Method and apparatus attenuating direct sun light while providing a view of the sky through a light tunnel in a skylight system

An array of preferably at least three double-sided reflective panels mounted on a rigid frame pivoting at a mounting angle to create a double-sided reflective panel array. A tracking system positioning the rigid frame at a frame angle, with respect to the direct sun light, and with respect to pivoting at the mounting angle, to create a rigid frame position. The double-sided reflective panel array interacting with the direct sunlight based upon the rigid frame position to create the direct sun light attenuation. The sky viewed through the rigid frame mounted, double-sided reflective panel array and through the light tunnel creates the sky view.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to control of lighting through a skylight.

BACKGROUND ART

Skylights are well known and commonly used mechanisms increasing the lighting within buildings. A skylight includes a light tunnel connecting the interior of a building to the exterior, and some mechanism to control and/or direct sun light through the light tunnel to the interior. Controlling direct sun light through the light tunnel often comes from a need to either maximize or minimize the intensity of direct sun light in the interior.

As used herein a mechanism directing sun light with respect to a light tunnel to either minimize or maximize the direct sun light in the interior will be referred to as an attenuating mechanism.

There are some problems with existing skylight attenuating mechanisms. These mechanisms tend to degrade or eliminate a clear view of the sky. One well-known way to minimize direct sun light is to use translucent film as a direct light barrier. Such a barrier also removes any clarity in seeing the sky itself. Such mechanisms do not allow people the pleasure of directly viewing the sky.

Other attenuating mechanisms tend to require complex tracking systems, lest they become very inefficient. The inventor has discovered that tendency toward inefficiency is due in part to the use of one sided reflective panels. These one sided reflective panels must be directly aligned to the sun to have their desired effect.

An example of the prior art is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,824 entitled “Rotatably Mounted Skylight having Reflectors” by Webster, et. al. The '824 invention requires two tracking systems, one for the housing and one for the panel of reflectors. Additionally, depending on the angle of the reflective panels with respect to the sun, there may be little or no view of the sky, because the reflective panels essentially block the view in maximizing the directed sun light as inFIG. 6of the '824 patent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes an apparatus attenuating direct light from the sun at a location in the sky into a light tunnel in a sky light to create a direct sun light attenuation through the sky light and to create a sky view through the sky light.

The apparatus includes the following. An array of preferably at least three double-sided reflective panels mounted on a rigid frame pivoting at a mounting angle to create a double-sided reflective panel array. A tracking system positioning the rigid frame at a frame angle, with respect to the direct sun light, and with respect to pivoting at the mounting angle, to create a rigid frame position. The double-sided reflective panel array interacting with the direct sunlight based upon the rigid frame position to create the direct sun light attenuation. The sky viewed through the rigid frame mounted, double-sided reflective panel array and through the light tunnel creates the sky view.

The tracking system can optimally control the double-sided reflective panel array by positioning the array at the frame angle. There is no need for mechanical control of a second degree of motion, due to the use of double-sided reflective panels.

The sky can always be viewed through the invention, irrespective of whether the invention is maximizing or minimizing direct sun light.

The invention operates by performing the following steps. Viewing the sky through an array of N double-sided reflective panels mounted on a rigid frame at a mounting angle and through the light tunnel to create the sky view. And the double-sided reflective panel array interacting with the direct sunlight based upon the rigid frame position to create the direct sun light attenuation. N is at least one, preferably at least three.

The double-sided reflective panel array interacting with the direct sunlight includes at least one of the following. The double-sided reflective panel array reflectively directing the direct sunlight into the light tunnel to create at least part of the direct sun light attenuation. The double-sided reflective panel array reflectively directing the direct sunlight away from the light tunnel to create at least part of the direct sun light attenuation. And the double-sided reflective panel array passing the direct sunlight into the light tunnel to create at least part of the direct sun light attenuation.

These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes an apparatus attenuating direct light102from the sun100at a location in the sky into a light tunnel120in a sky light to create a direct sun light attenuation104through the sky light and to create a sky view112through the sky light. This is illustrated inFIGS. 1A to 3.

FIG. 1Aillustrates an embodiment of the invention including a double-sided reflective panel array on rigid frame20positioned by tracking system30, interacting with direct sunlight102to create the direct sunlight attenuation104, as well as providing a view of the sky110.

FIG. 1Billustrates the embodiment ofFIG. 1Ainteracting with direct sunlight at a different time of day, as well as, double-sided reflective panel10-2further including solar cell12.

FIG. 1Cillustrates a side view of the embodiment ofFIGS. 1A and 1B, enclosed in an envelope60.

FIG. 1Fillustrates a side view of the embodiment ofFIGS. 1A and 1B, enclosed in a done-shaped envelope60.

FIG. 2Aillustrates an embodiment of the invention with a double-sided reflective array of ten double-sided reflective panels10-1to10-10, mounted on rigid frame20at a first frame position.

FIG. 2Billustrates the mounting angle40formed as the angle between the horizontal with respect to pivots42and44ofFIG. 2A.

FIG. 3Billustrates the mounting angle40formed as the angle between the horizontal with respect to pivots42and44ofFIG. 3A.

As used herein, an array of preferably at least three double-sided reflective panels mounted on a rigid frame pivoting at a mounting angle creates a double-sided reflective panel array. A double-sided reflective panel array may have as few as one double-sided reflective panels.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, three double-sided reflective panels,10-1to10-3, mounted on a rectangular rigid frame20and pivoting through pivots42and44, at mounting angle40, create the double-sided reflective panel array.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1A to 1B, tracking system30positions rigid frame20at a frame angle32, with respect to direct sun light102, and with respect to pivoting at mounting angle40, to create the rigid frame position.FIGS. 2A and 3Aillustrate two distinct rigid frame positions.

FIGS. 1A and 1Billustrate tracking system30optimally controlling the double-sided reflective panel array10-1to10-3, by positioning the array at the frame angle32. There is no need for mechanical control of a second degree of motion, due to the use of double-sided reflective panels and pivoting about the mounting angle40.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, double-sided reflective panel array,10-1to10-3, interacts with direct sunlight102based upon rigid frame position to create the direct sun light attenuation104.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, the sky110viewed through the rigid frame20mounted, double-sided reflective panel array,10-1to10-3, and through light tunnel120creates sky view112, as illustrated inFIG. 1D. The sky110can always be viewed through the invention, irrespective of whether the invention is maximizing or minimizing direct sun light102.

Note that the view of the sky110is schematically represented as a cloud inFIGS. 1A,1B, and1D.

InFIGS. 1A,1B,2A, and3A, double-sided reflective panel arrays interact with direct sunlight in several ways.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, the double-sided reflective panel array reflectively directs direct sunlight102into light tunnel120to create direct sun light attenuation104, by use of panel10-2and10-3, respectively.

InFIGS. 2A and 3A, assume that the perspective is that of looking at the double-sided reflective panel array as the direct sun light102.

InFIG. 2A, the double-sided reflective panel array passes direct sunlight102into light tunnel (not shown) to create direct sun light attenuation as seen by the head-on view of panels10-5and10-6.

InFIG. 2A, the double-sided reflective panel array reflectively directs direct sunlight102into light tunnel (not shown) to create direct sun light attenuation104, by panel sides10-1B to10-4B and10-7A to10-10A.

InFIG. 3A, the double-sided reflective panel array reflectively directs direct sunlight away from the light tunnel (not shown) to create the direct sun light attenuation, by panel sides10-1B to10-7B.

InFIG. 3A, the double-sided reflective panel array passes direct sunlight102into light tunnel (not shown) to create direct sun light attenuation as seen by the head-on view of panels10-8to10-10.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, tracking system30positions rigid frame20to create direct sun light attenuation104through the sky light based upon sun location100in the sky.

The solar cell12ofFIG. 1Bmay provide electrical power to tracking system30.

InFIGS. 1A and 1B, rigid frame20approximately covers light tunnel120with respect to mounting angle40. Further, rigid frame20approximates the shape of light tunnel120projected at mounting angle40. The rigid frame20approximates a polygon projected at mounting angle40when the light tunnel120shape approximates that polygon.

InFIGS. 2A and 3A, rigid frame20approximates a circle projected at mounting angle40, illustrated inFIGS. 2B and 3B, respectively, whenever the light tunnel shape approximates that circle. Alternatively, rigid frame20approximates an oval projected at mounting angle40whenever the light tunnel shape approximates that oval.

InFIGS. 1A to 1C, and1F, rigid frame20mounts to a mounting infrastructure50-52at mounting angle40with respect to light tunnel120.

InFIGS. 1A,1B,2A, and3A, the mounting infrastructure50-52shape increases sun light access into a light tunnel.

InFIG. 1C, the mounting infrastructure50-52shape decreases sun light access into light tunnel120, when mount50covers nearly the length of rigid frame20.

The envelope60may include a dome as illustrated inFIG. 1F, enclosing a rigid frame20as illustrated inFIGS. 2A and 3A.

Preferably, envelope60is primarily composed of a transparent material. The transparent material preferably includes at least one glass-like material and/or transparent plastic. A glass-like material is a transparent material based upon fused silicates. A transparent plastic may preferably be primarily composed one or more polycarbonate based materials. Lexan is an example transparent polycarbonate based material.

Envelope60may preferably provide either ultraviolet transmission suppression and/or infra-red transmission suppression as well.

InFIG. 1F, envelope60may also include mounting infrastructure50-52supporting rigid frame20mounted at mounting angle40with respect to light tunnel120.

The tracking system30may further, preferably position rigid frame20based upon at least local sidereal time.

FIG. 4Billustrates a detail ofFIGS. 1A-1C, and1F, including rigid frame20with no counterbalance and with an alternative embodiment of tracking system30.

InFIG. 4A, the power supply, which may further include photocell12ofFIG. 1B, powers electric motor36, when the relay is closed. Timer38controls the closure of the relay.

InFIG. 4B, the operation of electric motor36is controlled by control system500through direction of the power control interfacing the power supply to the electric motor36. The power control may preferably support bidirectional control of electric motor36.

InFIG. 4B, control system500includes computer510accessibly coupled to memory520. Memory520includes at least a program system540and at least one member of a time collection560, which will be illustrated inFIG. 5B. Control system500also includes timer38communicating with computer510.

InFIG. 4B, memory520may further include an attenuation table containing at least two entries, each based upon at least one time collection member560, as illustrated inFIG. 5C.

FIG. 5Aillustrates a detail flowchart of program system540ofFIG. 4Bfurther providing a means for operating the invention.

Operation732performs displaying the attenuation table530. Operation742performs modifying the attenuation table530. Operation752performs displaying at least one of the time collection members560. Operation762performs modifying at least one of the time collection members560.

The operations ofFIG. 5A, stored in memory520and accessed by computer510direct the display and modification of at least one time collection member. Program system540may further include operations implementing the positioning of rigid frame20.

FIG. 5Billustrates the time collection560as having at least a local sidereal time562and a yearly date564.

FIG. 5Cillustrates the attenuation table530including a first entry532-A and second entry532-B. First entry532-A includes a time collection member range534-A and attenuation536-A. Second entry532-B includes a time collection member range534-B and attenuation536-B.

The operations ofFIG. 5A, stored in memory520and accessed by computer510direct the display and modification of the attenuation table entries, and may further implement the positioning of rigid frame20.

InFIG. 5C, time collection member ranges534-A and534-B may include a range of either local sidereal time562or a range of local sidereal time562and a range of yearly dates564, respectively.

InFIG. 5C, attenuations536-A and536-B may be members of a collection including attenuate-away-from light tunnel, and attenuate-into light tunnel.

An example of534-B may include local sidereal time562between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and a range of yearly dates564including the hottest days of the local year. Attenuation536-B may be attenuate-away-from light tunnel. This attenuation entry would direct computer510to direct electric motor36to position rigid frame20to attenuate direct sun light away from the light tunnel.

The preceding embodiments have been provided by way of example and are not meant to constrain the scope of the following claims.