WO2007043065A1 - A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights - Google Patents

A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2007043065A1
WO2007043065A1 PCT/IT2005/000582 IT2005000582W WO2007043065A1 WO 2007043065 A1 WO2007043065 A1 WO 2007043065A1 IT 2005000582 W IT2005000582 W IT 2005000582W WO 2007043065 A1 WO2007043065 A1 WO 2007043065A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
multiwall sheet
driving roller
ribbons
sheet assembly
tunnels
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IT2005/000582
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Daniel Gallina
Original Assignee
Dott. Gallina S.R.L.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dott. Gallina S.R.L. filed Critical Dott. Gallina S.R.L.
Priority to PCT/IT2005/000582 priority Critical patent/WO2007043065A1/en
Publication of WO2007043065A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007043065A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
    • E04C2/00—Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels
    • E04C2/54—Slab-like translucent elements
    • E04C2/543—Hollow multi-walled panels with integrated webs
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
    • E04D13/00—Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage ; Sky-lights
    • E04D13/03—Sky-lights; Domes; Ventilating sky-lights
    • E04D13/033—Sky-lights; Domes; Ventilating sky-lights provided with means for controlling the light-transmission or the heat-reflection, (e.g. shields, reflectors, cleaning devices)
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
    • E04D3/00—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets
    • E04D3/02—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets of plane slabs, slates, or sheets, or in which the cross-section is unimportant
    • E04D3/06—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets of plane slabs, slates, or sheets, or in which the cross-section is unimportant of glass or other translucent material; Fixing means therefor
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E04—BUILDING
    • E04D—ROOF COVERINGS; SKY-LIGHTS; GUTTERS; ROOF-WORKING TOOLS
    • E04D3/00—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets
    • E04D3/24—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets with special cross-section, e.g. with corrugations on both sides, with ribs, flanges, or the like
    • E04D3/28—Roof covering by making use of flat or curved slabs or stiff sheets with special cross-section, e.g. with corrugations on both sides, with ribs, flanges, or the like of glass or other translucent material
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/26—Lamellar or like blinds, e.g. venetian blinds
    • E06B9/264—Combinations of lamellar blinds with roller shutters, screen windows, windows, or double panes; Lamellar blinds with special devices
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E06—DOORS, WINDOWS, SHUTTERS, OR ROLLER BLINDS IN GENERAL; LADDERS
    • E06B—FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES
    • E06B9/00—Screening or protective devices for wall or similar openings, with or without operating or securing mechanisms; Closures of similar construction
    • E06B9/24—Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blinds
    • E06B9/40—Roller blinds

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for use in the construction of skylights and canopies of shopping malls, industrial plants, indoor gyms, swimming pools and other premises where a good natural lighting is desired.
  • Multiwall sheets made of glass or of a translucent synthetic material such as acrylic or polycarbonate have been used for some time for glazing canopies and skylights, and are available as either flat or curved plates.
  • the multiwall construc- tion obtained by extrusion, gives the sheet a strong though lightweight quality, and also contributes to soften the light entering through the skylight.
  • the material of the multiwall sheet can of course be tinted for shading purposes, but the shading is unchangeable and may be excessive on cloudy days.
  • screens or awnings have been installed beneath the skylight, but such a construction is cumbersome, expensive, difficult to implement with curved plates, and requires frequent cleaning.
  • Fig. 1 is a perspective view in cross-section of a translucent multiwall sheet assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a view to an enlarged scale and in longitudinal cross-section of an end portion of a multiwall sheet assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, with portions broken away;
  • Fig. 3 is a plan view in cross-section made at III-III on Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 for a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 5 is a plan view in cross-section made at V-V on Fig. 4.
  • a polycarbonate multiwall sheet 10 comprises two parallel outer walls 11, 12, and an intermediate wall 13, which are joined together to form an integral structure by a plurality of parallel transverse webs 14, so that a plurality of rectangular-profile tunnels such as 16, 17 are defined between the webs.
  • the multiwall sheet is manufactured by a conventional extrusion process as known in the art and is commercially available.
  • a housing 18 is attached along one end side of the multiwall sheet 10, in front of the inlets to the double row of tunnels 16, 17.
  • Housing 18 is preferably an profiled draw piece of aluminum that is clamped onto an end of the multiwall sheet.
  • a rod 20 is rotatably supported within housing 18 in front of the tunnel inlets, to act as a roller that can be turned by means of a knob 22.
  • knob 22 can be replaced by an electric motor that can be remotely operated.
  • the ribbons constitute collectively a changeable screen that will reduce the transmission of light through the sheet assembly in a desired degree.
  • the ribbons when fully extended, may reach from one side of the sheet to the opposite side, thereby shutting off substantially the totality of daylight.
  • the ribbons When the ribbons are fully withdrawn, the passage of daylight through the multiwall sheet will be substantially unimpeded. Intermediate shadings are readily achieved.
  • the second embodiment of the invention also comprises a multiwall sheet 10 similar to the sheet of Figs. 1 to 3, with a first housing 18 accommodating a rotatable roller 20 that can be turned in either directions by a knob or motor 22 and with opaque, flexible ribbons 24 that are slidable within respective tunnels 16 and that can be wound to a desired degree onto roller 20.
  • the second embodiment further comprises a second housing 30 mounted on the opposite side of sheet 10 and journaling an idle roller 32, similar to roller 20.
  • a cap piece 34 is attached at the end of each ribbon 24, and a pair of thin strings or wires 36 extend from cap piece 34, around idle roller 32 and back through the respective tunnel 16 to roller 20, where they are firmly fastened and wound.
  • both rollers 20 and 32 have a plurality of peripheral ridges 38 defining separate seats for the winding and unwinding of the ribbons and the wires, respectively.
  • the ribbons By turning roller 20 in one direction, the ribbons can be fully wound to clear their respective tunnels, while their associated wires unwind and are pulled around roller 32. By turning roller 20 in the opposite direction, the wires will be wound up and will pull the ribbons along the tunnels to create a screen to daylight.
  • the ribbons are not required to be resilient, and their material can therefore be thinner and softer and extend over longer stretches. Therefore this embodiment is especially suitable for wide-span canopies.
  • string and wire should be understood to cover also other equivalent pulling devices such as strips of a flexible though tough material, preferably transparent, such as nylon or the like.
  • pulling wires are preferably attached in pairs to the ends of the ribbons, a single pulling wire or strip may be sufficient, depending on circumstances such as the material of the ribbons, or other.
  • the person skilled in the art will appreciate that the pulling strings or strips, though substantially unextendable, should preferably have a small degree of elasticity, as this will help to maintain the ribbons taut, and also will help the parts to adjust to manufacturing tolerances.
  • both the first and the second embodiments of the invention can be used not only with flat multiwall sheets as shown on the drawings, but also with sheets that are arched in the longitudinal direction of the tunnels, because the flexibility of the ribbons will allow them to easily conform to the arched shape of the tunnels.
  • a triple-wall sheet is shown in the drawings, the invention can also be incorporated in twin-wall sheets or, more generally, in sheets with a larger number of walls, by using one of the multiple sets of tunnels there available.
  • the material of the ribbons may be a thin metal leaf such as aluminum or steel, or a leaf of synthetic material, such as polyethylene. If pulling wires are used as in the second embodiment described, the material can be almost any unextendable film or fabric. The material may be completely opaque or partly transparent.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Building Awnings And Sunshades (AREA)

Abstract

In each side-by-side tunnel (16) of a multiwall sheet (10) is received a ribbon (24) of a thin, flexible, opaque material that can be wound and unwound from a rotatable roller (20) to project into the respective tunnel in variable degree to provide a desired shading from daylight.

Description

"A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights"
Description
This invention relates to a translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for use in the construction of skylights and canopies of shopping malls, industrial plants, indoor gyms, swimming pools and other premises where a good natural lighting is desired.
Multiwall sheets made of glass or of a translucent synthetic material such as acrylic or polycarbonate have been used for some time for glazing canopies and skylights, and are available as either flat or curved plates. The multiwall construc- tion, obtained by extrusion, gives the sheet a strong though lightweight quality, and also contributes to soften the light entering through the skylight. However, the amount of daylight they let into the room is not adjustable, and consequently the lighting afforded by such a skylight on sunny days often turns out to be glaring and uncomfortable. The material of the multiwall sheet can of course be tinted for shading purposes, but the shading is unchangeable and may be excessive on cloudy days. Where an adjustable lighting is regarded as necessary, screens or awnings have been installed beneath the skylight, but such a construction is cumbersome, expensive, difficult to implement with curved plates, and requires frequent cleaning.
It is therefore the main object of the invention to provide a translucent multiwall sheet assembly that can be adjusted in the degree of overall transmission of light.
It is another object to provide such sheet assembly in both flat and curved constructions.
It is still another object to provide such sheet assembly without requiring changes to the conventional multiwall sheet or to the extrusion process by which conventional multiwall sheets are manufactured. The above-mentioned objects, as well as other objects and advantages, such as will appear from the following description, are achieved by the invention by providing a translucent multiwall sheet assembly having the features recited in claim 1.
The dependent claims state other innovative though secondary features of the invention.
The invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the attached drawings, shown by way of nonlimiting examples, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view in cross-section of a translucent multiwall sheet assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a view to an enlarged scale and in longitudinal cross-section of an end portion of a multiwall sheet assembly according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, with portions broken away;
Fig. 3 is a plan view in cross-section made at III-III on Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 for a second preferred embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is a plan view in cross-section made at V-V on Fig. 4.
In Fig. 1, a polycarbonate multiwall sheet 10 comprises two parallel outer walls 11, 12, and an intermediate wall 13, which are joined together to form an integral structure by a plurality of parallel transverse webs 14, so that a plurality of rectangular-profile tunnels such as 16, 17 are defined between the webs. The multiwall sheet is manufactured by a conventional extrusion process as known in the art and is commercially available.
According to the first embodiment of the invention, and with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a housing 18 is attached along one end side of the multiwall sheet 10, in front of the inlets to the double row of tunnels 16, 17. Housing 18 is preferably an profiled draw piece of aluminum that is clamped onto an end of the multiwall sheet. A rod 20 is rotatably supported within housing 18 in front of the tunnel inlets, to act as a roller that can be turned by means of a knob 22. Alternately, knob 22 can be replaced by an electric motor that can be remotely operated.
Flat, elongated ribbons 24, made from an at least partly opaque, flexible material, are slidably received within the respective tunnels 17 and each ribbon 24 is fastened with one end to roller 20, so that by turning the roller the ribbons are wound in a coil around the roller and are withdrawn from the respective tunnel, while, on turning the roller in the opposite direction, the ribbons are unwound from the roller. If the material of the ribbon, though flexible, is sufficiently resilient, when a ribbon is unwound while its distal end is still guided within its associate tunnel, the ribbon will move forward into the tnnel.
It can therefore be seen that the ribbons constitute collectively a changeable screen that will reduce the transmission of light through the sheet assembly in a desired degree. Depending on the opacity of the material, on the length of the ribbons and the size of the skylight or canopy, the ribbons, when fully extended, may reach from one side of the sheet to the opposite side, thereby shutting off substantially the totality of daylight. When the ribbons are fully withdrawn, the passage of daylight through the multiwall sheet will be substantially unimpeded. Intermediate shadings are readily achieved.
With reference to Figs. 4 and 5, the second embodiment of the invention also comprises a multiwall sheet 10 similar to the sheet of Figs. 1 to 3, with a first housing 18 accommodating a rotatable roller 20 that can be turned in either directions by a knob or motor 22 and with opaque, flexible ribbons 24 that are slidable within respective tunnels 16 and that can be wound to a desired degree onto roller 20.
The second embodiment further comprises a second housing 30 mounted on the opposite side of sheet 10 and journaling an idle roller 32, similar to roller 20. A cap piece 34 is attached at the end of each ribbon 24, and a pair of thin strings or wires 36 extend from cap piece 34, around idle roller 32 and back through the respective tunnel 16 to roller 20, where they are firmly fastened and wound. Preferably both rollers 20 and 32 have a plurality of peripheral ridges 38 defining separate seats for the winding and unwinding of the ribbons and the wires, respectively.
By turning roller 20 in one direction, the ribbons can be fully wound to clear their respective tunnels, while their associated wires unwind and are pulled around roller 32. By turning roller 20 in the opposite direction, the wires will be wound up and will pull the ribbons along the tunnels to create a screen to daylight.
With the second embodiment, the ribbons are not required to be resilient, and their material can therefore be thinner and softer and extend over longer stretches. Therefore this embodiment is especially suitable for wide-span canopies.
The terms "string" and "wire" as used above should be understood to cover also other equivalent pulling devices such as strips of a flexible though tough material, preferably transparent, such as nylon or the like. Further, although the pulling wires are preferably attached in pairs to the ends of the ribbons, a single pulling wire or strip may be sufficient, depending on circumstances such as the material of the ribbons, or other. Finally, the person skilled in the art will appreciate that the pulling strings or strips, though substantially unextendable, should preferably have a small degree of elasticity, as this will help to maintain the ribbons taut, and also will help the parts to adjust to manufacturing tolerances.
It should be appreciated that both the first and the second embodiments of the invention can be used not only with flat multiwall sheets as shown on the drawings, but also with sheets that are arched in the longitudinal direction of the tunnels, because the flexibility of the ribbons will allow them to easily conform to the arched shape of the tunnels. Although a triple-wall sheet is shown in the drawings, the invention can also be incorporated in twin-wall sheets or, more generally, in sheets with a larger number of walls, by using one of the multiple sets of tunnels there available.
The material of the ribbons may be a thin metal leaf such as aluminum or steel, or a leaf of synthetic material, such as polyethylene. If pulling wires are used as in the second embodiment described, the material can be almost any unextendable film or fabric. The material may be completely opaque or partly transparent.

Claims

Claims
1. A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, comprising a multiwall sheet (10) with at least two walls of translucent material joined by a plurality of transverse webs at a fixed pitch to define a plurality of parallel tunnels (16), characterized in that it further comprises:
- a rotatable driving roller (20) extending along one end side of the multiwall sheet,
- a plurality of ribbons (24) of a thin, flexible, at least partly opaque material extending at least for a portion of respective tunnels (17) and fastened with one end to respective points on the driving roller;
- whereby a rotation of the driving roller in either direction will wind or unwind the ribbons around the driving roller, respectively to shorten and lengthen the lengths of ribbons extending within the respective tunnels.
2. The multiwall sheet assembly of claim 1, characterized in that said driving roller (20) is received within a first housing (18) attached along said end side of the multiwall sheet.
3. The multiwall sheet assembly of claim 1, characterized in that an idle roller (32) extends along the opposite end side of the multiwall sheet, and in that the free ends of the ribbons (24) are attached to respective flexible strings or wires (34) that are passed around the idle roller and are attached with their opposite ends to the driving roller (20), whereby when the driving roller is turned in one direction they will be wound onto the driving roller and pull the ribbons along the tunnels, and when the driving roller is turned in the opposite direction they will be pulled by the ribbons and unwind from the driving roller.
4. The multiwall sheet assembly of claim 3, characterized in that a pair of strings or wires (34) is attached to each ribbon (24).
5. The multiwall sheet assembly of claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the driving roller has peripheral ridges separating winding seats for the strings or wires and for the ribbons, respectively.
6. The multiwall sheet assembly of any of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said idle roller is received within a second housing (30) attached along said opposite end side of the multiwall sheet.
7. The translucent multiwall sheet assembly of any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said multiwall sheet is curved in the longitudinal direction of said tunnels.
PCT/IT2005/000582 2005-10-07 2005-10-07 A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights WO2007043065A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IT2005/000582 WO2007043065A1 (en) 2005-10-07 2005-10-07 A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IT2005/000582 WO2007043065A1 (en) 2005-10-07 2005-10-07 A translucent multiwall sheet assembly, particularly for skylights

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2007043065A1 true WO2007043065A1 (en) 2007-04-19

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Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2643602A1 (en) * 1976-09-28 1978-03-30 Johannes Ing Grad Kayser Double-walled, louvre-type building element - controlling heat and light transmission comprises transparent box fitted with diagonal opaque polyester slats
FR2666636A1 (en) * 1990-09-07 1992-03-13 Seyve Daniel Device for insulating, illuminating and reflecting infra-red, for roofs
EP0553414A1 (en) * 1992-01-30 1993-08-04 General Electric Company Panel-shaped element manufactured from a synthetic resin
WO1999019580A1 (en) * 1997-10-10 1999-04-22 Alejandro Garcia Medina System taking advantage of the free alveoles of skylight panels by means of independent plates
DE19813099A1 (en) * 1998-03-25 1999-09-30 Pyratekt Glasdachkonstruktion Glass panel with two glass panes, used as a glass roof
US6354354B1 (en) * 1995-04-13 2002-03-12 Manfred Schmidt Film for blinds and production process
EP1273754A1 (en) * 2001-07-03 2003-01-08 Michael Mayr Insulation glass unit with integrated, power driven sunshield- or darkening blind
EP1296001A1 (en) * 2001-09-25 2003-03-26 Dan-Pal Panel unit of controllable light transmissivity

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2643602A1 (en) * 1976-09-28 1978-03-30 Johannes Ing Grad Kayser Double-walled, louvre-type building element - controlling heat and light transmission comprises transparent box fitted with diagonal opaque polyester slats
FR2666636A1 (en) * 1990-09-07 1992-03-13 Seyve Daniel Device for insulating, illuminating and reflecting infra-red, for roofs
EP0553414A1 (en) * 1992-01-30 1993-08-04 General Electric Company Panel-shaped element manufactured from a synthetic resin
US6354354B1 (en) * 1995-04-13 2002-03-12 Manfred Schmidt Film for blinds and production process
WO1999019580A1 (en) * 1997-10-10 1999-04-22 Alejandro Garcia Medina System taking advantage of the free alveoles of skylight panels by means of independent plates
DE19813099A1 (en) * 1998-03-25 1999-09-30 Pyratekt Glasdachkonstruktion Glass panel with two glass panes, used as a glass roof
EP1273754A1 (en) * 2001-07-03 2003-01-08 Michael Mayr Insulation glass unit with integrated, power driven sunshield- or darkening blind
EP1296001A1 (en) * 2001-09-25 2003-03-26 Dan-Pal Panel unit of controllable light transmissivity

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