Patents Examined by Edward J. Schmiedel
  • Patent number: 10352899
    Abstract: Embodiments provide silver detection systems and methods for detecting the presence of silver ions in one or more samples. In a detection method, a sample and TPEA2 molecules are introduced into a channel. A first potential difference is applied across the length of the channel in a first direction, and a first electrical property value is detected. Subsequently, a second potential difference is applied across the length of the channel in a second opposite direction, and a second electrical property value is detected. Presence or absence of silver ions in the channel is determined based on a comparison between the first and second electrical property values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: ALVEO Technologies Inc., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Sumita Pennathur, Peter Joseph Crisalli, Ronald Phillip Chiarello
  • Patent number: 10283663
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device that includes an upper cell that absorbs a first range of wavelengths of light and a bottom cell that absorbs a second range of wavelengths of light. The bottom cell includes a heterojunction comprising a crystalline germanium containing (Ge) layer. At least one surface of the crystalline germanium (Ge) containing layer is in contact with a silicon (Si) containing layer having a larger band gap than the crystalline (Ge) containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith E. Fogel, Bahman Hekmatshoartabari, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Patent number: 10284104
    Abstract: Discussed is an integral inverter usable with a solar cell module including a solar cell panel. The integral inverter includes a terminal connected to the solar cell panel, an inverter member including a direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) inverter electrically connected to the terminal and a potting member configured to cover at least a portion of the inverter member while exposing the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jungguen Kim
  • Patent number: 10283726
    Abstract: An electricity-generating layer of a solar cell includes a carbon nanotube group containing vertically oriented carbon nanotubes. A fullerene is encapsulated in the carbon nanotube, an n-type dopant 113 is encapsulated between the fullerene and one end of the carbon nanotube, and a p-type dopant is encapsulated between the fullerene and the other end of the carbon nanotube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignees: KYOTO UNIVERSITY, HITACHI ZOSEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazushi Hiraoka, Kazunari Matsuda, Yuhei Miyauchi, Shinichirou Mouri
  • Patent number: 10276733
    Abstract: The solar cell (10) of the present invention comprises: a first electrode (21) including a plurality of finger portions (21a), and a busbar portion (21b) connected electrically to the plurality of finger portions (21a), each of the plurality of finger portions (21a) extending along a first direction (y), and the plurality of finger portions (21a) being arrayed along a second direction (x) perpendicular to the first direction (y) leaving gaps therebetween; and a plurality of protruding portions (23) provided on at least one side of a first main surface (20A) in the first direction (y) of the busbar portion (21b). The plurality of protruding portions (23) are provided so that the total perimeter of the protruding portions (23) per unit area at the ends of the first main surface (20A) in the second direction (x) is longer than the total perimeter of the protruding portions (23) per unit area in the central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Tohoda, Hiroyuki Kannou
  • Patent number: 10263269
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cell for felt electrode characterization which analyzes a characteristic of a felt electrode used in a redox flow battery. According to the present invention, the cell for felt electrode characterization can accurately analyze an electrical characteristic of the felt electrode by adjusting contact strength applied to the working electrode to be constant by adjusting the thickness of the first support that supports one side of the working electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Junghoon Yang, Kyunam Jung, Jaedeok Jeon, Chanwoo Lee, Joonmok Shim
  • Patent number: 10236823
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell module. The solar cell module includes a support substrate; a plurality of solar cells on a front surface of the support substrate; a bus bar electrically connected to the solar cells; and a cover member surrounding the bus bar, wherein the bus bar extends along an edge of the front surface of the support substrate to an edge of a rear surface of the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kyung Ho Kang
  • Patent number: 10170650
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, the present invention provides a novel photovoltaic solar cell system from photovoltaic modules that are vertically arrayed in a stack format using thin film semiconductors selected from among organic and inorganic thin film semiconductors. The stack cells may be cells that are produced in a planar manner, then vertically oriented in an angular form, also termed herein tilted, to maximize the light capturing aspects. The use of a stack configuration system as described herein allows for the use of a variety of electrode materials, such as transparent materials or semitransparent metals. Light concentration can be achieved by using fresnel lens, parabolic mirrors or derivatives of such structures. The light capturing can be controlled by being reflected back and forth in the photovoltaic system until significant quantities of the resonant light is absorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
    Inventors: Seamus Curran, Sampath Dias, Kang-Shyang Liao, Soniya Devi Yambem, Amrita Haldar, Nigel Alley
  • Patent number: 10128056
    Abstract: The present invention is a dye-sensitized solar cell that has a pair of electrodes that oppose each other, a sealing section that joins the pair of electrodes, an electrolyte that fills a cell space that is surrounded by the pair of electrodes and the sealing section, wherein the sealing section has a resin sealing section that contains a resin, the resin sealing section has a changing-thickness section, the thickness of which increases or decreases as a distance from the electrolyte is increased and which has an inclined face, and the resin sealing section comes into contact, along the inclined face of the changing-thickness section, with an electrode of the pair of electrodes that opposes the inclined face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Doi
  • Patent number: 10128427
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating electricity. The apparatus comprises a collar arranged to couple to a pipe and a support having a first planar face, the support being attached to the collar such that it projects away from the collar. The apparatus also has at least one thermoelectric generator attached to the first planar face of the support and a cover attached to the at least one thermoelectric generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: EXNICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Stuart James Ellison
  • Patent number: 10128393
    Abstract: A photovoltaic module may include an electrical connection assembly with increased corrosion protection. The module may be protected from corrosion by using a high number of photovoltaic cells, by providing protective materials over module components subject to corrosion, and/or by adjusting the size ratio of the positive components to the negative components within the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian E. Cohen, Jianjun Wang, Rui Xiao
  • Patent number: 10125384
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a stabilizing composition useful for improving the stability of reagent for redox reaction, and a reagent composition for redox reaction having an improved stability. The reagent composition for redox reaction can be applied for a reagent for electrochemical biosensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: I-SENS. INC.
    Inventors: Sung-Kwon Jung, Moon Hwan Kim, Eun Hye Im, Myeongho Lee, Ung Ki Lee, Geun Sig Cha, Hakhyun Nam
  • Patent number: 10121602
    Abstract: This metal substrate for a dye-sensitized solar cell includes a clad material including a nonporous first metal layer, arranged on an anode side of a dye-sensitized solar cell element, made of a metal having corrosion resistance against an electrolyte of the dye-sensitized solar cell element and a second metal layer made of a metal having lower electrical resistance than the first metal layer and bonded to a side of the first metal layer opposite to the dye-sensitized solar cell element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryouji Inoue, Shinji Yamamoto, Keita Watanabe, Masaaki Ishio
  • Patent number: 10121925
    Abstract: Textured transparent layers are formed on the incident light receiving surface of thin film solar cells to increase their efficiency by altering the incident light path and capturing a portion of the light reflected at the MLA. The textured transparent layer is an array of lenses of micrometer proportions such as hemispheres, hemi-ellipsoids, partial-spheres, partial-ellipsoids, cones, pyramids, prisms, half cylinders, or combinations thereof. A method of forming the textured transparent layer to the light incident surface of the solar cell is by forming an array of lenses from a photocurable resin and its subsequent curing. The photocurable resin can be applied by inkjet printing or can be applied by roll to roll imprinting or stamping with a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Jiangeng Xue, Jason David Myers, Sang-Hyun Eom
  • Patent number: 10121916
    Abstract: A solar cell according to an embodiment comprises: a support substrate; a rear electrode layer formed on the support substrate; a first through groove formed on the rear electrode layer; an optical absorption layer formed on the rear electrode layer; and a front electrode layer formed on the optical absorption layer, wherein the average surface roughness (Ra1) of the support substrate, which is exposed by the first through groove, is in a range of 28 nm to 100 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Myung Seok Shim
  • Patent number: 9997654
    Abstract: A solar cell receiver is provided that includes a semiconductor element that has a front face, a solar cell provided on the front face, a rear face, multiple lateral surfaces and two electric connectors; a carrier for receiving the semiconductor element, the rear face of the element being fixed to the carrier; and an optical element for concentrating the light onto the rear face of the semiconductor element. The optical element has an underside which partially faces the upper side of the semiconductor element, the underside of the optical element has a first shaped section with a first surface that lies on the front face of the semiconductor element and a second surface that lies on the carrier. The shaped section is designed as a cavity or groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Schilling, Victor Khorenko
  • Patent number: 9941427
    Abstract: Provided is a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell according to an embodiment includes a supporting substrate; a transparent electrode layer on the supporting substrate; a buffer layer on the transparent electrode layer; a light absorption layer on the buffer layer; a backside electrode layer on the light absorption layer; and a plurality of recesses formed on a top surface of the transparent electrode layer and having a first slope and a second slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin Woo Lee