GB2102051A - Dome light unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The dome light unit admits daylight into a building, and includes a transparent or translucent cover sheet (1) mounted on an opening in a roof, a light tube (6) connected to said opening and extending between said roof opening an a ceiling opening in the ceiling of said building, a translucent or light diffuser member (8) at the ceiling opening, and light controlling means (9) situated in said light tube above said ceiling opening, and operable to vary the light passed from the roof cover (1) to the diffuser member (8). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dome light unit This invention relates to dome lights and more particularly the lights which are used to illuminate an area by natural light.

In many homes, offices and other buildings in order to avoid the use of artificial light in many areas, natural light is used by having a dome light or sky light or some other device to allow daylight to enter through the roof and ceiling.

Dome lights are often fitted to domestic dwellings to provide additional light in passageways and other rooms such as kitchen, lounge or bedroom. These include an opening in the roof and ceiling and connected by a suitable duct, with a translucent cover or dome over the opening in the roof. The covering over the opening in the roof is preferably a dome, this adding strength, being self-cleaning and also assists in collecting light from all angles. The dome cover is either transparent or preferably translucent and usually of milkish or white colour so that white light is allowed to penetrate through the dome.

At the ceiling area, a diffusing member is situated to diffuse and scatter the light.

However with these units there is no control of the amount of light which can enter the area being illuminated, and thus while on overcast days the unit would allow sufficient light to enter the building, on summer days and particularly when the sun is shining directly overhead onto the dome, an excess amount of light enters the room or area which may be excessive, particularly in bedrooms where people may wish to sleep or rest during the day.

Thus there is a need to provide some form of control for the amount of light which can pass through such a unit.

Thus there is provided according to the invention a dome light unit, the unit including a translucent or transparent cover at the roof level, a diffuser or translucent member at the ceiling level, and light controlling means situated between the ceiling and dome, these being such that the controlling means is not visible and can give a progressive control to the amount of light entering the area.

In a preferred form of the invention the light controlling means can be a set of louvres, with louvre blades being pivoted so that they can be turned from a vertical open position to a horizontal closed position in which horizontal position they meet or overlap to cut out the flow of light therebetween.

The louvres can each be formed of a single blade or sheet of material and either be pivoted along the edge, or through their central longitudinal axis, or, if desired, another longitudinal axis.

Alternatively the louvres can be formed of a folded metallic blade, or of some other material such as one of the suitable rigid plastics materials.

The axes of the blades are connected to a control member which is then connected to a manually operable or electrically operable unit situated at a suitable location on a wall or the like in the building, the interconnection being either a flexible connection or rigid links or chains or the like.

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view partly diagrammatic of one form of the invention and FIG. 2 is a view of a control unit to be incorporated in the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 the building is provided with a domed sky light 1 formed of a suitable material which can be either transparent or translucent.

Preferably an acrylic resin sheet formed or moulded to form a translucent dome or cover is used. A suitable material could be durable opal perspex (perspex is a registered trade mark) and the sky light 1 is mounted on metal base 2 fixed to a mounting 3 attached to the roof 4 in a weather tight manner.

To the underside of the roof 4 and connecting to the ceiling 5 is a ducted light shaft 6 which is fabricated to be tailor made to the particular situation. Preferably, the light shaft 6 is formed of a material to have a light coloured internal surface such as white or off-white colour-bond metal.

On the lower side of the ceiling 5 there is provided a Tee-bar frame 7 to support a diffuser 8.

The diffuser 8 can be a prismatic or glocell diffuser which can be of any suitable material such as glass or acrylic resin or other suitable plastics material.

Above the diffuser 8 there is provided a series of light controlling louvre blades 9 which are controllable either manually or electrically to control the amount of light being diffused by the diffuser 8.

Turning now to FIG. 2 there is shown the control unit carrying the louvre blades 9. The louvre blades 9 are mounted in a rectangular frame 10, the individual blades 9 being interconnected by a linkage (not shown) in a known manner to a control shaft 11 mounted in a bearing 12. The shaft 11 carries a control lever 13 which can be connected to a manual control member by a flexible linkage or the like (not shown).

However as shown in FIG. 2 the control lever 1 3 is connected to a control arm 1 4 connected to a power lever 1 5 operated by an electric motor and gear box 1 6. The power supply is by a cable 17 from a junction box 1 8. The control of the electric motor can be by a push button situated in any convenient place within the building.

The frame 10 is supported by side plates and one or more end plates so that the frame can be mounted in and connected to the light shaft 6.

It has been found that due to the unique combination of the translucent dome, the white or light coloured light shaft, the louvres and the diffuser that the louvres are very difficult to see and virtually cannot be discerned when in the fully open position.

When the louvres are in a partially open position, all that is noticeable is a series of light and dark bands which give the"appearance of a series of fluorescent tubes mounted each in its own housing.

With the louvres in the closed position the light is prevented from entering the area.

If desired a fluorescent tube or other artificial light can be incorporated in the unit above the louvres so that the artificial light can be used during periods of night time or extremely overcast conditions.

By situating the fluorescent tube or tubes above the louvres, then the louvres can be used to control the amount of artificial light particularly for bedrooms or childrens rooms or sick rooms or the like.

As noted above the combination of the louvres in the light coloured light shaft with the diffuser and the translucent dome, that the unique effect is achieved of aesthetically controlling the amount of light which enters through the dome, and which in extreme conditions of sun, light and heat the louvres can be completely closed off to assist in preventjng the entry of heat into the area therebelow.

Although one form of the invention has been described in some detail it is to be realised that the invention is not to be limited thereto but can include various modifications falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A controllable dome or sky light unit for admitting daylight into a building, said unit including a transparent or translucent cover sheet mounted on an opening in a roof, a light tube connected to said opening and extending between said roof opening and a ceiling opening in the ceiling of said building, a translucent or light diffuser member at the ceiling opening, and light controlling means situated in said light tube above said ceiling opening.

2. A controllable dome or sky light as defined in Claim 1 wherein said light tube is provided with a light coloured or off-white interior with said light controlling means comprising a louvre system situated just above said light diffuser member whereby the light entering the translucent cover sheet is controllable by said louvres to issue through said light diffuser as a soft white evenly distributed light.

3. A controllable dome or sky light as defined in Claim 2 wherein said louvres are controllable manually by a mechanical connection between said louvres and a control member situated within the building.

4. A controllable dome or sky light as defined in Claim 2 wherein said louvres are controlled by an electric motor operating a linkage connected to said louvres, the control of the electric motor being situated within the building.

5. A controllable dome or sky light substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.