Patent ID: 7410284

Claim:
A method for producing a multifaceted, self-supporting, angle-selective light redirecting system comprising: (a) laser cutting two or more arrays of parallel laser cuts through or partly through a flat sheet of transparent acrylic plastic with narrow strips of solid transparent acrylic plastic being left uncut between adjoining arrays of laser cuts, said arrays of parallel laser cuts covering a segment of said flat sheet in a pattern such that removal of said segment of flat sheet and folding of said segment of flat sheet along lines of the narrow solid strips between each array of parallel laser cuts in the segment would result in a multifaceted, three dimensional structure of saddle, pyramidal or higher order form; (b) cutting and removing said segment out of said flat sheet; (c) positioning said segment on a table such that one of the narrow strips of solid clear plastic between the arrays of laser cuts is aligned directly above a narrow linear heating element slotted into a surface of said table; (d) applying electrical power to raise a temperature of said linear heating element such that the narrow strip of solid plastic between adjoining arrays of laser cuts in said segment is heated and softened; (e) folding said segment along one of the lines of the narrow strip which has been softened though an angle suited to form the three dimensional structure then allowing the narrow strip of plastic to cool and solidify; (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) for each narrow strip of solid plastic between adjoining arrays of laser cuts so as to form a multi-faceted, three dimensional, self supporting angle-selective roof lighting system with each facet of the system having an array of laser cuts through or partly through the facet.