Solar greenhouse roof

• US 4,874,225 A
• Filed: 07/14/1988
• Issued: 10/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Energy Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Energy Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Pruszenski, Anthony S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINTERCORN, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/219,605
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 350/258-265, 350/96.15, 350/96.24, 362/32, 47/1.4, 47/17
• US Class Current: 359/592
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/243 Collecting solar energy in general F24S
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 11/00 Non-electric lighting devices or systems using daylight roofs with sky-light opening E04D13/03; sun blinds for windows with means for redirecting light onto ceiling of a room E06B9/00; hybrid lighting devices combining artificial and natural light F21S19/00; solar heat collectors F24S; solar cells or solar cell modules H01L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/06 for filtering out ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping

Abstract

A solar greenhouse roof includes a plurality of relatively large sunlight reflectors which direct and receive sunlight to one or more relatively small focusing light reflectors. The light reflected from the focusing light reflectors is directed downward into the edges of plate glass pipe which are simply panes of plate glass mounted within the base of the roof. The glass pipes serve as a filter for blocking the transmission of ultraviolet and infrared light therethrough, thus allowing only visible light to reach such objects as plants located below the glass pipes. A protective Tedlar film or coated glass may be mounted atop the roof, the glass pipes may be aluminized on their planar surfaces to improve the internal reflectivity to visible light. Heat generated in the small reflector as well as in the glass light pipes due to the absorption of infrared light is carried away by coolant passing through the relatively small focusing light reflectors and through tubes which are in abutting relationship to the plane surfaces of the glass pipes.

Claims

1. A solar greenhouse roof system comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a plurality of relatively large light reflectors mounted atop said base;

(c) one or more relatively small focusing light reflectors located so as to receive reflected light from said large light reflectors; and

(d) one or more light transparent pipes mounted in holes in said base and functioning to receive reflected light from said one or more relatively small focusing light reflectors and to filter out certain frequencies of said reflected light, each light-transparent pipe consisting of a plate of light-transparent material arranged to receive light at one edge and to discharge light at another, opposite edge.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of substantially vertical members mounted on said base and a light-transparent, protective film extending between the top surfaces of said vertical members, thereby to protect said reflectors from dirt and snow.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said protective film includes at least one rigid plate.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said rigid plate is made of glass.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said rigid plate is coated to enhance the light filtering ability of the system.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one tube having a coolant passing therethrough, each tube being mounted in abutting relationship to one of said light-transparent pipes.

7. The system defined in claim 6, wherein said at least one tube is made of heat conductive material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said small focusing light reflectors have coolant passing therethrough.

9. The system defined in claim 8, wherein said small focusing light reflectors are made of heat conductive material.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an aluminized layer on at least one plane surface of said light-transparent pipes to enhance the internal reflective ability of said surface.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said light-transparent pipes comprise panes of ordinary plate glass.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein said large light reflectors terminate at said top surfaces of said vertical members.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of said large reflectors further comprise a substantially vertical member extending downward from the point of said termination and abutting said vertical member mounted on said base.