Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100212717 | Solar collector with optical waveguide - A solar energy collection system includes a first photovoltaic cell sensitive to radiation in a first wavelength range, a second photovoltaic cell sensitive to radiation in a second wavelength range, and a first waveguide configured to direct radiation toward the first and second photovoltaic cells and defining a longitudinal axis substantially non-perpendicular to a radiation receiving surface of at least one of the photovoltaic cells. | 08-26-2010 |
20100321687 | SHUTTERING AND SEALING DEVICE - A shuttering and sealing device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes an aperture through which light may pass to an optical sensor, a seal surrounding the aperture, and a shutter movable between an open position in which the shutter does not cover the aperture and a closed position in which the shutter covers the aperture and the seal seals the shutter around the aperture. | 12-23-2010 |
20100321694 | COLOR DETECTOR HAVING AREA SCALED PHOTODETECTORS - A color detector includes a light source, a filter, and a photodetector. The photodetector outputs a signal proportional to the amount of a predetermined color of light that passes through the corresponding filter. When used in an array, each filter may have different transmission characteristics, and each color signal may have a different magnitude and/or signal-to-noise ratio. This may be corrected for by adjusting the area of each of the photodetectors and corresponding filters. In other words, the areas if the photodetectors may be configured to equalize the color signal of a reference color and thereby maximize the signal-to-noise ratio of the color signals the sensor is intended to measure. The area of the photodetector may be based on a response curve of the photodetector as a function of wavelength, a response curve of the filter as a function of wavelength, and the amount of light as a function of wavelength generated by the light source, among other factors. | 12-23-2010 |
20110134514 | Flexible Substrate Having Electrical And Optical Functions - A flexible substrate having electrical and optical functions. The substrate includes a planar non-conductive film. The substrate also includes a seed layer on a first region of the film for fabrication of conductive traces to couple to an electro-optical component disposed adjacent the first region. The substrate further includes a smooth optically reflective layer disposed on a second region of the film. | 06-09-2011 |
20110139217 | PHOTOVOLTAIC ARRAY WITH ANGULAR ADJUSTMENT - Apparatus are provided for use in photovoltaic systems. A photovoltaic array includes a rigid transparent material supporting a flexible material there beneath. Numerous photovoltaic cells are supported by the flexible material and are electrically coupled to circuit pathways borne there on. A positioner operates to shift the flexible material thus adjusting respective angular relationships between the photovoltaic cells and the overlying transparent material. Photovoltaic cells are reoriented in accordance with daily or seasonal variations in the suns position by way of the present teachings. | 06-16-2011 |
20110211196 | COLOR MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A color measurement device includes a light pipe and a light source. The light pipe is oriented length-wise towards a color sample surface along a first axis that is non-perpendicular to the surface. A color sample is positioned on the surface. The light pipe has a near opening, a far opening, and a face at the far opening. The near opening is closer to the color sample than the far opening. The light source is positioned near the far opening of the light pipe, and is to output light along a second axis and into the light pipe at the far opening. The light reflects off the surface after exiting the light pipe at the near opening. The second axis is non-perpendicular to the face of the light pipe at the far opening. The light non-uniformly illuminates the color sample after exiting the light pipe at the near opening. | 09-01-2011 |
20110212306 | FORMED ENTITIES FROM FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIALS - Apparatus and methods are provided. A first sheet of flexible material is placed against a surface of a form. The first sheet bears an adhesive on one side. A second sheet of flexible material is brought into contact with the adhesive and the two sheets are pressed into conformant contact with the surface of the form. The first and second sheets are thus bonded to form a rigid or semi-rigid entity having a cross-sectional shape in accordance with the surface contours of the form. | 09-01-2011 |
20110308561 | Circuit limiting an absolute voltage difference between electrical paths of photovoltaic dies - A first electrical path has a terminal, and a second electrical path has a terminal. First photovoltaic (PV) dies are electrically connected within the first electrical path. Each first PV die is adapted to convert light having a first wavelength range to electrical energy. Second PV dies are electrically connected within the second electrical path. Each second PV die is adapted to convert light having a second wavelength range different than the first wavelength range to electrical energy. A circuit is electrically connected between the terminals of the first and the second electrical paths to limit an absolute voltage difference between the terminals to no greater than a threshold voltage. | 12-22-2011 |
20110308571 | Light assembly having parabolic sheets - A light assembly includes a first sheet and a second sheet below the first sheet. The first and the second sheets are parabolic in shape. The first sheet has a dichroic surface. The second sheet has a reflective surface. | 12-22-2011 |
20110310389 | COLOR SENSOR - A color sensor array includes a plurality of sensors. Each of the plurality of sensors has a width dimension and a length dimension that is elongated with respect to the width dimension. The length dimensions of the sensors are substantially equal to one another and parallel to an illumination plane. Each of the plurality of sensors includes a face defined by opposing first and second elongated sides and opposing first and second non-elongated sides. The first non-elongated sides of the plurality of sensors are aligned with one another along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the illumination plane. | 12-22-2011 |
20120138122 | PARABOLIC LIGHT CONCENTRATING TROUGH - Apparatus and methods are provided for use with photovoltaic cells, light emitting devices and the like. Reflective regions are formed on a sheet of flexible, non-metallic sheet material. The sheet material is folded to at least partially define a finished shape. Supports complete and maintain the folded condition such that one or more truncated parabolic troughs are defined. Incident light may be received and concentrated, or emitted light concentrated and projected, by way of the troughs. | 06-07-2012 |
20120224265 | SUPPORTING A SUBSTRATE WITHIN AN OPTICAL COMPONENT - An optical component including a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a first plurality of light reflective coating layers disposed adjacent to the first side and a second plurality of light reflective coating layers disposed adjacent to the second side of the substrate. The first plurality of light reflective coating layers has a first combination of a first thickness and a first modulus of elasticity in relation to the substrate. The second plurality of light reflective coating layers has a second combination of a second thickness and a second modulus of elasticity in relation to the substrate that matches the first combination such that the first and second plurality of light reflective coatings layers support the substrate in a neutral shape. | 09-06-2012 |
20120234370 | LIGHT ENERGY CONCENTRATOR - Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. An upper surface and a lower surface disposed there beneath have respective parabolic curvatures. The upper surface includes a coating and concentrates a first spectral portion of incident light upon a first target. The lower surface includes a reflective coating and concentrates a second spectral portion of the incident light upon a second target distinct from the first target. The first and second targets can be photovoltaic cells that are optimized for the respective photonic energies concentrated thereon. | 09-20-2012 |
20120305050 | PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES WITH LIGHT-DIRECTING SURFACE FEATURES - Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. An optical material defines light-directing surface features, each configured to direct incident photonic energy away from a respective dead-space. Photovoltaic cells or other entities receive photonic energy propagating through the optical material, including that portion being directed by the light-directing surface features. Various entities can be located within the dead-spaces defined between the photovoltaic cells. | 12-06-2012 |
20120325287 | PHOTONIC ENERGY CONCENTRATOR WITH INTEGRAL SUPPORT RIBS - Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. A curved surface includes integral support ribs extending away from a backside thereof. A dichroic surface treatment is born on the curved surface to define a curved dichroic surface. A curved reflector is disposed apart from the backside of the curved dichroic surface. Photovoltaic cells can be disposed at respective photonic energy concentration regions defined by the curved dichroic surface and the curved reflector. | 12-27-2012 |
20130068281 | Offset light concentrating - Offset light concentrating is disclosed. An example method includes providing a parabolic optic having an offset reflective surface for incident light. The method also includes offsetting a photovoltaic device from a path of the incident light. The method also includes concentrating light from the reflective surface of the parabolic optic on the photovoltaic device. | 03-21-2013 |
20130078441 | SUBSTRATE FOR AN OPTICAL FILM STACK - A substrate for an optical film stack is disclosed herein. A method of preparing a substrate for an optical film stack includes placing a polymer base material in a vacuum chamber, the polymer base material having a glass transition temperature (T | 03-28-2013 |
20130098427 | PARABOLOID REFLECTORS - An example of this disclosure relates to paraboloid reflectors. Another example of this disclosure relates to a collector panel including collector cells and paraboloid reflectors. | 04-25-2013 |
20130148124 | COLOR SENSING DEVICE - A color sensing apparatus ( | 06-13-2013 |
20130334441 | FILTER - Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a filter ( | 12-19-2013 |
20140034112 | OPTICAL CONCENTRATORS AND SPLITTERS - Apparatus and methods are provided for use with solar energy. An optical concentrator and splitter (OCS) includes a non-planar bottom surface having symmetrical halves, each half defined by an off-axis section of a parabola. The bottom surface bears a dielectric surface treatment. The OCS is configured to concentrate a first spectral portion of photonic energy through respective side surfaces, and to concentrate a second spectral portion through the bottom surface. Targets such as photovoltaic cells or others receive the concentrated first and second spectral portions, respectively. | 02-06-2014 |
20140216692 | HEAT DISSIPATING DEVICES AND METHODS - Heat dissipating devices and methods are disclosed. An example method may include evaporating a liquid working fluid, a resulting vapor phase to absorb heat. The method may also include condensing the vaporized working fluid back to a liquid phase to release the heat to an external environment. The method may also include returning the liquid working fluid back to the evaporation zone. | 08-07-2014 |
20140347420 | NOZZLE EJECTION TRAJECTORY DETECTION - Light redirected by liquid droplets ejected from nozzles ( | 11-27-2014 |