Patent Application
20060070348
Embodiments relate to windows for edifices, such as houses and office buildings. More particularly, embodiments relate to windows incorporating arrangements to reduce the likelihood of birds flying into and colliding with windows. Additionally, embodiments relate to windows incorporating arrangements to reduce thermal load on a structure.
In order to improve the energy efficiency of traditional glass windows, a semi-transparent, semi-reflective coating, or tinting can be incorporated, which significantly improves the thermal insulating properties. However, that arrangement exacerbates the already serious problem of bird collisions, which unintentionally cause millions of unnatural deaths and injuries every year, which is a serious concern to many people.
Embodiments thus contemplate an arrangement of glass and/or plastic and a semi-reflective material arranged to reduce the likelihood of a bird colliding with a window using embodiments while still reducing thermal load on the structure in which such a window is installed. In embodiments, a window includes at least one layer of semi-reflective material, such as Mylar® or acetate with a metallized coating, imbued with a distortion. The layer can be hung between and/or adjacent window panes, can be a coating on one or more of the panes, or can be a shade or drape mounted in, on, or adjacent the window.
Embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying Figures.
The description that follows and the accompanying FIGS. deal with a picture window, but many other types of windows can use embodiments, including, but not limited to, casement windows, double-hung windows, sliding glass doors, French doors and windows, and louvered windows. Further, while the description and FIGS. deal with double pane windows, triple and other multi-pane windows can employ embodiments, and even single pane windows can employ aspects of embodiments.
Beginning with
A particular example according to embodiments, as seen in
With regard to the coating, deposition of a material, such as chrome or silver, on some optically desirable material, such as a glass pane or a plastic film like Mylars, acetate, or the like, would likely be appropriate. Thinner films or materials will likely work better and should preferably provide about equal transmission and reflection; some absorption loss may occur, likely on the order of about 30%. Multi-layer coatings are also contemplated in embodiments inasmuch as they can be more efficient and can offer colored films. Additionally, chemical treatments of the optical material, as well as sprayed on coatings, might be used.
To achieve the desired reflection confusing or altering effect, the material 15 is imbued with a distortion 16, such as a wavy distortion. One way to effect the distortion 16 is to treat the material 15 so that is has a “natural” set or warping that causes it to hold a wavy surface when suspended. For example, embossing, crinkling, or otherwise imposing a shape memory into the material 15. Alternatively, the material can be wrapped over a plurality of rods 60 or the like, such as dowel pins, along the sides of the frame, as seen, for example, in
The particular pattern or distortion used can vary as desired and will have an aesthetic variable in the decision. “Wavy lines” are easy to implement and suffice, but a circular pattern or distortion, such as that shown in
In embodiments, it is also advantageous to tint the internal transparent window pane. Such tinting can reduce the reflective properties of the glass when viewing from inside outward, since reflected light would have to pass through the attenuating tint twice, compared to once for the transmitted light, thereby effectively reducing the reflective appearance. Other typical anti-reflection methods can also be employed, such as a circular-polarizing anti-reflection film, which would nearly eliminate the inside reflective component. Additionally, standard anti-reflection coatings on the flat glass surfaces can also reduce the unwanted specular reflections from treated flat transparent surfaces, although the warped semi-reflective component would tend to overwhelm such reflections. Such circular-polarizing and other anti-reflective films and/or coatings can be had from many vendors, such as American Polarizers, Inc., of Reading, Pa.
Alternative embodiments can employ the semi-reflective plastic film as a window shade, such as Roman blinds, a zigzag or fan-fold form, or a wavy form like ribbon candy pierced by cords, which could be retractable like typical accessory shades for standard windows. In such embodiments, a typical roll shade would also be possible, if the material is made to automatically assume a non-flat profile. An example of an embodiment employing a folding film is seen in
Embodiments could further use a distorting semi-reflective surface embedded within a glass or plastic window pane, or even a composite structure such as safety glass. With the external surfaces flat and the index of refraction constant, the transmitted imaging would be optically faithful, while reflection off the embedded layer would be intentionally confused. Such an embedded layer could be achieved, for example, by forming one of the panes 13, 14 as a composite pane having end portions and the middle embedded layer. The end portions would each have a planar surface and complementary wavy surfaces. One of the wavy surfaces would support the embedded layer, as by static, gluing, coating, or the like. The other wavy surface would then be affixed, yielding a composite pane with two planar surfaces and a semi-reflective embedded layer.
The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
