Shading device.

(42) Date of commencement of the patent: 15.10.1991 (45) Date of issue: 25. 5.1992 (56) Documentation:

DE-0S2841564 DE-AS1906990 US-PS4002159 US-PS4137098 US-PS4143640 US-PS4337754 (73)

ELBAK BATTERIEWERKE SOCIETY MBH A-8055 GRAZ, STYRIA (AT).

(54) SHADING DEVICE (57) A shading device serving, for example, as a roof (8) of a greenhouse (9) consists of a plurality of shading fins (I). Each shading lamella (1) has a solar cell area (3) emanating from its upper edge (2) and a surface area (5) which extends from its lower edge (4) to the solar cell area (3). The underside surface (6) of each shading lamella (1) is light diffusely reflecting, so that sunlight can not directly, but only from the lower surfaces (6) reflected as scattered light hit plants growing in the greenhouse (10).

I ^J? 6 l® 6 I

C / A '/ Z * Z' ZZ> Λ Z ·⁷z ZV * | - XV fc 1. 1. xL -xl -XV _ --XL --- CQ

AT 394 622

Effi 0078518

AT 394 622 B

The invention relates to a shading device having a plurality of side by side, inclined to the horizontal and preferably arranged parallel to each other shading slats on which solar cells are arranged.

Shading devices with shading blades are known and are generally used as sunscreens for relatively expensive plants, in particular special types of vegetables. In particularly hot areas, however, it would be advantageous if less valuable crops could be economically protected from direct solar radiation.

DE-OS 28 41 564 describes serving as a sunshade shading device with a plurality of slats, which are attached to a horizontally projecting from a masonry support. In DE-OS 28 41 564 an indication is included to equip the slats on their upper side with solar cells. It is also apparent from DE-OS 28 41 564 that the slats are pivotally mounted in their support between a vertical and an inclined position about 45 °.

The US-PS 4 137 098 shows a shutter that can be used to generate energy, both electricity and heat to be generated. For this purpose, the lamellae are arranged in a sealed box and equipped on its upper side with a plurality of solar cells, wherein the solar cells are connected in parallel to each other and connected to a power supply network. For heat recovery, air is circulated through the housing, in which the lamellae are arranged, which heats up as it flows through the housing and along the louvres of the louvre arranged in the latter. By passing air through the housing in which the blind is arranged, also excessive energy loss through the window should be prevented. Also in US-PS 4,137,098 the idea is disclosed to align the lamellae with the solar cells so that they each take the most favorable angle (90 °) to the incident sunlight.

DE-AS 1 906 990 describes a shading device with a plurality of side by side inclined to the horizontal and arranged mutually parallel shading slats. From DEOS 1 906 990 is also known that the downwardly swept surface of the shading lamellae light is formed diffusely reflective.

The invention has for its object to provide a shading device of the type mentioned, not only for an effective shading of arranged under her rooms, such as greenhouses or halls allowed, but with the help of arranged on the shading fins solar cells effective power generation is possible, with the two objectives (shading and power generation) should not adversely affect each other.

According to the invention, this is achieved by in that the solar cells are arranged in a solar cell region of the shading blades extending downwardly from the upper edge of the shading blades, in that the surface area of ​​the shading lamellae extending from the lower edge of the shading lamellae upwards to the solar cell area is translucent and / or light-reflecting, and that, as known per se, the downwardly facing lower surface of the shading lamellae is light-diffusely reflective.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Further details, features and advantages of the shading device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of the drawings partially schematically illustrated embodiments. 1 shows a side view of the principle of a shading device according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a shading device in combination with a greenhouse, and FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of shading strips of a shading device.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the shading device consists of a plurality of shading lamellae (1) arranged next to one another and inclined horizontally, as well as parallel to each other. Each shading blade (1) has a solar cell region (3) extending downward from the upper edge (2) of the shading blade (1), which is equipped with solar cells.

The surface area (5) of the shading lamellae (1) extending from the lower edge (4) of the shading lamellae (1) up to the solar cell area (3) is designed to be reflective by the arrangement of mirrors.

The lower visible surface (6) of the shading lamellae (1) is light diffusely reflective.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the shading blades (1) together with translucent tapes, windows (7) or the like form a roof (8) of a greenhouse (9).

A plant culture (10) in the greenhouse (9) is protected from direct solar radiation by the shading device forming the roof (8), consisting of the shading lamellae (1)

In the shading blades (1) according to the invention, sunlight striking the solar cell region (3) of the shading blades (1) is converted into electrical current in accordance with the efficiency of the solar cells provided in the solar cell region (3).

Sunlight impinging on the surface area (5) of the shading lamellae (1) is reflected by the mirrors provided thereon onto the diffusely reflecting bottom surface (6) of the respectively adjacent shading element (1). The light is scattered by the bottom surface (6) of the shading lamellae (1), reflected downwards (see Fig. 1 on the left) and reaches the culture of the laurel (10) in the greenhouse (9).

The bottom view surface (6) of each shading blade (1) is preferably a white surface.

-2AT 394 622 B

In the in Fig. 3 shown embodiment of shading blades (1) of the upper edge (2) of the shading blades (1) downwardly extending solar cell region (3) is equipped with solar cells extending from the lower edge (4) of the shading blades (1) shown in FIG. 3 up to the solar cell region (3) extending surface area (5) is translucent in this embodiment, but protected from direct sunlight protection. Light which occurs in the surface region (5) of the shading lamellae (1) extending from the lower edge (4) of the shading lamellae (1) to the solar cell region (3) penetrates this surface region (5) in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 diffuse.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is still indicated that the inclination of the shading blades (1) can be changed.

This possibility allows the solar cell region (3) of the shading fins (1) to be oriented so that the most favorable angle of incidence of sunlight is present.

The lateral spacing of the solar cell areas (3) of the shading lamellae (1) is advantageously chosen such that adjacent shading lamellae (1) do not cover each other, or only as little as possible, their solar cell areas (3) with respect to the sunlight. As such, at low sun levels, only shading blades having solar cell portions would suffice for smooth shading by the shading means. Since, however, in the case of a high position of the sun, the area under the shading device (for example the plant culture (10)) would be irradiated stripwise directly by the sun, in the embodiment of shading elements (1) according to FIG. 1 the surface area (5) extending from the lower edge (4) of the shading lamellae (1) up to the solar cell area (3) is made to be light-reflecting by the arrangement of mirrors. These mirrors prevent sunlight from directly reaching the surface area under the shading device, but from the bottom surfaces (6) of adjacent shading lamellae (1), where it is reflected downwards as described in the form of scattered light. In order to achieve the reflection of the lower visible surfaces (6) of light as stray light, the lower visible surfaces (6) may optionally be formed profiled, or lamellae, ribs od. like. have, so that as much scattered light is reflected down.

In the shading lamellae (1) of the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the described effect (scattered light) is formed by the surface regions (5) extending through the lower edge (4) of the shading lamellae (1) up to the solar cell region (3) ) reached. It is also possible to colorize these areas (5) of the embodiment of the shading blades (1) shown in FIG. 3, so that colored light passes through.

The shading blades (1) can, as indicated in Fig. 3, a frame (11).

Both the solar cell portion (3) and the surface portion (5) of the shading blades (1) may be subdivided in the longitudinal direction of the shading blades (1) by top-to-bottom spokes or frame rails (moldings) of the frame, so that in these areas (3) and (5) rectangular fields arise.

It is also an embodiment not shown possible in which the shading blades (1) is bent or curved in cross-section, so that each shading lamella (1) has zones with different inclination to the horizontal

The electric current generated by the solar cells in the solar cell region (3) of the shading blades (1) can be used in whole or in part for cooling one or more greenhouses (9).

Although the shading device according to the invention is horizontally oriented in the embodiments shown, embodiments in which the shading device is oriented differently than horizontally are also conceivable.

According to an embodiment not shown, the shading device may be mounted on a supporting structure which is similar to a shed roof.

According to another embodiment, not shown, the shading blades may be arranged to give a curved shading means

According to an embodiment, also not shown, the shading lamellae, instead of being mounted on a support or support structure, can also be arranged suspended on ropes.