Skylight Insulation Double Glazing Unit Thermal Barrier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current skylights and light tubes suffer from inadequate heat insulation and imperfect humidity sealing, leading to excessive heat loss and vapor condensation issues, which compromise light conduction and compliance with thermal standards.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an insulation double glazing unit within the roof passage part of the skylight, fixed in a foam insulation collar with a plastic anchoring holder, and optimizing the heat transfer coefficients of the light collector and diffuser to match or exceed that of the double glazing unit, ensuring reliable sealing and improved thermal insulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If stronger or double walls are used for the light collector and diffuser to improve heat insulation, then heat insulation is improved, but light absorption increases and the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary insulation double glazing unit in the roof passage part, which acts as a thermal barrier between the interior and exterior environments. This mediator provides effective heat insulation without requiring the light collector or diffuser walls to be thicker or doubled, thus avoiding increased light absorption and structural complexity.
2Loss of energy
If heat insulation is improved at the diffuser, then heat loss along the tube passage is reduced, but the colder inside area of the tube protrudes more into the building increasing vapour condensation risk
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation double glazing unit serves as a thermal buffer in the roof passage, reducing the temperature gradient along the tube. This prevents the tube interior from becoming excessively cold, thereby reducing vapour condensation risk while still limiting heat loss to acceptable levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameters by introducing the insulation double glazing unit with specific insulating properties, which modifies the temperature distribution along the tube passage. This creates a more balanced thermal environment that simultaneously reduces heat loss and prevents excessive cooling that would cause condensation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If heat insulation is improved at the light collector, then vapour condensation risk in the tube is reduced, but heat loss increases due to the warmer tube section passing through colder areas
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation double glazing unit acts as a thermal regulator in the roof passage, preventing excessive heat accumulation at the light collector while also preventing heat loss in the tube section passing through colder areas. This intermediary element balances the thermal conditions throughout the system.
4Ease of manufacture
If regular sealing material and flange are used for roof passage sealing, then installation is simple, but sealing against humidity is imperfect leading to moisture infiltration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite sealing system combining the insulation double glazing unit with integrated sealing elements. This composite structure provides both effective humidity sealing and maintains ease of installation, overcoming the limitations of simple flange and sealing material approaches.
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 configuration achieves high thermal insulation and resistance to vapor condensation, enhancing light conduction efficiency while meeting thermal standards, and allowing for easy integration with building insulation systems.
Implementation Method 1
the roof passage part contains an insulation double glazing unit
Implementation Method 2
the insulation double glazing unit is fixed directly into the collar made of foam insulation material
Implementation Method 3
the insulation double glazing unit is fixed in the collar made of a foam insulation material including at least one plastic anchoring holder that embraces the double glazing unit perimeter
Implementation Method 4
the inside of the light carrying tube is equipped with a layer providing the best possible reflection of the light
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention concerns to a skylight with improved thermal insulation, where the light tube consists of its input part with the light collector and an upper tube, of the roof passage part, and of the lower tube with the diffuser, and where the most substantive is that the roof passage part (2) contains an insulation double glazing unit (21 ), which unit (21 ) is preferably fixed directly into the collar (22) made of foam insulation material. It is especially advantageous if said insulation double glazing unit (21 ) is fixed in the collar (22) made of a foam insulation material including at least one plastic anchoring holder (23) that embraces the double glazing unit (21 ) perimeter and extends, with at least some of its parts, above and below the insulation double glazing unit (21 ), and projects laterally toward the perimeter of the collar (22) made of the foam insulation material.