Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Paul A Jaster

Sanford Cobb, Jr

Mark Joseph O'Neill

Roger H Appeldorn

Michael C Lea

An apparatus designed to direct daylight through an aperture toward a target area in a building or other structure is disclosed. A housing provides a base attachable to the building and a support structure for supporting a reflector above the aperture. According to one embodiment of the invention the reflector is in the shape of an inverted cone. A light diffusing lens structure is disposed in the optical path between the reflector and the target area. In use, light is transmitted through the support structure, reflected from the surface of the reflector, and dispersed about the target area by the light diffusing lens structure.

Passive solar collector

A daylighting system usable in either a skylight or a dormer includes a film having a plurality of negative Fresnel lenses.

Structured films and use thereof for daylight illumination

An improved greenhouse comprising a plurality of walls, a light-transmitting roof panel; and an optical system located inside the greenhouse is described. The optical system comprises a plurality of rows of elongate spaced optical panels generally adjacent and extending transversely across the light-transmitting roof panel. Each panel comprises a thin backing portion forming first and second concave, opposite sides, a first light reflecting means including light-reflecting surfaces attached to the first side of the backing and a second light reflecting means including light-reflecting surfaces attached to the second side of the backing such that the light-reflecting surfaces face generally oppositely. Also disclosed is an improved method of growing plants utilizing such a greenhouse construction.

Growing community of inventors

Arden Hills, MN, United States of America

Paul A Jaster