Daylighting tube segment connection systems and methods
First Claim
1. An internally-reflective tube assembly for use in a tubular daylighting device configured to illuminate an interior space of a building with natural daylight received through a roof-mounted daylight collector, the tube assembly comprising:
- a first internally-reflective tube segment comprising;
a first lower end;
first intermittently positioned projections, wherein the first projections extend from the first lower end and are spaced around a perimeter of the first lower end;
a first upper end that is closer to a daylight collector of a tubular daylighting device than the first lower end when the first tube segment is positioned to receive daylight from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device; and
a first tube segment sidewall extending between the first lower end and the first upper end, wherein the first tube sidewall has an interior surface having luminous reflectance greater than or equal to about 98% when measured with respect to CIE Illuminant D65; and
a second internally-reflective tube segment comprising;
a second upper end;
second intermittently positioned projections, wherein the second projections extend from the second upper end and are spaced around a perimeter of the second upper end such that the second projections are capable of being woven together with the first projections;
a second lower end that is further from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device than the second upper end when the second tube segment is positioned to receive daylight from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device; and
a second tube segment sidewall extending between the second lower end and the second upper end, wherein the second tube sidewall has an interior surface having luminous reflectance greater than or equal to about 98% when measured with respect to CIE Illuminant D65;
wherein the first tube segment sidewall and the second tube segment sidewall are substantially parallel when the first projections and the second projections are woven together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain disclosed embodiments provide internally-reflective tube assemblies for use in a tubular daylighting device configured to direct daylight into an interior of a building when installed on a roof of the building. A tube assembly may include multiple tube segments including connection projections, such as hook-type structures, for weaving or otherwise connecting and/or securing tube segments together. In some embodiments, sidewalls of tube segments connected together are substantially parallel to one another at or near the connection region.
62 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An internally-reflective tube assembly for use in a tubular daylighting device configured to illuminate an interior space of a building with natural daylight received through a roof-mounted daylight collector, the tube assembly comprising:
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a first internally-reflective tube segment comprising; a first lower end; first intermittently positioned projections, wherein the first projections extend from the first lower end and are spaced around a perimeter of the first lower end; a first upper end that is closer to a daylight collector of a tubular daylighting device than the first lower end when the first tube segment is positioned to receive daylight from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device; and a first tube segment sidewall extending between the first lower end and the first upper end, wherein the first tube sidewall has an interior surface having luminous reflectance greater than or equal to about 98% when measured with respect to CIE Illuminant D65; and a second internally-reflective tube segment comprising; a second upper end; second intermittently positioned projections, wherein the second projections extend from the second upper end and are spaced around a perimeter of the second upper end such that the second projections are capable of being woven together with the first projections; a second lower end that is further from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device than the second upper end when the second tube segment is positioned to receive daylight from the daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device; and a second tube segment sidewall extending between the second lower end and the second upper end, wherein the second tube sidewall has an interior surface having luminous reflectance greater than or equal to about 98% when measured with respect to CIE Illuminant D65; wherein the first tube segment sidewall and the second tube segment sidewall are substantially parallel when the first projections and the second projections are woven together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing an internally-reflective tube assembly for use in a tubular daylighting device, the method comprising:
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forming one or more sheets of at least partially flexible rigid material; cutting a first tube segment form out of tube sidewall sheet material having first top, bottom, left and right edges, wherein the first tube segment form comprises one or more first projections along the first bottom edge; cutting a second tube segment form out of tube sidewall sheet material having second top, bottom, left and right edges, wherein the second tube segment form comprises one or more second projections along the second top edge; wherein the first tube segment is configured to attach to a roof-mounted daylight collector of the tubular daylighting device; wherein the first projections and the second projections are configured to be woven together when the first and second tube segments are bent into a tubular shape; and wherein the first and second tube segment forms have right-edge-to-left-edge dimensions that are substantially equal and uniform over top-edge-to-bottom-edge dimensions of the first and second tube segment forms. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of installing an internally-reflective tube assembly in a building having a roof-mounted daylight collector, the method comprising:
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positioning a first lower end of a first tube segment such that first lower end touches a second upper end of a second tube segment, wherein the first and second tube segments have a substantially uniform width through a longitudinal height of both tube segments, and wherein the first and second tube segments are positioned to receive daylight from the roof-mounted daylight collector; and connecting the first and second tube segments at least in part by weaving first projections of the first tube segment with second projections of the second tube segment; wherein, when connected, sidewalls of the first and second tube segments are substantially parallel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification