Reflective sun screen

A reversible sun screen apparatus for attachment adjacent to an interior surface of a window pane in a building, said sun screen apparatus comprising in combination:

• (a) a transparent sheet of semi-rigid synthetic resin, said transparent sheet having a first surface and an opposed second surface;
• (b) a reflective layer on the first surface of said transparent sheet, said reflective layer being transparent, said reflective layer having a highly reflective outer surface and an inner surface of low reflectivity adjacent said transparent sheet, said reflective layer being substantially colored or tinted;
• and
• (c) attachment means for attaching a plurality of respectively opposed peripheral edge portions of said transparent sheet to a frame surrounding the window pane to support said sun screen in fixed substantially parallel spaced relationship with said window pane, said attachment means being easily movable to facilitate convenient removal of said reflective sun screen,
• whereby said reflective sun screen apparatus can be installed adjacent to the window pane with said highly reflective outer surface of said reflective layer oriented outward during hot months of the year and can be easily reversed and installed with said highly reflective outer surface of said reflective layer oriented inwardly with respect to the building during cold months of the year.

A method of using a reflective sun screen in a building to reduce glare of incoming sunlight and to improve conservation of energy associated with the building, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) removably installing the reflective sun screen against or adjacent a window pane of the building and leaving the reflective sun screen in place during hot times of the year, the reflective sun screen including
• (i) a transparent sheet of semi-rigid synthetic resin, said transparent sheet having a first surface and an opposed second surface,
• (ii) a reflective layer having a highly reflective outer surface and a low reflectivity inner surface adjacent the first surface of the transparent sheet, the reflective layer being transparent and having a colored or tinted portion,
• the high reflectivity outer surface of the reflective layer being oriented toward the outside of the building, whereby a substantial proportion of incoming radiation is reflected by the high reflectivity outer surface of the reflective layer and passes through the window pane out of the building without passing through the reflective layer and transparent sheet;
• and
• (b) reversing the orientation of the reflective sun screen by removing the reflective sun screen and rotating it so that the highly reflective outer surface of the reflective layer is oriented toward the interior of the building and removably installing the reflective sun screen and leaving it in place during cold times of the year against or adjacent the window pane of the building, whereby a substantial proportion of incoming radiation passes through the transparent sheet and the colored or tinted portion of the reflective layer before reaching said highly reflective outer surface and is reflected outwardly, the color or tinted portion absorbing a substantial amount of the heat from the incoming and reflected radiation, the heat being conducted by convection to the interior parts of the building, the transparent sheet tending to insulate the interior of the building from the exterior of the building.