DE102009038204A1 - Solar-powered actuator e.g. electrical actuator, for driving e.g. window blind, of industrial building installation, has wire whose end is coupled to installation, so that installation or installation part is moved during elongation of wire - Google Patents

Abstract

The actuator (1) has a light reflected parabolic trough (10) focusing incident light (70) in a focal line and adjusting reflection of the parabolic trough. A wire (20) is partially arranged along the focal line and made up of shape-memory material. An end (22) of the wire is coupled to an industrial building installation (60), so that the installation or a part of the building installation is moved during deformation and/or elongation of the wire. Length of the wire is adjusted relative to the focal line by adjusting units (90, 100). An independent claim is also included for a method for driving a device of an industrial building installation using an actuator.

Description

• – Jalousinen, Vorhängen, Markisen, Sonnensegeln etc.,
• – Lüftungs- und/oder Ventilklappen von Klimaanlagen o. ä.,
• – Schaltern für Beleuchtungsanlagen o. ä.

The invention relates to an actuator in particular for use in a building technology installation for air conditioning such as. For driving

• - Venetian blinds, curtains, awnings, awnings etc.,
• - Ventilation and / or valve flaps of air conditioners or similar,
• - switches for lighting systems or similar

In the field of industrial building system technology, a trend towards passive systems can be observed. In addition to the relevance to the environment due to the reduced energy consumption, the passive systems offer the advantage that after a comparatively high initial investment for the installation of such a system in the medium term significant savings during the operating time of the building are to be expected, so that the initial increased financial expense amortized within a few years.

The approaches of passive building system technology are currently limited almost exclusively to the provision of electrical energy using photovoltaics or thermal energy with the help of solar thermal. By contrast, the actuators integrated in the building are still realized according to classical principles such as electric motors or hydraulic drives.

Stell- and / or control tasks that occur, for example, in the above-mentioned application examples of actuators in building system technology are accomplished by means of electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. For example. hydraulic or pneumatic actuators are usually used to drive ventilation or butterfly valves. The control of the actuators is usually realized by means of a programmable control unit, such as. In EP 1881649 A2 is described. Such a control center receives information from various sensors, such as light sensors, and controls a corresponding actuator in response to the sensor signal. For communication between the individual components of the system, in particular between the controller and the actuators, a bus system is used; as it is, for example, in DE 199 27 869 C1 is described.

The corresponding systems are complicated and comparatively complicated. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a way to drive a device of a building technology installation with little effort.

This object is achieved by the inventions specified in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

In the solution according to the invention, a shape-memory wire is positioned in a focal line or near a focal line of a parabolic trough, which, for example, reflects sunlight in such a way that it is focused in the focal line. The thermal energy contained in the radiation leads to a heating of the wire beyond the phase transition temperature of the wire and thus to a change in shape of the same. The wire is coupled to the driven device of the building technology installation such that the change in shape is converted into a movement of the device.

The actuator according to the invention for driving a device of a building technology installation has a light-reflecting parabolic trough, which focuses incident light in a focal line. Furthermore, the actuator has a shape memory wire, which is arranged at least partially along the focal line. One end of the wire is coupled to the device to be driven in such a way that the device or a part of the device is moved during a change in shape of the wire, in particular during a change in length.

Advantageously, the curvature of the parabolic trough is adjustable, wherein the shape and / or the size of the cross section of the focal line change with a change in the curvature. Alternatively or additionally, the reflectivity of the parabolic trough is adjustable. Alternatively or additionally, an adjustment device is provided, with which the position of the wire is adjustable relative to the focal line.

With these measures, the temperature prevailing at the location of the wire can be adjusted to the phase transition temperature of the wire.

The adjustment device may be arranged in a first embodiment such that the parabolic trough is displaceable by means of the adjusting device in a direction which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the focal line and / or the wire. Alternatively or additionally, the wire can be displaced by means of the adjusting device in a direction which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the focal line.

• – eine Umlenkrolle,
• – einen Hebel,
• – eine Rolle, auf der der Draht zumindest zum Teil aufgerollt ist,
• – eine Gliederkette, vorteilhaft zur Umlenkung und/oder Kraftübertragung,
• – eine Drahtverlängerung und/oder
• – eine Übersetzung zur linearen oder nicht-linearen Umwandlung der Längenänderung des Drahtes in einen größeren oder kleineren Hub.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the end of the wire is coupled via an interface to the device to be driven. This ensures that a freer positioning of the components is possible and / or that the force on the device can be influenced. The interface may include:

• A pulley,
• - a lever,
• A roll on which the wire is at least partly rolled up,
• A link chain, advantageously for deflection and / or power transmission,
• - a wire extension and / or
• - A translation for linear or non-linear conversion of the change in length of the wire in a larger or smaller stroke.

In a method according to the invention for driving a device of a building services installation with the aid of an actuator, which focuses a light-reflecting parabolic trough, the incident light in a focal line, and a shape memory wire, which is at least partially along the focal line and with the is mechanically coupled, has, the shape of the wire, in particular the wire length, is changed by incident light. Due to the change in shape, a force is generated on the device to be driven or on a part of the device.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention is, in particular, that the sun is used as an energy supplier, so that, for example, electrical energy from the public power grid does not have to be used to supply the energy to the actuator, so that energy can be saved. On the other hand can be dispensed with a wiring for powering the actuator to drive the device of the building services installation.

• – ein einfacher technischer Aufbau gewährleistet ist,
• – der Aktor quasi wartungsfrei ist (typischerweise sind bis zu 100.000 Schaltzyklen möglich),
• – auf eine elektronische Regelung und/oder auf eine zusätzliche, evtl. manuelle Steuerung verzichtet werden kann.

Further advantages of the solution according to the invention are that

• - a simple technical structure is ensured,
• - the actuator is practically maintenance-free (typically up to 100,000 switching cycles are possible),
• - Can be dispensed with an electronic control and / or an additional, possibly manual control.

In particular, the invention can be used in an advantageous manner wherever, depending on the solar radiation, for example, the air conditioning or the incidence of light should be influenced in a room. Here it makes sense, for example, to adjust the position of the fan flaps at the exit of an air conditioning or ventilation system or the angle of attack of Venetian blind slats depending on the sunlight. It is also possible to optimally adjust the orientation of solar thermal or solar electric panels, d. H. especially to adapt to the position of the sun, without relying on electrical energy.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described below and with reference to the drawings.

Showing:

1 an actuator according to the invention,

2 an interface to the downstream device,

3A C each have a cross section through a parabolic trough of the actuator.

In the figures, identical or corresponding areas, components, component groups or method steps are identified by the same reference numerals.

The 1 shows an actuator according to the invention 1 with a parabolic trough 10 and a shape memory wire 20 , Such wires are known, for example. From EP 1516936 A1 , The wire 20 is along the focal line 30 (please refer 2 ) of the parabolic trough 10 arranged tense. An end 21 of the wire 20 is in a holder 40 clamped while the other end 22 of the wire 20 via an interface 50 to a device to be driven 60 is coupled. Depending on the application or depending on the type of device to be driven 60 can on the interface 50 also be waived.

When irradiating the parabolic trough 10 with sunlight 70 this is known to be in the focal line 30 the gutter 10 focused. The wire located there 20 is heated accordingly, resulting in a phase transition of the wire material and thus to a shape or in the specific case of a wire to a change in length of the wire 20 leads. This manifests itself in that on the interface 50 a train or a force is exerted, the or in a corresponding movement of the device 60 is implemented.

In the 2 are exemplary and schematically an interface 50 as well as a device 60 shown. The device 60 is a blind in this embodiment 60 with slats 61 . 63 , the interface 50 has a pulley 51 on top of that the horizontally oriented wire 20 is deflected in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the Schnittstelle 50 a lever 52 on that on a rotation axis 53 is rotatably mounted. The wire 20 is in one point 54 firmly with the lever 52 connected, allowing a shortening of the wire 20 that causes the lever 52 around the axis 53 is turned. The lever 52 is still with a lamella 61 the blind 60 connected. The shortening of the wire 20 now leads to the lamella 61 which are in a rotation axis 62 is rotatably mounted, is moved down. The slat 61 is with one of the further fins 63 the blind 60 connected so that the adjustment of the slat 61 also on the lamella 63 is transmitted. In addition, the other fins are also 63 connected together, so that the movement of the slat 61 ultimately on all slats 63 the blind affects.

The upper lamella 63 is by means of a return spring 55 the interface 50 coupled to a fixed point. Cools the wire 20 Again, it returns to its original shape, ie the change in length is reversed and the wire expands again. The return spring 55 now causes the slats 61 . 63 be pulled up again.

A simplification of the arrangement of 2 would be achieved by that, for example, the wire 20 directly to the lamella 61 is coupled. Accordingly, the interface could 50 be simplified to that on the lever 52 is waived. Furthermore, it would be with appropriate orientation of the wire 20 conceivable, also on the pulley 51 to renounce. In this case, the wire could therefore directly, ie without interface 50 , to the device 60 be coupled.

As interfaces 50 Of course, other realizations are conceivable. For example. can the interface 50 additionally or alternatively to the above embodiment include a translation, with the change in length .DELTA.L of the wire 20 can be converted in a linear or non-linear manner into a larger or smaller stroke ΔL ', ie ΔL' = a · (ΔL) ^b with a, b reel, which then acts on the device. A proportional translation would z. B. achieved with a ≠ 1 and b = 1. Furthermore, the interface 50 comprise a roll on which the wire is wound, so that the wire is unwound from the roll in a change in length and therefore the change in length is directly convertible into a rotational movement. Such a conversion of the longitudinal movement into a rotational movement can also be achieved by means of a link chain instead of the wire. In the simplest case, the interface 50 only an extension of the wire 20 , which itself need not consist of a shape memory material and which the coupling of the wire 20 to a possibly remote lying device 60 allows. In this case, a shape-memory material would be used only in the area in which the solar radiation is focused on the focal line. Depending on the type of device 60 as well as the arrangement and geometry of the device, the interface and the actuator, of course, various implementations and designs of interfaces are conceivable.

A typical parameter of a shape memory material is the phase transition temperature of the material. Depending on the radiation power of solar radiation 70 different temperatures are achieved in the focal line. An adaptation to the instantaneous radiant power is associated with the 3A to 3C described.

The 3A shows a cross section through the parabolic trough 10 and through the wire 20 , Furthermore, the 3A the position of the focal line 30 refer to. The incident solar radiation 70 will be in the focal line 30 collected. The wire 20 , the place of the focal line 30 is positioned, is heated accordingly.

In the 3B again are the cross sections of the parabolic trough 10 and wire 20 shown. The parabolic trough 10 and with it the focal line 30 was, however, as in the 3A indicated by the double arrow, with the help of a drive 80 an adjustment device in the vertical direction relative to the wire 20 moved so that the wire 20 now outside the focal line 30 is positioned. The drive 80 is from a controller 90 controlled the adjustment device. By thus achievable targeted positioning of the wire 20 inside or outside the focal line 30 can be achieved that the wire 20 with incident solar radiation 70 is heated more or less, so that in addition to the adaptation to the instantaneous radiation power of the sun and the change in length ΔL can be influenced.

Alternatively to moving the parabolic trough 10 The same effect is achieved by a drive 100 (please refer 1 ) of an alternative adjustment device the wire 20 moves in the vertical direction. The drive 100 becomes analogous to the drive 80 from a controller 90 controlled and attacks, for example, on the bracket 40 of the wire 20 to this and with it the wire 20 to move in the vertical direction, indicated by the double arrow. Moving the wire 20 also leads to the wire here 20 inside or outside the focal line 30 is positionable.

As an alternative to displacement in the vertical direction, a corresponding effect is of course also achieved by the wire 20 in any direction relative to the focal line 30 repositioned.

Another way to influence the heating of the wire 20 in incident sunlight 70 is that the controller 90 the reflectivity of the parabolic trough 10 is varied. A change in the reflectivity can take place, for example, by the printing of patterns or coatings having a specific absorption behavior, such as overheating of the wire during the process Prevent lunchtime. Also, the parabolic trough bpsw. be provided with slots through which by means of appropriate drives appropriately shaped, provided with absorbing surface slats are inserted.

Furthermore, the heating of the wire 20 be influenced by that not the relative position of wire 20 and focal line 30 is changed to each other, but that shape and / or size of the focus, ie the cross section of the focal line 30 be varied. With increasing size of the focus or the cross section of the focal line 30 decreases the temperature achievable there and thus the achievable length change ΔL of the wire 20 , This one in the 3C indicated effect can be achieved with the curvature of the parabolic trough 10 through the controller 80 that correspond to drives 110 controls, is changed. For example. is the curvature in the 3C compared to those of 3A and 3B reduced. The cross section of the focal line 30 is therefore significantly enlarged. In the 3C For the sake of clarity, a cross-section has been chosen which is considerably larger than that of the wire 20 ,

Likewise, it is conceivable the cross section of the wire 20 to bring into a special shape, which is not formed in particular circular, but elliptical or following a Kaustik. Thus, a case-by-case adapted heating characteristics can be achieved, so that only by this shaping the heating of the wire is affected. The shape of the mirror can then remain unchanged.

Of course, those related to the 3A to 3C described possibilities are also combined.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1881649 A2 [0004]
• DE 19927869 C1 [0004]
• EP 1516936 A1 [0023]

Claims (9)

Actuator ( 1 ) for driving a device ( 60 ) of a building technology installation with - a light-reflecting parabolic trough ( 10 ), the incident light ( 70 ) in a focal line ( 30 ), and - a shape memory wire ( 20 ), at least partially along the focal line ( 30 ), one end ( 22 ) of the wire ( 20 ) to the device to be driven ( 60 ) that the device ( 60 ) or a part ( 61 . 63 ) of the device ( 60 ) at a change in shape (ΔL) of the wire ( 20 ), in particular with a change in length, is moved. Actuator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the curvature of the parabolic trough ( 10 ) is adjustable, wherein the shape and / or the size of the cross-section of the focal line is (with a change of the curvature ( 30 ) change. Actuator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reflectivity of the parabolic trough ( 10 ) is adjustable. Actuator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an adjustment device ( 80 . 90 . 100 ), with which the position of the wire ( 20 ) relative to the focal line ( 30 ) is adjustable. Actuator according to Claim 4, characterized in that the parabolic trough ( 10 ) by means of the adjustment device ( 80 . 90 ) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the focal line ( 10 ) and / or the wire ( 20 ), is displaceable. Actuator according to Claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the wire ( 20 ) by means of the adjustment device ( 90 . 100 ) is displaceable in a direction oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the focal line. Actuator according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end ( 22 ) of the wire ( 20 ) via an interface ( 50 ) to the device to be driven ( 60 ) is coupled. Actuator according to Claim 7, characterized in that the interface ( 50 ) - a deflection roller ( 51 ), - a lever ( 52 ), - a role on which the wire ( 20 ) is at least partially rolled up, - a link chain, - a wire extension and / or a translation for linear or non-linear conversion of the change in length (.DELTA.L) of the wire in a larger or smaller stroke (.DELTA.L '). Method for driving a device ( 60 ) of a building technology installation with the aid of an actuator ( 1 ), which has a light-reflecting parabolic trough ( 10 ), the incident light ( 70 ) in a focal line ( 30 ), and a shape memory wire ( 20 ), at least partially along the focal line ( 30 ) and the device to be driven ( 60 ) is mechanically coupled, wherein - the shape of the wire ( 20 ), in particular the wire length, with incident light ( 70 ) is changed and - due to the change in shape, a force on the device to be driven ( 60 ) or on a part ( 61 . 63 ) of the device is generated.

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