Daylight collectors with thermal control

Abstract

Lighting devices and methods for providing daylight to the interior of a structure are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a daylighting device including a tube having a sidewall with a reflective interior surface, a light collecting assembly, and a light reflector positioned to reflect daylight into the light collector. In some embodiments, the light collector is associated with one or more light-turning and/or light reflecting structures configured to increase the amount of light captured by the daylighting device. Optical elements may allow for the absorption and/or selective transmission of infrared light away from an interior of the daylighting device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An at least partially transparent light-collecting device configured to direct natural visible light through a collector base aperture and into an interior of a building when the light-collecting device is installed on a roof of the building, the device comprising:
 a top cover portion;   a substantially vertical sidewall portion configured to support the top cover portion above an upper end of the substantially vertical sidewall portion and to define a collector base aperture at a lower end of the substantially vertical sidewall portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion has a height that extends between the top cover portion and the collector base aperture, and wherein the substantially vertical portion is configured to receive a substantial amount of daylight during midday hours, the daylight comprising visible light and infrared light;   a prismatic element associated with the substantially vertical sidewall portion and configured to turn a substantial portion of visible light received by the vertical portion towards the collector base aperture; and   an infrared control element connected to the light-collecting device, wherein the infrared control element is configured to direct a substantial portion of the infrared light away from the collector base aperture;   wherein the light-collecting device is configured to be positioned over an opening in a roof of a building and is configured to direct daylight into the opening in the roof when the light-collecting device is installed as part of a daylighting device installation.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared control element is configured to absorb the infrared light and reradiate the infrared light away from an interior of the light-collecting device. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the infrared control element comprises a material having high emissivity characteristics. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the infrared control element comprises a material having an emissivity value greater than or equal to about 0.90. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall portion is configured to substantially transmit the infrared light directed away from the collector base aperture. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared control element is at least partially secured to the sidewall portion by an adhesive configured to absorb infrared light incident on a surface of the infrared control element. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared control element comprises a material painted on a surface of the sidewall configured to absorb infrared light incident on a surface of the infrared control element. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the top cover portion is substantially flat. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the top cover portion comprises a dome-shaped surface. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical portion comprises a plurality of vertically-arranged segments, including an upper segment and a lower segment. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the upper and lower segments are each approximately 5 to 30 inches in height. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the upper and lower segments are each of uniform height. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the infrared control element comprises an optical element that has a luminous reflectance greater than or equal to about 0.95 with respect to CIE Illuminant D65 and transmits a substantial portion of infrared light. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical portion is curved. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the infrared control element is curved and nestingly disposed along an interior surface of the vertical portion. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the vertical portion comprises a first semi-circle portion that is substantially luminously transparent, and a second semi-circle portion that is substantially luminously reflective. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the second semi-circle portion is configured to absorb a substantial portion of infrared light incident on a surface of the second semi-circle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the second semi-circle portion comprises a surface in substantial thermal communication with a high-emissivity material configured to facilitate radiation of thermal energy away from the device. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the high-emissivity material has an emissivity value greater than or equal to about 0.9, and wherein the high-emissivity material comprises anodized metal, a coating, paint, or a combination of high-emissivity materials. 
     
     
         20 . A method of illuminating an interior of a building using a daylighting system including a light-collecting device mounted on the building, the method comprising:
 receiving daylight on a substantially vertical transparent surface of the light-collecting device, wherein the daylight comprises visible light and infrared light;   turning a substantial portion of the visible light towards an opening in the building using a reflector connected to the light-collecting device; and   transmitting or radiating a substantial portion of the infrared light of the daylight away from the opening in the building.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein transmitting or radiating the infrared light comprises absorbing the infrared light and reradiating the infrared light away from the opening in the building. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein transmitting or radiating the infrared light comprises radiating the infrared light using a high emissivity material disposed on an outside surface of the light-collecting device. 
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing an at least partially transparent light-collecting device for directing natural visible light into a building interior, the method comprising:
 disposing a prismatic element within a light collecting device configured to receive daylight on a substantially vertical transparent surface when the device is installed on a building having a daylighting opening, wherein the daylight comprises visible light and infrared light; and   connecting an infrared control element to the light collecting device and positioning the infrared control element such that the infrared control element directs a substantial portion of the infrared light away from the daylighting opening when the device is installed on the building;   wherein the prismatic element is configured to turn a substantial portion of the visible light received on the substantially vertical surface towards the daylighting opening when the device is installed on the building; and   wherein the infrared control element is configured to substantially transmit or absorb the infrared light.   
     
     
         24 . An at least partially transparent light-collecting device configured to direct natural visible light through a collector base aperture and into an interior of a building when the light-collecting device is installed on a roof of the building, the device comprising:
 a top cover portion;   a substantially vertical sidewall portion configured to support the top cover portion above an upper end of the substantially vertical sidewall portion and to define a collector base aperture at a lower end of the substantially vertical sidewall portion, wherein the substantially vertical portion has a height that extends between the top cover portion and the collector base aperture, and wherein the substantially vertical portion is configured to receive a substantial amount of daylight during midday hours, wherein the daylight comprises visible light and infrared light;   a prismatic element associated with the substantially vertical sidewall portion and configured to turn a substantial portion of the visible light received by the vertical portion towards the collector base aperture; and   a reflector associated with the substantially vertical sidewall portion configured to reflect a substantial portion of the visible light towards the collector base aperture and configured to absorb or transmit a substantial portion of the infrared light;   wherein the light-collecting device is configured to be positioned over an opening in a roof of a building and is configured to direct the visible light into the opening in the roof when the light-collecting device is installed as part of a daylighting device installation.   
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the reflector is configured to absorb the infrared light and radiate the infrared light away from the collector base aperture. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the reflector comprises a material having high emissivity characteristics. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the reflector comprises a material having an emissivity value of greater than or equal to about 0.90. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the reflector is at least partially secured to the sidewall portion by an adhesive configured to absorb infrared light incident on a surface of the reflector. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the reflector is at least partially transparent with respect to infrared light. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the vertical portion is substantially cylindrically shaped. 
     
     
         31 . A daylighting system comprising an internally reflective tube configured to direct light between the light-collecting device of  claim 24  and a diffuser. 
     
     
         32 . A method of illuminating an interior of a building, the method comprising:
 receiving daylight on a substantially vertical surface;   turning the daylight towards an opening in a building using a prismatic film disposed within a light-collecting device;   reflecting a portion of visible light of the daylight towards the opening using a reflector; and   transmitting or radiating a portion of infrared light of the daylight out of the light-collecting device.