SAFEPROOF DOME

Abstract

 "SafeProof Dome" is a Solar Tube dome developed by Chatron especially to maximize the resistance to fire from the outside and the resistance to the impact of objects from the outside, while keeping the high standards of natural light capture of Chatron's standard Solar Tube domes.
It consists, as shown in Figure 1, of a high-impact polycarbonate dome in a pyramidal shape (3), a protective layer of tempered laminated glass (2), an aluminum connection accessory (1), an "L" shaped fixing profile (4) with an EPDM rubber coating (5).
The aim of the "SafeProof Dome" is to endow the natural light capture dome of the Chatron Solar Tube with a very high resistance to external fire, increase its resistance to the impact of objects from the outside and contribute to a drastic reduction of falls due to work accidents on roofs.

Description

[0001] The "SafeProof Dome" is a new model of dome to equip the Solar Tube Kit - a system for capturing and transmitting natural light from the outside to the inside - designed by Chatron to have high resistance to fire from the outside and high resistance to the impact of objects from the outside, while maintaining its high standards for capturing natural light.

[0002] Capturing natural light is a key moment for the effectiveness of the lighting system. Using a pyramid-shaped dome with 5 prisms and a high surface area allows for greater and better capture of natural light, even when the sun is at low altitudes. It is made of high-impact polycarbonate through an injection process and is highly resistant to external loads. It is represented in Figure 1 by the number 3.

[0003] The connection accessory (shown in Figure 1 by the number 1) is made of aluminum and has a circular ladder shape with 3 levels, each of which is used to fit the reflector tube, the roof base and the pyramidal dome respectively, as well as supporting the tempered laminated glass.

[0004] The tempered laminated glass is positioned inside the dome and fixed to the connection accessory. This robust element is designed to be highly resistant to fire from the outside and to protect the interior of the building from possible projections or the passage of sparks or other debris that could spread the fire inside. It is represented in Figure 1 by the number 2.

[0005] The glass is fixed to the connection accessory using five "L" shaped metal fixing profiles, shown in Figure 1 by the number 4. These are covered with EPDM rubber elements in a "U" shape, represented in Figure 1 by the number 5.

[0006] The "SafeProof Dome" is an innovative and unique piece of equipment on the market, combining different elements that enable it to meet the initial objectives of increasing fire resistance and impact resistance, going beyond what had existed up until now, which basically consisted of two product lines:

• A polycarbonate dome to capture natural light (in a semi-spherical shape, or in other shapes, such as those manufactured by Solatube or Solarspot), but without high resistance to fire from the outside;
• "Roof window" domes made of flat tempered laminated glass (like some of Velux's Sun Tunnel models), without increasing the catchment area and, consequently, without maximizing the amount of light entering the reflector tube. They also don't have the strong resistance to impact from external loads at all points that only high-impact polycarbonate can provide.

[0007] "SafeProof Dome" brings additional advantages for the safety and protection of people living or working in these buildings, as well as for workers carrying out maintenance on the roofs of these buildings, by reducing the risk of falls. They also increase the safety of buildings by preventing fires from spreading to their interior when they are outside (particularly on the roof).

[0008] In addition to fulfilling its main mission of strongly capturing natural light from the outside to the inside, it offers extra protection such as the points mentioned above, never seen in equipment such as "Solar Tubes" by any other brand on the market.

[0009] Although the invention has been explained to its preferred form of realization, as mentioned above, it should be understood that other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is envisaged that the appended claims will cover those modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Natural light collection system comprising:

- High-impact polycarbonate dome in a pyramidal shape (3)

- Aluminum connection accessory (1)

- Laminated tempered glass layer (2)

- L-shaped fixing profiles (4)

- "U"-shaped EPDM rubber to protect the fixing profiles (5)

2. Natural light capturing dome which, according to claim 1, allows natural light to be captured effectively, even when the sun is at low altitudes, due to its high capture area and pyramidal shape.

3. Natural light capture dome which, according to claim 1, is resistant to external loads, to strong impacts on its surface and to the fire from the outside, through the combined use of a high-impact polycarbonate dome and an internal barrier made up of tempered laminated glass.

Drawing