MICHAEL MCCLINTOCK
Engineering in Boston, MA

4368725, Jan 18, 1983

Nov 7, 1977

5/849521

Michael McClintock - Boston MA

F24J 302

126432

A solar window which can alternatively act either as a passive solar heat collector or an active solar heat collector. A substantially transparent pair of panels are mounted in opposed position to each other and define a chamber therebetween. When it is desired to admit solar energy to the structure in which the window is mounted, air is permitted to be retained in the chamber and sunlight to pass through the window to thus heat the interior of the structure. When heat is not required in the structure, a second fluid which may be an optically dense solar energy absorbent or reflective fluid is passed through the chamber so as to respectively absorb or reflect the sunlight passing into the chamber, and in this way reduce the amount of solar heat passing through the window, and, in the case of an absorbent fluid, to retain the heat for later use. Pleasing architectural aesthetics or practical advantages in the case of greenhouses may further be obtained by passing colored fluid through the chamber which fluid may additionally achieve the selective absorption of light of certain wavelengths passing through the window. An alternative embodiment of the invention includes providing the inside window panel with grooves adjacent the chamber and disposed at such an angle thereto that radiation in a spectral region in which the material of said window is at least partially transparent attempting to pass outwardly through said window is substantially reflected back into said structure.

4134389, Jan 16, 1979

May 2, 1977

5/795167

Michael McClintock - Boston MA

F24J 302

126271

Structural plastic materials are normally not resistant to elevated temperatures, and accordingly presently have only limited applications in solar energy collection devices despite their decided cost advantages. The present invention enables the widespread use of such plastic materials, in fact enables the essentially complete construction of solar collection devices thereof. An optically dense radiant heat absorbable fluid is passed through the device and utilized to collect solar energy from such devices. Should such fluid not be present within the device for any reason, e. g. upon pump failure, sunlight entering is positively directed outwardly thereof. Preferably the outward direction of sunlight from the fluid receiving chamber is accomplished by providing one of the surfaces forming such chamber with a highly reflective surface so that the sun's rays are outwardly deflected. In certain embodiments, as when the device is used as an architectural window, when such fluid is not present within the device, the solar energy is directed entirely through the device. In this manner, the chamber temperature may be held within tolerable levels for the particular plastics utilized.