Patents by Inventor Veena Gopal

Veena Gopal 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).

  • Hollow photovoltaic fiber
    Patent number: 9054248
    Abstract: A hollow photovoltaic fiber. The hollow photovoltaic fiber includes semiconductor formed on the inner surface of a hollow tube or on a flexible substrate subsequently formed into a hollow tube. The hollow photovoltaic fiber is suitable a variety of semiconductor devices, including solar cells. Light entering the hollow photovoltaic fiber deposits energy in the semiconductor as it travel through the tube. The hollow photovoltaic fiber exhibits improved energy conversion efficiency over planar thin film solar cells due to the large semiconductor surface area and longer light travel path provided by the tube. Embodiments of the hollow photovoltaic fiber are lightweight and flexible allowing the creation of non-planar solar cells and the applications for solar cells to extend into such areas as the manufacture of photovoltaic textiles or photovoltaic non-woven fabrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: SunJoule Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Kalyanaraman, Veena Gopal Krishnan, Hernando Garcia, Gerd Duscher, Abhinav Malasi
  • Hollow Photovoltaic Fiber
    Publication number: 20120279561
    Abstract: A hollow photovoltaic fiber. The hollow photovoltaic fiber includes semiconductor formed on the inner surface of a hollow tube or on a flexible substrate subsequently formed into a hollow tube. The hollow photovoltaic fiber is suitable a variety of semiconductor devices, including solar cells. Light entering the hollow photovoltaic fiber deposits energy in the semiconductor as it travel through the tube. The hollow photovoltaic fiber exhibits improved energy conversion efficiency over planar thin film solar cells due to the large semiconductor surface area and longer light travel path provided by the tube. Embodiments of the hollow photovoltaic fiber are lightweight and flexible allowing the creation of non-planar solar cells and the applications for solar cells to extend into such areas as the manufacture of photovoltaic textiles or photovoltaic non-woven fabrics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: SUNJOULE MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ramakrishnan Kalyanaraman, Veena Gopal Krishnan, Hernando Garcia, Gerd Duscher, Abhinav Malasi
  • Method, and article of the method, for fabricating a flexible, hollow waveguide
    Patent number: 7315675
    Abstract: A flexible, hollow, waveguide is featured, that functions in the visible region. The waveguide comprises a hollow, flexible, silica-glass tube having a smooth bore, that is coated with a reflective substance on the inner bore surface. A composite of two sulfide materials are then layered over the reflective substance. The sulfide materials form a high contrasting refractive index of approximately 2:1, thus creating a photonic, bandgap tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Inventors: James A. Harrington, Veena Gopal
  • Method, and article of the method, for fabricating a flexible, hollow waveguide
    Publication number: 20060263023
    Abstract: A flexible, hollow, waveguide is featured, that functions in the visible region. The waveguide comprises a hollow, flexible, silica-glass tube having a smooth bore, that is coated with a reflective substance on the inner bore surface. A composite of two sulfide materials are then layered over the reflective substance. The sulfide materials form a high contrasting refractive index of approximately 2:1, thus creating a photonic, bandgap tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: James Harrington, Veena Gopal