usable only as awnings E04F10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2207/123 Optical louvre elements, e.g. for directional light blocking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/09 Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors , e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors

Abstract

Light guiding slat for a sun protection system, wherein the light guiding slat is made of a band material equipped with a Fresnel reflector made by folding and/or bending the band material whereby the light guiding slat has a total height (G) which is so small that the light guiding slat has a form to be coilable with a coiling radius of 1 m or less without any substantial plastic deformation.

Claims

1. Light guiding slat for a sun protection system, wherein the light guiding slat is made of a band material, has an elongated form with a longitudinal direction, a cross direction and an elevation height setting and is provided for the formation of a Fresnel reflector for light guidance with a plurality of folds, wherein at least two neighbouring fold sides (Ks, K) are folded relative to each other and a fold edge extends between these fold sides (Ks, K) in longitudinal direction of the light guiding slat, characterized in that the folds are substantially made by folding and/or bending of the band material and the light guiding slat has a total height (W) which is so small that the light guiding slat has a form to be coilable with a coiling radius of 1 m or less without any substantial plastic deformation, wherein the light guiding slat comprises a soft-annealed material having an elastic limit greater than 300 N/mm².

2. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that the light guiding slat

a) which has a metallic light reflecting upper side provided for sun irradiation and

b) which has a plurality of parallel folds, wherein

c) the folds have at least one sun side (Ks) provided for sun irradiation at a sun side angle (3) relative to the cross direction of the slat and a shadow side (K) provided for arrangement in the shadow, and

d) a plurality of the angles (13) of the sun sides (Ks) increase in the direction of a shadow longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat which is faced by the shadow sides, and

e) the sun sides (Ks) are made plane and/or, as seen for the upper side of the light guiding slat, convex and/or convex/concavely arched

f) the folds having at least approximately identical and identically oriented contours that are formed in the upper side and in the lower side into the slat

g) in a cross section in the cross direction of the light guiding slat whereof a plurality or all of the fold edges on the upper side and a plurality or all of the fold edges on the upper side and a plurality or all of the fold edges on the under side each are arranged on an upper and a lower assumed parallel straight line or parallel curve, respectively, and

the light guiding slat is produced particularly from a band material having a base material thickness of from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm, preferably a base material thickness of from 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.

3. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one fold edge is at least partly rounded or flattened at its tip so that part of the sun radiation (10) impinging on the rounded or flattened folds may be deflected into an area above the shadow longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat.

4. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the fold contours, particularly all fold contours, are symmetrically formed in a cross section in cross direction of the light guiding slat about a centre axis (y) in elevation height setting so that the light guiding slat is composed in the cross section at least partly and particularly completely of two mirror-inverted slat cross sectional parts (300, 301).

5. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that the light guiding slat is bulged to the upper side along the longitudinal direction of the slat, and particularly the widths in cross section of the folds and particularly of their sun sides and of their shadow sides in a direction decrease starting from the sun longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat to the centre of the slat (3) in cross section.

6. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of point angles (a) between sun sides (Ks) and inherent shadow sides (K) of folds are formed, obtuse-angled, in a partial area (2) of the upper side of the light guiding slat so that a light deflection in the direction of an area above the shadow longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat may be obtained, wherein particularly the folds having an obtuse-angled point angle are arranged in an area about the centre of the slat in cross section or in an area between this centre of the slat and a sun longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat faced by the sun sides of the folds, or in an area between this centre of the slat and the shadow longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat, and/or particularly the point angles (a) amount to about 100-140°

, preferably 120-130°

.

7. Application of light guiding slats in a sun protection system, characterized in that the light guiding slat according to claim 1 is employed, wherein particularly in an upper area of the sun protection system the same type of light guiding slats is employed as in a lower area of the sun protection system, wherein light guiding slats arranged in the lower area have the same alignment in the sun protection system,

wherein a light guiding slat arranged in the upper area in relation to these light guiding slats in the lower area

is arranged, rotated about 180°

about a vertical axis, in the sun protection system for guiding steeply from above inciding light through the sun protection system or

is arranged rotated about 180°

about a horizontal axis so that the side of the light guiding slat which when arranged in the lower part of the sun protection system forms a concave under side, constitutes in the built-in situation in the upper area the upper side which is oriented towards the inciding sun light, wherein the light guiding slat, on basis of the shape of the light guiding slats in the lower area, is formed in butterfly shape with two concave arcs disposed side by side in the upper side of the total form of the light guiding slat, and is used for guiding steeply from above inciding sunlight through the sun protection system.

8. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats,

wherein the light guiding slat is made of a band material, has an elongated form with a longitudinal direction, a cross direction and an elevation height setting and is provided for the formation of a Fresnel reflector for light guidance with a plurality of folds, wherein at least two neighbouring fold sides (Ks, K) are folded relative to each other and a fold edge extends between these fold sides (Ks, K) in longitudinal direction of the light guiding slat, characterized in that the folds are substantially made by folding and/or bending of the band material and the light guiding slat has a total height (W) which is so small that the light guiding slat has a form to be coilable with a coiling radius of 1 m or less without any substantial plastic deformation, wherein the light guiding slat comprises a soft-annealed material having an elastic limit greater than 300 N/mm²,

comprising roll forming, characterized in that in a first operational step, an overall contour of the light guiding slat, seen from above as concave or convex, is formed into a thin band, and in a second operational step, in a roll gap with a fold mould provided between a top roll for the upper side of the slat and a bottom roll for the under side of the slat, folds are formed-in, wherein the second step follows the first one or the first step follows the second.

9. Sun protection system with a plurality of light guiding slats arranged parallel relative to each other and vertically spaced one above the other, characterized in that the light guiding slats are manufactured according to claim 8.

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the top roll has fold edge forming sections with sharp-edged tips and the opposed bottom roll has fold edges forming sections with rounded or flattened tips.

11. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats,

wherein the light guiding slat is made of a band material, has an elongated form with a longitudinal direction, a cross direction and an elevation height setting and is provided for the formation of a Fresnel reflector for light guidance with a plurality of folds, wherein at least two neighbouring fold sides (Ks, K) are folded relative to each other and a fold edge extends between these fold sides (Ks, K) in longitudinal direction of the light guiding slat, characterized in that the folds are substantially made by folding and/or bending of the band material and the light guiding slat has a total height (W) which is so small that the light guiding slat has a form to be coilable with a coiling radius of 1 m or less without any substantial plastic deformation, wherein the light guiding slat comprises a soft-annealed material having an elastic limit greater than 300 N/mm²,

characterized in that one upper side of the light guiding slat is produced by roll embossing moulds with a structured top roll, wherein the under side is not embossed and is preferably smooth.

12. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats according to claim 11,

wherein the under side rolls on a non-embossing bottom roll.