GB2318606A

GB2318606A - Box-section glazing panel with internal reflective strips

Info

Publication number: GB2318606A
Application number: GB9622212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jason Drummond; Charles David Drummond
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-25
Filing date: 1996-10-25
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Also published as: GB9622212D0

Abstract

A hollow plastic glazing panel or material comprising two or more layers (A) of transmissive material has at least one layer of partially reflective material (B) in between, fashioned as a ribbon. The two or more layers of transmissive material are separated into boxed sections, which may be known as flutes (C), by interconnecting walls (E). The ribbon may be flat strip or semi-circular and is preferably of a metallized plastic laminate, the metallized layer being chromium, gold, silver, zinc, cadmium, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium bronze or copper, and may be placed within some or all of the box sections, running part of, or fully, the length of the glazing panel.

Description

Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials This invention relates to hollow plastic glazing panels or materials Structures with transparent roofing/wall materials suffer from extreme, external temperature influence - such structures can be too hot to use in the summer and, conversely, too cold in the winter.

The hollow plastic glazing panels are used throughout the building industry, especially in the manufacture of conservatories. This material is used for reasons of cost, strength and because it is relatively lightweight when compared to glass.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention the above mentioned roofing/glazing material, comprising of two or more layers of transmissive material separated into flutes by inner walls - see fig. 1 above. There is inserted into the flutes a strip of partially reflective material fashioned as a ribbon - see fig. 1 above.

The plastic roofing/glazing material, being fully transmissive of solar energy (as light and heat) does little to control the inner temperature of the structure in which it is used. Tinted material of this kind can be obtained but in practice they are of very little effect.

Similarly, blinds drawn across the material, to screen out the heat, produce little effect when lowering the internal temperature - the heat already having entered the room through the glazing before reaching the blinds material due to there being a gap between the glazing and the blinds.

A laminated sheet of partially reflective material can be installed onto the plastic panels in question. However, the process is tricky, time consuming, expensive and the results are of dubious robustness.

In one embodiment of the invention a partially reflective laminate (similar in kind to that mentioned in the previous paragraph) is fashioned into strips and placed inside of the hollows in the plastic glazing material - see fig. 1 above.

The partially reflective material used would preferably a durable yet workable, flexible plastic such as polyester. A metal layer is placed inside of two outer layers and all three being bonded into one thin sheet which is then cut into ribbons.

In one embodiment of the invention, the width of the ribbons would preferably be slightly less than the distance between two inner walls of the plastic glazing material: The length of the ribbon being the length of the plastic glazing material's flute - see fig.l above.

The insertion of the ribbon is a simple operation and can be done in the production factory, at a smaller workshop or on site ie. at a client's home. The ribbon may be inserted into any or all of the flutes - see fig. 1 above.

In another embodiment of the invention, the width of the ribbon is calculated as follows - please refer to fig.2 above 2 (pi) (O.5D) 2 ie. Two multiplied by the mathematical constant 'pi' multiplied by one half of the inner flute width (represented by D on figure2. above) all of this being finally divided by two. This allows for a semi-circular cross section to be implemented as the ribbons are pushed inside of the said glazing material providing increased traction between the inner flute walls and the ribbon. This will allow the hollow plastic glazing material to be easily cut whilst the ribbon is inside of it and also allows for the plastic glazing material panel to be carried at any angle without the need for sealing in the ribbon.

This embodiment of the invention uses an insertion tool which is longer than the length of the flutes and, when pushed up fully into the flute, can grip a piece of ribbon. The tool is then drawn out of the flute at the opposite end to the insertion point of the ribbon. Thus, the ribbon can be fully drawn up into the flute: The lateral tension caused by the ribbon's semi-circular embodiment will hold it in place.

The ribbon may be inserted into any or all of the flutes - see fig.2 above The ribbon used in both embodiments (illustrated respectively by Fig. 1 and Fig.2) can also made from a tinted film, not necessarily a metalized laminate although the metalized ribbon would be preferable.

Claims

1. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials with two or more layers of transmissive material with a layer of partially reflective material in between.

2. Hollow plastic glazing panel or material, as in claim 1, with two or more layers separated by a series of perpendicular struts forming boxed sections.

3. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials, as in claim 2, where the a partially reflective material is placed within any or all of these boxed sections.

4. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials, as in claim 3, where the layer of partially reflective material comprises a series of strips within the boxed sections running down the length or part length of the hollow plastic glazing panels or materials.

5. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials, as in claim 4, where the partially reflective material comprises a laminate of at least three layers.

6. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials, as in claim 5, where the laminate comprising at least two outer layers of plastic and where at least one metalized layer.

7. Hollow plastic glazing panels or materials, as in claim 6, where the metalized layer comprises one or more of the following: chromium, gold, silver, zinc, cadmium, stainless steel, aluminium, titanium, bronze or copper.

8. As in claim 4, a method of manufacturing hollow plastic glazing panels or materials with at least one layer of partially reflective material placed within at least one flute.

9. As in claim 4, a method of installing into hollow plastic glazing panels or materials at least one layer of partially reflective material placed within at least one boxed section.