FR2641821A1 - LIQUID STORAGE FOR ADJUSTING LIGHT TRANSMISSION, IN PARTICULAR THROUGH TWO GLAZING PLATES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid blind. It relates to a blind comprising two glass plates 1 defining between them an internal space. A liquid 6 capable of reducing the transmission of light and the radiation of heat can be introduced into the internal space from a container 7 by means of a pump 9. According to the invention, a solenoid valve 15 opens a communication duct 14 between the top of the glazing and the top of the container when the pump 9 is in operation, and closes this communication when the pump is not operating. Application to glazing of buildings.

Description

The present invention relates to a curtain or blind and / or apparatus

  intended for doors, windows and the like, and more specifically, it concerns a blind at

  realized in order to allow adjustment of the trans-

  mission of light and radiation of heat. The specialists in the construction know that a

  serious problem posed by the building and other construc-

  tions with large window areas is the gradient of the increase of the internal temperature which is due, not only to the transmission of sunlight by the glazing but also to the property of high heat absorption of the glazing, this heat being transmitted by

  radiation of glazing towards the interior of buildings.

  The use of very large cooling and air conditioning equipment becomes necessary because of this temperature gradient, so that the increase in temperature is compensated because it is particularly unbearable on sunny days. As a result, the cost of the building and its subsequent cost

both increase.

  A first solution to this problem was the

  glazing of a suitable paint, reducing nota-

  the transmission of light (transparency) and thus the radiation of heat through glazing. This

  glazing is, however, a very serious problem.

  because it causes a definitive and

  aunt, that is to say not regulated, transparency and heat radiation by the glazing. This reduction

  however, it is not desirable because it corresponds to

  This increases the cost of lighting inside buildings and makes them much too cold during cold winter days. As a result, this solution is not really one and is content to return the problem. Another problem posed by this coating of glazing with a paint is its disastrous appearance after the application of the paint so that this solution

  is usually only used in greenhouses.

  Another solution to this problem posed by the trans-

  The mission of light and the radiation of heat has been the coating of glazing with a film formed of a material having the property of reducing the transmission of light. and heat radiation through the glazing. This film, formed of a thin layer of aluminum deposited on a film of a transparent plastic material, is described in

  U.S. Patent No. 3,290,203.

  These films are usually attached to windows by

  through a layer of a suitable adhesive material

  nable that also resists bad weather.

  Although this coating of the glazing with a film eliminates the aesthetic problem posed by the painting of glazing, this solution is much more expensive and it often poses problems of bubble formation when the film is applied and does not allow the adjustment of the transmission. light by the glazing, this quantity

  of light being permanently reduced.

  U.S. Patent Nos. 3,470,049 and 4,260,225 disclose another solution to this problem of controlling light transmission and radiation.

  heat through the glazing of a building.

  These two patents propose the use of a multilayer structure in which two parallel plates formed of a transparent material delimit between them a space which is filled with a liquid which has the property of changing transparency according to the

  temperature to which it is subjected.

  Thus, in cold weather, this liquid is completely transparent and allows the transmission of sunlight through the glazing whereas, when the outside temperature

  rises, the transparency decreases and the liquid reduces

  the passage of light rays through the structure

  during sunny days.

  None of these prior art solutions, however, solve the problem of transmitting light and heat radiation by the glazing in a suitable manner. In fact, all the solutions

  mentioned above to the problem posed have as their greatest disadvantage

  deny the fact of constituting definitive solutions, that is to say, not to allow adjustment of the transparency state of the glazing according to the needs of the user. In addition, none of these solutions described in these documents allows an effective closure of glazing

  when the temperature is too low. When the temperatures

  eratures are extremely low, it is necessary to use an internal blind. United States Patent No. 2,501,418 discloses a liquid store of the type which has two plates

  parallels formed of glass or other transparent material

  rent, delimiting between them a space which is filled wholly or partially with a liquid which expands under

  the action of heat, this liquid being normally

  served in a suitable container that communicates with the internal space delimited between the plates. A circuit of

  heating, comprising an electrical resistance or

  logue, is used for heating the liquid held in the container and to cause its expansion under the action of heat so that it moves to space

delimited between the plates.

  A similar blind is described in French Patent No. 1,682,054 and in the German patent applications

Nos. 3,401,226 and 3,048,606.

  The liquid store described in these documents, however, poses a common problem relating to the internal space

  delimited between the plates of the transparent material.

  In fact, French Patent No. 1,682,054 clearly refers to the use of a highly compressible gas placed in the internal space delimited between the plates, this gas

  being compressed inside a specially designed container

  for this gas and communicating with an opening formed at the upper part of the internal space when

  the liquid is pumped into this space.

  The use of such a highly compressible gas increases

  However, the cost of manufacturing the liquid store is too much and unnecessary. In addition, the use of a highly compressible gas increases the applied pressure

  glazing with liquid. This pressure renders useless

  sand such a glazing given the thickness and the weight

  very important that must have windows.

  U.S. Patent No. 2,501,418 and

  German Patent Application No. 3,048,606 describes the use of

  a depression is placed inside the internal space defined between the glazings, so that the rise of the liquid forming the blind is facilitated. In a store & liquid

  having this construction, however, the atmospheric pressure

  This causes a deflection of the glazings towards one another and this deflection can cause a rupture of the glazings.

  This decline makes it practically impossible to use

  this liquid blind in large areas

  extended, such as doors and windows glazing.

  German Patent Application No. 3,048,606 described in

  in addition to a liquid store with several layers in the-

  which glazing plates-formed of glass or other transparent material delimit an internal space in which is placed a device forming a blind. This

  However, the structure has nothing in common with the invention.

  German Patent Application No. 3,401,226 discloses a blind & liquid of the type previously described in which two glazing plates formed of glass or other transparent material delimit an internal space, which can be completely or partially filled with a liquid colored so that the transmission of light through the glazing is reduced.

  In this device, the liquid stored in a container

  The pressure is applied so that it flows to the space between the plates. An opening is 24i821 24 4 i 8 2 i

  formed in the inner space so that it allows the

  free from air to and from the internal space, so that the problem of flexion and

  rupture of the glazing plates be solved.

  The Brazilian patent application No. PI 8605657 discloses a similar solution and represents a blind A / liquor in which the deflection and rupture of the plates of the glazing are removed by using an opening formed in the upper part of the delimited internal space.

between the plates.

  The use of such an opening, which makes

  However, the internal space delimited between the plates with the atmosphere causes a loss by evaporation of large quantities of the liquid forming the blind, particularly on sunny days, and this liquid ends up being unable to occupy all the space delimited between them. glazing plates. This loss of large amounts of liquid from the blind

  evaporation is not only troublesome for the function-

  storage also increases the cost of

  maintenance of the apparatus, as it is necessary to renew

  constantly reduce the volume of the liquid lost by

  tion. In addition, the pressure applied by the liquid to the plates of the glazing is high, so that the plates

  must be thick so as not to bend and break.

  The object of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks

  from the prior art by carrying out a

  liquid store made especially for large

  window faces such as windows, doors, panels

  display and external glazing, not posing the problems

  problems of the prior art.

  More specifically, the invention relates to a blind to

  a liquid of the type which comprises two plates of glazing

  meshes of glass or other transparent material, placed parallel to each other and connected at their peripheral edges so that they delimit an internally closed space between them, a container intended to contain a liquid having the property of reducing or to eliminate the transmission of light and the radiation of heat, through it, the container communicating with the internal space delimited between the plates of the glazing through an opening formed in the lower part of the internal space, and a liquid transport device forming

  the blind of the container to the internal space and vice versa.

  This apparatus is characterized in that it comprises an opening

  air inlet and outlet formed in the upper part of the

  of the internal space, a communication device communicating the opening with the container, so that a closed circuit is defined and a valve connected

  communication device and controlled by the

  the liquid transport device so that the liquid forming the curtain remains at a desired height in the internal space and that the liquid can not return

to the container.

  Other features and advantages of the invention

  tion will become more apparent from the following description,

  with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevational view, with torn parts, of a window comprising a liquid blind according to the invention; and FIG. 2 is a section along the line X-X of the

figure 1.

  The drawings represent a liquid store according to

  the invention, comprising two glazing plates 1, 2 connected with

  ropes and their peripheral edge 3 by an element of

  so that an internal and closed space 4 is

delimited between them.

  A frame or similar member 5 is shown around the peripheral edges 3 of the plates 1, 2 and constitutes

  also a housing for the mechanism of the blind to liquid.

  A liquid 6 for forming a curtain is stored in the container 7 which is placed near the lower edge of the plates 1, 2, the container 7 communicating with the internal space 4 delimited between the plates by a conduit 8 which connects the container to a hydraulic pump 9 motor, which communicates itself with the internal space 4 by a conduit

and an opening 11.

  The hydraulic pump 9 motor is controlled by a switch (not shown) and carries the liquid 6 of the blind of the container 7 inside the inner space 4 and

reverse.

  The liquid 6 that forms the blind can be opaque, its color does not allow the passage of light, or it

  may have the property of changing transparency in function

temperature.

  In addition and if necessary, this liquid 6 forming the blind can circulate in a heating element (not shown) or several heating elements can be placed around the container 7 or in the latter, so that the liquid 6 has the temperature wanted and that the blind can

  work as a thermal blind.

  An opening 12 is formed in the upper part

  of the internal space 4 between the plates 1, 2 of the

  glazed so that the air can pass freely

  internal pace 4 and from there. This opening 12

  communicates with the container 7 via a conduit 14.

  A solenoid valve 15 is mounted in the duct 14 near the opening 12. This solenoid valve 15 is controlled during the activation of the hydraulic pump 9 so that it allows the passage of air from the internal space 4 and passed on to this one. Consequently, when the solenoid valve 15 is closed and despite the fact that the lower opening 11 remains open, the liquid 6 remains

  suspended in space 4 without applying excessive pressure

  sive against the plates 1, 2 of the glazing.

  FIG. 2 shows in more detail the connection formed between the upper opening 12 intended for the passage of air and the third conduit 14. The configuration of the connection formed between the lower opening 11 and the conduit 10 is analogous to the connection previous, so

  the following description applies to both.

  A connecting member 16 having a front flange 17 and a tubular body 18 is fixed in position by a

  nut 19. The front flange 17 compresses a washer of

  against the surface of the plate 1, so that the connection is sealed, while the outer surface of the tubular body 18 has a series of annular projections 21

  allowing cooperation with a third conduit 14.

  The operation of the liquid blind according to the invention

  This is extremely simple and is described later.

  When the liquid 6 of the blind is kept in the

  container 7 and when the hydraulic pump 9 and the electro-

  valve 15 are controlled by the switch, the liquid is

  removed from the inside of the container 7 and is pumped into the

  of the internal space formed between the two plates 1, 2

through ducts 8 and 10.

  The volume of the liquid 6 pumped into the space 4 encounters no resistance opposed by the air present in this space because the solenoid valve 15 opens during the excitation of the pump 9, and allows the passage air

  from the internal space 4 to the container 7 via

  This free air outlet facilitates the rise of the liquid pumped into the internal space 4. The solenoid valve 15 remains open while the hydraulic pump 9 is operating and closes when the pump 9 stops working. In this way, the liquid 6 of the blind does not return to the container 7 because of the

removal of the air intake.

  When the hydraulic pump 9 is activated in the opposite direction so that the liquid 6 is pumped from the interior of the space 4 into the container 7, the solenoid valve 15 is opened again so that it allows the passage of air of the container 7 towards the interior of the internal space 4, by

  via the third conduit 14.

  Naturally, the liquid 6 can be transparent, it can be opaque or it can change color depending on the temperature so that the transmission of the

light is interrupted.

  Accordingly, the invention relates to a blind &

  which can be used to adjust the trans-

  mission of light and radiation of heat through 14s windows, as desired by the user, and which does not

  the disadvantages of the devices of the technology

anterior.

  Of course, various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art blinds & liquid that have just been described as non-examples.

  limiting without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (4)

  1. Liquid store comprising two plates of   made of glass or other transparent material   parallel to each other and connected at their peripheral edges so that they delimit an internally closed space between them, a container intended to contain a liquid forming a blind, capable of reducing or eliminating the transmission of light and radiation of heat through the plates, the container communicating with the internal space delimited between the plates by an opening placed at the lower part of the internal space, and a device for transporting the liquid which forms the store of the container to the internal space and vice versa, characterized in that it comprises an opening (12) for the passage of air in the upper part of the internal space (4), a device (14) intended communicating the opening (12) with the container (7) to   it delimits a closed circuit, and a valve (15)   corded to the communication device (14), the valve (15) being controlled following the activation of the transport device (9), so that it maintains the liquid which forms the blind at a desired height inside. from space   (4) and prevents the return of the liquid to the reci- (7).   2. Liquid store according to claim 1, characterized   in that the communication device comprises a led (14).   3. Liquid store according to claim 2, characterized   characterized in that the valve is a solenoid valve (15) disposed in said conduit (14) disposed between the container (7) and the internal space (4).   4. Liquid store according to any one of the   1 to 3, characterized in that the liquid transport device (6) forming the blind has a   motor-driven hydraulic pump (9) communicating with the container (7) and the internal space (4).