WO2010145701A1

WO2010145701A1 - Solar shading device

Info

Publication number: WO2010145701A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/057539
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eik Bezzel; Søren Jensen; Claus Barholm-Hansen; Alicia Johansson
Original assignee: Photosolar A/S
Priority date: 2009-06-17
Filing date: 2009-06-17
Publication date: 2010-12-23

Abstract

Disclosed is a solar shading device configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive, and wherein the solar shading device has a constitution configured for limiting the appearance of buckling of the solar shading device caused by thermal expansion.

Description

Solar shading device

Field of the invention

This invention generally relates to a solar shading device. More particularly, the invention relates to a solar shading device configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive.

Background of the invention

A solar shading device intended for integration into double or triple glazed insulating glazing is described in the document WO03/106802 A1. The solar shading device disclosed in this document consists of a non transparent plate or foil in which a number of holes are manufactured to allow passage of light. The transparency and shading properties of the device is controlled by the size and shape of the holes in combination with controlling the thickness of the plate or foil. The solar shading device may comprise that the non- transparent areas between the holes are so small that they become invisible at a specified distance to the device.

A solar shading device also intended for integration into insulting glazings is described in patent application with application number PCT/EP2009/055543, where the solar shading device has a plurality of perforations and a non-perforated area, where the perforated area prevents penetration of light in the building, and where the perforations have a depth/width ration that allows for passage of light with given angles of incidence, while light having other angles of incidence are unable to pass through the perforations.

The plurality of perforations constitutes transparent areas, and the non- perforated areas constitute non-transparent areas where the non-perforated areas reflect and absorb light.

The solar shading device is made from a rigid material which is adapted to remain unbuckled, when the material is hung up in a horizontal or vertical position at a rim or strip of the material relative to the geometry of the material or strip or relative to the mounting point. The rigid material is sufficiently rigid to hold itself substantially stiff, when the material is hung up in a vertical position at a rim of the material. The rigid material has a Young's modulus larger than 2 GPa. The solar shading device can be a metallic screen or a polymeric material. The perforations may be produced by etching.

Document WO03/106802 A1 and document PCT/EP2009/055543 furthermore describe that the solar shading device may be covered with a solar cell. The non-perforated area of the solar shading device can be covered with a solar cell material such as an amorphous silicon thin film, a micro crystalline thin film, or a combination hereof.

The solar shading device disclosed in document PCT/EP2009/055543 is designed to be mounted inside the sealed cavity of an insulating glazing structure. The insulating glazing unit may have two glass panes where the first pane is the outermost glass pane and the second is the innermost glass pane. In one embodiment, the solar shading device is mounted on the rear side of the first glass in the glazing, i.e. the device is mounted in physical contact with the outermost glass in the glazing structure. An advantage of this mounting position is that most of the solar energy absorbed by the solar shading device and transformed into heat can be dissipated to the outer surface of the glazing by thermal conduction and radiation through the outermost glass. A third glass pane may also be arranged between the first and the second glass pane and the solar shading device may be attached to a surface of the third glass pane pointing towards the first glass pane.

If the solar shading device is placed on the inner surface of the first glass pane, there may be only two glass panes for the insulated glazing unit (IGU), which will minimize the weight of the IGU. The adhesive used for attaching the solar shading device(s) may be visible from the outside of a building where the solar shading device is attached on a glass pane, and the solar shading device may be exposed to the incoming solar radiation through the first glass pane. In this case, the adhesive should be stable towards ultraviolet (UV) radiation and therefore not be influenced by the UV radiation. By using a screen printed pattern on the first glass pane, the adhesive can be shielded from UV radiation and be invisible from the outside.

To avoid that the adhesive is visible from the inside of the building, the solar shading device can have a non-transparent area where the adhesive is applied.

The solar shading device can then be placed either on the inner surface of the first pane or on the outer surface of the third pane. If the solar shading device is placed on the outer surface of a third pane, which is integrated between the first and the second glass pane, and the adhesive is placed on a non-transparent area of the solar shading device, the adhesive will be shielded from radiation from the outside and shielded from view. The adhesive can also be hidden from outside view by using a screen printed pattern on the first pane. To hide the adhesive from the inside view, a screen printed pattern can be applied on the inner surface of the third pane.

If the adhesive is not hidden from view, the adhesive should be robust to UV- radiation. Additionally, it may be an advantage that the adhesive is visually pleasing, if it can be viewed from either the outside or the inside of the building in which the IGU is placed. To have a visually pleasing solar shading device, the adhesive can be applied in small amounts, such as in small dots and/or thin lines, in well-defined areas, be transparent or have the same colour as the solar shading device.

The solar shading devices can be mounted with a gap in between to allow for more light to be transmitted though the window, or they can be mounted next to each other so that they are just touching or abutting each other. Another possibility is to let the elements overlap.

The solar shading device may be integrated with a solar cell material in the insulating glazing unit. The electrical connection to the solar cell material can be provided by means of an electrically conductive adhesive. The electrically conductive adhesive can be adapted to be applied between one or more electrodes on a face of the solar shading device and a screen printed pattern on the glass pane.

Instead of using fully laminated solar shading devices or solar screens, the solar shading device according to document PCT/EP2009/055543 is mounted on a glass pane using an adhesive such as glue or tape. There are a number of possible ways to apply the adhesive between the solar shading device and the glass. The perforated solar shading device can have an area of non-perforated material were the adhesive can be applied. This non- perforated area can be arranged anywhere on the solar shading device. The non-perforated area has the advantage that it hides the adhesive in one viewing direction. The solar shading device is adhered to the glass pane by applying adhesive on at least a part of the non-perforated area of the solar shading device. The adhesive can be applied in one or more continuous line, in dots and/or the like. The lines can be vertical, horizontal, diagonal, sloping and/or the like, and the lines can be arranged in the middle, at one or more edges and/or anywhere suitable in the solar shading device.

The adhesive is substantially not present in the perforations of the solar shading device.

Compared to other conventional shading techniques the solar shading device disclosed in WO03/106802 A1 and in document PCT/EP2009/055543 has distinct advantages in terms of thermal efficiency, reduced need for maintenance and cleaning, stability and optical visibility.

When the solar shading device disclosed in WO03/106802 A1 is mounted inside an insulating glazing and the glazing is used to shade the sun, the device will partly absorb and partly reflect a substantial fraction of the total incident solar energy on the device. A large share of the solar energy reflected from the device will be reflected as visible light and the direction of this reflected light will be given by the nature of the surface and the nature of the incident solar beam.

The solar energy absorbed by the device disclosed in WO03/106802 A1 will be converted into heat and this heat will cause the temperature of the device to rise. The heat will spread in the device and dissipate to the glass on which the device is mounted by thermal conduction through the areas where physical contact exists between the device and the glass. Also, when the temperature rises above ambient, the device will exchange energy with the surroundings through radiative heat transfer.

The device described in WO03/106802 A1 may be fixed to the outermost glass in a limited area, which is smaller than the area of the device itself, and as heat is transported to the outermost glass though this thermal contact, the dissipation of heat in this particular form of the claimed solar shading device is not uniform. Typically, the temperature of the device will be highest near the centre of the device, and cooler near the areas of contact to the outermost glass.

Moreover, the material properties of the device might not be uniform. As described in WO03/106802 A1 , the device consists of a plate with holes to allow for passage of light. To fix the device to the outermost glass the device may have an area which is non-transparent so that an adhesive can be applied. As a result, the material properties of the device are not homogeneous as it consists of an area with holes and an area without holes. The non-transparent area, without holes, is stiffer, i.e. has a higher Young^'s modulus, than the semi-transparent area with holes. Furthermore, the holes may not have the same dimensions on the front and back side of the solar shading device. The holes may for example be larger on the front side than on the back side. In this case, the front and back side of the solar shading device does not have the same material properties and the device is not uniform.

When the solar shading device disclosed in WO03/106802 A1 heats up, the thermal expansion of the device may dictate an elongation of the device. The elongation will reflect the temperature distribution in the device at any given time. If the absorption of solar energy and the heat dissipation of the device to the surroundings are uniform over the area of the device, and if the material properties of the device are uniform, the device may expand uniformly. However, if the absorption of solar energy is not uniform or the dissipation of heat to the surroundings is not uniform, as a result the elongation of the device may not be uniform. If the material properties of the solar shading device are not uniform and/or the heat dissipation is not uniform due to part of the area being in contact with the glass pane through an adhesive, the device may not expand uniformly. The non-uniform heating of the device may result in a non-uniform stress in the device which induces out-of-plane distortions of the device, the so called buckling.

Hence, the buckling behaviour has two components. One is the non-uniform thermal expansion due to uniform temperature in a non-uniform device. The other is non-uniform thermal expansion due to a non-uniform heating of a uniform device.

Buckling is a well-known behaviour of plates, rods etc. Buckling distortion is characterized by wavy distortions of the plate that negatively influences the surface quality. The out-of-plane distortions are often several orders of magnitude greater than the thickness of the plate. Thin plates such as the solar shading device in form of lamellas described in WO03/106802 A1 are particularly susceptible to buckling distortion due to their low bending stiffness.

Buckling is a well-known problem of panels joined by welding. The high temperature of the weld region causes compressive stress as a result of thermal expansion, as described in the document US 6,861 ,617 B2.

To avoid buckling in planar elements, the elements can be provided with profile buckling stiffeners. Stiffeners can have a wide variety of cross- sectional shape. For metal stiffeners, it is normally rolled sections that are fastened to the plate using mechanical methods, such as bonding or welding. The disadvantage is the extra added material and that the fastening process may induce additional stress in the material leading to further buckling.

The document US 4,994,712 discloses that buckling of shadow masks can be avoided by using invar, by mounting the mask in tension and by using flexible springs. Furthermore, buckling may also appear in the solar shade lamellas due to faults and mistakes in the surface such as small indentations. Hence, it is important that the fabrication method used to make the device does not induce imperfections in the device.

Thus, it remains a problem to provide a solar shading device, which solves the problems of buckling in the device, and to provide a method for manufacturing such solar shading device.

Summary

Disclosed is a solar shading device configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive, and

wherein the solar shading device has a constitution configured for limiting the appearance of buckling of the solar shading device caused by thermal expansion.

Consequently, it is an advantage that the solar shading device is characterised in having a constitution, e.g. a shape, profile, marking or coating which absorbs, guides or controls the out-of-plane movements that are unavoidable with this type of solar shading devices, and which are caused by non-uniform temperature and related stress distribution in the solar shading device. The result is that the out-of-plane movements are avoided, made invisible or nearly invisible, or visible but given a controlled shape and pattern which makes them visually pleasing, when viewed from an angle corresponding to the reflecting angle of the sun. When a non-uniform temperature distribution is applied to a thin plate or foil, a non-uniform stress distribution will emerge in the device. A non-uniform stress distribution can also be caused by a uniform temperature distribution to a non-uniform structure. Also, if the device is suspended freely and the build-in stress is large enough, the device will adapt a shape which compensates for this non-uniform stress distribution. Typically, a flat plate will adapt a curved or buckled shape which is out of the primary plane of the device and which to some degree compensates for the non-uniform stress distribution found in the plate.

In itself, the non-uniform temperature distribution and associated non-uniform stress distribution leading to out-of-plane movements of the thin plate or foil are perfectly acceptable to the function of the device. The out-of-plane movements and related change in angular geometry are insignificantly small compared to the angular movements of the sun and as such the functionality of the device is preserved.

The out-of-plane movements are not present when the device is not heated by sunlight. The out-of-plane movements are not visible when the solar shading device is viewed in diffuse light or from angles other than from the direction of the reflected angle of the sun.

However, the out-of-plane movements of the thin plate or foil in combination with direct solar light being reflected from the device will lead to uneven distribution of light from the device. The uneven spatial distribution of reflected light from the outermost surface of the device, is in some cases undesired and aesthetically unacceptable, when the solar shading device is viewed from the exterior side and from the direction of the reflected angle of the sun.

The terms buckling, out-of-plane movements, and out-of-plane distortions may be used to describe the same. The terms reinforcement, shape, out-of-plane form, profile, profiling, marking and structure may be used to describe the term constitution.

In some embodiments the constitution is a reinforcement of the solar shading device.

In some embodiments the constitution is a structure of the solar shading device.

In some embodiments the constitution is a shape in the solar shading device. An advantage of this embodiment is that the solar shading device is given a shape which prevents the out-of-plane movements.

In some embodiments the constitution is an out-of-plane form.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the solar shading device is given an out-of-the-plane form which absorbs the build up thermal stress.

In some embodiments the out-of-plane form is a rolled profiling. An advantage of this embodiment is that the solar shading device is given a stiffening profile which absorbs the out-of-plane movements caused by build up of thermal stress.

The profiles may be rolled, stamped or made by other similar technique.

The profiling can have a square, rectangular, half-circle, elliptical shape and/or the like.

The rolls used to make the profile may be fabricated in metal, plastic, rubber and/or the like.

If more than one roll is used, e.g. two rolls, the two rolls may be made from the same material or from different materials, such as one metal roll and one rubber roll. The rolled profile can be continuous or discreet. Discreet profiles can be made with a spacing in between without a profile.

The profile can be rolled into the solar shading device after the solar shading device has been fabricated, for example by means of etching. Depending on the distance between the rolls, the depth or height of the profile can be varied. The distance may be important for obtaining an advantageous profile, since a very shallow profile may not absorb the buckles and a very deep profile can induce buckles on either side of it. Furthermore, the profiling process should not induce faults in the solar shading device that will lead to more buckles.

In some embodiments the rolled profiling is along a length direction of the solar shading device.

The profiling can also be made diagonal or perpendicular to the length of the solar shading device and/or the like.

Thus the terms shape, profile, profiling etc. may be used to describe a structure which causes that buckles, out-of-plane distortions or out-of-plane movements is avoided.

In some embodiments the out-of-plane form is a bulging.

In some embodiments the constitution or out-of-plane form is a marking, which occurs regularly along the solar shading device. An advantage of this embodiment is that the solar shading device is given a structure which dictates or controls the position of the out-of-plane movements.

An advantage of the embodiment is that the marking is a stamped or rolled stiffening marking. The markings can be dots, squares, lines and/or a combination of different shapes.

The markings may be made in the solar shading device after the device has been fabricated by e.g. etching or another method. Since the out-of-plane movements are normally circularly shaped buckles and since the diameter of a buckle is the same as the height of the solar shading device or lamella, the markings can for example be made with a distance corresponding to the height of the solar shading device or the lamella. Depending on the shape of the marking and the pressure used to produce the marking, the buckles will either appear between the markings or at the location of each marking. This design may not stop the formation of out-of-plane movements but it will dictate the position of these buckles. The result will be a buckling pattern with a regular pattern and shape which will be more visually pleasing. Even though the buckling pattern is only visible in direct sunlight and when viewed from the direction of the reflecting light, the profile markings may be visible under any light conditions.

In some embodiments the out-of-plane form is manufactured by means of a method selected from: - rolling; - stamping,

In some embodiments the constitution is a slit in the solar shading device.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the slits, e.g. narrow slits, in the solar shading device can absorb the movements of the material. These slits can be made by laser, stamping, etching and/or the like.

Furthermore, they may be as narrow as possible in order not to reduce the performance of the solar shading device.

The slits can be made perpendicular, diagonal, along the length of the solar shading device and/or the like. If the slits are made by etching, they can be fabricated in the same etching process used to make holes in the solar shading device.

However, slits in the solar shading device may result in that the solar shading device or lamellas will be less rigid and thereby more difficulty to handle.

In some embodiments the constitution is a coating applied to the solar shading device, where the coating reflects substantially no light, whereby buckling cannot be seen. An advantage of this embodiment is that by applying a coat or coating to the solar shading device, the device may not reflect any light.

The lower the reflection, the more light is absorbed in the solar shading device, and the larger the temperature and the thermal stress will be. Hence, the device may buckle even more than if there is no low reflecting coating, but the out-of-plane structures will be less visible and thereby not influence the visual appearance of the device.

However, using low reflecting coatings in practical life is extremely difficult as low reflecting surfaces can be very tricky to handle and sensitive to wear. An example of low reflecting coatings is electroplated black chromate coatings, which have a very low reflectivity, p=0.03, but have the disadvantage that they may contain hexavalent Cr which is a hazardous substance. Black Ni can also be used as a low reflecting coating. Other examples are anti-reflective coatings or low reflective coatings such as ITO and ZnO which are used in the solar cell industry.

In some embodiments the constitution is a coating applied to the solar shading device, where the coating is highly reflective. An advantage of this embodiment is that the adsorbed heat of the device can be reduced by increasing the reflectivity of the device. If less heat is adsorbed, the thermal stress is reduced and the buckling behavior is minimized. This can be observed if the solar shading device or lamellas are made from metal or steel and the surface is highly reflective, e.g. having p=0.70. A disadvantage is that highly reflective solar shading devices are not visually pleasing due to the high reflectivity leading to a very shiny surface. Hence, the solar shading devices made from steel are normally coated with a low reflective coating to avoid strong reflections. The solution is to use a coating which is highly reflective but where the reflected light is diffuse so that it is not perceived as annoying to the observer. A rough surface with nanostructures is for example one possible solution. However, these types of surfaces may be highly sensitive to wear.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is manufactured from a material which undergoes substantially no expansion, whereby buckling does not occur.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the solar shading device is manufactured from a base material which has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. An example is the use of Invar, which comprises about 66% Ni and 34% Fe, instead of using stainless steel. However, the cost of Invar is very high. Invar is often used for shadow masks where the temperature might rise to 100⁰C and where mask shape variations are undesirable. Many low expansion materials such as Invar exhibit reduced mechanical strength at elevated temperatures.

In some embodiments the solar shading device has a plurality of perforations and a non-perforated area, where the perforated area prevents penetration of light in the building, and where the perforations have a depth/width ration that allows for passage of light with given angles of incidence, while light having other angles of incidence are unable to pass through the perforations.

In some embodiments the adhesive is substantially not present in the perforations of the solar shading device. In some embodiments the plurality of perforations constitutes transparent areas, and the non-perforated areas constitute non-transparent areas.

In some embodiments the non-perforated areas reflect and absorb light.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is made from a rigid material.

In some embodiments the rigid material is adapted to remain unbuckled, when the material is hung up in a horizontal or vertical position at a rim or strip of the material relative to the geometry of the material or strip or relative to the mounting point.

In some embodiments the rigid material is sufficiently rigid to hold itself substantially stiff, when the material is hung up in a vertical position at a rim of the material.

In some embodiments the rigid material has a Young's modulus larger than 2 GPa.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is a metallic screen.

In some embodiments the metallic screen is made of a material chosen from the group consisting of:

- stainless steel; - ferrous alloy;

- non-ferrous alloy;

- aluminium based alloy.

In some embodiments the metallic screen is etched to produce the perforations. In some embodiments the solar shading device is a polymeric material.

In some embodiments the polymeric material is chosen from the group consisting of: - acrylic (PMMA);

- stabilized polycarbonate (PC);

- polyimid (Pl);

- polyetherimid (PEI);

- glass filled compositions of the above; - other fillings in the above materials.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to be cut in size to correspond to at least one dimension of at least one of the glass panes of the insulated glazing unit.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to cover at least a part of the glass pane area.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to be attached anywhere on the glass pane area.

In some embodiments two or more solar shading devices are adapted to be mounted on a glass pane with a gap between them.

In some embodiments two or more solar shading devices are adapted to be mounted on a glass pane so that they are abutting.

In some embodiments two or more solar shading devices are adapted to be mounted on a glass pane so that they are overlapping. In some embodiments the two or more solar shading devices each have an adhesive along a first rim of the solar shading device, and where a first one of the two or more solar shading devices is attached at the first rim to a glass pane, and where a second one of the two or more solar shading devices is attached at the first rim partly to a second rim of the first one of the solar shading devices and partly to the glass pane so that the second rim of the first solar shading device is fixed on the glass pane by means of the first rim of the second one of the solar shading devices.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to be attached to the glass pane at one point.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to be attached to the glass pane at one rim.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is adhered to the glass pane by applying adhesive on at least a part of the non-perforated area of the solar shading device.

In some embodiments a first one of the at least two glass panes of the insulated glazing unit is an outermost glass facing outdoors, and a second one of the at least two glass panes is an innermost glass facing indoors.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is attached to an inner surface of the first one of the at least two glass panes.

In some embodiments a third glass pane is arranged between the first and the second glass pane.

In some embodiments the solar shading device is attached to a surface of the third glass pane pointing towards the first glass pane. In some embodiments the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated with a solar cell material in the insulating glazing unit.

In some embodiments the non-perforated area of the solar shading device is adapted to be covered with the solar cell material.

In some embodiments the solar cell material is an amorphous silicon thin film, a micro crystalline thin film, or a combination hereof.

In some embodiments an electrical connection to the solar cell material is provided by means of an electrically conductive adhesive.

In some embodiments the electrically conductive adhesive is adapted to be applied between one or more electrodes on a face of the solar shading device and a screen printed pattern on the glass pane.

In some embodiments the adhesive is made conductive by applying an electrically conductive material to the adhesive.

In some embodiments the electrically conductive material is chosen from the group consisting of:

- silver particles;

- plastic particles covered with a metallic layer.

One or more of the above mentioned embodiments may be used in combination to solve the problem of buckling in solar shading devices.

Furthermore, if the solar shading device is covered with a thin film solar cell it is important that the method used to solve the problem of buckles does not destroy or significantly deteriorate the efficiency of the solar cell. In case of a solar cell on the surface of the solar shading device, the solar cell may be applied to the surface after the profile has been made in the solar shading device or after the slits have been made.

Buckles can not be avoided by using another center glass pane in between the inner and the outer panes in the insulated glazing unit (IGU) and then press the solar shading device flat between the outer and the center glass pane. The reason that this is not possible is that due to small deflections of the glass panes, the outer and center glass panes are not in sufficiently close contact to press the solar shading device flat.

Buckles can not be avoided by adhering the device to the glass pane since stress will always be induced when the device is heated.

If the solar shading device is adhered to the glass pane over the entire area of the device or over nearly the entire area of the device to avoid buckles, the stress induced in the device may result in breakage of the adhesion or in thermal stress breakage of the IGU. Moreover, if the solar shading device is laminated on the entire surface to the glass, the laminate may fill the holes of the solar shading device and influence the shading properties due to a change in the refractive index in the holes.

The present invention relates to different aspects including the solar shading device described above and in the following, and corresponding methods, devices, and/or product means, each yielding one or more of the benefits and advantages described in connection with the first mentioned aspect, and each having one or more embodiments corresponding to the embodiments described in connection with the first mentioned aspect and/or disclosed in the appended claims.

In particular, disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a solar shading device, where the solar shading device is configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive, and

wherein the solar shading device is manufactured to have a constitution configured for limiting the appearance of buckling of the solar shading device caused by thermal expansion.

Brief description of the drawings

The above and/or additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be further elucidated by the following illustrative and non- limiting detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows examples of a solar shading device mounted on a window glass.

Fig. 2 shows examples of rolled profiling(s) in a solar shading device.

Fig. 3 shows examples of shapes or stiffening markings provided in the solar shading device.

Fig. 4 shows examples of rolls used to provide a stiffening profiling or marking in the solar shading device.

Fig. 5 shows examples of slits in the solar shading device. Fig. 6 shows that the uneven spatial distribution of reflected light from the outermost surface of the solar shading device can be seen under certain conditions.

Fig. 7 shows an example of a coating on the solar shading device.

Fig. 8 shows examples of solar shading devices integrated in insulating glazing units.

Fig. 9 shows examples of how a perforated solar shading device can be attached to a glass pane.

Detailed description

In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which show by way of illustration how the invention may be practiced.

Figure 1 shows examples of a solar shading device mounted on a window. In fig. 1a) the solar shading device 101 is mounted as eight horizontally- mounted solar shading devices or lamellas on a window glass 103, such as in an insulated glazing unit (IGU).

In fig. 1 b) the solar shading device 101 only comprises one solar shading device or lamella attached to the window glass 103. In fig. 1 c) the solar shading device 101 comprises two horizontally-mounted solar shading devices or lamellas attached to the window glass 103. In fig. 1d) the solar shading device 101 comprises three vertically-mounted solar shading devices or lamellas attached to the window glass 103.

Solar shading device or lamella is used throughout the text to denote the same. The lamellas or solar shading device 101 may be attached to the window glass 103 by means of an adhesive, such as glue, tape, lamination and/or the like.

The lamellas or the solar shading device 101 may be attached to the window glass 103 at one rim of the lamella or solar shading device 101 , for example at the top rim or at the bottom rim in a horizontal mounting. Alternatively, the lamella or the solar shading device 101 may be attached to the window glass 103 at both the top rim and the bottom rim of the lamella or solar shading device 101.

Alternatively, the lamella or solar shading device 101 may be attached to the window glass 103 at one rim and to a neighbour lamella or solar shading device at the other rim. Alternatively, the lamella or solar shading device 101 may be attached to the window glass 103 at one rim and partly to a neighbour lamella or solar shading device and partly to the glass window 103 at the other rim.

Alternatively and/additionally, the lamellas or solar shading device 101 can be attached to the window glass 103 as a vertical mounting, i.e. at the vertical rims of the lamella or solar shading device 101.

The lamella or solar shading device 101 may be a rigid or semi-rigid screen, foil or plate made of metal or a polymeric material.

Fig. 2 shows examples of rolled profiling(s) in a solar shading device which absorbs the build up of thermal stress.

In fig. 2a), one rolled profiling 204 is provided in the solar shading device 201 in the length orientation of the device 201. In fig. 2b), two rolled profilings are provided in the solar shading device 201 in the length orientation of the device 201. In fig. 2c), one rolled profiling is provided in the solar shading device 201 in the width orientation of the device 201 , i.e. perpendicular to the length orientation.

In fig. 2d), two rolled profilings are provided in the solar shading device 201 in the width orientation of the device 201.

The solar shading device 201 may be one of the lamellas or solar shading devices as shown in fig.1.

Fig. 3 shows examples of markings provided in the solar shading device to dictate the position of out-of-plane movements due to thermal stress. In fig. 3a), three circle markings 305 are provided in a line pattern in the length direction of the solar shading device 301. The buckling or out-of-plane movements typically cover the entire width of the lamella or solar shading device 301 , and the length of a buckle or out-of plane movement is typically the same as the width, thus a buckle formed around the circle marking 305 may typically adapt the circle shape as indicated by the dotted lines 306 in fig. 3b). The arrows indicate the direction the buckle will grow, and the buckle may have a maximum out-of-plane distance at the centre of the circle marking 305.

In fig 3c), six elliptical markings 307 are provided in a displaced pattern in the solar shading device 301 to control the out-of-plane movements.

In fig. 3d), three squares 308 are provided in a line pattern on the solar shading device 301.

Fig. 3e) shows a rolled diamond shaped marking that dictates the position of the out of plane distortions. In the figure, three diamond markings 309 are provided on the solar shading device 301. Each diamond marking is made of 4 lines forming a square, where the corners point up, down, to the left and to the right.

In the first one of the diamond marking, two distances, which are the height a and the width b, are drawn. In the presented design the height, a, and the width, b, of the diamond have the same lengths. It is also possible to use a design where a>b or a<b.

In the second one of the diamond shapes a dotted circle is drawn to indicate the shape of the out-of-plane movement resulting from providing the diamond shape. The out-of-plane distortions in form of a half-sphere appear in the center of the diamond as indicated by the dotted circle. If a>b or a<b, the out- of-plane distortion will be elliptically shaped. The marking may be visible even without direct sunlight and the out-of-plane distortions may only be visible when the direct sunlight is reflected off the device. However, since the distortions have a well-controlled shape and pattern they are not disturbing the dimensional control and the structural appearance of the device.

The markings, such as the circles 305, the elliptical shapes 307, the squares

308, and the diamond shapes 309, may be stamped, rolled or the like in the solar shading device 301.

Fig. 4 shows examples of rolls used to provide a profiling or marking in the solar shading device.

Fig. 4a shows a roll 410 that can be used to make the diamond marking as seen in fig. 3e) by means of the profile lines 411 on the roll which are arranged in a pattern which provides the diamond marking in the solar shading device. To provide the markings the roll 410 can be pressed against a hard surface with the solar shade lamellas in between.

Fig. 4b shows the rolls 420 and 421 which can be used to provide the stiffening profile shown in fig. 2a. The solar shade lamellas are placed between the roll 420 and 421 and the protrusion 422 in roll 420 combined with the groove 423 in roll 421 provide the stiffening profile. The distance between roll 420 and 421 can control the depth of the profile. The rolls do not have to be in hard contact. The height of the protrusion 422 can be about 1.5 mm and the width about 17 mm. The depth of the groove 423 can be about 1.8 mm and the width about 20 mm. The distance between the rolls can be about 0.3 mm.

However, the width and/or the height of the profiling may be varied. The profile has a rectangular shape, which may have slightly rounded corners (not shown in the figure).

The different distances in the figure are not drawn in a correct relationship according to the numbers mentioned above.

The rolls used to provide the profiling may be made from steel.

It is understood that another profile pattern on the roll would provide another profile pattern in the solar shading device, e.g. a square pattern on the roll could provide the square pattern on the solar shading device as seen in fig. 3d), a circle pattern on the roll could provide the circle pattern on the solar shading device as seen in fig. 3a), and an elliptical pattern on the roll could provide the elliptical pattern on the solar shading device as seen in fig. 3c).

Fig. 5 shows examples of slits in the solar shading device to absorb the movements of the solar shading device caused by thermal stress. In fig. 5a), three slits 512 are shown in the solar shading device 501. In fig. 5b), six slits 513 are shown, which are narrower than the slits in fig. 5a).

Fig. 6 shows that the uneven spatial distribution of reflected light from the outermost surface of the device can be seen, when the solar shading device is viewed from the exterior side and from the direction and angle, v,, corresponding to the reflected angle, v_r, of the sun. Fig. 7 shows an example of a coating on the solar shading device. The coating 714 on the solar shading device 701 is non-reflecting, whereby no light is reflected from the solar shading device, and thus the buckles on the solar shading device can not be seen, no matter from which direction or angle the solar shading device is observed from.

Fig. 8 shows examples of solar shading devices included in insulating glazing units. Fig. 8a) shows a cross section of an insulating glazing unit 810, showing an outer glass 811 , a middle glass 812 with a venting hole 818, an inner glass 813, a spacer bar 814 filled with a desiccant 815, a primary sealant 816, a secondary sealant 817 and a solar shading device 801 attached to the outer glass 811.

Fig. 8b) shows a cross section of an insulating glass unit 810, showing a outer glass 811 , a inner glass 813, a spacer bar 814 filled a with desiccant 815, a primary sealant 816, a secondary sealant 817 and a solar shading devices 801 attached to the outer glass 811.

According to the present method for integrating non-laminated solar shading devices, the solar shading device is attached to the inner surface of the outer glass pane in the IGU, if the IGU consists of two glass panes referred to as the outer and the inner glass or the first and second glass. Alternatively, there may be one or more glass panes present between the outer and the inner panes of the IGU. In this case, the solar shading device may be attached to the outer surface of the middle glass also referred to as the third glass.

Fig. 9 shows examples of how a solar shading device can be attached to a glass pane. The solar shading device 901 is attached to a glass pane 902 using an adhesive 903. The solar shading device 901 can have larger non-perforated areas 905 but the main area of the solar shading device 901 has perforations 904. The adhesive 903 can be applied in continuous lines as seen in fig. 9a), 9c), and/or in small dots as seen in fig. 9b).

Figs. 9a-9c) show examples where the perforations are relatively small compared to the size of the solar shading device. However, the perforations can also be relative large compared to the solar shading device.

Alternatively and/or additionally the adhesive may be applied in the perforated area of the solar shading device. Some of the perforations might initially be filled with adhesive, if the adhesive is applied on the perforated area. However adhesive in the perforations may be removed subsequently. Furthermore, as long as the majority of the perforations are not filled, the solar shading device may remain its shading function. The adhesive can be hidden from view by using a screen printed pattern on the glass pane.

Although some embodiments have been described and shown in detail, the invention is not restricted to them, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject matter defined in the following claims. In particular, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilised and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In device claims enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims or described in different embodiments does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims

Claims:

1. A solar shading device configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive, and

2. The solar shading device according to claim 1 , wherein the constitution is a reinforcement of the solar shading device.

3. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the constitution is a structure of the solar shading device.

4. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 -3, wherein the constitution is a shape in the solar shading device.

5. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 -4, wherein the constitution is an out-of-plane form.

6. The solar shading device according to claim 5, wherein the out-of-plane form is a rolled profiling.

7. The solar shading device according to claim 6, wherein the rolled profiling is along a length direction of the solar shading device.

8. The solar shading device according to claim 5, wherein the out-of-plane form is a bulging.

9. The solar shading device according to claim 5, wherein the out-of-plane form is a marking, which occurs regularly along the solar shading device.

10. The solar shading device according to any of claims 5-9, wherein the out- of-plane form is manufactured by means of a method selected from:

- rolling; - stamping,

11. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 -3, wherein the constitution is a slit in the solar shading device.

12. The solar shading device according to claim 11 , wherein the slit is manufactured by means of a method selected from the group consisting of:

- cutting;

- etching;

- laser cutting.

13. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 -2, wherein the constitution is a coating applied to the solar shading device, where the coating reflects substantially no light, whereby buckling cannot be seen.

14. The solar shading device according to any of claims 1 -2, wherein the constitution is a coating applied to the solar shading device, where the coating is highly reflective.

15. The solar shading device according to any of claim 1 -2, wherein the solar shading device is manufactured from a material which undergoes substantially no expansion, whereby buckling does not occur.

16. The solar shading device according to claim 15, wherein the material is the alloy Invar made from about 66% Ni and 34% Fe.

17. A method of manufacturing a solar shading device, where the solar shading device is configured for limiting the passage of light into a building, where the solar shading device is adapted to be integrated inside an insulated glazing unit comprising at least two glass panes, and where the solar shading device is adapted to be arranged between the two glass panes by means of an adhesive, and