Patents by Inventor Douglas S. Malchow

Douglas S. Malchow 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).

  • Detecting moisture in solar cells
    Patent number: 10379040
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a camera with a solid-state sensor and an illumination selector. The illumination selector is arranged for optical coupling with the sensor and arranged for communicating electromagnetic radiation within a shortwave infrared narrowband to the sensor. The shortwave infrared narrowband includes a peak absorption or peak reflection wavelength of moisture to infrared illumination to image moisture disposed within a solar cell array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas S. Malchow
  • Systems and methods for marking plastics
    Patent number: 10316173
    Abstract: A method of determining the composition of a polymeric body includes applying electromagnetic radiation to the polymeric body, modulating the electromagnetic radiation using a tagant disposed within a polymer composition forming the polymeric body, and receiving the modulated electromagnetic radiation from the tagant at an infrared detector. The electromagnetic radiation received from the tagant has a signature corresponding to the polymer composition forming the polymeric body. A method of making a polymeric body and system for determining composition of a polymeric body are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Sensors Unlimited, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas S. Malchow
  • DETECTING MOISTURE IN SOLAR CELLS
    Publication number: 20180180538
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes a camera with a solid-state sensor and an illumination selector. The illumination selector is arranged for optical coupling with the sensor and arranged for communicating electromagnetic radiation within a shortwave infrared narrowband to the sensor. The shortwave infrared narrowband includes a peak absorption or peak reflection wavelength of moisture to infrared illumination to image moisture disposed within a solar cell array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventor: Douglas S. Malchow
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MARKING PLASTICS
    Publication number: 20170219481
    Abstract: A method of determining the composition of a polymeric body includes applying electromagnetic radiation to the polymeric body, modulating the electromagnetic radiation using a tagant disposed within a polymer composition forming the polymeric body, and receiving the modulated electromagnetic radiation from the tagant at an infrared detector. The electromagnetic radiation received from the tagant has a signature corresponding to the polymer composition forming the polymeric body. A method of making a polymeric body and system for determining composition of a polymeric body are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Douglas S. Malchow