Patents Examined by Angelo Trivisonno
  • Patent number: 10566481
    Abstract: A solar battery module includes: a front face protective sheet at a first side; a sheet-shaped solar battery cell disposed at a second side, the second side being an opposite side from the first side with respect to the front face protective sheet; a backing sheet disposed at the second side with respect to the solar battery cell; and an encapsulation layer provided between the front face protective sheet and the backing sheet, and encapsulating the solar battery cell. A convexly-curved portion is provided at the backing sheet to overlap the solar battery cell, and curves convexly toward a solar battery cell side, the solar battery cell curves in accordance with the convexly-curved portion, and a rigidity of the convexly-curved portion with respect to a load acting in the sheet thickness direction of the solar battery cell is higher than a rigidity of the solar battery cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Shoichi Iwamoto, Kazutaka Kimura, Hirotaka Inaba
  • Patent number: 10566483
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell including a semiconductor substrate, a first conductive area disposed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, the first conductive area being of a first conductive type, a second conductive area of a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type, a first electrode connected to the first conductive area, and a second electrode connected to the second conductive area. At least one of the first conductive area and the second conductive area is formed of a metal compound layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaewon Chang, Ilhyoung Jung, Jinah Kim, Hyunjung Park, Seunghwan Shim
  • Patent number: 10559739
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module comprising a central thermoelectric assembly of cylindrical tubular shape inside which a first cold fluid flows and outside which a hot fluid flows. This module is characterized in that it also comprises at least one peripheral thermoelectric assembly having: an outer face in contact with a second cold fluid; an inner face positioned on a peripheral boundary surrounding the central thermoelectric assembly, said boundary defining a channel between said central and peripheral thermoelectric assemblies where the hot fluid flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
    Inventors: Kamel Azzouz, Issiaka Traore
  • Patent number: 10554168
    Abstract: A light-concentrating, solar system, comprising: a first Fresnel lens (111) provided with at least one tooth face, wherein each tooth face contains at least one Fresnel unit; two reflective faces (112, 113) arranged to enable incident sunlight to converge via the first Fresnel lens (111), and then to irradiate to a first reflective face (112), and at least part of the incident sunlight to be reflected onto a second reflective face (113) by the first reflective face (112); and a photovoltaic panel (114) arranged to enable at least part of the sunlight reflected by the second reflective face (113) to directly irradiate to or be led to irradiate to the photovoltaic panel (114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: BOLYMEDIA HOLDINGS CO. LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoping Hu
  • Patent number: 10529868
    Abstract: A solar cell array comprises a plurality of cells, adjacent cells connected by a metal wire. At least one metal wire extends reciprocally between a surface of a first cell and a surface of a second cell adjacent to the first cell to form a plurality of conductive wires. The number of the conductive wires is n, y?y×20%?n?y+y×20%, in which n is an integer and y=4.0533X?1.28/1562*A*B, in which X is a diameter value of the metal wire with mm as a unit, 0.1?X?0.5, A and B representing length and width of the cell with mm as the unit. The cells comprise secondary grid lines disposed on front surfaces thereof. The conductive wires are welded with the secondary grid lines by a welding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhiqiang Zhao, Zhanfeng Jiang, Long He
  • Patent number: 10525684
    Abstract: A system is provided that integrates an autonomous energy harvesting capacity in a mobile device in an aesthetically neutral manner. A unique set of structural features combine to implement a hidden energy harvesting system on a surface of the mobile device body structure or casing to provide electrical power to the mobile device, and/or to individually electrically-powered components in the mobile device. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below. The layers appear opaque when observed from a light incident side, while allowing at least 50%, and as much as 80+%, of the energy impinging on the energy or incident side to pass through the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Face International Corporation
    Inventors: Clark D Boyd, Bradbury R Face, Jeffrey D Shepard
  • Patent number: 10529871
    Abstract: A system is provided that integrates an autonomous energy harvesting capacity in vehicles in an aesthetically neutral manner. A unique set of structural features combine to implement a hidden energy harvesting system on a surface of the vehicle to provide electrical power to the vehicle, and/or to electrically-powered devices in the vehicle. Color-matched, image-matched and/or texture-matched optical layers are formed over energy harvesting components, including photovoltaic energy collecting components. Optical layers are tuned to scatter selectable wavelengths of electromagnetic energy back in an incident direction while allowing remaining wavelengths of electromagnetic energy to pass through the layers to the energy collecting components below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Face International Corporation
    Inventors: Clark D Boyd, Bradbury R Face, Jeffrey D Shepard
  • Patent number: 10497851
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module may include a plurality of thermoelectric elements arranged spaced apart from one another between a hot-side substrate and a cold-side substrate. A plurality of conductor bridges may be provided for electrical interconnection of the plurality of thermoelectric elements. One or more of the conductor bridges arranged between the plurality of thermoelectric elements and the hot-side substrate, and/or one or more of the conductor bridges arranged between the plurality of thermoelectric elements and the cold-side substrate, may include a thermally and electrically conducting and elastically deformable bridge body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Himmer
  • Patent number: 10483418
    Abstract: Provided is a primer for a solar cell module which makes it possible to prevent peeling of a surface protective material from a sealing material over a long time, and a solar cell module manufactured using this primer. The primer includes 40 to 95 parts by mass of a polymerizable ester, 5 to 60 parts by mass of an adhesion promoter, and a polymerization initiator. The polymerizable ester includes at least one of an acryloyl group and a methacryloyl group. The adhesion promoter includes a functional group improvable is adhesion to an acrylic resin or a methacrylic resin, and an alkoxysilyl group. The polymerization initiator is configured to be able to initiate polymerization of the polymerizable ester. The content of the polymerization initiator is 0.1 to 10 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass as a total of the polymerizable ester and the adhesion promoter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuya Maruyama, Hirotaka Inaba, Motoya Sakabe
  • Patent number: 10475593
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of halogenated histidine derivatives as electrolyte salts in the preparation of an electrolyte composition in a photoelectrochemical cell based on the sensitization to light of photoactive molecules, and also to a photoelectrochemical cell based on the sensitization to light of photoactive molecules comprising an electrolyte composition comprising at least one halogenated histidine derivative as electrolyte salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE PICARDIE JULES VERNE
    Inventors: Iryna Sagaidak, Miguel Flasque, Frédéric Sauvage, Albert Nguyen Van Nhien
  • Patent number: 10475982
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module may include a plurality of thermoelectric elements arranged spaced apart from one another between a hot-side substrate and a cold-side substrate. A plurality of conductor bridges may electrically interconnect the plurality of thermoelectric elements. An electrically insulated holder may position the plurality of thermoelectric elements between the hot-side substrate and the cold-side substrate. The holder may include a separate through-opening for each of the plurality of thermoelectric elements. One or more of the plurality of conductor bridges may rest loosely on the hot-side substrate and/or the cold-side substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Himmer
  • Patent number: 10475940
    Abstract: An optical device includes an active region and packaging glass located on top of the active region. A top surface of the packaging glass includes hierarchical nanostructures comprised of honeycombed nanowalls (HNWs) and nanorod (NR) structures extending from the HNWs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jr-Hau He, Hui-Chun Fu
  • Patent number: 10465995
    Abstract: Energy storage systems are disclosed. The systems may store energy as heat in a high temperature liquid, and the heat may be converted to electricity by absorbing radiation emitted from the high temperature liquid via one or more photovoltaic devices when the high temperature liquid is transported through an array of conduits. Some aspects described herein relate to reducing deposition of sublimated material from the conduits onto the photovoltaic devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Asegun Henry
  • Patent number: 10469025
    Abstract: A solar-tracking photovoltaic (PV) system having a motor drive vertically below a PV module, is described. In an example, the motor drive rotates a torque tube holding the PV module. The motor drive may include a gearbox having a worm drive, and a gearmotor having an offset gear. The offset gear may be coupled to a planetary gear train along an axis of a worm of the worm drive, and the offset gear may be coupled to a motor along a shaft axis offset vertically below the worm axis. Accordingly, the motor may be offset vertically below the worm drive, i.e., farther from the PV laminate than the worm drive, and a rotational clearance for the PV laminate may be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Tyler Grushkowitz, Brian Wares, Mark Adam Schimelpfenig, Jason C. Jones
  • Patent number: 10439142
    Abstract: The present specification relates to an organic solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hangken Lee, Jiyoung Lee, Jaechol Lee, Songrim Jang, Doowhan Choi, Jiwon Bang
  • Patent number: 10439153
    Abstract: The present specification relates to a compound and an organic solar cell comprising the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Bogyu Lim, Jaechol Lee, Jiyoung Lee, Younshin Kim
  • Patent number: 10425035
    Abstract: Disclosed are module connectors for flexible photovoltaic modules. A module connector may include a clamp and an insert configured to be inserted into the clamp. The insert may have an insert body, an electrical lead and an electrical connector. The clamp may have a body portion with a recess configured to receive the insert body, a first clamping portion configured to clamp a second portion of the electrical connector to connect it to the body portion, and a second clamping portion with a first clamping surface configured to contact a first sheet of the module and a second clamping surface configured to contact a second sheet of the module. The second clamping portion may be configured to connect the clamp to the module such that the clamp overlaps and extends around a part of the first sheet, a part of the module's exterior edge surface, and a part of the second sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Miasolé Hi-Tech Corp.
    Inventors: Jason Stephen Corneille, Nicholai Busch, Richard Weinberg, John Huang
  • Patent number: 10424709
    Abstract: The present document describes an apparatus for recovering heat from an electronic component to generate electric energy. The apparatus comprises a thermoelectric generator having a cold side and a hot side, the hot side being in thermal communication with the electronic component. The apparatus further comprises a heat dissipation device in thermal communication with the cold side of the thermoelectric generator for dissipate heat it receives, and a heat transfer device with a thermal conductivity greater than 200 W(m·K) for directly transferring the heat from the electronic component to the heat dissipation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: HYPERTECHNOLOGIE CIARA INC.
    Inventor: Eliot Ahdoot
  • Patent number: 10418934
    Abstract: A solar photovoltaic panel disposed in a matrix for use, wherein the solar photovoltaic panel comprises a plurality of antennas configured to communicate with antennas placed on adjoining solar photovoltaic panels, a receptor configured to receive a search command via the plurality of antennas, a transmitter configured to transmit a search command from the antennas excluding the antenna having received the search command in response to the received search command, and a responder configured to create a response signal including the panel ID of its own solar photovoltaic panel and transmit the response signal from the antenna having received the search command when no response signal to the search command transmitted from the transmitter is received, and when a response signal to the search command transmitted from the transmitter is received, transmit the response signal with the addition of information from the antenna having received the search command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiyasu Higuma
  • Patent number: 10418502
    Abstract: The present invention relates to multi-cell devices fabricated on a common substrate that are more desirable than single cell devices, particularly in photovoltaic applications. Multi-cell devices operate with lower currents, higher output voltages, and lower internal power losses. Prior art multi-cell devices use physical isolation to achieve electrical isolation between cells. In order to fabricate a multicell device on a common substrate, the individual cells must be electrically isolated from one another. In the prior art, isolation generally required creating a physical dielectric barrier between the cells, which adds complexity and cost to the fabrication process. The disclosed invention achieves electrical isolation without physical isolation by proper orientation of interdigitated junctions such that the diffusion fields present in the interdigitated region essentially prevent the formation of a significant parasitic current which would be in opposition to the output of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MTPV Power Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Brown, Andrew Walsh, Jose Borrego, Paul Greiff