Patents Examined by Eric R Smith
  • Patent number: 10741819
    Abstract: A tab bundle has a first bent portion, which is at a first end in the stacking direction L of an electrode assembly in a laminated state and is bent toward a second end in the stacking direction L of the electrode assembly, and an extended portion, which protrudes from the first bent portion in the stacking direction L. The tab bundle is electrically connected to a conductive member by means of a conduction part, which is located in the extended portion. The conductive member includes: a fixed piece, which is fixed to the inner surface of a lid member and located between the extended portion and the lid member, and a connecting piece, which intersects the fixed piece and protrudes toward the electrode assembly. The tab bundle is electrically connected to the connecting piece by means of the conduction part, which is located in the extended portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takayuki Hirose, Motoaki Okuda, Hiroyasu Nishihara, Kojiro Tamaru
  • Patent number: 10707422
    Abstract: A method is provided for producing organic electrical layers having organic emitters that are phosphorescent at room temperature. Organic fluorescent emitters, together with organic complex ligands containing metal complexes, and at least one heavy main group metal, selected from the group comprising In, Tl, Sn, Pb, Sb and Bi, are deposited jointly inside a layer, and the heavy main group metal changes its coordination sphere by receiving the organic fluorescent emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Florian Kessler, Ana-Maria Krestel, Anna Maltenberger, Guenter Schmid, Dan Taroata
  • Patent number: 10692719
    Abstract: A nanowire includes an electrically conductive catalyst nanoparticle first portion, a semiconductor wire second portion, a first dielectric shell around the first portion, and a second dielectric shell or functionalization around the second portion. A material of the second dielectric shell or functionalization is different from a material of the first shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: AligND Systems AB
    Inventors: Umear Naseem, Klaus Kunze
  • Patent number: 10686134
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element is provided. The photoelectric conversion element includes a conductive film, an electron transport layer overlying the conductive film, a photoelectric conversion layer overlying the electron transport layer, a hole transport layer overlying the photoelectric conversion layer, and an electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer includes a first material and a second material, each having specific chemical formulae.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Arai, Yuuji Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Matsuyama, Tokushige Kino, Naomichi Kanei
  • Patent number: 10673002
    Abstract: Organic photoelectric conversion element has a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode. The photoelectric conversion layer has a first organic layer that contains a first organic semiconductor containing principally a p-type organic semiconductor, a second organic layer that contains a second organic semiconductor containing principally an n-type organic semiconductor, and an intermediate layer that contains the first organic semiconductor and the second organic semiconductor. The second organic layer is disposed at a side of the second electrode relative to the first organic layer. The intermediate layer is between the first organic layer and the second organic layer and reaches each of these layers. The thickness of the second organic layer is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the first organic layer and intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Shigeo Hara, Wataru Akahori, Takahiko Yamanaka, Tadataka Edamura
  • Patent number: 10665730
    Abstract: A fabric comprising a plurality of photovoltaic filaments includes a conductive bus structure woven into the selvage edge of the fabric, providing a robust and flexible electrical connection from the positive and negative electrode leads of the photovoltaic filaments. The bus structure may be formed in segments which can include any combination of series and parallel configurations to accommodate loads requiring specified voltage and current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Pepin Technologies LLC.
    Inventor: Karl A. Pepin
  • Patent number: 10658535
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes: a first cover in the form of a plate having at least a portion transparently; a second cover disposed to face the first cover; at least one solar cell disposed between the first cover and the second cover; a sealing material which fills a space between the first cover and the second cover and joins them together to thus seal the solar cell; and terminals electrically connected to the solar cell, surrounded by the sealing material between the first cover and the second cover, and serving as a conductor. At least one of the first cover and the second cover has a boss as a positioning portion which positions the terminals. The terminal contacts the first cover having the boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotaka Inaba
  • Patent number: 10651782
    Abstract: PV modules and ballast arm assemblies are mounted onto a torque tube suspended from a support structure. The support structures allows torque tube, and mounted PV modules and ballast arm assemblies, to freely rotate. The ballast arm assembly includes a drive mechanism, an arm and a ballast. The drive mechanism allows the adjustment angle between the PV module and the arm and ballast to be changed. Changing the adjustment angle causes the torque tube, and mounted PV modules, to freely rotate to a different orientation angle in order to balance the moments of PV modules and ballast arm assemblies caused by gravity. The orientation angle can be changed throughout the day by changing the adjustment angle in order for the PV modules to track the sun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Philip Patnude
  • Patent number: 10651334
    Abstract: Semitransparent chalcogen solar cells and techniques for fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a solar cell includes: forming a first transparent contact on a substrate; depositing an n-type layer on the first transparent contact; depositing a p-type chalcogen absorber layer on the n-type layer, wherein a p-n junction is formed between the p-type chalcogen absorber layer and the n-type layer; depositing a protective interlayer onto the p-type chalcogen absorber layer, wherein the protective interlayer fully covers the p-type chalcogen absorber layer; and forming a second transparent contact on the interlayer, wherein the interlayer being disposed between the p-type chalcogen absorber layer and the second transparent contact serves to protect the p-n junction during the forming of the second transparent contact. Solar cells and other methods for formation thereof are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas M. Bishop, Yun Seog Lee, Saurabh Singh, Teodor K. Todorov
  • Patent number: 10651408
    Abstract: Selenium-fullerene heterojunction solar cells and techniques for fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming a solar cell includes: forming a front contact on a substrate; depositing an n-type semiconducting layer on the front contact, wherein the n-type semiconducting layer comprises a fullerene or fullerene derivative; forming a p-type chalcogen absorber layer on the n-type semiconducting layer; depositing a high workfunction material onto the p-type chalcogen absorber layer, wherein the high workfunction material has a workfunction of greater than about 5.2 electron volts; and forming a back contact on the high workfunction material. Solar cells and other methods for formation thereof are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas M. Bishop, Yun Seog Lee, Saurabh Singh, Teodor K. Todorov
  • Patent number: 10636924
    Abstract: A solar module can include a first and second solar cell having front sides which face the sun during normal operation and back sides opposite the front sides. In an embodiment, a first interconnect can be coupled to the back sides of both the first and second solar cell, where the first interconnect comprises an anodized region facing substantially the same direction as the front sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Pass
  • Patent number: 10594256
    Abstract: A photovoltaic thermal collector is provided with: glasses disposed on both a sunlight receiving surface side and an opposite surface side thereto; a hot-water producing portion and a power generating portion. An olefinic rubber sealing member (A) is disposed on at least one surface side of a power generating element of the power generating portion, and an olefinic rubber sheet (B) including carbon black is disposed on an opposite surface side thereto. In addition, a resin pipe as a channel of the hot-water producing portion is made of cross-linked polyethylene or polybutene; the resin pipe is sandwiched in the olefinic rubber sheet (B); and the olefinic rubber sheet (B) is further disposed in a side portion of the resin pipe and in a gap between one resin pipe and another resin pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Nisshinbo Mechatronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hidenari Nakahama
  • Patent number: 10593890
    Abstract: Organic materials containing dibenzofuran or aza-dibenzofuran moiety are disclosed in this application. These materials are expected to improve OLED device performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL DISPLAY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lichang Zeng, Zeinab Elshenawy, Walter Yeager, Alexey Borisovich Dyatkin, Chuanjun Xia
  • Patent number: 10581375
    Abstract: A mounting clip, mounting an element to a structure having trim with a thickness, includes a body having first and second legs with a gap therebetween sized for receiving the trim. The first leg is positionable against the element. The first and second legs have aligned, possibly threaded, through holes. The element can be fastened to the trim through the clips without penetrating the structure. The first leg has a distal end which can be curved to act as a trim engagement element. The mounting clip and fastener structure, such as a threaded fastener, can constitute a mounting clip assembly. A PV panel wire cover assembly includes a wire-covering housing having open ends and a mounting flange. Closed and open end cap mountable to the open ends prevent access to the housing interior when the housing is mounted to the panel, the open end cap having a wire passage opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Inventor: David C. Hood
  • Patent number: 10566470
    Abstract: The solar cell includes a plurality of light-receiving-side finger electrodes on a light-receiving surface of a photoelectric conversion section having a semiconductor junction. The light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion section is covered with a first insulating layer. Each light-receiving-side finger electrodes include: a first metal seed layer provided between the photoelectric conversion section and the first insulating layer; and a first plating metal layer being conduction with the first metal seed layer through openings formed in the first insulating layer. The solar cell includes an isolated plating metal layer pieces contacting neither the light-receiving-side finger electrodes nor the back-side finger electrodes. On the surface of the first insulating layer, an isolated plating metal crowded region is present in a form of a band-shape extending parallel to an extending direction of the light-receiving-side finger electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunta Yoshikawa, Daisuke Adachi, Toru Terashita, Masafumi Hiraishi
  • Patent number: 10554167
    Abstract: A solar carport module including a support structure to provide shelter to a vehicle, the support structure having a pair of trusses rotatably affixed to a ground surface on which vehicle is parked, a plurality of photovoltaic panels mounted between the pair of trusses to provide solar electricity, a battery assembly that electrically connects the plurality of photovoltaic panel to receive, regulate, and store the solar electricity, an articulation system that rotates the pair of trusses between a shelter position and a service position, and an electrical control unit configured to detect a maximum sunlight exposure position and to operate the articulation system to place the plurality of photovoltaic panels in the maximum sunlight exposure position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz University
    Inventor: Mohannad Bayoumi
  • Patent number: 10535884
    Abstract: An air processing system of a fuel cell vehicle mounted with an integrated valve includes: the integrated valve attached to an air inlet and an air outlet formed integrally with a fuel cell stack and adjusting amounts of air introduced into and discharged from the fuel cell stack. The integrated valve is positioned at the shortest distance from the fuel cell stack, such that an amount of remaining oxygen that is to be consumed at the time of stopping start of a fuel cell vehicle is minimized. Therefore, corrosion of cathode carbon is decreased as compared with the related art, such that durability of the fuel cell vehicle is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Duck Whan Kim, Chang Ha Lee
  • Patent number: 10505180
    Abstract: Described is a core-shell nanoparticle comprising a lithium sulfide nanoparticle core and a shell covering the lithium sulfide nanoparticle core, the shell comprising at least one of carbon, polyanaline or a transition metal sulfide. The core-shell nanoparticle may be used for a positive electrode in a lithium/sulfur battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventor: Elton J. Cairns
  • Patent number: 10431706
    Abstract: A photoactive device that includes a photovoltaic device having electrodes and at least one photoactive layer between the electrodes. One or more other layers may be included between the electrodes. The device includes a substrate positioned below the photovoltaic device, and a nanostructure backreflective layer positioned below the substrate such that at least some of the incident light impinging on the photovoltaic device passes through the photovoltaic device and the substrate and is backscattered through the substrate to the photovoltaic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Peicheng Ku, Nanditha Dissanayake, Brian Roberts
  • Patent number: 10431846
    Abstract: An energy storage device includes an electrode assembly that includes a sheet-like first electrode and a sheet-like second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being alternately layered. Each of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a sheet-like current collecting substrate, and the current collecting substrate of the first electrode is bent toward one side in a layered direction in at least a part of an end portion of the first electrode. The electrode assembly also includes an extension portion formed in such a manner that the current collecting substrate of the second electrode extends outward more than the end portion of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sasaki