Optical elements and systems are disclosed that can be incorporated into buildings to prevent beam sunlight from entering through apertures of the building while allowing diffuse skylight to enter the building through the apertures. The optical system comprises optical elements configured to admit diffuse skylight through an aperture in the building envelope, while reflecting away the beam sunlight incident on the aperture in the building envelope. The apertures can be, for example, windows in walls or skylights in roofs of the building envelope. The optical system works for both windows in the walls and skylights in the roof, with somewhat different configurations for those two parts of the building envelope.

A roof hatch for enabling access to a rooftop of a building from an interior of the building includes a curb adapter configured to be disposed over a curb of the rooftop. The curb is formed around an opening in the rooftop that fluidly connects the interior of the building to an exterior of the building. Additionally, the roof hatch includes a cover coupled to the curb adapter by a pivoting member. The cover includes a support extending within an interior length of the cover. The roof hatch includes a gas spring coupled between the support and the curb adapter. The gas spring is configured to apply a force to the support, and the support is configured to distribute the force along the interior length of the cover.

A ventilation device includes a frame unit, a vent unit, and an air circulating unit. The frame unit cooperates with a building to form an air chamber having a vent opening and an outlet. The vent unit cooperates with the vent opening and the air chamber to define a first venting pathway, and has a vent slot facing the air chamber. A ratio between an area of the vent slot to an area of the outlet is less than 0.33. The air circulating unit includes a window movable between a closed position to block the outlet, and an open position where the outlet is unblocked and cooperates with the vent opening and the air chamber to form a second venting pathway.

A roof hatch for enabling access to a rooftop of a building from an interior of the building includes a curb adapter configured to be disposed over a curb of the rooftop. The curb is formed around an opening in the rooftop that fluidly connects the interior of the building to an exterior of the building. Additionally, the roof hatch includes a cover coupled to the curb adapter by a pivoting member. The cover includes a support extending within an interior length of the cover. The roof hatch includes a gas spring coupled between the support and the curb adapter. The gas spring is configured to apply a force to the support, and the support is configured to distribute the force along the interior length of the cover.

In the roof window, each hinge (310) of the set of hinges comprises a frame hinge part (330), a sash hinge part (340), and a movement supporting assembly comprising guiding means including a linkage mechanism with at least two links (350, 360) providing connection between the sash hinge part and the frame hinge part. Each link is connected to at least one of the frame hinge part and the sash hinge part at a joint and connected to each other. A force transmission device (370) is provided for exerting lifting assistance to the movement of the sash (2) relative to the frame (1) during opening of the roof window in the mounted condition of the hinge (310). The force transmission device is provided with biasing means selected from the group comprising leaf springs, torsion springs and tension/compression springs. The force transmission device (370) may comprise a pick-up (371) biased by a leaf spring (372) connected to the frame hinge part (330) or the sash hinge part (340) by means of a fastening protrusion (375a) and/or a first abutment protrusion (375b) and/or a second abutment protrusion (375c).

In the roof window, a stationary primary frame (1) with frame members includes two opposing side members (1a), a first secondary frame includes a sash (2) with two opposing side members (2a), and a second secondary frame including an intermediate frame (6) are provided. A lifting device (7) including a spring assembly (7a) acting on a lifting arm (7b) is inserted between the stationary primary frame (1) and the intermediate frame (6). A top hinge arrangement (8) is connected to the primary frame (1) and to the sash (2) and the intermediate frame (6) to define a first hinge axis (?1) at or near a top of the roof window in a first operational condition of the roof window. To provide a second operational condition of the roof window, the hinge arrangement comprises a set of hinges (10) connected to the intermediate frame (6) and to the sash (2) to define a second hinge axis of the roof window in the second operational condition of the roof window. Each of the hinges (10) comprises a frame hinge part, a sash hinge part, and a movement supporting assembly with a linkage mechanism comprising a number of links and joints.

In the roof window, a stationary primary frame (1) with frame members includes two opposing side members (1a), a first secondary frame includes a sash (2) with two opposing side members (2a), and a second secondary frame including an intermediate frame (6) are provided. A lifting device (7) including a spring assembly (7a) acting on a lifting arm (7b) is inserted between the stationary primary frame (1) and the intermediate frame (6). A top hinge arrangement (8) is connected to the primary frame (1) and to the sash (2) and the intermediate frame (6) to define a first hinge axis (1) at or near a top of the roof window in a first operational condition of the roof window. To provide a second operational condition of the roof window, the hinge arrangement comprises a set of hinges (10) connected to the intermediate frame (6) and to the sash (2) to define a second hinge axis of the roof window in the second operational condition of the roof window. Each of the hinges (10) comprises a frame hinge part, a sash hinge part, and a movement supporting assembly with a linkage mechanism comprising a number of links and joints.

Optical elements and systems are disclosed that can be incorporated into buildings to prevent beam sunlight from entering through apertures of the building while allowing diffuse skylight to enter the building through the apertures. The optical system comprises optical elements configured to admit diffuse skylight through an aperture in the building envelope, while reflecting away the beam sunlight incident on the aperture in the building envelope. The apertures can be, for example, windows in walls or skylights in roofs of the building envelope. The optical system works for both windows in the walls and skylights in the roof, with somewhat different configurations for those two parts of the building envelope.

In the roof window, the hinge assembly (9) comprises a coupling unit (95) connected to or connectable to the frame (2) and configured to be connected to the hinge unit (91) in the mounted condition of the roof window (1). In an installation condition of the roof window (1), the hinge unit (91) is connected to the sash (3) and the coupling unit (95) is connected to the frame (2). The coupling unit (95) and the hinge unit (91) are configured to assume the following positions relative to each other, namely at least one intermediate position, and a final position, corresponding to the mounted condition of the roof window (1).

In the roof window, the hinge assembly (9) comprises a coupling unit (95) connected to or connectable to the frame (2) and configured to be connected to the hinge unit (91) in the mounted condition of the roof window (1). In an installation condition of the roof window (1), the hinge unit (91) is connected to the sash (3) and the coupling unit (95) is connected to the frame (2). The coupling unit (95) and the hinge unit (91) are configured to assume the following positions relative to each other, namely at least one intermediate position, and a final position, corresponding to the mounted condition of the roof window (1).