Method and device for dousing sunlight with a seasonal effect
OwnerGian V. Nardiniinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dousing or light blocking method and device for controlling the transmission of sunlight includes a plate of transparent material, having one flat, vertical or nearly vertical, surface and an opposite at least partially inclined surface, the latter facing the sun. The plate is oriented and located with respect to the sun in a predetermined period of the sun path, so as to prevent direct sunlight from getting through the plate in a desired and predetermined year season or period without interfering with the transmission of diffused light.
Claims14
A method for seasonally dousing sunlight, comprising:
- forming a transparent douser plate of a material having an index of refraction greater than unity and with a critical angle of internal reflection;
- forming at least one first plane surface on said transparent douser plate;
- forming at least one second plane surface on said transparent douser plate;
- said at least one first plane surface and said at least one second plane surface being inclined at an inclined angle with respect to each other;
- said index of refraction and said inclined angle being effective to cause light entering said douser plate from at least some directions through said first plane surface to become incident onto said second plane surface at angles equal to or exceeding said critical angle;
- positioning said second plane surface substantially vertical and disposing said at least said one first plane surface facing the sun substantially at noon time and at said inclined angle with respect to said second plane surface whereby the sun altitude corresponding to the said directions which produce said critical angle for direct sunlight is a limiting altitude of the sun, and direct sunlight is blocked for sun altitudes above said limiting value and direct sunlight is transmitting through said douser plate for at least some sun azimuths for sun altitudes below said limiting value.
A fixed douser for seasonally dousing sunlight, comprising:
- a transparent douser plate of a material having an index of refraction greater than unity and, as a result, a critical angle of total internal refraction;
- said transparent douser plate having at least one first plane surface and one second plane surface, said first plane surface and second plane surface being inclined at an inclined angle with respect to each other;
- said index of refraction and said inclined angle being effective to cause the light entering said douser plate from at least some directions through said first plane surface to become incident onto said second plane surface at angles equal to or exceeding said critical angle;
- said second plane surface being substantially vertical;
- and
- said at least said one first plane surface facing the sun substantially at noon time and being disposed at said angle with respect to said at least said one second plane surface, whereby the sun altitude corresponding to said directions which produce said critical angle for direct sunlight is a limiting altitude of the sun, and direct sunlight is blocked for sun altitudes above said limiting value and direct sunlight is transmitted through said douser plate for at least some sun azimuths for sun altitudes above said limiting value and direct sunlight is transmitted through said douser plate for at least some sun azimuths for sun altitudes below said limiting value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.