Brent Vander Werf’s Compliant Shading Enclosure creates a movable mechanism within the air-gap of a glass enclosure to regulate the amount of sun, shade and shadow permitted in a space. Powered by the energy from the sun, the mechanism passively expands or closes to make the opening the correct size to meet the desired comfort level.
More about the shading system after the break.
The shading system utilizes a bi-metal element that is bonded to high expansion and low expansion alloys. A slight change in temperature makes the alloys produce an opposing force, causing the element to deform and rotate. The system requires no maintenance or user input once installed, and by adjusting the parameters of the alloys, the mechanism can suit a variety of climates.
“By placing the bi-metal element within a sealed glass enclosure, like may double pane window systems, an increased amount of temperature change can be obtained due to the greenhouse effect and a passively actuated heat sensor is achieved with a wide range of rotational motion and force exertion. The actuator is then coupled with a bistable mechanism, or an elastic element which produces spring-like characteristics by storing and releasing kinetic and potential energy, thus snapping the aperture and attached shading membrane closed with maximum heat input and vice versa, snapping the aperture back open as heat input diminishes significantly, opening the aperture once again to what’s beyond the glass,” explained the designer.
Thesis Title: Elastic Systems for Compliant Shading Enclosure
Date Published: May 15th, 2009
Patent Pending (Established May 5th, 2010)
