Patent ID: 7982956
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: F21S,G01S

Abstract:
1. A method for collecting and distributing sunlight into an interior space of a building comprising the steps of: tracking a position of the sun with a rotatable solar collector head to receive sunlight and reflect the received sunlight downward, the rotatable solar collector head including a housing, an upper and lower back reflector and sidewall reflectors on an interior surface of the housing to capture and deflect the received sunlight downward, and an entrance aperture in a front side of the housing approximately opposite the upper and lower back reflectors and facing horizontally to allow sunlight to enter the rotatable solar collector head, wherein the rotatable solar collector head accommodates vertical solar altitude variations to increase received sunlight throughput at low sun angles and attenuate the received sunlight throughput at high angles to provide illumination throughout daylight hours; rotating the rotatable solar collector head with a drive mechanism about a vertical axis to track the sun's movement in azimuth; receiving and concentrating the reflected sunlight with a transition tube having a reflective interior surface with a first end of the transition tube connected with the rotatable solar collector head; further directing the reflected sunlight through a plenum space into the interior space below with a reflective light pipe connected to a second end of the transition tube; and disbursing the reflected sunlight onto a ceiling and walls of the interior space below with a retroreflector at the end of the reflective light pipe.