Solatube International, Inc.

David Windsor Rillie

Joseph W Prenn

Christian P Stevens

Bing-Ling Chao

Philip Edward Warren

Paul August Jaster

Keith Kopitzke

Kalen Eidenschink

Ding Yao Shay

John Paul Calvanico

Michael W Muhlestein

Tyler Brinkman

Thomas P Griego

Jeffrey S Robertson

David James Wilson

Keith Robert Kopitzke

A bottom-mounted whole house fan assembly includes an intake plenum mounted over an opening in a ceiling of a building. The intake plenum is supported on the ceiling in the attic of the building. One end of a flexible duct is connected to the intake plenum and the other end of the duct is connected to a fan so that the fan draws air in the building through the intake plenum and duct and exhausts the air in the attic from whence the air is vented to atmosphere. The fan is supported by at least one vertical strut that is connected to the ceiling at the lower end of the strut and to a housing of the fan at the upper end of the strut. A sound dampener is interposed between the strut and the fan housing and/or the ceiling beam to which the strut is attached.

Bottom-mounted whole house fan assembly

A dimmer mechanism is movable by a motor that is powered by solar-charged supercapacitors between a first configuration, in which the dimmer mechanism blocks little of the interior of a skylight tube to maximize light throughput into a room, and a second configuration, in which the dimmer mechanism blocks more of the interior of a skylight tube to reduce light throughput into the room.

Skylight dimmer

Certain disclosed embodiments provide internally-reflective tube assemblies for use in a tubular daylighting device configured to direct daylight into an interior of a building when installed on a roof of the building. A tube assembly may include multiple tube segments including connection projections, such as hook-type structures, for weaving or otherwise connecting and/or securing tube segments together. In some embodiments, sidewalls of tube segments connected together are substantially parallel to one another at or near the connection region.

Daylighting tube segment connection systems and methods

A skylight shaft is coated with a highly reflective film to maximize the amount of light transmitted from the top of the skylight to a room below the skylight. Surface irregularities are formed in the shaft or adhesive that holds the film onto the shaft to diffuse the light and thereby prevent the formation of focal 'hot spots' in the room below.

Skylight tube with reflective film and surface irregularities

Some embodiments provide a fenestration apparatus including at least one glazing pane capable of being installed in an opening of a building envelope and a tessellated structure disposed adjacent to the at least one glazing pane. The tessellated structure can include at least one partition having a first face and a second face. The at least one partition can define a plurality of spatially separated cells within a substantially contiguous region of the opening. Each of the plurality of spatially separated cells can have a cell width and a cell depth. Each of the plurality of spatially separated cells can be at least partially surrounded by the first face of the at least one partition, the second face of the at least one partition, or a combination of the first face and the second face of the at least one partition.

Thermally insulating fenestration devices and methods

Some embodiments provide a daylighting apparatus comprising an internally reflective tube configured to direct daylight from a first end of the tube to a second end of the tube opposite the first end. A diffuser can be positioned at the second end of the tube. The diffuser can comprise a first optical structure configured such that, when the daylighting apparatus is installed with the first end positioned outside a room and the second end positioned to provide light to the room, a reflected portion of the daylight is directed towards at least one upper region (e.g., a ceiling or upper wall surface) of the room and a transmitted portion of the daylight is directed towards at least one lower region (e.g., a floor surface) of the room.

Daylighting devices with auxiliary lighting system and light turning features

Direct and indirect light diffusing devices and methods

A skylight shaft substrate is rendered internally reflected in several ways. To limit the formation of focal points that can lead to hot spots as light travels down the shaft, the shaft substrate is formed with dimples or longitudinal corrugations.

Skylight tube with reflective structured surface

A skylight cover includes a transparent lens and an opaque reflector attached to the inside of the cover opposite the lens. Light entering the lens can be refracted by the lens so that it reflects off of the reflector and into a tubular skylight assembly. Thus, the amount of light entering the tubular skylight assembly is maximized.

Skylight domes with reflectors

In a tubular skylight, an Aluminum sheet having corrugations that may be in a waffle pattern is formed with a hole that is pressed into a curb which is fastened over the turret of a roof-mounted skylight flashing. Roof tiles above the dome of the skylight are placed onto the sheet, while below the dome the sheet is placed over roof tiles and manually conformed thereto, owing to the corrugations. Any water that leaks past tiles above the dome will be directed by the sheet around the curb and down onto the tops of tiles that are below the dome, thereby providing a water seal for the skylight. Clips can be used to hold the lower edge of the sheet onto the tiles.

Tubular skylight with dome flashing and protective waffle pattern corrugation

A seamless skylight flashing has a frusto-conical curb defining an open top that can be covered by a skylight dome and an open bottom. A flat skirt extends radially away from the open bottom. Plural strengthening ribs are oriented radially on the skirt, and a peripheral rib is formed on the outer edge of the skirt. The skirt is preferably formed by die presses.

Skylight flashing

In a tubular skylight, a corrugated Aluminum sheet is formed with a hole that is pressed into a curb which is fastened over the turret of a roof-mounted skylight flashing. Roof tiles above the dome of the skylight are placed onto the sheet, while below the dome the sheet is placed over roof tiles and manually conformed thereto, owing to the corrugations. Any water that leaks past tiles above the dome will be directed by the sheet around the curb and down onto the tops of tiles that are below the dome, thereby providing a water seal for the skylight.

Growing community of inventors

Cardiff, CA, United States of America

David Windsor Rillie