LIGHT TRANSMITTABLE MEMBERS, AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING NATURAL LIGHTING QUANTITY AND NATURAL LIGHTING RANGE BY USE OF THE LIGHT TRANSMITTABLE MEMBERS

Abstract: Light transmittable members mainly applicable to a natural lighting window in an opening of a general building and a method of adjusting a natural lighting quantity and a natural lighting range in a room of a general building by use of the light transmittable members. There are formed a light transmittable member having a plurality of refracting columns arranged in parallel to one another between two light transmittable plate members and a light transmittable member having reflecting zones arranged in parallel to one another on a base material surface; as solar rays for adjusting the natural lighting quantity, optional solar rays S1, S2 and S3 emitted from the sun at different altitudes and azimuths, the relationship between angles of incidence α, β and γ of which with reference to the respective altitudes and azimuths satisfies the condition, α < β < γ, are selected, and the natural lighting quantity or the natural lighting range is adjusted according to the constructions of the respective light transmittable members, whereby differences in heat quantity in the room in respective seasons or respective time zones which are caused by the annual motion or the diurnal motion of the sun are adjusted through the utilization of the differences in altitudes or azimuths of the sun, so that the effective heat utilization can be achieved.

Description: The present invention relates to light transmissive panels used as lighting windows in the openings of ceilings, floors, walls, etc. of general buildings. In more detail, the present invention relates to light transmissive panels to be stationarily installed in the openings for optically changing the sunlight incident on the openings by way of refraction, reflection, etc. for obtaining desired natural lighting by selectively adjusting the quantity and range of the sunlight changing in relation with the annual and daily motion of the sun, thereby controlling the quantity of heat in the indoor space. Most of the openings in the ceilings, walls, etc. or general buildings are provided respectively as a lighting window using a single glass sheet, a double layer glass panel with an air layer between two glass sheets or a glass panel with a laminated resin layer, etc., for interior lighting using solar light or artificial illumination, etc. Special lighting windows intended for intercepting direct sunlight are disclosed in West German Patent Laid-Open Nos. 1683284, 1906990, 3138262, 3227118, etc. These lighting windows are shading devices using an improved Fresnel prism system which is a plate with many right-angled prisms with a metallic film on some optical faces integrally formed as plural blocks. Especially West German Patent Laid-open Nos. 3138262 and 3227118 disclose an improved technique for introducing scattered light, to perfectly intercept direct sunlight and to secure indoor illumination. However, such a lighting window using a Fresnel prism system does not contribute to securing a comfortable temperature range in an indoor dwelling space. The reason is that since the quality of heat obtained from sunlight depends on the annual and daily motion of the sun, i.e., changes due to seasons and daily time zones, intercepting all the sunlight means that a sufficient warming effect cannot be obtained in winter when a larger quantity of heat is required. The present invention provides a light transmissive panel as defined in claim 1. The light transmissive panel according to the present invention has reflective columns located between two transmissive plates, with holders located at the ends of the plates on both sides. Therefore, incident light can be optically changed by way of reaction, reflection, etc. without impairing the optical function at about the centers of the bodies of the refractive columns. Furthermore, the holders are advantageous for changing the arrangement of the refractive columns, and prevents movement, play, deflection, etc. Furthermore, if clearances are formed between the holders and the sealed edges of the plates, the thermal expansion and contraction of the refractive columns in the axial direction can be accommodated, and the refractive columns can be fastened always in stable state. In general, the present invention can adjust the difference in the quantity of heat in the interior caused by sunlight patterns of respective seasons or respective time zones due to the annual motion or daily motion of the sun, by using, the lighting quantity or range adjusting methods described below to adjust in reference to the difference in the altitude or azimuth of the sun. Thus, the present invention is epochal and very significant, since the light transmissive panel stationarily installed can be used without any adjustment, to positively intercept the summer sunlight large in the quantity of heat for preventing the temperature rise in the interior for contribution to energy saving in synergism with the heat insulation effect of the multi-layer panel, and to partially or positively introduce the vernal and autumnal or winter sunlight relatively small in the quantity of heat for effectively utilizing the heat. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached figures in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the light transmissive panel stated in claim 1. Fig. 2 through 4 are schematic front views showing the light transmissive panel stated in claim 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are schematic illustrations showing the holders used in the light transmissive panel stated in claim 1. Figs. 5 & 6 are schematic illustrations showing the holders used in the light transmissive panel stated in claim 1. Fig. 7 is a functional illustration showing a light quantity adjusting method. Figs. 8 to 12 are schematic illustrations showing other examples of the light. The light transmissive panels of the present invention stated in the respective claims are formed as multi-layer panels excellent in heat insulation, sound insulation, etc. with an air layer between two glass sheets of float plate glass or figured glass or two transmissive resin sheets, etc., as shown in Figs. 1 to 12. The light transmissive panels of the present invention can be effectively applied not only as lighting windows in the openings of the ceilings, floors, walls, etc. of general buildings but also as front panels such as illumination-installed decorative walls of general buildings. To install a light transmissive panel in an opening of a general building, a frame, etc. made of a metal, etc. is installed in the opening, for installing the light transmissive panel in it. Figs. 1 to 6 are schematic illustrations for illustrating the light transmissive panel 1 stated in claim 1. The light transmissive panel 1 stated in claim 1 consists of two transmissive plates 1a and 1b and plural refractive columns located in parallel to each other between the plates 1a and 1b, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and the respective refractive columns 2 are fastened between the plates 1a and 1b by holders 3 supporting the respective refractive columns 2, with the short portions at the ends of the bodies of the refractive columns 2 on both sides as supported faces, as shown in the schematic front view of Fig. 2. The refractive columns 2 are columns produced by extrusion molding of a synthetic resin such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate or molded glass columns, and those illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 are right-angled triangles in sectional form. The holders 3 are made of an elastic synthetic resin such as rubber or the same hard synthetic resin as used for the refractive columns 2, or metallic parts such as leaf springs, or seals with flexibility when hardened between the two plates 1a and 1b and the respective refractive columns 2 or made by combining these materials. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the flat optical faces of the refractive columns 2 contact one of the plates, 1a, and the holders 3 are formed to have column fitting portions to fit the apex angles of the refractive columns 2 and inserted between the refractive columns 2 at the ends of their bodies on both sides and the plate 1b, for fastening the refractive columns 2 between the two plates 1a and 1b. The holders in Figs. 1 to 6 are located at the ends of the respective refractive columns 2 on both sides, as shown in the schematic front view of Fig. 2. Therefore, if the light transmissive panel 1 of the present invention is installed in an opening of a building, the sunlight, etc. incident on one of the plates, 1a, is optically changed by way or refraction, reflection, etc., depending on the incident angle, almost in the entire range of the bodies of the refractive columns 2, and the optically changed light is transmitted through the other plate 1b into the interior. The holders 3 located at the ends on both sides can be hidden under a metallic frame to allow excellent designing. If the light transmissive panel 1 of the present invention is kept used, the quantity of heat is accumulated in the refractive columns 2, depending on the change in the quantity of heat contained in the sunlight, and the refractive columns 2 may be thermally expanded or deflected. This inconvenience can be met by the fixing mechanisms for the refractive columns 2 shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A fixing mechanism to meet the thermal expansion or contraction of the refractive columns 2 in the axial direction is shown in the schematic front view of Fig. 3. The holders 3 are located at the ends of the refractive columns 2 on both sides, as in Fig. 2, and in this case, a clearance 4 is formed between the ends of the refractive columns 2 at least on one side and the seal 1d provided at the periphery of the plates 1a and 1b. The existence of the clearance 4 prevents that when the refractive columns 2 are thermally expanded in the axial direction, the ends of the refractive columns 2 contact the sealed 1d, for deforming the seal 1d and the refractive columns 2 by the stress. For more effective functioning of the clearance 4, it is recommended, for example, that the holders 3 slightly more narrow than the distance between the plates 1a and 1b achieved by the seal 1d are strongly and integrally set with the ends of the refractive columns 2, so that when the refractive columns 2 are expanded in the axial direction, the holders 3 may be moved in the clearance 4 in the axial direction. Another fixing mechanism for preventing the refractive columns 2 from being deflected in their bodies by their own weight or heat is illustrated in the schematic front view of Fig. 4. In this example, a third holder 3 is installed also at the centers of the refractive columns 2, for preventing the deflection at the centers of the bodies where stresses are concentrated. In this case, since the third holder 3 is installed almost as a straight line in the direction perpendicular to the refractive columns 2, the light transmissive panel appears like a latticework in combination with the holders at the ends on both sides, or the frame hiding the holders 3 at the ends on both sides. Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration showing the structure of the holder 3 as an example. A member of the holder 3 of this example is almost a rectangle with a width almost equal to the distance between the plates 1a and 1b and with a proper length to accommodate a proper number of the refractive columns 2, as illustrated, and has column fitting portions 3a almost the same in sectional form as the ends or bodies of the respective columns 2. If the successive refractive columns 2 are the same in form as illustrated, the successive column fitting portions 3a are the same in form, but if the refractive columns 2 are respectively different in form, the column fitting portions must be formed to correspond to the respectively differently formed refractive columns 2, needless to say. The column fitting portions 3a are grooves or through holes, etc. The column fitting portions 3a formed as grooves are used to hold the refractive columns 2 at the ends on both sides, and the column fitting portions 3a formed as through holes are used to hold the refractive columns 2 at the centers. The number of the holders 3 is properly decided, considering the size, etc. of the plates 1a and 1b of the light transmissive panel 1, depending on working efficiency, productivity, etc. Each member of the holder 3 has a connecting recess 3b and a connecting protrusion 3b at both the ends in the longitudinal direction. A proper number of the members of the holder 3 are connected through the connecting recesses and protrusions 3b, to form the holder 3, and the refractive columns 2 are inserted at their ends on both sides or at their ends on both sides and at their centers into the column fitting portions 3a of the holders 3. Then, the respective refractive columns 2 are located between the two plates 1a and 1b. When the refractive columns 2 are located between the two plates 1a and 1b, it is preferable to keep the clearances 4 between the ends of the refractive columns 2 on both sides and the seal 1d. In this case, if the columncase if this case, if this column fitting portions 3a of the holders 3 provided at the ends of the refractive columns 2 on both sides are through holes, the clearances 4 to allow the axial expansion of the refractive columns 2 can be formed very easily. A further other example of the holder 3 is shown in the schematic illustration of Fig. 6. The holder 3 of this example is intended to avoid the troublesome work for inserting the reflective columns 2 different in sectional form and the complicated molding to form the column fitting portions 3a, which are inevitable with the holder 3 shown in Fig. 5. The holder 3 of Fig. 6 can be used for the refractive columns 3 trapezoidal in sectional form, and consists of a first half 3A and a second half 3B formed by splitting the holder 3 at the center in the longitudinal direction. In addition to the effects mentioned above, the holder 3 of this structure can be advantageously used for holding the refractive columns 2 at the centers of their bodies. To assemble any these holders 3, a proper number of the refractive columns 2 can be assembled with a set of members of the holder 3, for forming a unit which can then be connected with other similarly assembled units through the connecting recesses and protrusions 3b, for greatly simplifying the assembling work. The refractive columns 2 illustrated in Fig. 7 are right-angled prisms allowing total reflection which can be preferably used for the lighting quantity adjusting method of the present invention. The example of Fig. 7 shows a structure in which the light transmissive panel 1 is installed obliquely in a skylight. In Fig 7, the bottom faces opposite to the apexes of the refractive columns 2 are kept in contact with the plate 1a of the light transmissive panel 1. These refractive columns 2 are located in order that the sunlight at the culmination altitude in summer, i.e., the sunlight pattern S3 with an incident angle of y against the horizontal plane may be perpendicular to the bottom faces opposite to the apexes of the refractive columns 2. In this state, the winter sunlight pattern S1 with an incident angle of α against the horizontal plane is positively introduced into the interior as retracted light X1, and the vernal and autumnal sunlight pattern S with an incident angle of β against the horizontal plane H is partially intercepted as reflected light Y2 while the balance is introduced as refracted light X2. The examples of Figs. 8 and 9 have a light control section 6 composed of various members attached to the plate 1b installed on the interior side. The light transmissive panel of Fig. 8 has a lattice louvre or honeycomb louvre with metallic reflecting faces made of aluminum, etc. as the reflected light control members constituting the light control section 6. If the light transmissive panel 1 is used as a lighting window at a ceiling, etc., the sunlight pattern S1 transmitted through the refractive columns 2 is reflected by the light control members 6, being turned into interior light T1 progressing in the direction almost perpendicular to the plate 1b of the light transmissive panel 1, for creating a soft atmosphere in the interior space. The reflected light control members constituting the light control section 6 can be provided at a proper angle by a proper means. In this example, they are provided in the direction perpendicular to the plate 1b, being held between the plate 1b and a plate 1c. The light transmissive panel 1 of Fig. 9 uses a glass sheet as the plate 1b installed on the interior side, and the plate 1b has fine undulations formed on the surface, to constitute the light control section 6 with a nonreflecting surface. If the light transmissive panel 1 is used as a lighting window at a ceiling, etc., the sunlight pattern S1 transmitted through the refractive columns 2 is scattered by the light control section 6 into interior light T1, to create a soft atmosphere in the interior space like the light transmissive panel 1 of Fig. 8. If the light control section 6 is provided for the other plate 1a, the sunlight pattern S1 incident on the light transmitting panel 1 is somewhat changed in incident angle and transmitted through the refractive columns. In this case, the same effect as achieved when the light control section 6 is provided for the plate 1b can be achieved, and in addition, since the reflected light from the surface is divided, a soft decorative effect can be achieved. The light control section 6 in the example of Fig. 9 can also be provided on the refractive columns side of the plate 1a or 1b. The example of Fig. 10 has reflectors 7a formed by a vapor-deposited film of a metal such as aluminium on the optical faces of the refractive columns 2. The reflectors 7a make the sunlight pattern S3 with a certain incident angle reflected as reflected light Y3 by total reflection, to prevent the summer sunlight from going into the interior, and on the other hand, the winter sunlight pattern S1 and the vernal and autumnal sunlight pattern S2 are introduced as refractive light X1 and X2 respectively. The example of Fig 11 has absorbers 7b formed on the optical faces of the refractive columns 2 for preventing the reflection of the sunlight pattern S3 with a certain incident angle. The absorbers 7b can be provided, for example, by forming a thin calcium fluoride film by vapor deposition onto the optical faces of the refractive columns 2. Since the absorbers 7b absorb the sunlight pattern S3 with a certain incident angle, the summer sunlight pattern S3 can be intercepted, and on the other hand, the winter sunlight pattern S1 and the vernal and autumnal sunlight pattern S2 can be introduced as refracted light X1 and X2 respectively. The example of Fig. 12 has the pressure in the air layer reduced from a suction port, etc. formed in the seal 1d. Under reduced pressure, the air in the air layer is lowered in overall heat transfer coefficient, to enhance the heat insulation effect of the light transmitting panel 1. The plates 1a and 1b are effectively prevented from being deformed by the reduced pressure, thanks to the seal 1d and the holders 3 provided at the edges, and if the light transmitting panel 1 is large in area, also thanks to the holder 3 and the refractive columns 2 provided at intermediate portions.

Claims: A light transmissive panel, for use as a lighting window in an opening of a general building, comprising two light transmissive plates (1a, 1b) and a plurality of refractive columns (2) located in parallel to each other between said plates, wherein the respective columns have a right-angled triangular cross-section, and are fastened between said plates by holders (3) supporting the respective refractive columns, the holders supporting short portions at both ends of the bodies of the refractive columns such that the longest side of the said triangular cross-section is adjacent one of said light transmissive plates (1a). A light transmissive panel according to claim 1, wherein said holders (3) are elastic. A light transmissive panel according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said holders are made from the same material as said light refractive columns. A light transmissive panel according to any preceding claim, further comprising a third holder provided in a center portion of said light refractive columns.

Inventors: DANMURA YOSHIKAZU, KANADA YOSHIMI, DANMURA, YOSHIKAZU, KANADA, YOSHIMI, DANMURA, YOSHIKAZU FIGLA CO., LTD. NAI, KANADA, YOSHIMI FIGLA CO., LTD. NAI
Applicants: FIGLA CO LTD, FIGLA CO., LTD.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: E06B9
IPC codes: F21S11, E06B9