Method and device for controlling the passage of radiant energy into architectural structures

Abstract

An assembly for controlling the passage of radiant energy through a skylight, a roof or a wall including at least two linked control members positioned across the defined region mounted for generally parallel linked movement relative to each other between a closed position and an open position. The control members have a plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas arranged so that the respective transmitting areas and blocking areas of the control members are aligned when the members are in the closed position and the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the transmitting areas of the second control member when the panels are in the open position. A motorized motion unit may be used for producing relative movement between the control members. The assembly is particularly well-adapted to be used with a series of adjacent dual panel glazing units where assemblies associated with each adjacent dual panel glazing unit are linked to and controlled by a single motion control device.

1 . An assembly for controlling the passage of radiant energy through a defined region consisting of a portion of a skylight, a roof or a wall, the assembly comprising: 
 at least two control members positioned across the defined region,    the control members being mounted for generally parallel movement relative to each other between a closed position and an open position; and    a first plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a first control member and a second plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a second control member, the respective transmitting areas and blocking areas of the first and second control members being sized, shaped and positioned so that the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the blocking areas of the second control member when the members are in the closed position and the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the transmitting areas of the second control member when the panels are in the open position.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the portion is planar.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the portion is curved.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the relative positions of the control members are continuously variable between the open and closed positions to continuously vary the amount of radiant energy passing through the assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the first and second control members have abutting corresponding faces  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the first and second control members have corresponding faces and intervening means disposed between the abutting faces to minimize friction between the abutting faces.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6  in which the intervening means comprises at least two separate bands.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 6  in which the intervening means comprises a lubricant surface on at least one of the corresponding faces.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 7  in which the intervening means comprises a transparent or translucent reduced coefficient of friction member.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the first and second control members have corresponding faces and the faces are spaced from each other.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the first and second control members are generally rigid and planar and include guiding surface shapes to ensure generally parallel relative movement between the first and second control members.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 1  including more than two control members with blocking and transmitting areas and the blocking and transmitting areas are sized, shaped and positioned so that the respective blocking and transmitting areas of the control members are aligned when the control members are in the open position and the blocking areas of all of the control members are aligned when the control members are in the closed position.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 1  including a series of laterally disposed pairs of control members.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 13  in which the pairs of control members are confined in separate adjacent cells.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the first and second control members are planar.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is rigid.  
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the control members are made of a material chosen from the group consisting of plastic, fiberglass, fabric, metal or glass.  
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the control members are made of a fabric chosen from the group consisting of vinyl-coated polyester yarn and polytetrafluoroethylene fabric.  
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is flexible.  
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is made of plastic chosen from the group consisting of polycarbonate, acrylic, PVC, thermoplastic, and nylon.  
   
   
       21 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is made of metal.  
   
   
       22 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is less than 1 mm in thickness.  
   
   
       23 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the control members is made of a non-combustible material.  
   
   
       24 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second control members are mounted for movement in opposite generally parallel directions.  
   
   
       25 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first control member is stationary and the second control member is mounted for movement with respect to the first control member.  
   
   
       26 . The assembly of  claim 1  including a motorized motion unit for imparting relative movement between the first and second control members.  
   
   
       27 . The assembly of  claim 26  in which means for sensing sunlight is provided and the movement of the motion control is controlled by the sunlight-sensing means.  
   
   
       28 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the control members are interconnected so that movement of a first control member is imparted by the first control member to the other control member or members.  
   
   
       29 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which greater than two control members are provided and all of the control members are interconnected so that movement of the first control member by the motion control is imparted by the first control member to all of the interconnected control members.  
   
   
       30 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the transmitting areas and blocking areas comprise a series of contiguous parallel strips oriented generally perpendicularly to the direction of the relative movement of the planar control members.  
   
   
       31 . The assembly of  claim 30  in which the strips each comprise a series of laterally staggered segments.  
   
   
       32 . The assembly of  claim 30  in which the strips are from about 5 mm to about 50 mm wide.  
   
   
       33 . The assembly of  claim 30  in which the blocking strips are wider than the transmitting strips to ensure complete coverage of the transmitting strips in the closed position.  
   
   
       34 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the blocking areas have blocking characteristics chosen from the group consisting of opaque, light-reflecting, translucent, selective spectrum transmitting, 3D grating, and photochromic.  
   
   
       35 . The assembly of  claim 34  in which the light-blocking areas prepared by coating the planar members with the appropriate light-blocking materials.  
   
   
       36 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the blocking areas are impenetrable to visible light and other forms of radiant energy.  
   
   
       37 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the blocking areas are of varying opaqueness.  
   
   
       38 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which at least some of the blocking areas include cold mirrors that reflect visible light and transmit infrared energy.  
   
   
       39 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the control members are made of plastic and the light-blocking areas are prepared by extruding the appropriate light-blocking materials into the light-blocking areas.  
   
   
       40 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which at least some of the light-blocking surfaces block UV and visible light and transmit infrared energy.  
   
   
       41 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the transmitting areas block UV light while transmitting visible light.  
   
   
       42 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the blocking areas transmit UV radiation while reflecting visible light and infrared radiation.  
   
   
       43 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the blocking areas absorb UV radiation while reflecting visible light and infrared radiation.  
   
   
       44 . The assembly of  claim 1  including generally flat transparent or translucent interior and exterior panels spaced from each other with the first and second control members being generally planar and mounted for generally parallel movement between the interior and exterior panels.  
   
   
       45 . The assembly of  claim 44  in which the exterior and/or the interior panels are made of light transmitting plastic.  
   
   
       46 . The assembly of  claim 44  in which the exterior and/or the interior panels are made of extruded cellular polycarbonate.  
   
   
       47 . The assembly of  claim 45  in which the cells of the cellular extruded polycarbonate have a honeycomb or rectangular cross section.  
   
   
       48 . The assembly of  claim 45  in which the exterior and interior panels are made of glass.  
   
   
       49 . The assembly of  claim 45  in which at least one of the interior or the exterior panels serves as a control member with transmitting and blocking areas.  
   
   
       50 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the light-blocking areas are prepared by a process chosen of the group consisting of silk screening, painting, lamination, and co-extrusion.  
   
   
       51 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the control members comprise thin metal sheets or opaque plastic sheets.  
   
   
       52 . The assembly of  claim 51  in which the transmitting areas comprise a plurality of perforations in the first and second planar control members.  
   
   
       53 . The assembly of  claim 52  in which the perforations have a geometric shape chosen from the group consisting of circular, square, rectangular, triangular, and polygonal.  
   
   
       54 . An assembly for controlling the passage of radiant energy through a skylight, a roof or a wall comprising: 
 at least two linked planar control members positioned across the defined region,    the control members being mounted for generally parallel linked movement relative to each other between a closed position and an open position; and    a first plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a first control member and a second plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a second control member, the respective transmitting areas and blocking areas of the first and second control members being sized, shaped and positioned so that the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the blocking areas of the second control member when the members are in the closed position and the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the transmitting areas of the second control member when the panels are in the open position; and    a motorized motion unit for imparting relative movement between the control members.    
   
   
       55 . A method for controlling the passage of radiant energy through a defined region comprising: 
 providing at least two linked control members positioned across the defined region,    the control members being mounted for generally parallel linked movement relative to each other between a closed position and an open position;    a first plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a first control member and a second plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a second control member, the respective transmitting areas and blocking areas of the first and second control members being sized, shaped and positioned so that the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the blocking areas of the second control member when the members are in the closed position and the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the transmitting areas of the second control member when the panels are in the open position, and    a motorized motion unit for imparting relative movement between the control members;    adjusting the relative position of all of the control members by imparting movement through the motion unit to one of the control members to thereby vary the passage of radiant energy through the defined region.    
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55  in which the control members are planar, in which there are only two control members and in which the movement of a first control member in a first direction by the motion unit imparts a generally parallel movement in the opposite direction of the second control member.  
   
   
       57 . A panel system capable of controlling the passage of radiant energy comprising: 
 a plurality of glazing panel system units, each unit having interior and exterior glazing panels;    at least two control members associated with each glazing panel system unit, where at least one control member is movable,    the control members being mounted for generally parallel movement relative to each other between a closed position and an open position;    a first plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a first control member and a second plurality of transmitting areas and blocking areas in a second control member, the respective transmitting areas and blocking areas of the first and second control members being sized, shaped and positioned so that the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the blocking areas of the second control member when the members are in the closed position and the transmitting areas of the first control member are aligned with the transmitting areas of the second control member when the panels are in the open position;    a motion control device; and    a linkage between a movable control member associated with each of the glazing panel system units and the motion control device.    
   
   
       58 . The panel system of  claim 57  in which one of the glazing panels comprises a control member.  
   
   
       59 . The panel system of  claim 57  in which the glazing panel system units include a series of adjacent elongated cells and the control members are disposed in the cells.