Louver assembly

• US 10,161,585 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Serralux Inc.
• Original Assignee: Serralux Inc.
• Inventors: Gardiner, Mark E
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US15/160,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20160341383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 359596
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/6722 with adjustable passage of light
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/086 interconnected for concurrent movement
• 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: F21S 11/002 characterised by the means for collecting or concentrating the sunlight, e.g. parabolic reflectors or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 11/007 characterised by the means for transmitting light into the interior of a building
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0019 having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0042 for use with direct solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2207/123 Optical louvre elements, e.g. for directional light blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/043 using a trusted network node as an anchor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A generally plano rectangular louvers are capable of being ganged in a stacked tiltable array to enhance light re-direction when titled to follow the solar elevation. Combinations of features and optical characteristic avoid optical artifacts and enhance efficiency of light utilization and manufacturing. Different louvers can be combined in alternative ways in such arrays.

Claims

1. A louver, comprising:

a) a generally rectangular planar support member having;

b) an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface,

c) an elongated front side on a side orthogonal to the plane of the upper surface, and an elongated back side opposed to and parallel with the front side,

d) a right side on another side that is orthogonal to both the upper surface and the front side, and a left side opposite the right side that is parallel to the right side,

e) a light redirecting structure that is at least one of attached to and disposed within the planar support member, the light redirecting structure comprising an array of spaced apart light reflective surfaces that terminate at corners, wherein the array extends across the planar support member from the front side to the back side in which each light reflective surface faces the front or back side, further comprising a pattern of light attenuating elements disposed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface to provide an internal attenuation of incident light of about 10% to about 40% and a further comprising a pattern of light attenuating elements disposed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface wherein the light attenuating elements are round dots disposed in columnar arrays with an offset of adjacent columns.

2. A louver, comprising:

a) a generally rectangular planar support member having,

b) an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface,

c) an elongated front side on a side orthogonal to the plane of the upper surface, and an elongated back side opposed to and parallel with the front side,

d) a right side on another side that is orthogonal to both the upper surface and the front side, and a left side opposite the right side that is parallel to the right side,

e) a light redirecting structure that is at least one of attached to and disposed within the planar support member, the light redirecting structure comprising an array of spaced apart light reflective surfaces that terminate at corners, wherein the array extends across the planar support member from the front side to the back side in which each light reflective surface faces the front or back side,

further comprising a pattern of light attenuating elements disposed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface to provide an internal attenuation of incident light of about 10% to about 40% and a pattern of light attenuating elements disposed on one of the upper surface and the lower surface wherein the light attenuating elements have a grey appearance.

3. A light re-directing louver assembly comprising a plurality of louvers that are operatively coupled to be tilted, each louver comprising:

a) a generally rectangular planar support member having;

i) an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface,

ii) an elongated front side on a side orthogonal to the plane of the upper surface, and an elongated back side opposed to and parallel with the front side,

iii) a right side on another side that is orthogonal to both the upper surface and the front side, and a left side opposite the front side that is parallel to the right side,

iv) a light redirecting structure that is at least one of attached to and disposed within the planar support member, the light redirecting structure comprising a plurality of spaced apart light reflective surfaces that terminate at corners, wherein the light reflecting surface thereof extend across the planar support member from the front side to the back side in which each light reflective surface faces the front or back side,

b) wherein each louver is operative to provide a predetermined angular deviation of a main specular re-directed beam of incident light from that of the immediately adjacent louver,

wherein said predetermined angular deviation between an upper and lower louver in the array is at least about 1 degree.

4. The light re-directing louver assembly of claim 3 wherein said predetermined angular deviation between an upper and lower louver in the array is at least about 2 degrees.

5. The light re-directing louver assembly of claim 3 wherein said predetermined angular deviation between an upper and lower louver in the array is at least about 4 degrees.

6. The light re-directing louver assembly of claim 3 wherein the light reflective surfaces of each louver are operative to increase the width of a main specular re-directed beam of incident light by at least twice the predetermined angular deviation.