Ceiling Illumination Window Prism Critical Angle Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceiling illumination windows struggle to provide both brighter ceiling illumination and clear visibility of the view, especially in summer when direct sunlight illuminates only a specific region of the ceiling, making the room appear dark and obstructing the view.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a transparent prism between two transparent plate members with a reflection member on one surface, allowing light to be reflected at a critical angle and emitted in multiple optical paths with different reflection times, ensuring even illumination from the window side to the back of the room while maintaining clear visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a large number of connected parabolic surfaces are provided to increase light amount, then ceiling illumination brightness is improved, but the view becomes difficult to see due to metal deposition on the inner surface
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent prism is introduced as an intermediary optical element between the parabolic reflective surfaces. The prism receives light from the first parabolic surface and redirects it to the second parabolic surface, enabling the view to see through the prism while still achieving light redirection and ceiling illumination through the dual-parabolic surface configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The window assembly combines multiple materials with different optical properties: transparent plate members for view visibility, a transparent prism for light redirection, and reflective surfaces for light concentration. This composite structure allows simultaneous achievement of view clarity and enhanced ceiling illumination
2Device complexity
If direct light is allowed to pass through the window in summer when sun height is high, then the window structure remains simple, but only a specific region of the ceiling is illuminated making the room appear dark
Solution Approach 1:
The window assembly dynamically responds to the angle of incident sunlight. When sun height is high in summer, the geometry of the parabolic surfaces and transparent prism automatically redirects the direct light toward the ceiling at various angles, ensuring uniform illumination across the entire ceiling surface including the back side of the room, rather than allowing light to pass straight through
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents localized ceiling illumination and maintains clear visibility by using the critical angle for reflection, allowing for brighter ceiling illumination without the need for excessive reflection members, effectively illuminating the room from the window side to the backside in summer.
Implementation Method 1
The transparent prism is installed to enable light incident at an angle relative to a normal line to the first and second transparent plate members, which is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle, to be reflected at a second predetermined surface using a critical angle of the second predetermined surface
Implementation Method 2
a reflection member provided on a first predetermined surface of the transparent prism... emits light toward an indoor ceiling side in two or more types of optical paths having different reflection times using reflection on at least one of a surface of the transparent prism and the reflection member
Data Source
AI summary
A ceiling illumination window is provided with a transparent prism, and a reflecting member provided on a second edge of the transparent prism. Further, the transparent prism is installed in such a way as to enable light incident thereon at an angle, relative to a normal line to first and second transparent plates, that is at least equal to a prescribed angle to be reflected at a third edge using a critical angle. In addition, when light is incident at an angle at least equal to the prescribed angle relative to the normal line, the transparent prism emits the light toward an indoor ceiling side using at least two types of optical path having different numbers of reflections, using reflection at least one of the transparent prism surface and the reflecting member, and when light is incident at an angle less than the prescribed angle, the transparent prism allows the light to be transmitted through the third edge.