Variable length screen, system comprising the same and method for manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11078722-B2
Application number	US-201616063002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 18, 2015
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A screen ( 1 ) is provided comprising at least a first and a second elongate guidance element ( 27, 28 ) extending in a first direction (D 1 ) and a structured foil ( 10 ) with a front surface and a back surface, having a variable length (L) in a first direction (D 1 ) carried by the elongate guidance elements. The screen has slat shaped portions ( 11 a 1+11 a 2, 11 b 1+11 b 2 ) and connection portions ( 12 ab, 2 ab ′) bridging the slat shaped portions. The slat shaped portions, which extend in a second direction (D 2 ) transverse to the first direction are provided with photovoltaic elements ( 20 ) that are connectable to external terminals for supply of electric energy. The slate shaped portions are slidably coupled with the guidance elements, to allow them to slide in said first direction along said guidance elements. The connection portions are configured to flex in a direction transverse to the first and the second direction, so as to allow the at least a first and a second slat shaped portion to shift relative to each other in said first direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A screen comprising:
a structured foil with a front surface and a back surface, defining a plane with a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction; and
a first elongated guidance element and a second elongate guidance element extending in the first direction;
wherein the foil is structured into mutually integral foil portions in that the foil is cut through along section lines that include:
a central section line portion, that generally extends in the second direction, and
end section line portions at both ends of the central section line portion that generally extend in the first direction;

wherein the mutually integral foil portions include:
at least a first slat shaped foil portion and a second slat shaped foil portion extending in the second direction at mutually opposite sides of a central section line portion; and
at least a first connection foil portion and a second connection foil portion,

wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion are each bounded laterally by an outer boundary of the foil and an end portion of a section,
wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion each bridge the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion at a respective position in the second direction,
wherein the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion are provided with photovoltaic elements that are connectable to external terminals for supply of electric energy,
wherein the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion are slidably coupled with the first elongate guidance element and the second elongate guidance element to allow the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion to slide in the first direction along the first elongate guidance element and the second elongate guidance element, and
wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion are configured to flex in a direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction, so as to allow the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion to shift relative to each other in the first direction.

2. The screen according to claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic elements are connectable to external terminals by a pair of busbars extending along the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion.

3. The screen according to claim 1 , wherein the first elongate guidance element and the second elongate guidance element are electrically conductive, and
wherein the photovoltaic elements are connectable to external terminals by the first guidance element and the second guidance element.

4. The screen according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second slat shaped foil portions has a main region and an extension region,
wherein the extension region is a region extending with a convex hull of a section line between one of the first and second slat shaped foil portions and a subsequent slat shaped foil portion.

5. The screen according to claim 4 , wherein the extension region is provided with perforations.

6. The screen according to claim 1 wherein the screen is at least configurable to be in an extended state and in a contracted state,
wherein in the contracted state, the screen has a first length, and wherein the slat shaped foil portions are subsequently alternately rotated clockwise and anticlockwise along an axis parallel to the second direction, therewith curving the connection foil portions, and
wherein in the extended state, the screen has a second length greater than the first length, and wherein the slat shaped foil portions and the connection foil portions are substantially arranged in the plane defined by the first and the second direction.

7. The screen according to claim 6 , wherein the screen is further configurable in a super extended state
wherein, while in the super extended state:
the screen has a third length greater than the second length,
the slat shaped foil portions and the connection foil portions are substantially arranged in the plane defined by the first and the second direction, and
the connection foil portions are stretched in the first direction.

8. A variable length screen system comprising:
a screen comprising:
a structured foil with a front surface and a back surface defining a plane with a first direction and a second direction transverse to the first direction; and
a first elongated guidance element and a second elongate guidance element extending in the first direction;
wherein the foil is structured into mutually integral foil portions in that the foil is cut through along section lines that include:
a central section line portion, that generally extends in the second direction, and
end section line portions at both ends of the central section line portion that generally extend in the first direction;

wherein the mutually integral foil portions include:
at least a first slat shaped foil portion and a second slat shaped foil portion extending in the second direction at mutually opposite sides of a central section line portion; and
at least a first connection foil portion and a second connection foil portion,

wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion are each bounded laterally by an outer boundary of the foil and an end portion of a section,
wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion each bridge the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion at a respective position in the second direction,
wherein the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion are provided with photovoltaic elements that are connectable to external terminals for supply of electric energy,
wherein the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion are slidably coupled with the first elongate guidance element and the second elongate guidance element to allow the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion to slide in the first direction along the first elongate guidance element and the second elongate guidance element, and
wherein the first connection foil portion and the second connection foil portion are configured to flex in a direction transverse to the first direction and the second direction, so as to allow the first slat shaped foil portion and the second slat shaped foil portion to shift relative to each other in the first direction;

wherein the screen is at least configurable to be in an extended state and in a contracted state,
wherein in the contracted state, the screen has a first length, and wherein the slat shaped foil portions are subsequently alternately rotated clockwise and anticlockwise along an axis parallel to the second direction, therewith curving the connection foil portions, and
wherein in the extended state, the screen has a second length greater than the first length, and wherein the slat shaped foil portions and the connection foil portions are substantially arranged in the plane defined by the first and the second direction; and

an actuator device for exerting a force on the screen according to the first direction to change a configuration of the screen from an extended state to a contracted state and/or from a contracted state to an extended state.

9. The variable length screen system according to claim 8 , further comprising the at least one actuator device for exerting a force according to the first direction to change a configuration of the screen from an extended state to a super extended state and/or from a super

Assignees

• TNO
• Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuarwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Inventors

• Ammerlaan Johannes Andreas Maria
• Andriessen Hieronymus Antonius Josephus Maria
• Van Heck Gerardus Titus
• Van Den Brand Jeroen
• Schoo Harmannus Franciscus Maria

Classifications

• E04F10/02

  of flexible canopy materials, e.g. canvas {; Baldachins} · CPC title

• E06B9/262 Primary

  with flexibly-interconnected horizontal or vertical strips; Concertina blinds {, i.e. upwardly folding flexible screens} · CPC title

• E06B9/24

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• E06B2009/2476

  Solar cells · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title