WIND-UP LIGHT-DIRECTING SLAT, METHOD OF PRODUCTION, APPLICATION, AND SUN PROTECTION SYSTEM

• US 20150315841A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helmut Koester
• Original Assignee: Helmut Koester
• Inventors: KOESTER, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 10,107,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 (K_s, K) are folded relative to each other and a fold edge extends between these fold sides (K_s, 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 (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.

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 (K_s) 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 (K_s) 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 (K_s) 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 or identically oriented contours are formed-in on their upper side and an under side into the light guiding slat, and that

g) in the cross section of the light guiding slat in the cross direction whereof a plurality or all fold edges are arranged on the upper side and a plurality or all fold edges on the under side each on one of two assumed parallel straight lines or parallel curves (130, 131), 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 the sun sides (K_s) of at least part of the folds, preferably of all folds, form a Fresnel reflector having approximately the effect of a parabolic through mirror,

wherein particularly a parabola axis (x) of an assumed, at least approximately identical parabolic through mirror (P) passes through a sun longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat faced b the sun sides (K_s) and through a focussing zone (F) about a focus of the parabolic through mirror (P), wherein the focussing zone (F) has a distance from the shade longitudinal edge to the elevation height setting and

wherein a tangent angle (β

₁) of a tangent on the parabolic through mirror (P) with relation to the cross direction at points (PP) on the parabolic through mirror (P) in an area near the sun longitudinal edge amounts to about half of the angle of climb, and

the tangent angle (β

₂) has, at a zero point of the parabolic through mirror at which it intersects the parabola axis (x), about the same value as the angle of climb of the parabola axis and for a relation of the distance to a slat width (b) of 0.5 of the tangent angle (β

_m) at a point on the parabolic through mirror arranged in cross direction in the centre of the slat, amounts to 38°

±

2°

, or for a relation of the distance to the slat width (b) of 0.9, the tangent angle (β

_m) at the point on the parabolic through mirror arranged in cross direction in the centre of the slat amounts to about 54°

±

2°

or for a relation of the distance to the slat width (b) of between 0.5 and 0.9, the tangent angle (β

_m) has at the point on the parabolic through mirror arranged in cross direction in the centre of the slat, a tangent angle (β

_m) to be determined by linear interpolation between support spots 0.5;

38° and

0.9;

54°

with a tolerance of about ±

2°

.

4. 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.

5. 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).

6. Light guiding slat according to claim 5, characterized in that a plurality of shadow sides (K), particularly all shadow sides (K) are formed by reflection on a reflection plane passing at least approximately in elevation height setting of the light guiding slat and through the centre of the light guiding slat in cross direction, at least partly mirror-inverted to the sun sides (Ks),

wherein particularly the shadow sides (K) form sections of a fragmented shadow side parabola groove in the kind of a Fresnel reflector, and the sun sides (K_s) form sections of a fragmented sun side parabola groove in the kind of a Fresnel reflector, wherein the shadow side parabola groove and the sun side parabola groove intersperse each other section-wise,

wherein particularly the shadow side parabola groove has a shadow side focussing zone (F₂) and the sun side parabola groove has a sun side focussing zone (F₁) each residing, at least approximately, in one assumed plane each which extend, for the shadow side parabola groove from the sun longitudinal edge and for the sun side parabola groove of the shadow longitudinal edge each in elevation height setting, wherein a parabola axis (x₂) of the shadow side parabola groove extend, at least approximately, through the sun longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat and the shadow side focussing zone (F₂) and a parabola axis (x₁) of the sun side parabola groove extends, at least approximately, through the shadow longitudinal edge of the light guiding slat and the sun side focussing zone (F₁),

so that particularly a light guiding effect of the light guiding slat, after rotation of the light guiding slat about 180°

about an axis, will at least approximately remain uniform.

7. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that the total form of the light guiding slat is convex-shaped on the upper side, 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.

8. Light guiding slat according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of point angles (a) between sun sides (K_s) 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°

.

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 one of the foregoing claims.

10. Sun protection system according to claim 9 for the protection of an interior space I from direct sun irradiation, wherein the sun protection system is disposed in front of a light passage opening to the interior space and covers the latter in part,

wherein the light guiding slats have a slat width (b) and a distance (a) relative to each other so that between the light guiding slats a horizontal view-through (D) and a shadow line results, wherein the shadow line passes through a sun longitudinal edge of an upper light guiding slat and the shadow longitudinal edge of a light guiding slat arranged adjacent below, wherein part of the inciding sun light can pass the sun protection system unreflected by it if and when a sun incidence angle is smaller relative to the horizontal than a shadow line angle (a_s) to the horizontal,

characterized in that particularly the surfaces of the light guiding slats are formed in the kind of a Fresnel reflector such that in a horizontal position of the light guiding slats in which their upper side is horizontally aligned, retro-reflection of inciding sun light from the sun protection system occurs at a sun incidence angle which is larger than the shadow line angle (o⁻

₂) substantially by one single reflection on one single light guiding slat, and that in case of horizontal slat position, light deflection to the slat under sides of the upper slats occurs only for a sun incidence angle which is smaller than the shadow line angle, and that particularly between the sun protection system and an outer space from which sun irradiation emanates a glazing V is provided, and from the interior space the mirror image on the slat upper sides of reflected sun irradiation is substantially not visible in case of horizontal slat position in an outer vertical glazing V.

11. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats according to claim 1 by 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 and a bottom roll for the under side , folds are formed-in, wherein the second step follows the first one or the first step follows the second.

12. Method according to claim 11, 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.

13. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats according to claim 1, 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, wherein the under side preferably rolls on a non-embossing bottom roll.

14. Method for the manufacture of fold-shape structured light guiding slats according to claim 1, characterized in that as base material of the light guiding slats soft-annealed materials are employed which after manufacture show a high hardness corresponding to more than 300 Nimm².

15. 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 a vertical axis about 180°

, in the sun protection system for guiding steeply from above inciding light through the sun protection system or

is arranged rotated about 180 n 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.