Patents Examined by Jayne Mershon
  • Patent number: 9608153
    Abstract: The invention concerns a multilayer biaxially oriented white polyester film (adhesion, absence of chalking, opacity whiteness, reflectance, hydrolysis resistance & light stability) comprising three polyester layers: a core layer and two outer layers and contains TiO2 particles. In this film: at least one layer comprises a PET whose: number average molecular weight is within [18500-40000]; intrinsic viscosity IV is ?0.70 dL/g; and carboxyl group content is ?30 eq/T. Additionally, the core layer comprises TiO2 particles in a range of [0.1-40]% w/w; the intrinsic viscosity IV is between [0.5-0.85] dL/g; a small endothermic peak temperature is between 180-230° C.; and at least one light stabilizer is added in at least one of the outer layers, in a total concentration between [0.1-35]% w/w. The invention also includes the method for manufacturing such film and the laminate which is part of the back sheet of a solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY FILMS EUROPE
    Inventors: Valerie Lacrampe, Karine Billard, Timothy Stevenson, Naoki Kawaji, Hideki Fujii, Julien Faldysta
  • Patent number: 9608131
    Abstract: A silicon solar cell has doped amorphous silicon contacts formed on a tunnel silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon substrate. High temperature processing is unnecessary in fabricating the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Peter John Cousins
  • Patent number: 9601650
    Abstract: A method of manufacture of I-III-VI-absorber photovoltaic cells involves sequential deposition of films comprising one or more of silver and copper, with one or more of aluminum indium and gallium, and one or more of sulfur, selenium, and tellurium, as compounds in multiple thin sublayers to form a composite absorber layer. In an embodiment, the method is adapted to roll-to-roll processing of photovoltaic cells. In an embodiment, the method is adapted to preparation of a CIGS absorber layer having graded composition through the layer of substitutions such as tellurium near the base contact and silver near the heterojunction partner layer, or through gradations in indium and gallium content. In a particular embodiment, the graded composition is enriched in gallium at a base of the layer, and silver at the top of the layer. In an embodiment, each sublayer is deposited by co-evaporation of copper, indium, gallium, and selenium, which react in-situ to form CIGS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: ASCENT SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Lawrence M. Woods, Joseph H. Armstrong, Richard Thomas Treglio, John L. Harrington
  • Patent number: 9595630
    Abstract: An encapsulating material for solar cell containing an ethylene/?-olefin copolymer satisfying the following a1) and a2), and a specific peroxyketal having a 1-hour half-life temperature in a range of 100 to 135 degrees centigrade; the peroxyketal being contained in an amount of 0.1 to less than 0.8 weight parts relative to 100 weight parts of the ethylene/?-olefin copolymer. a1) the shore A hardness is from 60 to 85 as measured in accordance with ASTM D2240. a2) MFR is from 2 to 50 g/10 minutes as measured under the conditions of a temperature of 190 degrees centigrade and a load of 2.16 kg in accordance with ASTM D1238.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUI CHEMICALS TOHCELLO, INC.
    Inventors: Shigenobu Ikenaga, Fumito Takeuchi, Keiji Watanabe, Tomoaki Ito
  • Patent number: 9590160
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermoelectric-based power generation system designed to be clamped onto the outer wall of a steam pipe or other heating pipe. The system can include a number of assemblies mounted on the sides of a pipe. Each assembly can include a hot block, an array of thermoelectric modules, and a cold block system. The hot block can create a thermal channel to the hot plates of the modules. The cold block can include a heat pipe onto which fins are attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: COOPER UNION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE
    Inventors: Robert Dell, Chih-Shing Wei, George Sidebotham
  • Patent number: 9577132
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes a plurality of solar cells each including a substrate, an emitter region positioned at a back surface of the substrate, first electrodes electrically connected to the emitter region, second electrodes electrically connected to the substrate, a first current collector positioned at ends of the first electrodes, and a second current collector at ends of the second electrodes, and a first connector connecting a first current collector of a first solar cell of the plurality of solar cells to a second current collector of a second solar cell adjacent to the first solar cell. The first current collector of the first solar cell and the second current collector of the second solar cell each have a different polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Myungjun Shin, Haejong Cho, Minho Choi, Seongeun Lee
  • Patent number: 9574768
    Abstract: A fuel oil provision-vaporization-pressure regulation-full premixed combustion system includes an air pump, a fuel tank, a vaporizing chamber, a preheater, a premix nozzle, an ignition device, a full premixed combustor and an intake guiding device. The air pump communicates with an air inlet of the fuel tank through a first conduit. The fuel tank is provided with a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet pipe. The fuel outlet pipe communicates with a fuel inlet of the vaporizing chamber through a second conduit. The vaporizing chamber is provided with the preheater. A fuel outlet of the vaporizing chamber is in communication with an air inlet of the premix nozzle through a third conduit. An air outlet of the premix nozzle opens to the intake guiding device. An outlet of the intake guiding device communicates with the full premixed combustor. The full premixed combustor is provided with the ignition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: Guangning Chen
  • Patent number: 9564548
    Abstract: The disclosure provides for a direct wafer bonding method including providing a bonding layer upon a first and second wafer, and directly bonding the first and second wafers together under heat and pressure. The method may be used for directly bonding an GaAs-based, InP-based, GaP-based, GaSb-based, or Ga(In)N-based device to a GaAs device by introducing a highly doped (Al)(Ga)InP(As)(Sb) layer between the devices. The bonding layer material forms a bond having high bond strength, low electrical resistance, and high optical transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dhananjay M. Bhusari, Daniel C. Law
  • Patent number: 9564572
    Abstract: A thermally driven power generator having a base and a heat source placed within the base. The thermally driven power generator further having a heat collector is adapted to collect the heat from the heat source through a plurality of fins and a heat sink adapted to release heat into the environment. The thermally driven power generator further having a thermal electric power generation module is sandwiched between the heat collector and a heat sink; the thermal electric power generation module is designed to convert heat collected by the heat collector to electrical power. A tray assembly for a thermally driven power generator, the tray assembly having: a transport tray; and a magnetic element integrated with the transport tray, the magnetic element designed to attract a wick keeper of a candle such that the wick is held in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: CAFRAMO LTD.
    Inventors: Viqar Haider, Michael Tettenborn, Anthony Jerzy Solecki
  • Patent number: 9558892
    Abstract: A method for making electronic devices based on derivatized ladder polymer poly(benzo-isimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL) including photovoltaic modules and simple thin film transistors in planar and mechanically flexible and stretchable constructs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Alfred J. Baca, William W. Lai
  • Patent number: 9559232
    Abstract: A folding deployment system for solar panels provides a portable solar collecting power station that can be easily packaged and deployed for use in diverse environments. A solar array frame extends and contracts in accordion fashion. Solar panels mounted on the solar array frame are pivotally moveable from an upright position in a stowed position inside a container to a substantially horizontal position outside the container in a deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Steven F. Naud, Robert C. Woodall, Jr., David H. Wilbanks, Amy N. Satterlee
  • Patent number: 9553227
    Abstract: Provided are an optical element and a concentrating photovoltaic device which are each capable of preventing warpage and deformation of an optical functional pattern formed in a surface thereof due to stress even in an environment with extreme temperature changes. An optical element (4) of a concentrating photovoltaic device (1) concentrating sunlight includes: a glass substrate (5) and a sheet-like molded body (6) which is made of an organic resin and includes a Fresnel lens pattern (6a) in a surface and has the other surface bonded to the glass substrate (5). The sheet-like molded body (6) has a tensile elastic modulus of 1500 MPa or less, a linear expansion coefficient of 7.0×10?5/° C. or less, an average transmittance of 85% or more in a wavelength range from 350 to 1850 nm at a thickness of 400 ?m, and a haze value of 1.0% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Abe, Shinji Hiramatsu, Katsuhiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 9548409
    Abstract: A silicon solar cell has doped amorphous silicon contacts formed on a tunnel silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon substrate. High temperature processing is unnecessary in fabricating the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Peter John Cousins
  • Patent number: 9536677
    Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell includes a first electrode; a second electrode that faces the first electrode; an electrolyte that is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and an annular encapsulation unit that surrounds the electrolyte together with the first electrode and the second electrode, and connects the first electrode and the second electrode. In the dye-sensitized solar cell, the sealing portion has a resin sealing section formed of a resin. At least one interface of a first interface between the first electrode and the sealing portion, and a second interface between the second electrode and the sealing portion, constitutes a wide width section having the broadest sealing width among the sealing widths of the sealing portion, and the sealing portion has a narrow width section having a narrower sealing width than the wide width section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okada, Katsuhiro Doi
  • Patent number: 9537152
    Abstract: A collector for bipolar lithium ion secondary batteries comprises a first conductive layer that is obtained by adding a conductive filler to a base that contains an imide group-containing resin, and a second conductive layer that has a function of blocking lithium ions. The second conductive layer comprises a blocking resin layer that is obtained by adding a conductive filler to a base that contains a resin which contains no imide group, and a metal layer. This collector for bipolar lithium ion secondary batteries is used in such a manner that the first conductive layer is on the positive electrode active material layer side with respect to the second conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Tanaka, Masami Yanagida, Kohei Ogawa, Satoshi Oku, Masahiro Kojima, Takashi Kikuchi, Takashi Ito
  • Patent number: 9530919
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes a solar cell string including solar cells disposed in an arrangement direction and at least two wiring members provided to extend along the arrangement direction in order to electrically connect the solar cells. The at least two wiring members include a first wiring member disposed at a first position where a distance between the solar cells adjacent to each other is short and a second wiring member disposed at a second position where the distance between the solar cells adjacent to each other is long. The respective first and second wiring members include bent portions between the solar cells. Between edge portions of the solar cells facing each other, the first wiring member has a slope whose maximum value is larger than the maximum value of a slope of the second wiring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9530972
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Hunt Energy Enterprises, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Michael D. Irwin, Jerred A. Chute
  • Patent number: 9520519
    Abstract: Element, panel and direct solar radiation collecting and concentrating system by means of panels with collecting and concentrating elements which are allowed freedom of movement during diurnal and seasonal sun tracking. The elements in question incorporate a primary lens concentrating direct radiation. The element includes hollow compartments which contain a given fluid at a given pressure. The lower section includes a secondary lens and/or internally reflexive conical element allowing the introduction of radiation, in parallel, into tubes or optical fiber, or irradiation onto radiation converting systems. The movement of the device is produced by fluid heating and pressure in the side compartments. This pressure is communicated to the axes via pistons which cause the device to rotate in search of the optimal position with a view to optimizing its focus on the secondary lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Inventor: Jaime Caselles Fornés
  • Patent number: 9520521
    Abstract: The invention relates to optically active coatings for improving the yield of photosolar conversion, consisting of a transparent matrix containing a plurality of optically active constituents absorbing the light energy in a first absorption wavelength lambdaA1 and reemitting the energy in a second wavelength lambdaR1 different from lambdaA1, said optically active constituents being selected such that the reemission wavelength lamdaR1 of at least one type of constituent corresponds to the absorption wavelength lambdaA2 of at least one second type of constituent, characterised in that the C2/C1 ratio of concentration C1 of the optically active constituents of a first type in relation to the concentration C2 of the optically active constituents of said second type is between 0.13 and 0.26; Ci designating the concentration in moles per liter of the constituent i in relation to the doped matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignees: LABORATOIRE DE PHYSIQUE DU RAYONNEMENT ET DE LA LUMIÈRE, CASCADE
    Inventors: Marc Schiffmann, François Le Poull, Philippe Gravisse
  • Patent number: 9520512
    Abstract: Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes. The active layer may have perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The active layer may include a titanate. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Hunt Energy Enterprises, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Michael D. Irwin, Jerred A. Chute, Vivek V. Dhas