JPS63292102A - Condensing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep condensing efficiency constant without deteriorating it even with respect to solar light whose arrival direction is varied momentarily, by aggregating plural pieces of slender transparent bodies having a large refractive index and flexibility, and binding one end part thereof. CONSTITUTION:This condensing device is formed by binding one end part 3 of plural pieces of slender transparent bodies 1 having a large refractive index, and also, flexibility. For instance, plural pieces of transparent bodies such as scores of pieces or several hundred pieces are bound in plural parts so as to shape like the tops of pampas grass, and also, the lower end part of each transparent body 1 is bound with a binder 2 such as a rubber band, and each lower end face thereof 3 is put in order. Also, each lower end face 3 is used as a condensing part of light. As for the transparent body 1, a slender transparent fiber whose constituting raw material is glass, plastic, etc., an optical fiber, etc. are suitable. In such a way, when the other end part where each transparent is not bound is placed in a sunny place, the solar light which is varied momentarily can be condensed constantly without deteriorating the condensing efficiency, without tracking the arrival direction of the solar light.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an improvement in a light concentrating device that collects light from the sun in one place.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as this type of condensing device, one using a mirror, a lens, etc. is known.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) By the way, since the direction of light from the sun changes from moment to moment, conventional devices have to change the arrangement direction of mirrors, lenses, etc. in response to these changes, so Requires tracking equipment. Therefore, the cost of equipment increases and the manufacturing cost increases as a whole, which has been a major obstacle to the widespread use of light condensing devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple light condensing device that can efficiently collect sunlight in one place without requiring solar ray tracking equipment.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

In other words, it is formed by binding one end of a plurality of elongated transparent bodies having a large refractive index and being flexible.

(Function) Of the light hitting the circumferential side of the transparent body l, the light that is incident on the circumferential side at a predetermined angle of incidence enters the transparent body l and travels inside the transparent body l, as shown in Figure 1. As shown in FIG. 8, the light propagates to the lower end surface 3 where the light gathers.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, some of the light that hits the circumferential side of the transparent body l is reflected by the circumferential side and strikes other nearby transparent bodies l.
Some enter the interior and propagate within the transparent body l.

Therefore, in each of the bundled transparent bodies, the light directly incident on the circumferential side and the light reflected on the circumferential side of other transparent bodies enter and propagate to each end face, and the light is transmitted through the bundled transparent bodies. The light is drawn into the transparent body from all sides of the body and exits from these end faces, so if the other end of each transparent body is placed in a sunny place, it will track in the direction in which the sun's rays arrive. At the very least, sunlight that changes from moment to moment can be focused at a constant level without reducing the light collection efficiency.

(Example) The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to one drawing.

First, prior to describing the embodiments of the present invention, the principle of the present invention will be explained.

As shown in Figure 1, in a medium with a low refractive index such as air,
When a flexible elongated transparent body l having a refractive index higher than that of the medium is placed and light is applied to its circumferential side, light X with an incident angle X enters the transparent body 1 as shown in FIG. Light Y having an incident angle y is reflected at the boundary surface. A part of the light that has entered the transparent body 1 becomes transmitted light that passes through the transparent body 1, but other light, other than that transmitted light, enters the transparent body 1 as shown in FIG. The present invention utilizes this principle to condense light.

Further, to explain this in detail, as shown in FIG. 4, the incident light that enters the transparent body 1 at an incident angle α is transmitted to the area A of the semicircumferential surface of the transparent body 1, and is transmitted to the area B. The incident light propagates within the transparent body 1, and the light incident on the region C is reflected by the surface of the transparent body 1. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the incident light that enters the transparent body l at an incident angle β, the light that is incident on the area B of the semicircumferential surface of the transparent body l propagates inside the transparent body l,
Anything incident on the other area C is reflected by the surface.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the incident light that enters the transparent body l at an incident angle θ is reflected by the entire area C, no matter which area of the semicircumferential surface of the transparent body l.

It is assumed that the relationships among the incident angles α, β, and θ are as follows.

α × β × θ However, as shown in Fig. 1, there is a limit to the amount of light that can be collected with one transparent body 1, so as shown in Fig. 2, a plurality of transparent bodies 1 are prepared and placed close together. In this way, light is reflected by the circumferential sides of transparent bodies l that are close to each other, and as shown in Figure 2, while reflecting each other, the light enters into the transparent body l, and the light that has entered The present invention utilizes this principle in addition to the above-mentioned principle to efficiently condense light.

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

In the first embodiment, a plurality of transparent bodies 1, for example several tens or hundreds of transparent bodies 1, are tied together in a plurality of places to form an ear of pampas grass, and the lower end of each transparent body 1 is tied with a rubber band. They are bound with a suitable binding tool 2, and their lower end surfaces 3 are aligned. As shown in FIG. 8, each lower end surface 3 is used as a light condensing section. The transparent body l is preferably an elongated transparent fiber made of glass, plastic, or the like, or an existing optical fiber.

A reflective film 4 is formed on the upper end surface of each transparent body l so that the light propagating within the transparent body l is not radiated from the upper end surface but is reflected and propagated toward the lower end surface of the transparent body l. is preferable in terms of improving light collection efficiency.

In the first embodiment with such a configuration, since a plurality of transparent bodies 1 are bundled, the reflected light obtained by the transparent bodies that are close to each other is also reflected inside the transparent body 1, compared to the case where there is only one transparent body 1. Since the light enters and propagates, the light collection efficiency improves.

Therefore, for example, if it is used together with a glass tile for lighting a room, the lighting rate will be significantly improved compared to the case of only the glass tile.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 10.

In the second embodiment, a plurality of transparent bodies l are arranged on the roof 5 of a house so that their upper ends are radial, and the parts of each transparent body l except for the upper ends are tied together at a plurality of places. The lower end portions are tied with a binding tool 2 and the lower end surfaces 3 are aligned. Then, each lower end surface 3 is placed in the basement 6. Further, the periphery of each upper end of each of the radially arranged transparent bodies l is covered with a transparent hemispherical dome 7 to prevent swelling.

In the second embodiment with such a configuration, even if the light convergence point and the point where the collected light is used are quite far apart, it is only necessary to extend the transparent body 1 according to the distance. Since dust does not adhere, the light collection efficiency does not decrease.
It is suitable not only for lighting in basements but also for lighting in vegetable factories for growing vegetables.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the present invention, a plurality of flexible elongated transparent bodies with a high refractive index are assembled and one end thereof is tied together, so that the direction of arrival changes from time to time. Even with sunlight, the light collection efficiency remains constant without decreasing. Therefore, there is no need for the production cost of tracking equipment that tracks sunlight as in the past.

This has the effect that it is possible to provide a low-cost, simple and popular device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 6 are explanatory views for explaining the present invention in detail, FIG. 7 is a front view of the first embodiment, FIG. 8 is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 9 is a view of the tip of the transparent body. The enlarged view, FIG. 1O, is a front view of the second embodiment. 1 is a transparent body, 2 is a binding tool, and 3 is a lower end surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A light condensing device made by bundling one end of a plurality of elongated transparent bodies with a large refractive index and flexibility.