Optical Body Asymmetrical Triangular Pillars Retroreflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical bodies for building surfaces, which reflect sunlight to reduce heat absorption, often result in increased light absorption and heat generation due to multiple reflections, leading to higher cooling equipment utilization and CO2 emissions.
Innovation Solution
An optical body with a concave-convex surface featuring asymmetrical triangular pillars in a one-dimensional pattern, where the apex and slope angles of the pillars are optimized to minimize light absorption, allowing for high upward reflection performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a reflecting layer is formed on corner cubes to retroreflect sunlight, then upward reflection performance is improved, but light absorption by the reflecting layer increases three times and heat generation increases correspondingly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the reflecting layer into multiple independent reflective elements (corner cubes) arranged in an array. Each corner cube independently retroreflects light, distributing the reflection function across multiple segments rather than using a single continuous reflecting layer, which reduces overall light absorption while maintaining reflection performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses corner cubes with specific geometric curvature and angular configurations to achieve retroreflection. The curved surfaces and precise angle arrangements (typically 45-degree angles) enable light to reflect back toward its source direction with minimal absorption, utilizing geometric optics principles to reduce energy loss
2Illumination intensity
If a reflecting layer is formed on corner cubes for retroreflection, then sunlight reflection is improved, but the temperature of the wall member rises and cooling equipment utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of light absorption (heat generation) into a beneficial outcome by using corner cube geometry that minimizes absorption paths. The specific angular configuration ensures light reflects efficiently with minimal interaction time with the absorbing material, transforming what could be a heat problem into an efficient reflection system
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes geometric parameters of the corner cubes (angles, dimensions, spacing) to control light reflection characteristics. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves maximum reflection efficiency while minimizing heat absorption, directly controlling the thermal response of the wall member
3Illumination intensity
If incident light is reflected three times by the reflecting layer on corner cubes, then retroreflection is achieved, but the amount of light absorbed is increased about three times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs corner cubes with precisely engineered curved surfaces and angular configurations that enable light to undergo exactly three reflections at optimized angles. This geometric design ensures the light path is minimized and each reflection occurs at angles that reduce absorption, achieving retroreflection with controlled energy loss
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 reduces heat generation and energy consumption by minimizing light absorption, achieving high upward reflectance and energy savings when applied to building surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
the reflecting layer directionally reflects light
Implementation Method 2
the amount of light absorbed by the reflecting layer is increased about three times
Data Source
AI summary
An optical body includes a substrate having a concave-convex surface, a reflecting layer formed on the concave-convex surface, and an optical layer formed on the reflecting layer to embed the concave-convex surface, wherein the reflecting layer directionally reflects light, the concave-convex surface is made up of a plurality of triangular pillars arrayed in a one-dimensional pattern, and the triangular pillar has an apex angle α and a slope angle β, the apex angle α and the slope angle β satisfying a formula (1) or (2) given below:30≦β≦4.5α−285(70≦α≦80) (1)30≦β≦−1.5α+195(80≦α≦100) (2).