Solar panel window unit

Claim 1

For use in combination with a window unit in a wall of a building including a window frame and glass panel means mounted in said window frame, a shutter unit, comprising: first and second parallel extending track means having a spacing therebetween at least equal to the height dimension of said window unit, said track means being located on the inside of said buidling relative to said window unit and extending parallel to the plane of said glass panel means; laminate insulative shield means mounted in said track means for movement between positions at the side of said window unit and in front thereof, to block off the entirety of said glass panel means to the inside of said building, said laminate insulative shield means including a frame movably supported on said track means and having an outside facing imperforate heat absorptive surface layer facing said glass panel and an insulation material layer mounted on the inside facing portion of said heat absorptive surface layer remote from said glass panel in said frame, said insulative material having little resistance against breakage when forces are applied in directions perpendicular to the plane thereof, said imperforate surface providing a protective barrier from the outside and a rigidification of said insulative material against the effects caused by forces applied from the outside in directions perpendicular to the plane thereof; seal means for effecting a seal around the periphery of said glass panel means and between said window unit and said insulative shield means to define a sealed chamber therebetween when said insulative shield means is in the blocking position; and openable and closeable passageway means into and out of said sealed chamber defined between said glass panel means and said laminate insulative shield means when in the blocking position to facilitate the flow of fluid through said chamber.