Energy efficient window

• US 6,094,306 A
• Filed: 04/13/1993
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anvik Corporation
• Original Assignee: Anvik Corporation
• Inventors: Jain, Kanti
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US08/047,238
• Time in Patent Office: 2,660 Days
• Field of Search: 359/558, 359/566, 359/567, 359/576, 359/577, 359/578, 359/591, 359/596, 359/601, 359/609, 359/613, 359/614, 359/1, 359/15, 359/569, 359/572, 359/568, 49/125, 52/1, 52/171.3, 52/173.1, 52/173.3, 160/85, 160/120, 160/241
• US Class Current: 359/568
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• 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: F24S 50/80 for controlling collection or absorption of solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1866 Transmission gratings characterised by their structure, e.g. step profile, contours of substrate or grooves, pitch variations, materials G02B5/1809, G02B5/1828, G02B5/1833, G02B5/1838 and G02B5/1847 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

An energy saving window system operates selectively in different seasons and climatic conditions to optimize transfer of the sun'"'"'s radiation through the window into an interior space. Two sets of diffraction gratings are deployed, with two mode settings--a summer or capture mode and a winter or transmittance mode. In the summer mode, transfer of heat into the interior is undesirable. Unwanted heat rays are redirected to a scupper by additive diffraction through two diffraction gratings in series. The scupper redirects the undesired radiation to a heat sink or back out through the window. In the winter mode, transfer of heat into the interior is desirable. By repositioning the two diffraction gratings so that their deflections are subtractive, the sun'"'"'s rays are redirected to be essentially undiffracted so as to miss the scupper and enter the room. The essentially undiffracted light rays are acceptable as a view and are effectively unblocked as to solar heat gain. Various coatings may be added to the diffraction gratings to increase the window selectivity of light and heat transmissivity. Various feedback control systems may be deployed as sunfollower subsystems to control motorized mechanisms so as to automatically move the diffraction grating windowpanes to maintain an azimuth and direction appropriate for heat gain control of the sun'"'"'s rays. Mechanisms may also be added to control heat transfer from the scuppers to the outside atmosphere, to a heat sink or to some utilization apparatus.

Claims

1. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system for controlling radiation entering an interior space, comprising:

a) a fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10) capable of deflecting the infra-red spectral component of an input radiation beam by a certain range of angles;

b) a movable diffraction grating windowpane (14) capable of deflecting the infra-red spectral component of an input radiation beam by a certain range of angles, and selectively juxtaposable in or out of optical series with said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10) so as to either permit at least some of said infra-red spectral components of the beam deflected from said fixed windowpane to enter the interior space or to deflect the beam further so as to prevent said infra-red spectral components from entering the interior space; and

(c) a window frame for holding said fixed diffraction grating windowpane and said movable diffraction grating windowpane in adjacent parallel planes.

2. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) is configured with a plurality of sections having differing deflecting characteristics.

3. A transmissively controllable energy rejecting window system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said sections of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14/34) is configured with deflection characteristics which provide a viewport (33) of greater transmittance than that of the other sections of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14/34).

4. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 1, wherein said movable diffraction grating windowpane (14) is a flexible membrane (26,27) mounted on a roller (24,25) for selective repositioning parallel to said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10).

5. A transmissively controllable energy saving window system according to claim 1, comprising sunfollower means to follow a moving source of sunlight to provide motion control signals, related to at least one of azimuth and direction of the sun with respect to at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14), and comprising diffraction grating movement means to provide motion to at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes, responsive to said sunfollower means to move said diffraction grating windowpane as a function of the relative movement of the sun with respect to said fixed diffraction grating windowpane.

6. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 1, comprising in addition a spectrally selective (31) coating upon at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14/30).

7. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) comprises a transparent panel with an adherent diffraction grating plastic film.

8. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 7, wherein said adherent diffraction grating plastic film has a smooth side and a grooved side, with said grooved side being the adherent side.

9. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system for controlling an input beam of radiation entering an interior space, comprising:

a) a fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10) capable of deflecting a selected band of incident radiation beam by a certain range of angles;

b) a movable diffraction grating windowpane (14), capable of deflecting a selected band of incident beam by a certain range of angles, and selectively juxtaposable in and out of optical series with said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10), the deflections of said fixed and said movable windowpanes (10,14) being algebraically additive, so as to provide a set of deflection vectors for the input radiation beam passing through said fixed and said movable windowpanes (10,14);

c) a radiation scupper (19) mounted at an angle to the planes of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14); and

(d) a window frame for holding said fixed diffraction grating windowpane and said movable diffraction grating windowpane in adjacent parallel planes,

whereby an input beam of radiation is selectively deflected so as to either strike or miss said radiation scupper (19).

10. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 9, wherein said radiation scupper (19) is energy absorbing.

11. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 10, comprising in addition:

d) a heat sink (20) operatively connected to said energy absorbing radiation scupper (19).

12. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 10, wherein said system includes a receiver of heat and wherein said energy absorbing radiation scupper (19) comprises means (21) to accomplish heat transfer from said radiation scupper (19) to said receiver of heat.

13. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 12, wherein said means to accomplish heat transfer comprises a heat transfer fluid (22) and means (23) to direct its flow between said radiation scupper and said receiver of heat.

14. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, wherein said radiation scupper (19) is energy reflecting.

15. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 14, wherein said energy reflecting radiation scupper (19) redirects the radiation impinging on it back through said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10).

16. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 14, wherein said energy reflecting radiation scupper (19) comprises a diffraction grating for redirecting the radiation impinging on it.

17. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, according to claim 14, wherein said energy reflecting radiation scupper (19) comprises a mirrored surface at an angle for redirecting the radiation impinging on it.

18. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) is configured with a range of deflecting characteristics, varying across at least one of its dimensions, so as to deflect incident radiation beams to said radiation scupper (19).

19. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, wherein at least one member of the group comprising said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) and said radiation scupper (19) is coated for spectral control.

20. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, wherein said radiation scupper (35) is movable to provide a plurality of positions with respect to said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10).

21. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, wherein said radiation scupper (36) is movable to alter its angle with respect to the plane of said fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10).

22. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 20, comprising in addition means (37,38) to provide automatic scupper angle control, and wherein said scupper (36) is controllable by said means to provide automatic scupper angle control.

23. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 9, comprising in addition a fixed pane (40) so as to create with said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) an enclosed space (41), and wherein said scupper (19) is mounted within said enclosed space (41).

24. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, having structural windowpane support means, for controlling radiation entering an interior space, having structural means for supporting a number of windowpanes in a number of parallel planes, the system comprising:

a) two fixed diffraction grating windowpanes with oppositely anged deflection characteristics (10,12) mounted in the structural means;

b) two movable diffraction grating windowpanes with oppositely angled deflection characteristics (14,16), each mounted in the structural means in planes parallel to and selectively juxtaposable in and out of optical series with a selected one of said fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10,12) in two modes defined by the relative positions of said movable windowpanes;

a capture mode in which the deflections of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14/12,16) are additive, and a transmittance mode in which the deflections of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,16,12,14) are subtractive;

c) two radiation scuppers (18,19) mounted at inclinations to the planes of said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,12,14,16), whereby, in the capture mode, input beams of radiation deflected by said fixed and movable windowpanes (10,12,14,16) strike said scuppers (18,19), and in the transmittance mode, input beams of radiation deflected by said fixed and movable windowpanes (10,12,14,16) bypass said scuppers (18,19).

25. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 24, wherein at least one pair of the group of pairs comprising said diffraction grating windowpanes (10,12/14,16) and said radiation scuppers (18,19) is coated for spectral control.

26. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system according to claim 24, wherein at least one of said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (14,16) is a flexible sheet (26,27) mounted on a roller (24,25).

27. A transmissively controllable energy rejecting window system, having structural means for supporting a number of windowpanes in a number of parallel planes, the system for controlling radiation entering an interior space, comprising:

a) a set of fixed diffraction grating windowpanes in multiple subsets (10a-d, 12a-d) mounted in the structural means;

b) a set of movable diffraction grating windowpanes in a plurality of multiple subsets (14a-d, 16a-d), each mounted in the structural means in planes parallel to and selectively juxtaposable respectively related to subsets of said set of fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d, 12a-d), each juxtaposable respectively in and out of optical series with said related fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d, 12a-d), the deflections by said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes in one juxtaposition being additive, to deflect an incident radiation beam passing through said fixed and said movable windowpane diffraction gratings (10a-d, 12a-d, 14a-d, 16a-d) for capture of the energy of radiation by a radiation scupper, and in another juxtaposition being subtractive for transmittance of radiation; and

c) a set of radiation scuppers (18a-d, 19a-d) mounted at inclinations to the planes of said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d, 12a-d, 14a-d, 16a-d), whereby an incident radiation beam passing through at least one of said fixed windowpanes and its related movable windowpane is selectively deflected to their related radiation scupper for capture of the energy of radiation by said radiation scupper.

28. A transmissively controllable energy saving window system for controlling radiation entering an interior space, comprising:

a) a fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10) capable of deflecting an input radiation beam by an angle;

b) a movable diffraction grating windowpane (14) capable of deflecting an input radiation beam by another angle;

c) a radiation scupper (19) mounted at an angle to the planes of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14); and

d) means to selectively support said diffraction grating windowpanes in each of two arrangements wherein,

in the first arrangement, said fixed diffraction grating windowpane deflects a portion of spectral components of the input radiation beam toward the interior space and said movable diffraction grating windowpane is arranged out of the path of said spectral components;

in the second arrangement, said movable diffraction grating windowpane is juxtaposed in optical series with said fixed diffraction grating windowpane and said portion of said spectral components is further deflected by said movable diffraction grating windowpane toward said radiation scupper.

29. A transmissively controllable energy saving window system for controlling radiation entering an interior space, comprising:

a) a fixed diffraction grating windowpane (10) capable of deflecting an input radiation beam by an angle;

b) a movable diffraction grating windowpane (14) capable of deflecting an input radiation beam by another angle;

c) a radiation scupper (19) mounted at an angle to the planes of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14); and

d) means to selectively support said diffraction grating windowpanes in each of two arrangements wherein,

in the first arrangement, said fixed diffraction grating windowpane deflects a portion of spectral components of the input radiation beam along a first deflection vector and said movable diffraction grating windowpane is arranged out of the path of said spectral components;

in the second arrangement, said movable diffraction grating windowpane is juxtaposed in optical series with said fixed diffraction grating windowpane and the deflections of the incident radiation by said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14) add algebraically to deflect said portion of said spectral components along a second deflection vector;

whereby said portion of said spectral components deflected along one of said first and second deflection vectors strikes said radiation scupper (19) and said portion of said spectral components deflected along the other of said first and second deflection vectors misses said radiation scupper.

30. A transmissively controllable energy efficient window system, for controlling radiation entering an interior space, having structural means for supporting a number of windowpanes in a number of parallel planes, the system comprising:

a) two fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10,12) each having a deflection characteristic with respect to its surface normal which is opposite in sense to the deflection characteristic of the other fixed diffraction grating windowpane;

b) two movable diffraction grating windowpanes (14,16), each having a deflection characteristic with respect to its surface normal which is opposite in sense to that of the other movable diffraction grating windowpane, said movable diffraction grating windowpanes disposed in planes parallel to and selectively juxtaposable in optical series with said fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10,

     12) in two modes defined by the relative positions of said movable windowpanes with respect to said fixed windowpanes;

a capture mode in which the deflections of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,14/12,16) are additive, and a transmittance mode in which the deflections of said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,16/12,14) are subtractive;

c) two radiation scuppers (18,19) mounted at inclinations to the planes of said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10,12,14,16), whereby, in the capture mode, input beams of radiation deflected by said fixed and movable windowpanes (10,12,14,16) strike said scuppers (18,19), and in the transmittance mode, input beams of radiation deflected by said fixed and movable windowpanes (10,12,14,16) bypass said scuppers (18,19).

31. A transmissively controllable energy saving window system for controlling radiation entering an interior space, comprsing:

a) a set of first fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d);

b) a set of second fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (12a-d);

c) a set of first movable diffraction grating windowpanes (14a-d);

d) a set of second movable diffraction grating windowpanes (16a-d);

e) a set of radiation scuppers (18a-d, 19a-d) mounted at inclinations to the planes of said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d, 12a-d, 14a-d, 16a-d); and

f) means to selectively position said sets of first and second movable diffraction grating windowpanes in each of two arrangements wherein,

in the first arrangement, elements of said set of first movable diffraction grating windowpanes (14a-d) mare juxtaposed in optical series with respective elements of said set of first fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d) and elements of said set of second movable diffraction grating windowpanes-anise (16a-d) are juxtaposed in optical series with respective elements of said set of second fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (12a-d);

in the second arrangement, elements of said set of first movable diffraction grating windowpanes (14a-d) are juxtaposed in optical series with respective elements of said set of second fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (12a-d) and elements of said set of second movable diffraction grating windowpanes (16a-d) are juxtaposed in optical series with respective elements of said set of first fixed diffraction grating windowpanes (10a-d), and further wherein,

in one of said first and second arrangements, the deflections by said fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes are additive to deflect an incident radiation beam passing through both respective fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes for capture by an associated radiation scupper, and in the other of said first and second arrangements, the deflections by said fixed and said movable diffraction grating windowpanes are subtractive, to deflect an incident radiation beam passing through both respective fixed and movable diffraction grating windowpanes for transmittance.