GB2384022A

GB2384022A - Light collectors

Info

Publication number: GB2384022A
Application number: GB0200543A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terry Michael Payne
Original assignee: Monodraught Ltd
Current assignee: Monodraught Ltd
Priority date: 2002-01-11
Filing date: 2002-01-11
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2022-01-11
Also published as: GB2384022C; GB0200543D0; GB2384022B

Abstract

A light collector for use with a lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building comprises a light transmitting member 19 having a plurality of non-parallel plane surfaces 20 through which light is transmitted. Each plane surface 20 may be substantially triangular and the light transmitting member 19 may be arranged as a multi-sided pyramid having a central apex 26 and a lower perimeter 24. An annular member 28 including a plurality of grooves 30 may extend from the perimeter 24 of the light transmitting member 19. The grooves 30 may be triangular in cross section.

Description

LIGHT COLLECTORS The present invention relates to light collectors for use with lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying natural daylight from roof level to a room of a building.

Lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying natural daylight from roof level to a room of a building is known.

Such lighting apparatus generally includes a light collector which is mounted, in use, on the roof of the building to collect and transmit light to an internally mirrored pipe which extends from the light collector through the roof space of the building to the ceiling of a room below. A diffuser apparatus is then used to diffuse the light into the room.

Conventionally the light collector is in the form of a hemispherical or similarly shaped dome. However, it has been appreciated by the Applicant that daylight is not always effectively transmitted through the curved surface of such a dome.

According to the present invention there is provided a light collector for use with lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the light collector comprising a light transmitting member including a plurality of non-parallel plane surfaces through which light is transmitted.

The light transmitting member is preferably transparent.

Preferably the light transmitting member includes a lower perimeter, which may be substantially circular. Preferably a centre region of the light transmitting member is raised relative to the lower perimeter. Each plane surface preferably extends upwardly and inwardly away from the lower perimeter towards the centre region of the light transmitting member.

Preferably each plane surface is substantially triangular in plan.

Preferably a base of each substantially triangular plane surface lies on the lower perimeter of the light transmitting member. Each triangular surface preferably decreases in width as it extends upwardly and inwardly away from the lower perimeter. The triangular plane surfaces preferably coincide to form an apex of the light transmitting member. Preferably the apex is in the centre region of the light transmitting member. The light transmitting member may be of multi-sided pyramid shape.

Preferably each plane surface is disposed at an angle to each adjacent plane surface. The light transmitting member may include five or more plane surfaces.

Each plane surface may constitute the surface of a planar sheet of transparent or translucent material, the planar sheets together making up the light transmitting member. The thickness of the sheets may be between about

2mm and 5mm.

Preferably a substantially annular member extends downwardly and slopes outwardly away from the lower perimeter of the light transmitting member. The annular member may slope at a greater angle to the horizontal than each plane surface.

Preferably the annular member includes a plurality of grooves in an external surface thereof, the grooves having a substantially triangular crosssection. Preferably the grooves are formed axially in the annular member. The grooves may be arranged continuously and be equally spaced around the annular member.

Preferably a lower region of the annular member is formed without grooves to provide a mounting surface for the light collector.

The light transmitting member is preferably made of plastics material and is preferably formed by injection moulding. Alternatively, the member may be formed by vacuum moulding.

According to the present invention there is further provided lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the lighting apparatus including a light collector according to any of the preceding ten paragraphs.

According to the present invention there is further provided a light collector for use with lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the light collector comprising light transmitting member and an annular member extending downwardly from a lower perimeter of the light transmitting member, a surface of the annular member including a plurality of grooves having a substantially triangular cross-section.

Preferably the grooves are formed axially in the annular member.

Preferably the grooves are equally spaced around the annular member.

According to the present invention there is further provided lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the lighting apparatus including a light collector according to any of the preceding three paragraphs.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through a lighting apparatus including a light collector according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a light collector according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the light collector of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of the light collector of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of part of the light collector as shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of part of the light collector as shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of part of the light collector as shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 1, a lighting apparatus 10 includes an internally reflective pipe 12 which conveys natural daylight from a roof area 14 of a building to a room 16 below. The daylight is collected and transmitted into the reflective pipe 12 by a light collector 18 and is conveyed into the room 16 through a diffuser apparatus 20.

Figs. 2 to 7 show in detail the light collector 18 according to the present invention which includes a light transmitting member 19 in the form of transparent dome including several plane surfaces through which daylight is transmitted. This arrangement of plane surfaces 20 results in a multi-sided

pyramid arrangement.

Each surface 20 is substantially triangular in plan view, the base 22 of each triangular surface being slightly curved and lying generally on a lower perimeter 24 of the dome. As best seen in Fig. 2, adjacent surfaces 20 are disposed at an angle to each other and extend in a direction upwardly and inwardly away from the lower perimeter 24 of the dome to form an apex 26. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 to 7, the light collector 18 includes five plane surfaces 20.

An annular member 28 extends downwardly and outwardly away from the lower perimeter 24 at a greater angle to the horizontal than the plane surfaces 20. This annular member 28 includes a plurality of axially arranged grooves 30 formed in its outer surface. The grooves 30 are triangular in cross section and spaced continuously and at equal intervals around the annular member 28.

A lower part of the annular member 28 is formed without grooves to provide a mounting surface 32 to enable the light collector to be mounted on a roof using a flashing arrangement.

The light collector 18 is made of plastics material and is desirably formed using an injection moulding technique.

When used as part of lighting apparatus 10 as shown in Fig. 1, light passes through the plane surfaces 20 of the light collector 18 into the internally reflective pipe 12. The grooves 30 additionally serve to reflect daylight already captured back into the reflective pipe 12, thereby intensifying the light to be conveyed to the room 16 below. This is found to be particularly advantageous when the sun is at a low angle in the sky, for example around Sunrise and Sunset.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, whilst the preferred embodiment illustrates five plane surfaces 20, greater or fewer plane surfaces may be provided. Instead of being formed by injection moulding, the light collector may be formed by vacuum moulding. Materials other than plastics, e. g. glass, may be used to form the transparent dome. The light collector may be mounted other than by using a flashing arrangement.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A light collector for use with lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the light collector comprising a light transmitting member including a plurality of non-parallel plane surfaces through which light is transmitted.
2. A light collector according to claim 1, wherein the light transmitting member is transparent.
3. A light collector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the light transmitting member includes a lower perimeter.
4. A light collector according to claim 3, wherein a centre region of the light transmitting member is raised relative to the lower perimeter, and each plane surface extends upwardly and inwardly away from the lower perimeter towards the centre region of the light transmitting member.
5. A light collector according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each plane surface is substantially triangular in plan.
6. A light collector according to claim 5, wherein a base of each substantially triangular plane surface lies on the lower perimeter of the light transmitting member.
7. A light collector according to claim 6, wherein each triangular surface decreases in width as it extends upwardly and inwardly away from the lower perimeter, the triangular plane surfaces coinciding to form an apex of the light transmitting member.

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8. A light collector according to claim 7, wherein the apex is in the centre region of the light transmitting member, the light transmitting member being of multi-sided pyramid shape.
9. A light collector according to any of claims 3 to 8, wherein each plane surface is disposed at an angle to each adjacent plane surface and the light transmitting member includes five or more plane surfaces.
10. A light collector according to any of claims 3 to 9, wherein each plane surface constitutes the surface of a planar sheet of transparent or translucent material, the planar sheets together making up the light transmitting member.
11. A light collector according to any of claims 3 to 10, wherein a substantially annular member extends downwardly and slopes outwardly away from the lower perimeter of the light transmitting member.
12. A light collector according to claim 11, wherein the annular member slopes at a greater angle to the horizontal than each plane surface.
13. A light collector according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the annular member includes a plurality of grooves in an external surface thereof, the grooves having a substantially triangular cross-section.
14. A light collector according to claim 13, wherein the grooves are formed axially in the annular member, are arranged continuously and are equally spaced around the annular member.
15. A light collector according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein a lower region of the annular member is formed without grooves to provide a mounting surface for the light collector.

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16. A light collector according to any preceding claim, wherein the light transmitting member is made of plastics material and is formed by injection moulding vacuum moulding.
17. Lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the lighting apparatus including a light collector according to any preceding claim.
18. A light collector for use with lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the light collector comprising light transmitting member and an annular member extending downwardly from a lower perimeter of the light transmitting member, a surface of the annular member including a plurality of grooves having a substantially triangular cross-section.
19. A light collector according to claim 18, wherein the grooves are formed axially in the annular member.
20. A light collector according to claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the grooves are equally spaced around the annular member.
21. Lighting apparatus including an elongate internally reflective pipe for conveying daylight from roof level to a room of a building, the lighting apparatus including a light collector according to claim 19 or claim 12.
22. A light collector substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
23. Lighting apparatus including a light collector substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

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24. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.