FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present disclosure relates to solar energy application. The present disclosure especially relates to energy saving covering for windows and doors of buildings and transportation tools. The covering has the first side for absorbing solar heat and the second side for reflecting sunlight. Said covering further comprises an automatic control system and a fluid channel. The present disclosure especially also related to a solar heating system employing the energy saving covering.

BACKGROUND

There are many kinds of coverings for windows and doors in the markets. Some of them are known as shutters, roller blind, Venetian blind, vertical blind, shade, roman shade and different kinds of curtains such as glass curtain, attached curtain, loose curtain, sheer or net curtain etc. The element of a blind may be vertical, e.g. vertical blind, or horizontal e.g. Venetian blind.

The coverings of windows and doors mainly are used to control the amount of entry light to a space for providing decorating and privacy. They are also energy exchange channels between an internal space and outside environment.

For a space with a transparent window or door, the regular covering can block the light to the space. Because the covering is within the space, the solar heat may still be absorbed and stay within the space. If the space needs cooling, the absorbed solar heat may increase the cooling power. In an opposite case, a solar light entered in a space may be reflected by wall, floor or furniture with a light color. If the space needs heating, the reflected light is a loss of heating energy. At nighttime, if there is a temperature difference between an indoor space and outdoor environment, heat can be transferred between them by radiation. In any case there is an energy loss through windows and doors in a space using traditional covering of windows and doors.

This disclosure is trying to find a simple and cost effective way to save space heating or cooling energy by controlling the solar energy absorbed in a space. It is to provide a covering integrated heat absorbing and light reflecting for windows and doors. The covering has first side able and is for absorbing solar heat and second side able and is for reflecting sunlight. The users can select either side to face the sunshine and control the amount of absorbed energy in the space very easily. The energy saving covering of windows and doors can be controlled automatically based on space light and temperature. Furthermore the energy saving covering also can collect solar heat for use. The disclosed energy saving covering can be used for all kinds of windows and doors of buildings and transportation tools. The buildings include industrial, commercial, agriculture and residential buildings. The transportation tools include air transportation tools, road transportation tools, rail transportation tools and maritime transportation tools, e.g. aircrafts, airplanes, cars, buses, trucks, trains, vehicles, boats and ships etc.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, it is to provide an energy saving covering for windows and doors of buildings and transportation tools, which having first side to absorb solar heat and second side to reflect sunlight.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the provided energy saving covering of windows and doors allows users to use either side of the covering to the sunshine at any time. The energy saving covering also allows users to control the open or close angle of the covering at any degree. Thus the receiving solar energy in a space can be controlled continuously.

In accordance with yet another aspect, this disclosure provides an automatic controlled energy saving covering for windows and doors of building and transportation tools.

In accordance with yet another aspect, this disclosure further provides a heating source by collecting solar heat from energy saving covering for windows and doors.

In accordance with another aspect, this disclosure further provides a flat plate energy solar heat collecting and storage device, which uses energy saving covering as a solar heat absorber.

Other aspects and features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIBTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the figures which illustrate exemplary embodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is schematic diagram illustrating a window Venetian blind having first side for absorbing solar heat and second side for reflecting sunshine;

Fig. 2 is schematic diagram illustrating a window curtain having first side for absorbing solar heat and second side for reflecting sunshine;

Fig. 3 is schematic diagram illustrating a door vertical blind having first side for absorbing solar heat and second side for reflecting sunshine;

Fig.4 is schematic diagram illustrating a slat of vertical blind having a fluid channel attached to a solar heat absorbing side;

Fig. 5 is schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary solar heat collector using an energy saving vertical blind as its solar heat absorber.

DETAILED DESCRIBTION

Referring to Fig. l , an exemplary Venetian blind 10 is illustrated in schematic side view. From a mechanical point of view, this Venetian blind is no different from the Venetian blinds in the existing market. The blind 10 has a head-rail 101 and a bottom rail 102. A group of horizontal slats 100 are arranged one above another. They are suspended by cords, by which all slats in unison can be rotated through nearly 180 degrees, so that the slats can face the sunshine at either first side or second side. The slats also can be rotated at a preferred angle by controlling the lath tilt control bar 104. Further more, to stretch out and draw back the lift cord 108, the area of the blind can be adjusted.

In Fig.l , a representative slat 105 has first side 106 and a second side 107. In Fig.l we can only see a end of a turn over side of 106. But it represents all the first sides of slats 100. The difference between disclosed Venetian blind 10 and the market existing blind is that here first side 106 able and is for absorbing solar heat and second side 107 able and is for reflecting sunlight. In this case, the slats 100 are made of aluminum alloy sheets. The first side 106 has a selective coating comprising titanium, nitrogen and oxygen. So it has a beautiful blue color. The second side 107 has no reflective coating, because the polished aluminum alloy surface is good for light reflecting.

When the space needs heat, turn the heat absorbing side 106 of the blind to the sunlight, otherwise turn the reflective side 107 to sunlight. If the sunlight shines on the slats at 90 degrees, most of the solar heat entering into the space will be absorbed. If the reflective sides of the slats face the sunshine directly most of the solar heat will be reflected. By setting the angle of the slats, the received solar energy of the space can be controlled. The heat absorbing can be controlled continuously from a maximum amount to a minimum amount.

The base material of the covering of windows and doors can be selected from a group of wood, bamboo, metal (aluminum, stainless steel, copper etc), alloy, glass, polymer and plastic etc.

Aluminum is a good choice, because it is light, soft (comparing with other metals), and having a high melting temperature. So that aluminum can have many kinds of metal coatings. Wood and bamboo are natural material and environmentally friendly. Polymer and plastic are easy to manufacture. Users can have their own selections.

In some cases, a base material itself can absorb solar heat. For example, a dark rubber sheet can absorb solar heat and does not need a coating. In this case if we coat a reflective coating at one side of a dark rubber sheet, the sheet can become an energy saving covering.

There are also many kinds of solar heat absorbing coating materials in market. They may comprise one or more of elements such as carbon black, aluminium, copper, chromium, titanium, nitrogen, and oxygen etc. Some coating can be processed at ambient temperature and others need high temperature and special machines.

There are also many kinds of reflective materials in market. A base material having a light/white color surface can become a reflecting side. For example, a metal surface can become a reflective side. The metals may be copper, aluminium, stainless steel etc. Silver as a reflective material has a very long history and is well known. A special reflective material is the high reflective index glass beads (diameter of about 0.05 mm). This is a directional reflective material and has been used in highway industry widely.

Usually the covering of windows and doors are located indoor. Most of the collective coatings have a very thing glass protective layer to protect the metal coating against rust. So there is no need for mort of the energy saving covering to add a protection layer. Sometime, if the working condition of the covering is humid or polluted, a transparent protection for the covering may be required. It can be a liquid glass coating or a transparent paint.

Referring to Fig. 2, an exemplary energy saving covering 20 is illustrated in schematic side view. The window curtain 202 has first side 203 for absorbing solar heat and second side 204 for reflecting sunshine. The material of curtain 202 is a cloth or a drapery. The first side 203 has a solar heat coating. The second side 204 has a reflective coating. The coatings can be sprayed or painted to the surface of the cloth. Either solar heat absorbing coating or reflective coating can be purchased in the market today. They are in many different ways, such as paint, print oil, film etc. We may also purchase a reflective cloth and make a coating on its opposite side. The reflective cloth is available in the market. It usually is used by the highway industry.

Fig.2 also shows a U shaped supporting accessory 201. The curtain 202 is suspended on 201. When three rings 205, 206 and 207 are at the situation indicated by 20, the curtain absorbs solar heat. When three rings 205, 206 and 207 are at the situation indicated by 21 , the curtain reflects sunshine. To adjust the locations of 205, 206 and 207, the solar heat absorbed by a space can be controlled.

Curtains usually mean the soft covering for windows and doors. They are mainly used for decoration and for controlling light in a space. They are also important for the windows of the transportation tools, because they are safe in a moving transport. To attach the curtain to a window in a transportation tool, e.g. a car, a soft attach accessory may also be require. It may be made of rubber or silicon gel. A set of section cups can support a detachable curtain on a car window. Some times a soft aluminum foil can be used independently or together with a cloth to make a curtain too.

Referring to Fig. 3, an exemplarily vertical blind 30 for a door is illustrated in a schematic side view. A group of vertical slats (the number is 8 in this case) 300 are arranged one next to another. A head-rail 301 guides the slat's movement. All the slats are overhung under the head-rail 301. The vertical blind 30 has a similar working idea of the Venetian blind. The slats of the blind can be rotated through 180 degrees by stretching out and drawing back a rotating angle control cord 304. Through lift cord 309, the blind also can open or close for a preferred area. A slat 305 at right side shows the blind has a first side 306 with a selective coating comprising aluminum or copper. The second side 307 has a reflective coating. Here it is a reflective paint. A paint or ink or panting oil also has a function to protect the metal surface against rust. In a warm and humid region, it is necessary to protect the base material. It can be a coating of transparent paint or liquid glass.

It is valuable to have a high efficient coating on the second side of the energy saving covering, if the temperature difference is large between the indoor space and the outdoor environment. The reflecting side not only works at daytime, but also at nighttime. In the winter, when the indoor temperature is higher than the outdoors, the reflecting side reduces radiation heat transferred from internal space to the outdoor environment. In the summer, when the indoor temperature is lower than the outdoors, the reflecting side reduces radiation heat transfer from outdoor environment to internal space. In both cases the energy saving covering saves space heating and cooling energy.

In Fig. 3, an automatic control system 309 for the blind 30 is further comprised. The control system is based on the data of space temperature and/or light strength to control the open/close area and rotation angle of the slats. The basic elements of the control system comprise a data sensor, a micro motor for ruling the cords, a programmable unit to control the processing. The control system 309 can be installed and hidden in head rail 301 too. Of course both manual and automatic operation for blind 30 are available at any time.

Referring to Fig. 4, an exemplary slat 40 of a vertical blind is illustrated in a schematic side view. Slat 403 is one of the group slats of a vertical blind. The base material of slat 403 is copper. The first side 401 has a coating comprises aluminum for absorbing solar heat. A fluid tube, here it is a heat tube 404, which is attached on the first side 401 to transfer the absorbed solar heat to its head- rail 406. The fluid tube can also be arranged in the slat. The head 405 of the heat tube 404 extends into the heat-insulated head-rail 406. The insulator is 407. In the head-rail 406, a fluid (here is air) in space 408 transfers the collected heat from all heat tubes for space or water heating. The heat tube 404 is also used to hold the slat 403. The second side 402 is for reflecting the sunshine. Many coatings may be used for 402. Here the reflective coating comprises a high reflective index glass beads (diameter of about 0.05 mm). This is a directional reflective material. This kind of material has been used in highway for indication and warning.

An alternative way is to put a liquid tube in the head-rail (not shown in the Fig.4). The head of the heat tube is extended into the liquid tube for collecting and transferring the absorbed heat.

In some cases if we put a cloth curtain at the back of the vertical blind, it may increase the temperature of the slats and the heat tubes, so that the solar heat collected by covering is increased.

There is an alternative way to collect solar heat by using an energy saving covering of windows and doors. It is to put the energy saving covering within a two-layer glass window or door. One fluid channel, e.g. an air or water channel is arranged in the space between two layer glasses to absorb the received heat and transfer the heat for use. The space of the two layer glasses itself is also a good fluid channel for storing and passing received heat in air.

When we use the energy saving coverings, there is a risk of reflective sunlight pollution. The solution is to consider a diffuse reflection material or a directional reflection material. Both of them can be purchased in the market.

Referring to Fig. 5, an exemplary solar heat collector 50 is illustrated in a schematic side view. Said solar heat collector uses an energy saving vertical blind as its solar heat absorber.

The solar heat collecting device 50 has a transparent cover 503 that allows solar energy to pass through but reduce heat losses. Here cover 503 is glass. It can also be other materials like transparent plastic or polymer. The transparent cover may have two or more layers. It also may be an evacuated glass or an insulating glass in a cool area. There is also a heat insulation backing 505 to reduce the heat loss.

The key element of this disclosure is an energy saving vertical blind style solar heat absorber 501. It is not a simple flat plate absorber as in a regular flat plant solar heat collector. It is a group of vertical slats arranged one next to another under the transparent cover. Slats 501 1 -5014 are part examples of the slats. The first side of the slats having a solar heat absorb coat. It is a coat same as a flat plate solar heat collector available in market such as a coat comprises titanium. The second side of the slates has a reflective coat or a polished metal surface. A fluid tube, here is heat tube 51 1 having its one end attached at the heat-absorbing slat 501 1 and an opposite end extended into a heat converging fluid tube 504 to transfer the heat. Other heat tubes have similar arrangement. An end of the heat converging tube 504 is 509. In this case if the second side of the slats has no reflecting coating. It is no effect on the system operation.

The head rail 506 holds the slats and guides their movement. All the slats are overhung under the head-rail 506. The solar heat absorber 501 has a similar working idea of the vertical energy saving blind in Fig.4. The slats can be rotated through 180 degrees by stretching out and drawing back a rotating angle control cord (not shown in Fig. 5). A mechanism for controlling the orientation of the slats is hidden in the head-rail 506. An automatic controlling system similar to 309 in Fig.3 can be connected to the control cord, (not shown in Fig.5). The automatic controlling system comprises a micro motor, a hardware and software to control the orientation of the slats based on sunlight incident angle or data of location, date and timing. Of course both manual and automation operation for slats 501 are available at any time.

When the sunlight shines on the solar heat collector 50, the first sides of slats 501 absorb the heat and transfer it to the fluid within tube 504. It is no different comparing to the regular solar heat collector. A unique point of this disclosure is that the absorber 501 is a group of slats and their orientation is adjustable and controllable. The control system lets the slats to face sunlight at an optimum angle at any time. It will significantly increase the heat collection efficiency of the system. There are some existing devises in the market, which rotate the solar heat collector to follow solar movement. These devices need a power to move the entire solar heat collector. Comparing to the existing devices, the disclosed system needs a power to rotate the slats only, it is much easier and can save energy.

We can also put a solar heat storage tank such as a flat box between the solar heat absorber 501 and heat insulation backing 505. The flat box is made of a metal or a heat insulation material. A heat storage material can be stored in the box. The heat storage material can be solid, liquid, gas or their combination. The collected solar heat can be transferred from the slats to the heat storage tank and stored in the tank for use. The reflecting second side helps to keep the heat in the tank. In this case, the solar heat collector 50 becomes a solar heat collecting and storing integrated device. This device may become a part of a building element. The building element includes building wall, roof, door or window etc. We can also set up a solar cooking place in the heat storage material of the device for solar cooking.

As mentioned before, this disclosed solar heat collector uses an energy saving vertical blind as its solar heat absorber. In fact, any energy saving covering such as a Venetian blind, a shutter or a curtain can also be used in a solar heat collector as solar heat absorber. But the vertical blind style solar heat absorber is the first choice, because the rotated orientation of the slats can follow the sunlight. All discussions and limitations to the energy saving covering in this disclosure can be applied to the disclosed solar heating system.

Other modification will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, this invention is defined in the claims.