AU593723B2

AU593723B2 - Solar heating and shade device

Info

Publication number: AU593723B2
Application number: AU12879/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Howard Archibald Treloar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-03-10
Filing date: 1988-03-10
Publication date: 1990-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-10
Also published as: AU1287988A

Description

r COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Q 7 Patents Act 1952-1969J 93723 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int. Class Application Number Lodged Complete Application No. Specification Lodged Published Priority: P, elated art: o.

ti

I.

Name of Applicant: Name of Applicant: r tr t Address of Applicant: rr r c i t TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT HOWARD ARCHIBALD TRELOAR 21 Barretts Road, Lynton 5062, State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia HOWARD ARCHIBALD TRELOAR care of COLLISON CO., 117 King William Street, Adelaide 5000, South Australia S' Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "SOLAR HEATING AND SHADE DEVICE" FEE AT1ACHD MAIL OFFICE 1 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: PATE I LODGED AT SUB-OFFICE MAR 1988 Adelaide

DOLLARS

O FIVE DOLLARS f'-j1 2.

This invention relates to a solar heating and shade device and in particular it relates to a device of a type which uses a plastic panel extruded to have a multiplicity of longitudinal channels through which the fluid to be heated can be passed.

Panels of this type are already well known and comprise two spaced membranes joined together at relatively close intervals by spacers running longitudinally with respect to the sheet.

A problem with panels of this type is feeding the fluid into the channels at one end of the sheet and out of the channels at the other end of the sheet.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement whereby such a panel can readily be formed by applying transverse tubes to form headers at the ends of the panel to allow flow into the channels at one end from the header at that end and out of the channels at the other end into the headers at that end.

The object of this invention is achieved by providing at each end tubular headers which have a longitudinal slit and which are formed of a spring material so that the headers can be expanded to open the slits to engage the edges of the slits over the ends of the panel and to then release the means whereby the headers were expanded to cause the edges of the headers to firmly

K;!

ii 3.

engage the panel with the inside of the headers in communication with the channels of the panel.

A further object of the invention is to allow such a panel to be used as a solar shade by allowing it to absocb heat rays.

Preferably one end of each header is closed and the other end is provided with inlet or outlet ducts to allow fluid flow either into or out of the header.

0 o The device for expanding the header to widen the split 1o 0. preferably consists of a pair of elongated wedges placed o Vone on the other in opposite inclination which can be moved longitudinally one on the other, and these wedges 0a o are provided with means to effect such longitudinal ,movement so that the expander can be inserted into the header in a retracted position but by moving one of the members of the expander on the other member the depth of the expander is increased to distort the header against its spring action to open the slit to allow it to be engaged over the end of the panel and the expander is then removed after reducing its expansion.

Movement of the wedge members of the expander can be effected by having a threaded stem extending from one member generally in the plane of the wedge members, and a co-operating apertured bracket on the other wedge member, a nut being used to pull one member on the other to increase the width of the expander. When it is to t Aagain be taken out of the header the reverse movement is effected. r Wi Vi

A

r 7- 7 -T 4.

In this way a simple arrangement results which allows the panel to have tubular headers fitted to it which act as collectors for the channels at each end of the panel to allow water or the like to be passed through the panel for solar heating or for solar heat absorption purposes.

When used as a shade the fluid which flows through the panel can be selected to cause it either to allow some of the heat to pass through the panel or a coloured i 0 t'fluid can be used which is more heat absorbing so that the space temperature beneath the panel can be ,controlled.

t I ,i ,The method of fitting headers to a panel according to this invention, which panel comprises a panel consisting of a pair of membranes separated by integrally formed longitudinal spacers formed of a plastics material I whereby to define a plurality of longitudinal channels t between the membranes, and having the end of the channels opening into a first and second header, is '20. characterised by opening a slit in a tube of spring material forming each header, which slit is normally of lesser dimension than the thickness of the panel, by inserting an expander into the header and manipulating the expander to open the slit, inserting the end of the panel through the slit to position the end in the header, manipulating the expander to engage the edges of the header formed by the slit on to the panel, and removing the expander from the header.

i a: Ii The solar heating and shade device comprising a panel consisting of a pair of membranes separated by integrally formed longitudinal spacers formed of a plastics material whereby to define a plurality of longitudinal channels between the membranes, and having the channels opening into a first and second header, characterised in that each header comprises a longitudinally slitted tube formed of a spring material applied to have the edges of the slits engage the panel, the slit heving a normal dimension less than the thickness of the panel, an expander adapted to be inserted in the header to allow the edges of the tube at the slit to be moved apart to fit over the end portion of the panel, and then to spring inward to engage the panel.

In order however that the nature of the invention may be fully understood an embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a fragmented perspective view showing such a panel erected as a heat absorber serving also as a shade, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the expander, Fig. 3 is a cross section of one end of a panel and header showing the expander in action to allow the header to be positioned over the end of the panel, Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the expander removed and the header clamped on to the end portion of the panel, 6.

Fig. 5 is a section of the end of one of the headers showing how an inlet or outlet tube is applied to the header using a resilient bung to close the end of the header, and Fig. 6 shows the other end of the header closed by a resilient bung which has no flow channel through it, although if required, this end also could have an inlet or outlet tube.

Referring first to Fig. 1 it will be seen that a panel 1 'o 0 formed in this way can be used to intercept the rays of a °the sun and can for instance form a heat shield such as °o a verandah by absorbing the rays of the sun in the panel o and the heat being carried away for use such as storage in a hot water system.

Each header 2 comprises a tube which has a longitudinal ~slit 3 to have an opening somewhat less than the thickness of a panel to which it is applied.

r t The panel 1 may be constructed in any convenient manner and comprises a membrane 4 on each side of the panel spaced apart by a series of longitudinal running IP parallel ribs 5 which divide the panel up into a larger number of parallel channels 6 formed between the membranes 4.

When it is desired to fit an end member in the form of a header 2 to the panel i, the tube with the slit which forms the header 2 has inserted into it the expander 7 and this expander is then expanded by having a first wedge member 8 of the expander 7 slide on a second wedge member 9, the two wedge members interengaging at 10 and

C.

A

7.

being of opposite taper and having at one end means for applying the necessary force to slide one wedge member on tne otner, tnese means comprising a cnreaaea stem 1i on the narrower end of the first wedge members 8 and a ferrule 12 on the end of the second wedge member 9, which is the wider end, which ferrule 12 encircles the threaded stem 11. The threaded stem 11 has on it a wing nut 13 which when rotated moves the first member 8 with the stem 11 on it along the second member 9 which carries the ferrule 12 to cause the header 2 to have the slit widened due to the expanding movement and the header 2 can then be positioned over the end of the panel 1, the channels 6 of the panel 1 opening into the headers 2 and allowing water to flow from the headers 2 into or out of the channels After the header 2 has been applied, one end of the header 2 is closed by a resilient bung 14, and the other end is also closed by a resilient bung 15 but this includes a tube 16 which acts as either an inlet or an outlet according to the direction of flow.

The header 2 on the other side is preferably similarly constructed and has one end closed and the other end adapted to allow flow into or out of the header as required bungs 14 and 15 being again used.

In the drawing one bung 15 is omitted to show how the panel 1 fits into header 2, and a central part of the one header 2 is fragmented to show details of the ribs and channels 6.

The method of expanding the headers 2 could of course vary but two tapered wedge members 8 and 9 form a convenient way of effecting the expansion as only a

I

Y L__ 8.

small amount of expansion is necessary to open the headers 2 which can then be fitted over the ends of the panel 1 and when the expander 7 is moved to a position where its height in the tube is reduced, the tube which forms the header is allowed to firmly grip the panel adjacent its end. The expander 7 is then removed and the flow control bungs 14 and 15 inserted into the ends of the headers 2. The two parts 8 and 9 of the expander could be linked by inclined joiners 18 to give the 10. expanding effect as shown dotted in Fig. 2.

r r I t r As stated earlier by selecting the colour of the fluid in the panel it is possible to control the amount of sunlight which can go through the panel or it can be completely opaque, and for instance of black colour to absorb heat rays to apply the maximum amount of energy to the water flowing through the panel i.

ISF

Fti lu i'

Claims

9. 1. The method of fitting headers to a panel comprising a pair of membranes separated by integrally formed longitudinal spacers formed of a plastics material whereby to define a plurality of longitudinal channels between the membranes, and having the end of the channels opening into a first and second header, characterised by opening a slit in a tube of spring material. forming each header, and which slit is normally of lesser dimension than the thickness of the panel, by inserting S
10. an expander into the header and manipulating the expander to open the slit, inserting the end of the I, panel through the slit to position the said end in the header, manipulating the expander to engage the edges of the header formed by the slit onto the panel, and removing the expander from the header. 2. The method of claim 1 further characterised by closing each header at at least a first end by a closed bung and closing the other end of each header by a second bung having a duct therethrough to form an inlet or
26. outlet to the header. 3. The method of claim 2 further characterised by insert- ing a tube through the said second bung to form the said duct. 4. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3 further characterised in that the expander comprising a pair of oppositely tapered wedge members dimensioned to be inserted into the header when the wedge members of the expander are in a first relative position, moving one wedge member oo O 4-- L 0 on the other wedge member in a first direction to expand the header to open the slit, and subsequently moving the wedge members in a direction opposite to the first direction to allow the edges of the header at the slit to engage the panel. A panel comprising a pair of membranes separated by integrally formed longitudinal spacers formed of a plastics material whereby to define a. plurality of longitudinal channels between the membranes, and having the channels opening into a first and second header, characterised in that each header comprises tubes having a longitudinal slit, each header being formed of a 0 t spring material dimensioned to have the edges of the tube at the slits engage the panel, an expander adapted to be inserted in the header to allow the edges of the tube at the slit to be moved apart to fit over an edge portion of the panel, and spring to engage the said edge portion of the panel when the said expander is removed. 6. A panel and first and second headers according to claim 5 further characterised by a bung closing at least one end of each of the said headers. 7. A panel and headers according to claim 5 or 6 char- acterised in that the said first and second headers are closed at each end by bungs, one being of each header at least having a duct therethrough to act as an inlet or outlet to the said header. 8. A panel and headers according to claim 6 characterised in tt:the bungs are formed of a resilient material and the duct is formed by a tube projecting through the said bung. 9. A panel and headers according to claim 5, 6, 7 or 8 characterised by an expander insertable in said first and said second header and comprising a pair of oppositely placed wedge members longitudina ly movable one in relation to the other and arranged on one movement to expand the said header to open the slit to allow the end of the panel to be inserted, and arrang- ed to remove the expanding force to allow the edges of the slit of the header to engage the said panel on a further movement. 10.A panel and header and expander according to claim 10 wherein one said wedge member has a threaded stem and the other wedge member has a bracket encircling the said stem, and a nut engaged on the said threaded J stem to move the one wedge member on the other wedge member. 11. Tn combination, a panel and headers constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, and an expander for the said headers constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 10th day of March, 1988. HOWARD ARCHIBALD TRELOAR By his Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO.