Energy efficient skylight and blind
First Claim
1. An energy-efficient barrier for the direct rays of the sun, comprising:
- a plurality of slats, each slat having a thin cross-section and wider faces, wherein one of the faces has formed on it a plurality of reflective surfaces; and
means for mounting the slats in orientation to the direct rays of the sun, with the slats being aligned to pass the direct rays of the sun, which are coming from a first direction, between the wider faces of the slats and with the plurality of reflective surfaces on each slat being aligned to reflect back the rays of the sun, which are coming from a second direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An energy-efficient barrier uses thin slats, on one side of which are formed a number of reflective surfaces. The reflective surfaces are oriented at an angle, with respect to the face of the slat, to maximize reflection of the rays of the sun. The parallel reflective surfaces are formed as a series of ridges along the length of a slat and as the treads of a series of stairsteps formed along the length of a slat. The slats can be formed of extruded material with the reflective surfaces formed of reflective material which is polated on V-grooves formed in the slats. The slats are oriented in relation to the direct rays of the sun to pass the direct rays of the winter sun between the wider faces of the slats. The reflective surfaces on each slat are also aligned to reflect the direct rays of the summer sun. In a skylight assembly, one or more spacer members are provided having complementary slots formed therein for engagement with corresponding slots formed in the slats to properly align the slats with respect to the sun. The slats can be fixed as in a skylight, or variable such as in a Venetian blind. Deflectors attached to the trailing edges of the slats deflect the direct sunlight into a more vertical path. A Fresnel lens concentrator and reflector assembly directs winter sunlight into a structure, while directing summer sunlight away from the structure. Sunlight is guided through hollow light guides from a skylight assembly to one or more locations within a building.
52 Citations
56 Claims
-
1. An energy-efficient barrier for the direct rays of the sun, comprising:
-
a plurality of slats, each slat having a thin cross-section and wider faces, wherein one of the faces has formed on it a plurality of reflective surfaces; and means for mounting the slats in orientation to the direct rays of the sun, with the slats being aligned to pass the direct rays of the sun, which are coming from a first direction, between the wider faces of the slats and with the plurality of reflective surfaces on each slat being aligned to reflect back the rays of the sun, which are coming from a second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An energy efficient skylight assembly, comprising:
-
a frame for mounting said skylight assembly to a larger structure; a plurality of slats, each slat having a thin cross-section and wider faces, wherein one of the faces has formed on it a plurality of reflective surfaces; means for mounting the slats in the frame wherein the slats are oriented to pass the rays of the winter sunlight between the wider faces of the slats and wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces on each slat are aligned to reflect back the rays of the summer sun out of the skylight assembly. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method of providing a seasonably variable barrier for the rays of the sun, comprising the steps of:
-
mounting a plurality of slat members in a mounting frame, wherein each slat member has a thin cross-section and a larger surface having means formed thereupon for reflecting the rays of the summer sun; orienting and spacing-apart the slat members to pass the rays of the winter sunlight therebetween; and orienting the plurality of reflective surfaces on each slat to reflect back the rays of the summer sun out of the skylight assembly. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A system for selectively concentrating solar energy through an opening in a structure, comprising:
-
a Fresnel lens oriented in a predetermined position to concentrate direct solar energy; a first reflecting surface for receiving direct summer sunlight from the Fresnel lens and for reflecting said sunlight out of said system; a second reflecting surface for receiving direct winter sunlight from the Fresnel lens and for reflecting said sunlight through the opening in the structure. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
45. A system for guiding sunlight from a skylight assembly, comprising:
-
a hollow tube having a hollow interior and having a first end for receiving sunlight from said skylight assembly and a second end for transmitting sunlight, said tube having internal walls for reflecting light from said first end to said second end; sunlight-transmitting fluid contained in the hollow interior of said hollow tube, said fluid permitting light to be transmitted therethrough from said first end to said second end; first sunlight-transparent means for capping the first end of said tube; and second sunlight-transparent means for capping the second end of said tube. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A method of guiding sunlight from a skylight assembly to one or more locations, comprising the steps of:
-
transmitting sunlight from the skylight assembly through a first sunlight-transparent end cap on a first end of a hollow tube; guiding the sunlight transmitted through the first sunlight-transparent end cap into the hollow interior space of the hollow tube having an internal wall which reflects sunlight; transmitting the sunlight which passes through the first sunlight-transparent end cap and through the hollow interior space of the hollow tube; and transmitting the sunlight which passes through the hollow interior space of the hollow tube through a second sunlight-transparent end cap on a second end of the hollow tube. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
Specification