WO1997014568A1

WO1997014568A1 - Light energy absorbing and filtering device

Info

Publication number: WO1997014568A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/016695
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mount L. Lacy, Sr.
Original assignee: Lacy Mount L Sr
Priority date: 1995-10-18
Filing date: 1996-10-18
Publication date: 1997-04-24
Also published as: CA2262039A1; AU7453796A

Abstract

A stationary ray filtering device comprising two edge sealed transparent windows (11 and 12) defining a cavity (16) therebetween, at least container (14) for holding ray filtering liquid, a reversible pump communicating with one portion of said cavity (16) with one portion of said container (14) and a valve (17) and hollow line (25) communicating another portion of said cavity (16) with another portion of said container (14).

Description

LIGHT ENERGY ABSORBING AND FILTERING DEVICE

This invention relates to a device that will screen and filter rays from the sun and that can change from one degree of screening and filtering to another to effect

controlled transmission of solar radiation. The device may be a window in an office building, a window in an airplane, a canopy for a fighter plane, a window in a green house, a helmet for bicyclist, motorcyclist or a fighter pilot or an eye shield, such as ski goggles.

Background of the Invention

Many attempts have been made to provide windows, roofs, and skylights with devices having means between sheets or plates of transparent material that would

remove harmful or undesirable electromagnetic radiation from the sun, such as infrared rays, and the like. These devices employ a cavity or a series of cavities defined by spaced transparent plates and contain within the cavity liquid capable of

screening or filtering the undesirable or unwanted radiation from the sun passing through the liquid in the cavity. One of the principal difficulties in using such devices is the requirement for changing from one liquid to another in order to change the type of filtering of the sun's rays to make such a system practical. Heretofore, the systems have not been air-free and, thus, the problem of air bubbles occurred bringing about interphase mixing of the liquids. To eliminate the interphase problems between liquids, some prior art systems utilized double cavity arrangements having a different liquid in each cavity. This type of system is bulky and expensive

to build, operate and maintain. A device is known which contemplates a hermetically sealed, substantially air-

free screening and filtering device for radiation from the sun by providing equally

spaced sheets or plates of transparent material with a gasket between them

positioned around their outer edge so as to form a thin, elongated cavity

therebetween through which the rays, are to be filtered. Suitable entry and exit

connections are provided between the cavity and a container to allow for flow of one

liquid from the cavity as the other flows in from the container, thus displacing an

immiscible liquid in the cavity with an immiscible liquid in the container. When this

has been completed, valve means are closed to seal off the cavity from the container,

thus retaining the desired liquid in the cavity.

It will be appreciated that, since each of the immiscible liquids has a different

specific gravity, one will gravitationally position itself below the other and present a

clearly delineated interphase between the liquids after any lighter liquid has

permeated into the heavier liquid space during movement. Since each liquid has a

different capability for the screening and filtering of the sun's rays, the type of

filtering will depend on which liquid is in the cavity. For example, there may be little

or no filtering when a transparent liquid is used, and there may be varying degrees

or different types of filtering accomplished when a dark liquid is used. The filtering,

however, will depend on the ability of the liquid to screen out the rays rather than

on its particular specific gravity, This device limits the exchange to only two liquids

and by gravity flow only. This device cannot be utilized in outer space where objects

are substantially weightless. It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a device to eliminate the

difficulties of the prior art designs.

It also is an object of the invention to provide a device for filtering rays utilizing

more than two liquids.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for use in outer space

such as a space suit with visor for use by astronauts.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device for use as a canopy

for an airplane.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a device which during an

exchange of liquid filtering medium contacts only one liquid while displacing two

liquids.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a stationary device for

exchanging ray filtering liquid mediums.

Summary of the Invention

This invention contemplates a device which is not susceptible to gravity exchange of liquid alone and a device which utilizes more than two liquids.

The device of this invention is hermetically sealed with substantially all die air

excluded from the system to eliminate the formation of air bubbles within the system

when the liquids are being interchanged to effect different types of screening and

filtering. When a heavy liquid is in a cavity, a lighter liquid is in a container. The

volume of the cavity should be equal to the volume of the container and accessories,

such as pumps, valves and hollow lines. To change from a heavy liquid in the cavity to a lighter one, a reversible pump is necessary which when in operation conveys the

heavy liquid from the bottom of the cavity through an opening or openings in the

cavity while the lighter liquid flows into the top of the cavity through a valve means

thus displacing the heavier liquid so that the lighter liquid enters the cavity as the

heavier liquid is displaced. When the displacement is completed the valve means are

closed and the pump is stopped to act as a valve, scaling the respective liquids from

each other, with a different liquid in the cavity to produce the desired change in shielding effect. The pump is connected to a source of energy and a switch.

In the case of windows in an office building, it is desirable that the liquid

screening out the rays have the lesser specific gravity of two liquids being exchanged by propulsion so that upon changing the liquid having the lower specific gravity in the

container for the liquid having the higher specific gravity in the cavity, the effect is

that of drawing a window shade. It is also possible that a complete exchange of

liquids in the cavity and the container is not necessary so that the two liquids are

both in the cavity as well as the container. In outer space where the effect of gravity

is reduced to substantially nothing, it is not necessary that the filtering liquid rather

than a non-filtering liquid be of the lesser specific gravity.

In the windows of office buildings, the relatively thin cavity is formed by using

two mating, equally spaced, planar transparent plates with a gasket around their

edges to maintain the plates at an equal distance from each other, and thus, form a

rigid structural member that is capable of providing a relatively large transparent

area. Depending upon the size of the transparent area, it may be necessary to

introduce spacer means to maintain the proper space between plates. The invention also contemplates curved plates such as for helmets and goggles. Also, the space

between the transparent plates may be from about 1/32 inch to about 3/16 inch

depending on the type of liquids to be used, the viscosity of the liquids, the thickness

of the cavity for the type of filtering to be done, and the type of use for which the

device is designed.

It has been found that the liquids employed in this invention must be immiscible

to each other and have good surface wetting properties for glass, Lucite or other

types of transparent material. The liquids also must have good cleaning action that

leaves no residue and should have substantially the same viscosity. If infrared rays

are to be screened out, glycol (antifreeze) or liquid silicone may be used for the

filtering liquid, and when light is to be admitted substantially unfiltered, white

mineral oils (light oil) may be used. Exemplary of these light oils are the Penn-

Drake white mineral oils known as "Drakeol 6." Their "Drakeol 7" and "9" may be

used. These Penn-Drake oils are produced by the Pennsylvania Refining Company

and the properties of the oils are disclosed in their bulletin entitle "Product

Specifications Penn-Drake White Mineral Oils." It will be appreciated that the

filtering liquid may contain various colors in solution or a true suspension capable of

filtering different types of solar radiation, and that the density of the color in the

liquid may be such as to effect the required degree of filtering in relation to the

cavity. Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the

description of the following embodiments and the drawings thereof in which:

Figure 1 shows a front elevational view of a stationary window of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a top plan view of the window of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the window of Figure I taken along line

3-3.

Figure 4 shows a top plan view of the valve utilized in the invention.

Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the valve of Figure 4 taken along line

5-5.

Figure 6 shows a front elevational view of ski goggles of the present invention with a plurality of ray filtering liquid containers mounted thereon.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the ski goggles of Figure 6 taken along line 7-7.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of a canopy of an airplane mounted with the

ray filtering apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 8 taken along line 9-9.

Figure 10 is a front elevational view of the head section of a space suite

incorporating the invention.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view of a spacer between the front and back

plates of Figure 1. Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the drawings Figures 1-3, numeral 10 illustrates a window which may be

placed in an office building, a home or an airplane. The window 10 has a front plate

11 of transparent material, a back plate 12 of transparent material between which is

a cavity 16 (Figure 3) of 1/16 to 3/32 inches in thickness. The two plates 11 and 12

are spaced from each other by a circumferential spacer 13. On either end of plate

12 are containers 14 and 15 fixed thereto. Container 14 is in communication with

cavity 16 by means of a reversible pump valve 17 having pipe 18 opening into

container 14 and pipe 19 opening into cavity 16. Container 15 is in communication with cavity 16 by means of a reversible pump valve 20 having pipe 21 opening into

cavity 16 and pipe 22 opening into a container 15. The pump that is used may be a

down-sized version of the pump disclosed in U.S. Patent Number 3,238,883. Cavity

16 is also in communication with container 14 at its top by valve 23 and hollow line

25. Cavity 16 is also in communication with container 15 at its top by valve 23 and

hollow line 26. In order to have the different liquids in cavity 16 and container 14

exchange positions with an uninterrupted interface, the window has a peak at which

point the valve 23 is in communication. In Figures 4 and 5 valve 23 is composed of

an outer cylinder 27 having three cavities 28, 29 and 30; an inner cylinder 31 having

two cavities 32 and 33; a handle 24 fixed to inner cylinder 31 to turn inner cylinder

31 to align cavities 33 and 32 in inner cylinder 31 with cavities 28 and 29, respectively

in cylinder 27 or align cavities 32 and 33 in inner cylinder 31 with cavities 28 and 30

respectively of outer cylinder 27. Outer cylinder 27 has an internal circumferential

groove therein 34 into which is seated an O ring 35 to prevent leakage. To permit pivoting of handle 24 while aligning cavities 32 and 33 with cavities 28 and 30 or 29

and 28 respectively, outer cylinder 27 has a circumferential groove 36 interrupted at

stop 37. If the handle is placed anywhere in the groove 36, except at either side of

the stop 37, the valve is in a shut off position and the two liquids will not flow.

In order to exchange the heavier transparent liquid in the cavity 16 for a lighter

darker liquid from container 14 it is necessary to open valve 23 by pivoting handle

24 to a position against one side of stop 37 which is a position between 6 and 7

o'clock on Figure 4. The pump 17 is started in a direction which will pump the

heavier transparent liquid from cavity 16 into container 14. At the same time, the

darker lighter liquid is being passed out of the top of container 14 through line 25

and valve 23 into the top of cavity 16 to replace the heavier transparent liquid being

pumped out of cavity 16. Once the exchange has been completed, the pump is

turned off and handle 24 is moved to a twelve o^'clock position in Figure 4. The

liquids are now held in their exchanged positions. The volumes of the two liquids

should be substantially the same and the volume of one liquid at least equal to the

volume of the cavity 16. There should be no air bubbles or void space in the capacity

of the cavity, pump, container, hollow line and valve. The pump should be run at a

speed which will preclude the formation of an emulsion of liquid within liquid.

When it is desired to change the transparent heavier liquid from container 14

back to cavity 16, the handle 24 of valve 23 is again placed against the stop 37 in the

six to seven o'clock position of Figure 4 and the pump 17 started in the reverse

direction until the heavier transparent liquid has completely replaced the lighter darker liquid in the cavity 16 at which time the pump 17 is stopped and handle 24 of valve 23 is moved to the twelve o'clock position in Figure 4, thus locking the two

liquids in their original positions.

If the two liquids which are desired to be exchanged are in cavity 16 and

container 15, then the handle 24 of valve 23 is moved to contact the other side of

stop 37, i.e., between five and six o'clock in Figure 4 to interconnect cavities 28, 32,

33 and 30. The pump is started in the direction where the heavier of the two liquids

is to be pumped. Once the liquids have been exchanged, the handle 24 of valve 23

is moved to the twelve o'clock position of Figure 4 and the pump stopped.

If the two liquids which are desired to be exchanged are in container 14 and 15,

then it is required that the liquid in cavity 16 be exchanged for one of the liquids in

container 14 or 15, after which the original liquids of containers 14 and 15 can be

exchanged following the aforestated procedure. The volumes of both containers and

accessories should be the same.

Gravity alone cannot be utilized to exchange liquids when the window is

stationary. The most exchange that could be effected would be for each liquid to

occupy one-half of the window. The heavier liquid would seek its own level half way

up the window. Only with movable objects can gravity alone be utilized.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrates a pair of ski goggles 10' in which 11' represents the

front face of the goggles, 12' the back face of the goggles and 16' (Figure 7) the

cavity between 11' and 12' for containing a transparent liquid. Containers for ray

filtering liquids are designated as 14' and 15' and positioned on the temples 40 and

40', respectively. Valve 23' is located along the top of the goggles 10' and

interconnects containers 14' and 15' with cavity 16' through hollow lines 25' and 26', respectively. On the lower left and right side of the goggles 10' are respectively

valves 38 and 39 which permit flow of the liquid from 14' into 16' or permit flow of

the liquid from 15' into 16' or vice versa. A gasket 41 fits on the top of the goggles

10' to permit a snug fit of the goggles on the forehead of the wearer. On the lower

portion of the goggles 10' is a gasket 42 for snugly fitting the goggles 10' to the nose

and cheeks of the wearer. Gaskets 41 and 42 seal the edges of II' and 12' so that the

liquids do not escape.

The exchange of liquids from the containers to the cavity is done in the same

way as for the window 10, but with the difference that no pump is required and the

liquids are moved by gravity only. The goggles are turned on their right or left side

depending upon which ray filtering liquid is to be used. The valve 23' and 38 or 39

are opened to let the heavier liquid in the cavity to flow into one of containers 14'

or 15' while letting the ray filtering liquid to flow into the cavity 16'. Once the

liquids have been exchanged to the degree desired valves 38 or 39 and 23' are closed.

The goggles cannot be used in outer space without pumps replacing valves 38 and 39.

Figure 8 illustrates a canopy of an airplane. The canopy 43 is composed of a

curved exterior window 44, a curved interior window 45 and a cavity space 46 in

between windows 44 and 45. The bottom edges of the canopy 43 are sealed by a

gasket 56.

The forward end of the canopy is scaled by closure 57 while the rearward end

of the canopy is sealed by closure 58. Positioned within the canopy 43 are two

containers 47 and 48 (Figure 9) for containing two different ray filtering liquids, two

reversible pumps 49 and 50 in communication with containers 47 and 48, respectively and a valve 51 communicating separately with container 47 through line 52 or

container 48, through line 53. The cavity 46 is filled with a clear liquid. Valve 51 is

in communication with cavity 46 by line 54. By moving handle 55 of valve 51 to the

left or right over the pilot's head the cavity 46 is made in communication with

container 47 or container 48. Valve 51 does not permit communication with both

containers 47 and 48 at the same time.

To introduce ray filtering liquid from container 47 into cavity 46, valve handle

55 is pivoted right over the pilots head which opens communication between the top

of container 47 and cavity 46. The reversible pump 49 is started in a direction which

will pump clear liquid from cavity 46 into container 47 while at the same time forcing

ray filtering liquid from container 47 into cavity 46. The pilot determines whether

just part or all of the cavity is filled with ray filtering liquid. Once the desired

exchange of liquids has been made, the valve handle 55 is returned to a vertical

position and the pump 49 turned off. To introduce ray filtering liquid from container

48 into cavity 46, handle 55 is pivoted to the left and the reversible pump 50 started in a direction to pump liquid from cavity 46 into container 48. Once again, when the

desired exchange of liquids has been made, the valve handle 55 is returned to a

vertical position and the reversible pump 50 turned off. To return the liquids to their

original positions the valve handle 55 is turned to the right or left depending upon

which ray filtering liquid is in the cavity and the corresponding pump started in a

direction reverse to its initial direction. Upon return of the liquids to their original

positions the valve handle is returned to a vertical position and the pump turned off.

Figure 10 shows a helmet portion of a space suit with a window make up similar to Figure 1. The visor 100 has a front plate 111 similar to the front plate of the

window 11, a back plate not shown, between which is a cavity. On either end of the

back plate are containers 114 and 115 fixed thereto. Container 114 is in

communication with the cavity by means of a reversible pump valve 117 having pipe

118 opening into container 114 and pipe 119 opening into the cavity. Container 115

is in communication with the cavity by means of a reversible pump valve 120 having

a pipe 121 opening into the cavity and pipe 122 opening into container 115. The

cavity is also in communication with container 114 at its top by line 127, valve 123

and line 126. In order to have the different liquids in the cavity and container 114

exchange positions with an uninterrupted interface the window has a peak at which

point the line 127 is in communication. Valve 123 is identical to valve 23 except for

being smaller in size.

In order to exchange the heavier transparent liquid in the cavity to a lighter

darker liquid from container 114, it is necessary to open valve 123 by pivoting handle

124 to the right to open up communication between the top of container 114 and the

top of the cavity. The pump 117 is started in a direction to pump the heavier

transparent liquid from the cavity into container 144. Once the exchange has been

completed the pump 1 17 is turned off and the handle 124 is moved into a vertical

position. The two liquids are now held in their exchanged positions.

When exchanging the transparent heavier liquid in the cavity with the ray filtering liquid of container 155 the same procedure is followed except that handle

124 is pivoted to the left and pump 120 is used. The two pumps 117 and 120 and valve 123 are accessible to the hands of the

astronaut.

In case the windows are of such an expanse that it would be difficult to maintain

the front and back plates equidistant in the center, spacers may be incorporated

therein which are comprised of rivets passing through both the forward and back

plates and an O ring positioned between the front and back plates. More than one

rivet combination may be necessary depending upon the expanse of the window.

Figure 11 illustrates a side elevation of a rivet 60 inserted between plates 11 and 12 along with 0 ring 61 to maintain plate 11 and 12 spaced equidistant. Rivets

also would be used on the canopy of Figure 8.

Various modifications ofthe specific embodiments described and shown may be

made, and it is understood that the specific embodiments are by way of illustration

of the invention and not limiting thereto.

Claims

What is Claimed is;

1. A stationary ray filtering device comprising two edge sealed transparent windows defining a cavity therebetween, at least one container for holding ray filtering liquid, a reversible pump communicating one portion of said cavity with one portion of said container and a first means communicating with another portion of said cavity with another portion of said container.

2. The ray filtering device of claim 1, wherein said first means include a hollow line and a valve.

3. The ray filtering device of claim 1, wherein said windows are spaced apart equidistantly.

4. The ray filtering device of claim 3, including spacer means positioned on said windows to maintain said windows in an equidistant spaced condition.

5. The ray filtering device of claim 1, including a second container for holding a different ray filtering liquid, a second reversible pump communicating said second container with said cavity and a second means communicating said first means and said second container.

6. The ray filtering device of claim 2 wherein said second means is a hollow line.

7. The ray filtering device of claim 1, wherein the volume of the cavity is equal to the volume of the container, first means and reversible pump.

8. The ray filtering device of claim 5, wherein said valve comprises an outer cylinder having an inside and outside and three cavities communicating the inside with the outside, an internal circumferential groove, and an interrupted circumferential groove, an inner cylinder having an inside and outside and two cavities communicating the inside with the outside, a handle positioned on the inner cylinder and sliding within the interrupted circumferential groove of the outer cylinder for rotation of the inner cylinder within the outer cylinder and an 0 ring fitting within the internal circumferential groove of the outer cylinder, said two cavities of said inner cylinder aligning with two cavities of said outer container when communicating said container and said cavity between said windows.

9. The device of claim 1 in the form of an office building window.

10. The device of claim 1 in the form of a canopy for an airplane.

11. The device of claim 1 in the form of a visor for a space suit.

12. A process for exchanging sun ray filtering liquid for transparent liquid in a sun ray filtering device comprising opening a valve controlling the flow of sun ray filtering liquid to a cavity containing transparent liquid, pumping said transparent liquid from said cavity into a container holding said sun ray filtering liquid until there has been a complete exchange of liquids between the cavity and container and closing the valve to maintain the liquids in their exchanged positions.

13. A sun ray filtering device capable of shielding a wearer's eyes from direct sunlight, comprising two edge sealed transparent windows defining a cavity therebetween, two containers for sun ray filtering liquids, each container mounted on an opposite side of said windows, two valves, each mounted between a container and said cavity to communicate a container with said cavity and a third valve mounted on a top of said windows and communicatable with said cavity and said containers separately.