Patents Examined by Bach Dinh
  • Patent number: 9306100
    Abstract: Provided is a solar cell module wherein solar cells and a sealing material, which is sealing the solar cells, are not easily peeled from each other. A solar cell module is provided with solar cells, a wiring material, and a sealing material. Each of the solar cells has first and second main surfaces. The wiring material is electrically connected to each of the solar cells on the first main surface. The sealing material seals the solar cells. The sealing material has a first sealing section and a second sealing section. The first sealing section contains a non-bridging resin. The first sealing section is positioned on the first main surface side of the solar cells. The second sealing section contains a bridging resin and pigment. The second sealing section is positioned on the second main surface side of the solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitomi Ichinose, Tasuku Ishiguro, Naoto Imada, Toshiyuki Sakuma
  • Patent number: 9306102
    Abstract: A back contact solar module and an electrode soldering method therefor are disclosed. The back contact solar module includes a substrate, two solar cells formed on the substrate, and a curved solder part. The curved solder part is soldered onto an electrode solder pad of each solar cell. The curved solder part has a curved portion between the two solder pads. The curved portion curves parallel to the substrate. Therefore, the invention utilizes the elasticity in structure or the allowable deformation of the curved portion to release the internal stress induced by the soldering on the electrode pads or by a following lamination packaging, which solves the problem in the prior art that the internal residual stress in an electrode solder part harmfully affects the electrical connection between solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Yi-Chia Chen, De-Chih Liu, Ming-Yuan Huang, Chiu-Hua Huang
  • Patent number: 9306143
    Abstract: A thermoelectric power generating system is provided that includes at least one thermoelectric assembly. The at least one thermoelectric assembly includes at least one first heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least a first portion of a first working fluid. The first portion of the first working fluid flows through the at least one thermoelectric assembly. The at least one thermoelectric assembly includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements in thermal communication with the at least one first heat exchanger. The at least one thermoelectric assembly further includes at least one second heat exchanger in thermal communication with the plurality of thermoelectric elements and with a second working fluid flowing through the at least one thermoelectric assembly. The second working fluid is cooler than the first working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
    Inventors: Marco Ranalli, Martin Adldinger, Douglas T. Crane
  • Patent number: 9306085
    Abstract: A solar cell includes negative metal contact fingers and positive metal contact fingers. The negative metal contact fingers are interdigitated with the positive metal contact fingers. The metal contact fingers, both positive and negative, have a radial design where they radially extend to surround at least 25% of a perimeter of a corresponding contact pad. The metal contact fingers have bend points, which collectively form a radial pattern with a center point within the contact pad. Exactly two metal contact pads merge into a single leading metal contact pad that is wider than either of the exactly two metal contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Staffan Westerberg, Peter John Cousins
  • Patent number: 9299937
    Abstract: The present specification provides a photoactive layer including an electron accepting material and an electron donating material, an organic photovoltaic cell including the same, and a method of manufacturing the organic photovoltaic cell, which includes treating the electron accepting material and the electron donating material by a non-solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Hangken Lee, Ji Hye Jeon, Jaechol Lee, Dong Hwan Wang, Jong Hyeok Park, O Ok Park
  • Patent number: 9287057
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a plasmonic enhanced tandem dye sensitized solar cell system. The system has plasmonic nanostructures integrated to both a photoanode and a photocathode for enhancing respective electron and hole carrier transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
    Inventors: Siu-pang Ng, Chi-man Lawrence Wu, Chun-sing Lee
  • Patent number: 9281186
    Abstract: A colored photovoltaic module and method for its production, where the module includes: a photovoltaic cell; and an appearance modifying film, encapsulant or glazing; where the appearance modifying film, encapsulant or glazing includes: a light-control film; graphic material; a phosphor; a dichroic film; nano-particles; micro-dots; metal flakes; paint; an additive material for 3-D printing, Selective Laser Augmentation (SLA) or Selective Laser Sintering (SLS); or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Gerald R. Wootton
  • Patent number: 9274080
    Abstract: An electrochemical, measuring probe, for measuring a chemical or physical, measured variable, of a measured medium, wherein the measuring probe comprises: at least one measuring half cell and at least one reference half cell, and the reference half cell includes: a housing of electrically insulating material, in which a reference electrolyte chamber containing a liquid, reference electrolyte is formed, and which has in a housing wall a diaphragm permeable for the reference electrolyte for providing electrolytic contact between the reference half cell and the measured medium; a potential indicating element extending into the reference electrolyte; and a supply opening opening into the reference electrolyte chamber for supply of reference electrolyte into the reference electrolyte chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER CONDUCTA GESELLSCAHFT FUR MESS- UND REGELTECHNIK MBH + CO. KG
    Inventors: Lothar Auerswald, Christian Fanselow
  • Patent number: 9276152
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell tab including: a front contact portion having a first profile; and a back contact portion having a second profile, wherein the first profile or second profile are complex shapes that may be dissimilar to each other. A system and method for forming photovoltaic cell tabs comprising: a feeding mechanism to feed wire; a first forming tool to trim and shape the wire to tabs; and a placement tool configured to match a profile of the tabs and place and attach the tabs on photovoltaic cells. In the system and method, the tabs may be formed to have a complex profile or shape that will affect incident light and/or mechanical or other characteristics of the tabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Gerald R. Wootton
  • Patent number: 9269839
    Abstract: A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a p-type conductive region formed at the semiconductor substrate and including a p-type impurity, and a passivation film formed on the p-type conductive region and including aluminum oxide. The passivation film has a thickness of 7 to 17 ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Hyunho Lee, Kyoungsoo Lee, Changseo Park
  • Patent number: 9263601
    Abstract: Enhanced adhesion of seed layers for solar cell conductive contacts and methods of forming solar cell conductive contacts are described. For example, a method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming an adhesion layer above an emitter region of a substrate. A metal seed paste layer is formed on the adhesion layer. The metal seed paste layer and the adhesion layer are annealed to form a conductive layer in contact with the emitter region of the substrate. A conductive contact for the solar cell is formed from the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Junbo Wu, Michael C. Johnson, Michael Cudzinovic, Joseph Behnke, Xi Zhu, David D. Smith, Richard Sewell Hamilton, Xiuwen Tu, Seung Bum Rim
  • Patent number: 9249016
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to structures for the conversion of light into energy. More specifically, the disclosure describes devices for conversion of light to electricity using photovoltaic cells comprising graphene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Adrianus I. Aria, Morteza Gharib
  • Patent number: 9252300
    Abstract: For contacting a silicon solar cell a pre-processed silicon substrate with a frontside and a backside is provided. Then, aluminum is deposited on the backside of the pre-processed silicon substrate, wherein aluminum-free regions remain on the backside. Then, a silver-free layer suitable for soldering on the backside of the silicon substrate is deposited so that the silver-free layer suitable for soldering covers at least the aluminum-free regions on the backside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SolarWorld Innovations GmbH
    Inventors: Wieland Pethe, Harald Hahn, Kristian Schlegel, Torsten Weber, Martin Kutzer
  • Patent number: 9246106
    Abstract: Improved electron acceptor materials for organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells are provided. More specifically, electron acceptor materials for OPVs can include vinylimide, vinylthioimide, alkynylimide and/or alkynylthioimide moieties. Experimental work with members of this class of material has demonstrated record solar cell power conversion efficiency (3.36%) for non-fullerene acceptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Alan Sellinger, Xu Han, Jason Bloking, Michael D. McGehee
  • Patent number: 9244037
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor chip for electrochemically measuring a concentration of an analyte in a blood sample. In one embodiment of the sensor, the sensor chip includes a substrate, and a preliminary measurement analyzer and a hematocrit value analyzer disposed on the substrate. The preliminary measurement analyzer includes a preliminary working electrode and a preliminary counter electrode. The hematocrit value analyzer includes a working electrode and a counter electrode. An oxidant of a redox substance is disposed on the preliminary measurement analyzer and the counter electrode. A reductant of a redox substance is disposed on the working electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Healthcare Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Fujiwara, Shin Ikeda, Takahiro Nakaminami
  • Patent number: 9239313
    Abstract: An ion-sensitive circuit can include a charge accumulation device, to accumulate a plurality of charge packets as a function of an ion concentration of a fluid, and at least one control and readout transistor, to generate an output signal as a function of the accumulated plurality of charge packets, the output signal representing the ion concentration of the solution. The charge accumulation device can include a first charge control electrode above a first electrode semiconductor region, an electrically floating gate structure above a gate semiconductor region and below an ion-sensitive passivation surface, a second charge control electrode above a second electrode semiconductor region, and a drain diffusion region. The first control electrode can control entry of charge into a gate semiconductor region in response to a first control signal. The ion-sensitive passivation surface can be configured to receive the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Keith G. Fife
  • Patent number: 9231134
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices are presented. A photovoltaic device includes a window layer and a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material disposed on window layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first region and a second region, the first region disposed proximate to the window layer, and the second region including a chalcogen-rich region, wherein the first region and the second region include a dopant, and an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Franklin Foust, Hongbo Cao, Laura Anne Clark, Robert Andrew Garber, Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Wyatt Keith Metzger, Yinghui Shan, Roman Shuba
  • Patent number: 9224898
    Abstract: A solar energy collection system for converting solar energy to electricity that includes solar arrays mounted on a frame. Each array is set on a tracker head that is supported on a pedestal; each pedestal mounts onto a beam. Elevators pivot the arrays, where each elevator is made up of a shaft with a threaded end coupled to a drive nut. An upper end of each drive nut gimbal mounts to a portion of the tracker head; rotating a lower end of each shaft raises or lowers the drive nut, thereby pivoting each array. The vertical shafts are ganged together and driven by a single motor. Further included with each pedestal are azimuth orientation shafts that also mount to each tracker head. Rotating each orientation shaft adjusts an azimuth of an associated array. The orientation shafts are ganged together and are rotated by a single motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: BRIGHTLEAF TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: James P. Crimmins, Peter Young, Douglas Kiesewetter
  • Patent number: 9205379
    Abstract: Electrotransfer is performed in an instrument that receives electroblotting cassettes and that contains an integrated power supply, controls, and a display that allows the user to monitor and control each of a plurality of cassettes individually through electrical contacts within the housing that mate with corresponding electrical contacts on the cassettes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Latham, William Strong, Nikolas Chmiel, Jeff Xu, Robert Iovanni
  • Patent number: 9188367
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar power generation apparatus, which comprises: torque tubes which are arranged to form a plurality of columns; a plurality of solar panels which are installed along each torque tube; posts which rotatably support each torque tube; lever arms which are coupled with each torque tube; a linkage which is disposed on the lower side of the torque tubes and is connected to each lever arm; an actuator which reciprocates the linkage in the longitudinal direction of the linkage, thereby rotating the torque tubes around an axis based on the longitudinal direction of the torque tubes; and a bed frame which is installed between some of the plurality of posts, wherein the actuator is supported thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.
    Inventor: Yun-Kyu Jang