"SKYLIGHT"

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved skylight and relates particularly to a skylight combined with an ornamental ceiling feature such as a ceiling rose.

Background to the Invention

Skylights are an environmentally friendly way of providing internal lighting in a building, as they do not require the use of electricity or other non-renewable energy sources. Instead they use natural sunlight which is ducted through the roof space into a room below in the building. Although they are common in industrial buildings, such as workshops, skylights are less popular in domestic dwellings. However, with the renewed emphasis on reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, interest in the use of skylights in selected rooms in homes has increased. This is particularly the case in Western Australia which experiences abundant sunlight during daylight hours almost the whole year around.

Prior art skylights typically comprise a means for channelling the sunlight into the room below, such as a duct or a rectangular box with open ends which is mounted in the roof space. The duct may be of metal or wooden construction and is sealed at its top end with a translucent or transparent external cover for keeping rain and debris from entering the skylight. The external cover is typically dome-shaped to facilitate water run-off. At its bottom end the duct is typically provided with a ceiling-mounted light diffuser panel for diffusing the sunlight more uniformly into the room below. In other respects most prior art skylights are quite plain and unornamented.

There has also been a recent trend to install ornate cornices and matching ceiling roses in selected rooms to provide a more aesthetically pleasing finish to the ceiling, particularly around light fittings. A ceiling rose is typically made from plaster moulded into an intricate design, which is attached to the ceiling using a suitable bonding agent, such as grouting plaster or fibreglass. Since

the ceiling rose is designed to enhance or complement the appearance of the light fitting, it is usually mounted centrally of the ceiling so that the light will produce uniform illumination throughout the room.

The present invention was developed with a view to providing a ceiling rose that can be combined with a skylight to provide the skylight with an improved ornamental appearance.

References to prior art documents in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved skylight comprising:

a means for channelling sunlight or light through a roof space of a building from a roof opening to a ceiling opening, including a transparent or translucent cover for the roof opening for keeping rain and debris from entering the skylight; and,

an ornamental ceiling feature having at least one aperture for admitting sunlight or light into a room below, the ornamental ceiling feature being adapted to be fitted in connection with the skylight over the ceiling opening.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ornamental ceiling feature for a skylight extending through a roof space of a building from a roof opening to a ceiling opening, the ornamental ceiling feature having at least one aperture for admitting sunlight or light into a room below, the ornamental ceiling feature being adapted to be fitted in connection with the skylight over the ceiling opening.

Preferably the ornamental ceiling feature comprises a ceiling rose.

Preferably the shape and location of the or each aperture corresponds with a feature of the design of the ornamental ceiling feature.

Preferably the ceiling rose has a relatively large central aperture for admitting sunlight or light, said central aperture replacing a conventional light fitting that would normally be suspended from a conventional ceiling rose.

Preferably the ceiling rose is moulded from a plastics material and is provided with means for removably attaching the ceiling rose to the skylight or the ceiling.

Preferably the skylight further comprises a light diffuser mounted between the ceiling opening and the ceiling rose. In one embodiment the light diffuser is provided integral with the ceiling rose.

The ceiling rose may also have a plurality of smaller apertures arranged in a radial pattern around the central aperture. These smaller apertures assist in admitting further light into the room but may also be used for ventilation purposes in the case of a vented skylight.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Likewise the word

"preferably" or variations such as "preferred", will be understood to imply that a stated integer or group of integers is desirable but not essential to the working of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of several specific embodiments of the improved skylight, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the improved skylight according to the invention, looking upwards at the ceiling rose;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved skylight of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a section view through the ceiling rose of the improved skylight of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the improved skylight of Figure 1 mounted in a roof space of a building;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the improved skylight similar to that of Figure 4 with a different design of external cover;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the improved skylight according to the invention, looking upwards at the ornamental ceiling feature; and

Figure 7 is a section view through the ornamental ceiling feature of the improved skylight of Figure 6.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

A preferred embodiment of the improved skylight 10 in accordance with the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, comprises a means 12 for channelling sunlight or light through a roof space 14 of a building, from an opening 16 in a roof 18 of the building to an opening 20 in a ceiling 22 of the building. In the illustrated embodiment the channelling means is in the form of a flexible reflective ducting 12, and it includes a transparent or translucent external cover 24 for the roof opening 16 for keeping rain and debris from entering the skylight 10. The external cover 24 is typically dome-shaped to facilitate water run-off, and its perimeter is sealed to the roof cladding material of the roof 18 to prevent water ingress.

The improved skylight 10 further comprises an ornamental ceiling feature in the form of a ceiling rose 30 having at least one aperture 32 for admitting sunlight into the room below. The apertures 32 in the design of the ceiling rose 30 are in a configuration to correspond with features in the ceiling rose 30. The ceiling rose 30 is adapted to be fitted in connection with the skylight 10 over the ceiling opening 20. Preferably the ceiling rose 30 has a relatively large central aperture 32 for admitting sunlight, as can be seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 2. Advantageously the central aperture 32 replaces a conventional light fitting that would normally be suspended from a conventional ceiling rose. In this manner the skylight 10 can be centrally

located in the ceiling of a room to provide uniform illumination during daylight hours.

In a preferred embodiment, the ceiling rose 30 is moulded from a plastics material, for example by injection moulding, and is provided with retaining means 34 for attaching the ceiling rose to the skylight 10 or the ceiling 22. In the illustrated embodiment the retaining means is in the form of a plurality of clips 34 provided on the rear side of the ceiling rose 30. The clips 34 are adapted to be received in matching apertures provided in the ceiling 22 and are retained therein to attach the ceiling rose 30 to the ceiling. Alternatively, the retaining means 34 may be in the form of clips adapted to engage with the end of the ducting 12 or with the ceiling opening 20.

The improved skylight 10 further also includes at least one a light diffuser 36 for diffusing light passing through one of the apertures 32. The light diffuser 36 as shown in the Figures is provided integral with the ceiling rose 30, and only covers the aperture(s) provided in the ceiling rose 30 for admitting sunlight into the room below. The central aperture 32 includes a recessed portion around the periphery thereof adjacent the upper surface of the ceiling rose 30. The recessed portion 33 receives the panel of light diffuser 36 as shown in Figure 3.

The ceiling rose 30, may also have a plurality of smaller apertures 38 arranged in a radial pattern around the central aperture 32. The radial pattern of apertures 38 is designed to match the ornamental design of the ceiling rose 30, and during daylight hours highlights the ornamental design as sunlight streams through these apertures. An infinite variety of ornamental designs may be integrated into the ceiling rose 30, depending on client requirements and the size of the skylight. The number and arrangement of the apertures 32 and 38 for admitting sunlight may be likewise varied. The smaller apertures 38 may also be vented to the external roof cover to allow air to enter the room, such as in the case of a vented skylight.

Figure 5 illustrates a variation of the improved skylight 10 in which the external cover 24 for the roof opening 16 is smaller and more dome-shaped.

In other respects the improved skylight 10 of Figure 5 is identical with the previous embodiment and will not be described again in detail.

Figures 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of a skylight in accordance with the present invention, where like reference numerals are used to denote like parts. The skylight of Figures 6 and 7 is essentially the same as that of Figures 1 to 5, with the exception of the design of the ornamental ceiling feature. The ornamental ceiling feature also includes only the central aperture 32.

Now that preferred embodiments of the improved skylight have been described in detail, it will be apparent that it provides a number of advantages over the prior art, including the following:

(i) It provides a more aesthetically pleasing appearance for a skylight in the ceiling of a room;

(ii) It permits the skylight to be centrally located in a room to provide more uniform illumination of the space below;

(iii) It can be readily integrated and retrofitted to an existing skylight to enhance its appearance; and

(iv) It is simple to install and inexpensive to manufacture.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, the ceiling rose may be of any desired shape or configuration. Furthermore, the shape, size and number of apertures in the ceiling rose for admitting sunlight or light may also be varied. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described.