Horizontal Building Reflector with Adjustable Casing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solar light reflectors require professional installation, are costly, and are limited in their ability to adapt to diverse building geometries and dimensions, primarily capturing direct sunlight, which restricts their use to upper floors in urban buildings.

Innovation Solution

A reflector device with a lightweight, multilayer aluminum plate supported by a U-shaped box with angular adjustment capabilities, allowing for easy installation by non-professionals and capturing indirect daylight, thus enabling use on any building type, including lower floors and skylights.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If professional installation methods are used for solar reflectors, then installation safety and reliability are improved, but installation complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation safetyVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reflector system is divided into separate modular components: a reflector plate, a support structure with mounting brackets, and adjustment mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be independently manufactured, tested, and installed, enabling non-professionals to assemble the system step-by-step without requiring specialized installation expertise while maintaining overall system reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting brackets and support structures are designed with user-friendly features such as pre-drilled holes, alignment marks, and tool-free adjustment mechanisms that enable end-users to install and adjust the reflector themselves without professional assistance, thereby reducing installation complexity and cost while maintaining safety through inherent design features

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Illumination intensity

If vertical reflector arrangements are used, then direct sunlight capture is improved, but adaptability to diverse building geometries and dimensions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirect sunlight captureVSAvoidadaptability to building geometries
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The reflector support structure incorporates adjustable mounting mechanisms that allow the reflector plate to be positioned at various angles and orientations. This dynamic adjustability enables the system to adapt to different building geometries, window positions, and sunlight angles, maintaining effective direct sunlight capture across diverse architectural contexts rather than being fixed in a single vertical arrangement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting system is designed with universal features including adjustable brackets, multiple mounting position options, and flexible support structures that can accommodate various building types, window sizes, and architectural styles. This universality allows the same reflector system to be effectively installed on diverse building geometries and dimensions while maintaining optimal sunlight capture performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Use of energy by moving object

If direct sunlight capture methods are used, then lighting efficiency is improved, but applicability to lower floors and skylights deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting efficiencyVSAvoidapplicability to building locations
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows adjustment of the reflector plate's angular position and orientation parameters to optimize capture of indirect daylight from various sky positions. By changing these geometric parameters, the reflector can effectively redirect diffuse skylight and indirect sunlight into buildings on lower floors and through skylights, extending applicability beyond direct sunlight scenarios while maintaining lighting efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustable mounting mechanisms enable the reflector to dynamically adapt its orientation to capture indirect daylight from different sky positions throughout the day and year. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to maintain effective lighting performance for indirect sunlight capture on lower floors and through skylights, where direct sunlight angles vary significantly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

The solution provides a safe, cost-effective, and adaptable means to optimize natural lighting in buildings by allowing non-professional installation and capturing indirect sunlight, making it suitable for various building geometries and locations.

Implementation Method 1

The desire to optimize the natural lighting inside a building, house or apartment, by reflecting natural sunlight back into the interior

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3198088B1Reflector device suitable for being attached in the horizontal position at an opening in a building
Publication Date: 2022.04.20 ESPACIEL
  • EP3198088B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3198088B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3198088B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention concerns a reflector device intended to be attached in the horizontal position at an opening in a building, characterised in that it comprises: a plate (100) forming a reflector, a support casing (200) comprising attachment means (220, 230) suitable for receiving the plate (100) forming a reflector and allowing reflective plates (100) of different sizes to be attached to the support casing (200), the casing comprising reinforcing means (214, 216) suitable for supporting the plate (100) in the planar state without deflection along the entire length of same, - support means (300) for supporting the casing (200) on an element linked to the carcass of a building and means (400) incorporated into the casing (200), for angular adjustment of the inclination of the casing (200) about a horizontal axis (O-O) that coincides with a major axis of the plate (100) forming a reflector, relative to the support means (300), in order to make it possible to optimise the capturing and redirecting of daylight into the building.