EP0400662B1 - Venetian blind - Google Patents

Abstract

The Venetian blind has a plurality of slats (5) which can be drawn up by means of draw-up strings or the like, and is particularly intended for a light entry aperture leading into a room, preferably a window. At least some of the slat surfaces are provided with a highly reflective, in particular high-gloss, mirror coating. In order to make it possible to shut the sunlight out of the room or bring it into the room, each of the slats is divided into at least two slat portions (5a, 5b) extending in the longitudinal direction of the slat, the slat portions (5a, 5b) of each of these slats (5) being pivotably connected to each other. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a light deflecting slatted blind with a plurality of slats which can be pulled up by means of pull-up cords or the like, in particular for a light inlet opening leading into a room, preferably a window, the slat surfaces being at least partially highly reflective, in particular mirrored.

Slatted blinds are often used to darken rooms and to prevent unwanted insight, the slats being pivotable to regulate the degree of darkening.

It has also already been proposed to use louvre blinds as light-deflecting louvre blinds, the slats being partially highly reflective (reflectance in the visible area above 80%), in particular mirrored (e.g. with a shiny metal surface) and concavely curved in cross section (EP- A-303 107). Such light deflecting louvre blinds have the task of deflecting light that occurs from the upper half-space of the sky onto a light entry opening (for example a window surface) into an upper half-space of the room in such a way that no dazzling luminances occur below a predetermined limit angle. The transformation of the luminous flux into the upper half-space of the room results in a low intrinsic brightness of the window surface and the flat viewing angle, without generally blocking the light from the outside, as was the case with conventional swiveling blackout blinds. By means of appropriately shaped ceilings, for example based on reflectors, the light can be distributed in the desired manner in the room. In order to achieve an optimal light yield and light deflection, the pull-up are partially mirrored deflection slats conveniently suspended so that they can always assume the same optimized swivel position when the slatted blind is lowered.

With such a light deflecting louvre blind, direct sunlight as well as diffuse light (when the sky is overcast) is redirected via the deflecting slats, whereby glare can be avoided in a large (lower) area of the room, but the heat exposure of the room remains at least in summer. Therefore, the above-described slatted blinds, which are perfectly optimal in the deflection function, are usually only used in the summer months in conjunction with additional sun protection measures.

The object of the invention is to provide a light deflecting louvre blind which is particularly suitable as a glare protection device and, if necessary, in particular in the summer months, it is possible to reduce the heat load from sunlight without substantially darkening the room. Conversely, in the winter months it should be possible to make better use of the available solar energy.

This is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

Such a lamella design allows parts of the lamellae to be pivoted, while other lamella parts remain in an optimal position in terms of lighting technology. Conveniently, the slat blind, which is particularly suitable as a glare protection device, will be designed in such a way that that the slats each have two slat parts, the one slat parts being suspended in a non-pivotable, fixed pivoting position or inclination, which they assume when the slatted blind is lowered, and the other slat parts can be pivoted up and / or swiveled together relative to these slat parts which are fixed in relation to the pivot position, the pivotable slat parts are located on the outside of the slat blind facing away from the room. Starting from a neutral position, in which the outer slat parts continue the surfaces of the room-side slat parts essentially continuously and without kinks (optimal glare protection and light application function when the sky is overcast), the superimposed outer slat parts can be adjusted using a turning mechanism, which is conveniently vertically adjustable cords or the like. comprises, which are connected to each slat part to be adjusted or a component connected thereto, independently of the pivoting position of the slat parts on the room side. The mutually pivotable lamella parts can be connected to one another, for example, via a hinge-like joint. As will be explained in the following, however, other pivotable connections of the lamella parts are also possible.

In order to achieve a sun protection function in the summer months, the outer slat parts, which advantageously have a high-gloss top and a white underside, will be pivoted slightly downwards from the neutral position mentioned when the sun is high. This makes it possible to block out sunlight in a targeted manner, and the pivoting position of the outer slat parts can easily be adapted to the position of the sun. This targeted sun lockout significantly reduces the heat load in the room without reducing the total amount of light so that artificial light would be necessary. At extremely low sun positions in the summer months, as occurs in the evening or morning in west or east positions, it is also possible to raise the outer slat parts compared to the neutral position mentioned in order to achieve a sun protection function.

In the winter months, sunlight can be deliberately reflected into the room by suitable adjustment of the outer lamella parts, thus exploiting the available solar energy. At higher positions of the sun, the outer slat parts will be swiveled slightly upwards together from the neutral position, while at low positions of the sun the neutral position appears to be favorable.

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description of the figures.

1 shows a room with a workplace to be protected from glare through a window, one of many possible arrangements of the slatted blinds according to the invention being shown schematically, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the slatted blind according to the invention, the simplicity for the sake of only three slats are shown, FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section through two slats of a further exemplary embodiment, FIG. 4 likewise shows a schematic cross section through two slats of a further exemplary embodiment of the slatted blind according to the invention, and FIG. 5 shows a side view of three via a scissor mechanism connected slats of another embodiment.

1 shows a work station 2 arranged in a partial area of the room 1. Diffuse light enters the room 1 from outside via a light entry opening designed as a window 3. The schematically illustrated louvre blind 4 arranged inside the window 3 prevents the luminance of the window which can be perceived from the workplace from being too high and thus causing glare. The anti-glare area 4a directs light which is diffusely incident from the outside into an angular area substantially above the horizontal limit beam h, while the lower anti-glare area even allows essentially light beams to enter which are above the lower limit beam angle α. A typical light beam path is designated by l.

A part of the slatted blind shown schematically in FIG. 1 is shown in perspective in FIG. 2. The slatted blind consists of superimposed horizontal slats 5. Each of these slats is concavely curved upwards and at least partially mirrored, particularly on the upper side with a high-gloss finish. These slats can be pulled up or lowered into the operating position via a pull-up rail 6, which is connected, for example, to a lowermost slat, not shown, as is the case with conventional blackout slat blinds. Pulling up the cord or the like. can be done via a winding shaft (not shown).

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the slats themselves are divided in the longitudinal direction into two slat parts 5a and 5b, which are each connected to one another via joints 7. The wider lamella parts 5b on the room side, which have a large part of the light deflection function, are shown in FIG fixed pivoting position or inclination, which they assume when the slatted blind is lowered. In this lighting-technically optimized position, the lamella parts 5b or the like are connected by vertical longitudinal cords. (Belts or chains are also suitable, for example), these longitudinal cords 8 being connected to the lamella parts 5b, for example via suspended loops 9. The smaller outer lamella parts 5a, whose lamella part top is high-gloss and whose lamella part underside is white, can be pivoted relative to the lamella parts 5b about an axis running in the longitudinal direction of the lamella. The group of superimposed, similar outer lamella parts 5a can be adjusted jointly and independently of the pivot position of the other lamella parts 5b in their pivot position via a turning mechanism. This favorable joint adjustment of the outer lamella parts 5a takes place via cords 12 or the like which are vertically adjustable in the direction of the arrows 11 and which are connected to the outer lamella parts 5a at the connection points 13. The turning mechanism also includes a turning shaft, not shown, via which the cords 12 can be moved up and down. If the dead weight of the outer lamella parts 5a is not sufficient to bring about a pivoting downwards, then a weight 14, shown schematically in FIG. 2, can be attached to the lower end of the cords 12 of the turning mechanism.

The adjustable outer slat parts 5a can be brought into a neutral position, in which they continue the slat parts 5b on the room side essentially continuously and without kinks. This neutral position is shown, for example, in Fig. 3 with solid lines. In this neutral position, with an overcast sky, there is an optimal deflecting function of the slatted blind according to the invention given. In order to reduce the amount of heat brought into the room in the summer months when the sun is high, the outer lamella parts 5a can be pivoted downward, as shown in FIG. 2. Depending on the height of the sun, a corresponding setting of the outer lamella parts 5a can thus be selected, in which the sun is reflected outwards again via the high-gloss surfaces. The deflection function of the lamella parts 5b on the room side, which are fixed in their pivoting position, is not impaired. At low sun positions (east and west positions), pivoting the outer slat parts 5a upwards (starting from the neutral position) can be advantageous in order to achieve a sun protection function.

In the winter months, by pivoting the outer lamella parts 5a upwards at high sun positions, sunlight can be specifically reflected in the room in order to utilize the available solar energy.

The pivoting angle of the outer plate parts 5a from the neutral position mentioned is typically in the range between 0 and 30 °. Outside of this range, there is already a significant reduction in the amount of light brought into the room. Conversely, this effect can be exploited to easily darken the room. For this purpose, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it must only be provided that the width of the pivotable slat parts 5a is greater than the vertical slat distance of the lowered slatted blind, so that the outer slat parts 5a pivoted completely downwards or upwards can completely close off the light entry openings.

Incidentally, this possibility of darkening by pivoting slat parts running in the longitudinal direction of the slats can also be advantageously used in the case of slatted blinds with non-mirrored, for example colored slats.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the slats (with slat parts in the neutral position - solid lines) are elliptically curved in cross-section, the focal points being on the two longitudinal edges 15 and 16 of the slat. The plane ε containing the two longitudinal edges 15 and 16 also rises towards the room. The inner edges 16 of the lamellae are therefore higher than the respective outer edges 15. Together with the upwardly concave elliptical profile of the lamellae, this means that almost all light rays hitting the top of the lamellae from the outside with only one reflection while observing the dimming condition (no light rays below a predetermined limit angle to the horizontal) enter the room. If the bottom of the slat as well as the top of the slat were to be mirror-finished, there would be a risk of glare from light rays coming from the ground outdoors (e.g. in the case of snow) due to a one-time reflection on the underside of the slat on the work place to be dimmed. In order to avoid this, it is in principle possible to blacken the underside of the slats in a manner known per se. However, as already mentioned, this is necessarily associated with a greater loss of light. In addition, such a "blackened" glare protection would appear dark from the workplace, which is just as undesirable as the swallowing of other room light by such blackened slat undersides. Those provided according to a preferred embodiment Retroreflective ("retroreflective" is understood to mean a surface that preferably reflects back in the direction of incidence, while mirrored means "a normal directional reflection according to the known law of reflection) areas 17 on the underside of the slats also allow compliance with the anti-glare conditions, but additionally have the advantage that the light hitting it diffusely from the room is not swallowed but rather scattered back into the room. At the same time, the retroreflective underside of the lamella creates a non-dazzling, yet bright, visually appealing impression from the workplace. As already mentioned, retroreflective surfaces reflect the incident light beam preferably back in this direction of incidence, ie this back reflection is not completely exact, but rather the reflected light is typically returned with a scattering angle of a few degrees around the direction of incidence This means that there can be no glare from the glare protection due to any light sources in the room. In contrast to blackened slat undersides, retroreflective slat undersides also bring a proportion of scattered light between the slats into the room, which represents a gain in the total amount of light brought into the room. Retroreflective layers can be sprayed on, for example, or can be stuck on as foils 17, as are already used for traffic signs.

Apart from the retroreflective sheeting 17, the remaining lamella surface is advantageously mirrored.

According to the invention, the outer lamella parts 5a can be swiveled up or down (for example as in FIG Fig. 3 shown in dashed lines) to achieve sun protection or increased light input into the room.

FIG. 4 shows a further possibility of how the slat parts 5a and 5b extending in the longitudinal direction of the slats can be suspended, only two slats being shown in FIG. 4. The lamella parts 5a and 5b are carried by preferably textile carrying conductors, or the like from vertical longitudinal cords 18. and these connecting crosspieces 19 and 20 exist. In the present exemplary embodiment, an upper crosspiece 19 and a lower crosspiece 20 are provided, between each of which a slat part 5a or 5b is inserted. The crossbars can be designed, for example, as tapes or cords. With such a slat part suspension, no separate joint is necessary to ensure the pivotability of the outer slat parts 5a. While the height of the two vertical longitudinal cords 18 on the room side cannot be adjusted (fixed swivel position of the lamella parts 5b on the room side), the outer vertical longitudinal cord 18 can be moved up and down in the direction of the arrow 21, with which the lamella parts 5a can be pivoted up and down. In order to ensure that during this pivoting movement, in particular when pulling up, the inclination (pivoting position) of the lamella parts 5b on the room side is not changed, a weight 22 can be attached to the longitudinal cord running between the two lamella parts in the lower end region if the intrinsic weight of these lamella parts is insufficient. This weight can also be realized in the form of a lower end slat. Another possibility would be to detach the lower end region of this vertical longitudinal cord with a fixed component, such as a window or door frame, with the slatted blind lowered by hanging, to connect.

A particularly precise adjustment of the pivot position of the lamella parts 5b on the room side is possible by means of a scissor mechanism, as is shown in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5. This exact setting allows an optimal deflection function and improves the visual impression, since all slats are exactly parallel to each other. The scissor mechanism is attached to both transverse sides of the non-pivotable slat parts 5b and connects these slat parts to one another. To connect two slat parts 5b each, two crossed struts 23 and 24 are provided, which are pivotally connected to one another in the central region 25 and which are connected with their end regions in an articulated manner and with limited play in the longitudinal direction of the struts to the slat parts 5b. To implement this connection, the lamella parts 5b have lamella part-fixed pivots 26 which are guided in elongated holes 27 in the struts 23 and 24. This guide enables the slats to be pulled up by means of a pull cord 6 to form a compact slat package.

The front bearing points 26 of the scissor mechanism advantageously also form a swivel joint for the outer slat parts 5a which can be swiveled up and down. The pivot pin 26 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the outer lamella part 5a and carries a lever 28 which can be moved up and down via an adjusting cord 12. The outer plate parts 5a can thus be pivoted up and down relative to the neutral position shown in FIG. 5.

The invention is of course not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown. For example, it is also possible to pivot both slat parts to train. In principle, more than two slat parts per slat running in the longitudinal direction of the slats are conceivable and possible. The articulated connection of the lamella parts can take place via a hinge-like joint, as in FIGS. 2 and 5, or via a support ladder, as in FIG. 4. However, other articulated connections of the lamella parts are also conceivable and possible. The mechanical stress on these joints is relatively low. For this, these joints should be as smooth as possible to ensure a safe adjustment of the slat parts.

Usually, the slats are designed the same way over the height of the slatted blind and adjusted in their swivel position. In principle, however, it is also possible to design and / or adjust the slats differently in different height ranges. If, for example, a window area is always shaded by a building, the slat division according to the invention could be dispensed with in this area, while this is already provided for the slats of the same blind lying above it.

Claims (11)

1. A light-deflecting venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats (5) which can be pulled up by way of draw cords or the like, in particular for a light-admission opening leading into a room, preferably a window (3), wherein the slat surfaces are at least partially highly reflective and in particular have a brilliant reflecting coating, characterised in that the slats are each subdivided into at least two slat portions (5a, 5b) extending in the slat longitudinal direction, and the slat portions (5a, 5b) of each of said slats are pivotably connected together, wherein at least one group of similar slat portions (5a) which are disposed one above the other are adjustable in their pivotal position by way of a turning mechanism (12) jointly and independently of the pivotal position of the other slat portions (5b).
2. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 1 characterised in that the turning mechanism includes vertically displaceable cords (12) or the like which are connected to a component fixedly connected to the slat portion (5) to be displaced, preferably a lever (28) engaging the slat portion pivot axis member.
3. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that the slats each have two slat portions (5a, 5b), wherein the one slat portions (5b) are suspended in a fixed, non-pivotable tilted position or inclined position which they assume when the venetian blind is let down, and the other slat portions (5a) can be pivoted up and/or down jointly relative to said slat portions (5b) which are in a fixed tilted position.
4. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 3 characterised in that the pivotable slat portions (5a) are disposed at the outside of the venetian blind, which is remote from the room.
5. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 4 characterised in that the surface of the pivotable outer slat portions (5a) is highly reflective at the slat top side and is white at the slat underside.
6. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that slat portions (5b) which are disposed one above the other and which are non-pivotably suspended are connected together by way of a respective scissor mechanism (23-27) at each of the two transverse sides of said slat portions (5b), wherein to connect each two slat portions (5b) on a transverse side there are provided two crossed bars (23, 24) which are pivotably connected together in their middle region (25) and which at their end regions are connected to the slat portions (5b) hingedly and with limited play in the longitudinal direction of the bar.
7. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 6 characterised in that the bars (23, 24) of the scissor mechanism have in their end regions slots (27) in which pivot pins (26) fixed with respect to the slat portion are mounted.
8. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 6 or claim 7 characterised in that the one mounting locations of the scissor mechanism are arranged at the longitudinal edge of the non-pivotably suspended slat portions (5b) and at the same time form a pivot hinge for the slat portions (5a) which can be pivoted up and/or down relative to the non-pivotably suspended slat portions (5b).
9. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that top sides and undersides of the slat portions (5a, 5b) of a slat, in a neutral position of the slat portions, blend into each other substantially uniformly and without a kink.
10. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to one of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that the preferably convex undersides of the slat portions (5b) at the room side are retroreflecting at least in a region which is on the room side.
11. A light-deflecting venetian blind according to claim 10 characterised in that the slats (5) are highly reflective or have a brilliant reflecting coating except for the retroreflecting regions.

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