Solatube International, Inc.

Other

Joseph W Prenn

David Windsor Rillie

Christian P Stevens

Bing-Ling Chao

Philip Edward Warren

Kalen Eidenschink

Michael W Muhlestein

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

Embodiments are described of devices for concealing and/or protecting a portion of a member, such as the base of a post, which devices can be easily applied to the member at any time. These embodiments include a plurality of components adjustably connected to one another so as to provide a snug fit of the device against the member to be protected, regardless of initial variations from the expected dimensions of the member. Further device embodiments are self-adjusting to provide a snug fit regardless of subsequent changes in the dimension of the member over time.

Post wrap device

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 valve for selectively blocking the light passageway of a skylight includes a cylindrical shroud and first and second semicircular butterfly valve elements that pivot on respective axles within the shroud to selectively block the skylight. The axles can ride on a common motor-driven cam between a horizontal orientation to block the skylight and a vertical orientation to allow light to pass. The motor can be powered by a universal power supply that can operate at anywhere from below 100 volts to above 270 volts.

Butterfly valve for skylight

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.

Tubular skylight with dome flashing and protective corrugation

Various skylight connectors are disclosed. A sheet is integrally formed with tabs along opposed axial edges of the sheet, and the sheet can be bent into a tubular configuration with the tabs along one edge engaging tab holes along the other edge and vice-versa to hold the sheet in the tubular configuration. Also, a skylight dome fastener adaptor includes a hollow body, and ribs are formed on the outer surface to engage a hole in a skylight dome to impede rotation of the body in the hole when a fastener is disposed in the adaptor and threadably engaged with a dome flashing. Additionally, various quick connect zip ties and clips are disclosed for quickly and easily engaging components of a skylight assembly.

Systems and methods for connecting skylight components

A tubular skylight is coupled to rectangular opening of a ceiling support grid by an adaptor. The adaptor includes a ring-shaped tube segment, a rectangular-shaped ceiling segment, and a frustum-shaped intermediate segment connecting the upper segment and ceiling segment.

Tubular skylight with round-to-square adaptor

A tube assembly of a tubular skylight is formed with upper and lower notches for respectively snappingly engaging tabs of upper and lower support rings to promote ease of installation. The upper support ring has a flange that overlaps the edge of a roof-mounted flashing such that the upper support ring rests on the flashing with the tube assembly suspended from the upper support ring. A transparent cover covers the tube assembly, and an upper seal is sandwiched between the top edge of the flashing, the cover, and the upper support ring to keep moisture and dust from entering the upper end of the skylight. Screws secure the flashing to the upper support ring, with spacers being disposed around the shanks of the screws between the heads of the screws and the flashing such that thermal expansion can be absorbed. On the lower end of the tube assembly, a dress ring supports a light diffuser, and the dress ring includes spring clips that snappingly engage receptacles on the lower support ring. Thus, the principal components are snapped together to assemble the skylight. A hollow lower seal is sandwiched between the tube assembly, diffuser plate, and dress ring such that only a single seal is required to seal the lower end of the skylight from moisture and dust.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Joseph W Prenn