Patents by Inventor Christof Erban

Christof Erban has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8656676
    Abstract: A laminated, plate-shaped element with at least a first and a second substrate, which are joined together at least indirectly by adhesive bonding, and also with at least one support element associated with the first substrate to fasten the laminated element to an infrastructure and active position fastening of the second substrate at least in the event of failure of the bonded joint. The position fastening is active only between the first and second substrates and is placed a certain distance from the edge of the second substrate. The active position fastening is particularly applicable in laminated elements placed in an inclined or vertical mounting position, for example in solar modules with incorporated solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Christof Erban
  • Publication number: 20070190282
    Abstract: A laminated, plate-shaped element with at least a first and a second substrate, which are joined together at least indirectly by adhesive bonding, and also with at least one support element associated with the first substrate to fasten the laminated element to an infrastructure and active position fastening of the second substrate at least in the event of failure of the bonded joint. The position fastening is active only between the first and second substrates and is placed a certain distance from the edge of the second substrate. The active position fastening is particularly applicable in laminated elements placed in an inclined or vertical mounting position, for example in solar modules with incorporated solar cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Christof Erban
  • Patent number: 6858791
    Abstract: In a solar module (1) comprising a plurality of individual solar cells (2) connected together electrically in series, with at least one solar cell (5, 6) exposed to the same conditions and not linked to the other solar cells, which serves as sensor of the instantaneous incident light on the solar module and with a switching device (8) able to be slaved at least indirectly to the sensor so as to act on the output electric power of the solar module, according to the invention, at least two solar cells (5, 6), which are disposed a large distance apart, are provided as sensors whose output voltages or currents are conveyed to an evaluation circuit (7) and are compared with one another by the latter, and the evaluation circuit (7) connects by means of the switching device (8) a shunt which bypasses the series circuit of the solar cells (2) of the solar module (1) when a difference which exceeds a threshold value exists between the outputs of the two sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Glass France
    Inventor: Christof Erban
  • Publication number: 20040123894
    Abstract: In a solar module (1) comprising a plurality of individual solar cells (2) connected together electrically in series, with at least one solar cell (5, 6) exposed to the same conditions and not linked to the other solar cells, which serves as sensor of the instantaneous incident light on the solar module and with a switching device (8) able to be slaved at least indirectly to the sensor so as to act on the output electric power of the solar module, according to the invention, at least two solar cells (5, 6), which are disposed a large distance apart, are provided as sensors whose output voltages or currents are conveyed to an evaluation circuit (7) and are compared with one another by the latter, and the evaluation circuit (7) connects by means of the switching device (8) a shunt which bypasses the series circuit of the solar cells (2) of the solar module (1) when a difference which exceeds a threshold value exists between the outputs of the two sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventor: Christof Erban