Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
  • E04C1/00—Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings
  • E04C1/42—Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings of glass or other transparent material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
  • F21S9/00—Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply
  • F21S9/02—Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply the power supply being a battery or accumulator
  • F21S9/03—Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply the power supply being a battery or accumulator rechargeable by exposure to light
  • F21S9/037—Lighting devices with a built-in power supply; Systems employing lighting devices with a built-in power supply the power supply being a battery or accumulator rechargeable by exposure to light the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V33/00—Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
  • F21V33/006—General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
  • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
  • H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
  • H01L31/048—Encapsulation of modules
  • H01L31/0488—Double glass encapsulation, e.g. photovoltaic cells arranged between front and rear glass sheets
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
  • H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
  • H01L31/054—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
  • H01L31/0543—Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means comprising light concentrating means of the refractive type, e.g. lenses
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
  • H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
  • H02S20/00—Supporting structures for PV modules
  • H02S20/20—Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object
  • H02S20/22—Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object specially adapted for buildings
  • H02S20/26—Building materials integrated with PV modules, e.g. façade elements
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED
  • F21Y2115/00—Light-generating elements of semiconductor light sources
  • F21Y2115/10—Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B10/00—Integration of renewable energy sources in buildings
  • Y02B10/10—Photovoltaic [PV]
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
  • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators

Definitions

• This invention relates to a brick.
• this invention relates to a brick for building concrete and glass walls and producing lighting points for pathways.
• Prior art concrete and glass bricks are made of transparent material, for example glass.
• Bricks for walls are made in one piece, or alternatively, by coupling two half-shells.
• Prior art bricks have the shape of a parallelepiped and are fixed to each other to build walls.
• the bricks are connected to each other using special bonding materials.
• when building a wall steel rods may be used for reinforcement.
• the light source is fixed on one planar surface which is the cover fixed inside the brick itself.
• the cover is needed to isolate or at least protect the electrical components.
• the light source is connected to power cables which come out of the cover and are connected to the domestic mains.
• a first disadvantage is the fact -that the prior art bricks, needing a connection to the domestic mains, require a large amount of work for installation and any maintenance which might be necessary..
• a first aim of this invention is to provide a brick which allows a reduction of the environmental impact of buildings, increasing their energy efficiency.
• Another important aim is that of providing a concrete and glass brick, which can be used as a light source, that does not have the disadvantages of the prior art and which is easy and practical to install and use.
• Another aim is to provide a concrete and glass brick, which can be used as a light source, that has a high level of energy efficiency.
• Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a brick according to this invention.
• Figure 2 is a side view, partly in cross-section, of the brick of Figure 1 and
• FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of a second embodiment of a brick according to this invention.
• the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a brick according to this invention.
• the brick 1 comprises a main body 2 made of transparent material. Said material is preferably glass.
• the main body 2 substantially has the shape of a parallelepiped with a square base.
• the main body 2 substantially has the shape of a parallelepiped with a rectangular base.
• the main body 2 may have a prismatic shape, for example with a polygonal, triangular or circular base.
• a first embodiment of a brick according to this invention is described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
• the main body 2 comprises at least two portions 3a, 3b which are coupled in such a way as to form the main body 2.
• the half-shell portions 3a, 3b are fixed to each other using known bonding materials.
• the half-shell portions 3a, 3b are shaped in such a way that, once coupled, ⁇ they form a closed cavity 4 inside the main body 2.
• the brick 1 according to this invention comprises at least one photoelectric cell 5 located inside the main body 2 for generating electricity.
• the photovoltaic cell 5 is located inside the cavity 4.
• the brick 1 also comprises a supporting element 6 interposed between the half-shell portions 3a, 3b and designed to support the photovoltaic cell 5.
• the supporting element 6 is a sheet 7 connected to one of the half-shell portions 3a, 3b.
• the sheet 7 is coupled to the half-shell portion 3a.
• the sheet 7 has a square shape and is associated with the half-shell portion 3a in such a way that a peripheral edge 7a of the sheet 7 lies in contact with a shoulder 8 formed along a peripheral edge 9 of the half-shell portion 3a.
• the sheet 7 is fixed to the half-shell portion 3a using known bonding materials.
• the sheet 7 is made of transparent material.
• the sheet 7 is made of glass.
• the photovoltaic cell 5 is fixed to the sheet 7, for example by gluing.
• the surface area occupied by the photovoltaic cell 5 is less than the surface area occupied by the sheet 7.
• the brick 1 allows light to pass through a portion of the sheet 7 which is not occupied by the photovoltaic cell 5 for lighting an indoor room.
• the brick 1 according to this invention also comprises connecting means (not illustrated in the accompanying drawings) which are connected to the photovoltaic cell 5 for electrically connecting the photovoltaic cell 5 to at least one electric user device.
• the connecting means transfer the electricity produced by the photovoltaic cell 5 to a user device which consumes or stores said power.
• the connecting are connected to the photovoltaic cell 5 for electrically connecting the brick 1 to at least one other brick.
• the connecting means may comprise terminals, cables, plugs or other items.
• a brick 1 according to this first embodiment may also comprise one or more light sources (for example of the LED type) directly connected to the photovoltaic cell 6 (for example, by means of a rechargeable battery pack) and powered by the latter.
• one or more light sources for example of the LED type
• the photovoltaic cell 6 for example, by means of a rechargeable battery pack
• This embodiment allows use of the brick 1 as a lighting point, for example on pathways or vehicles routes.
• the main body 2 comprises only one half-shell 10.
• the main body 2 comprises an open end 10a and an opposite closed end 10b.
• a lateral portion 10c links the closed end 10b to the open end 10a, forming a cavity 4 inside the main body 2.
• One or more photovoltaic cells 5 are located inside the cavity 4.
• the photovoltaic cell 5 is positioned on a supporting element 6.
• the supporting element 6 is fixed, for example by gluing, directly on the lateral portions 10c of the main body 2 in such a way as to form the cavity 4 and render it sealed and impermeable.
• the supporting element 6 may be made of opaque or transparent material, depending on the application of the brick 1, in a wall or on the ground.
• one or more light sources 11 fixed on the supporting element 6.
• the light sources 11 are directly connected to the photovoltaic cell 5 which powers them.
• This embodiment allows complete isolation of the cavity 4.
• all active components photovoltaic cell 5, connecting cables and light sources 11
• the inner surface of the main body 2 cavity 4 may be metallised, for example by painting.
• the main body 2 may comprise a sunlight collector 12 with which it is possible to convey and collect sunlight "I" entering the surface 10b of the brick 1 in an optimised way.
• the collector 12 for example, consisting of a suitably convexity of the body 2 surface 10b
• the brick 1 in combination with the outer collector 12, also comprises conveyor 13 positioned inside the cavity 4.
• the function of the conveyor 13 is to conveyor and concentrate the rays of light collected by the outer collector 12 onto the active surface of the photovoltaic cell 5.
• the conveyor 13 may have a concave shape, that is to say, the opposite shape to the collector 12.
• the internal metallisation of the cavity 4 further optimises brick 1 efficiency by reflecting on the photovoltaic cell 5 the part of the entering rays "I" which strike the lateral surface 10c of the main body 2.
• the concave and convex shapes of the collector 12 and the conveyor 13 may have a curved or flat profile depending on the actual conditions for use.
• the invention achieves the preset aims and brings important advantages.
• a brick according to this invention allows the production of walls, building or flooring structures which can intercept a portion of light and convert it into electricity thanks to the photovoltaic cells .
• the brick described above allows recovery of a portion of energy that would otherwise be dissipated for generating electricity. In this way, the energy requirement of the building or building structure in general is reduced and, consequently, the environmental impact of the building is lessened.
• a lighting brick positioned directly inside the main body of the brick and powered by the photovoltaic cell (or by the battery pack, if present) allows a lighting brick to be obtained which is completely isolated from outside agents, and which also does not need to be connected to the, domestic electricity mains, thus providing improved efficiency and easier installation than the prior art.
• the collecting and conveying profiles and the metallisation of the surfaces of the main body allow an increase in the light flow entering the photovoltaic cell, further increasing the energy efficiency of the brick according to this invention.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=44899542

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2011
  • 2011-04-28 IT IT000026U patent/ITFI20110026U1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-04-26 CN CN201280030313.0A patent/CN103764927A/zh active Pending
  • 2012-04-26 EP EP12726493.5A patent/EP2702212A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2012-04-26 WO PCT/IB2012/052085 patent/WO2012147041A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events