Light transmitting building material and method for producing the same

Abstract

A light-transmitting structure for use as a building block or panel, and a related method of fabrication. The structure includes a composite of a primary building material and one or more light-transmitting elements. The primary building material may have structural and / or insulative characteristics. The light-transmitting elements extend from one surface of the primary building material to the other and preferably make up a small part of the bulk of the structure. One or more light-concentrating elements are positioned on one or both surfaces of the structure and are configured to concentrate incoming light rays to the light-transmitting elements. The light-transmitting elements may be optical fibers, optical film in a parallel or intersecting arrangements, or other suitable geometries. The light-concentrating elements may be spherical, aspherical, or other geometries suitable for enabling light transmission through the primary building material via the light-transmitting elements. The structure may be fabricated in a variety of ways. In one process, the light-transmitting and light-concentrating elements may be formed separately and joined together in an aligned manner. In another process, both elements may be formed at the same time, either using a preformed mold, extrusion or shaping and selectively curing portions of a fluid with optical characteristics. The panel may be used to introduce light and or heating sunshine through the structure with little impact on its structural and / or insulative characteristics.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to building structures. More particularly, the present invention relates to traditionally opaque building materials including, but not limited to, cement, concrete blocks, wood, fiber batting and solid, cellular and porous polymeric structural and cover materials. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for making such traditional building materials capable of light transmission. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] Buildings within which people live, work and play must have certain physical characteristics to ensure structural integrity in a manner that preserves the condition of the building and the security and comfort of the people within. That is, buildings are built to remain in place for some period of time, and to be used as intended, under the particular environmental conditions to be expected where the building is located. Unfortu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide building materials having structural and / or insulative characteristics of interest in the fabrication of commercial and residential buildings, and further having light-transmitting characteristics. It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a building material that transmits a large percentage of the light striking the panel's outer surface, the percentage being largely independent of the panel's thickness. In one preferred embodiment the panel transmits most of the light striking the outer surface during winter months while rejecting most of the light during the summer months. It is a further object of the present invention to optionally provide such a light-transmitting material that enables relatively clear viewing from inside the building of features outside of the building. In this embodiment the angles of light transmitted are tightly controlled such that image transmission is possible.

[0010] These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, which is a combination of components including a primary structural and / or insulative material, one or more light-transmitting elements, and one or more light-concentrating elements. The invention is a building block or panel of selectable thickness formed primarily of the structural and / or insulative material. The structural material may be, for example, concrete. The insulative material may be, for example a polymeric foam. This insulative and / or structural material will henceforth be referred to as the primary building material. The light-transmitting element(s) extend completely through the thickness of the panel, from the panel's first lateral surface to its second lateral surface. The primary building material occupies all or substantially all of the space between the faces of the panel not otherwise occupied by the light-transmitting elements. The light-transmitting elements are optically transparent materials, preferably formed of glass or polymeric material. It is intended that the light-transmitting elements make up a relatively small portion of the overall cross-section of the panel. The light-concentrating elements are attached to one or both of the first and second lateral surfaces of the panel. They are configured and arranged such that a majority of light (either from a single angle or multiple angles) striking the lateral surface of the panel is concentrated into the light-transmitting elements. As a result, a majority of the light striking the panel made of substantially opaque building material passes through the light-transmitting elements from the one lateral surface through to the other. A substantial amount of light is transmitted into the interior of the building using a minimal amount of light-transmitting elements, thereby maximizing the amount of structural and / or insulative material of the panel.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, these desired characteristics of a building tend to produce a conflict in the selection of materials used to build the building.

Building occupants cannot see through the opaque structural materials to the outside environment.

As a result, sunlight cannot heat the interior of the building and artificial lighting is required to light the interior of the building.

As a result, building heat loss tends to occur through its windows much more so than through its opaque walls.

This is due to the optical fibers' property of transmitting light entering from many angles causing mixing and blurring of all but the closest objects or shadows.

Also, the optical fibers provide for some light transmission but the light transmission is limited to the percentage of optical fiber included in the material.

This creates a large trade off between light transmission and maintenance of the physical properties of the building material.

However, the powder scatters light such that the panel may not be used as a window and, again, there is a trade off between light transmission and thermal insulation characteristics.

Also, none of the above solutions provide for the selective transmission of light based on incoming angle which can allow for heat gain in a building during the winter months while rejecting building heating light during the summer months, for example.

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