Patents Examined by Michael Y Sun
  • Patent number: 9929361
    Abstract: A compound having a structure of formula OsL1L2 is described. In the structure of OsL1L2, L1 is a tetradentate ligand coordinated to Os; L2 is a bidentate ligand coordinated to Os; and L1 adopts a non-square planar coordination geometry. Formulations and devices, such as an OLEDs, that include the compound of Formula OsL1L2 are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Display Corporation
    Inventors: Jui-Yi Tsai, Chuanjun Xia, Miguel A. Esteruelas, Roberto G. Alabau, Montserrat Olivan, Enrique Oñate
  • Patent number: 9882077
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9876132
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. In some variations a solar module comprises a white backing sheet on which rows of super cells are arranged, and the white backing sheet comprises darkened stripes having locations and widths corresponding to gaps between the rows of super cells such that white portions of the backing sheet are not visible through the gaps between the rows of super cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9847749
    Abstract: Solar panels located on residential roofs can be unsightly in some cases. A swimming pool solar power generator can locate solar panels in or around the sides and/or bottoms of a swimming pool in a manner so as to create electricity from the sun without creating an eyesore. In an embodiment, a pool solar power generator includes a solar cell module disposed in a portion of a swimming pool. The solar cell module can include solar cells and be submerged under water held by the swimming pool. The solar cell module can convert sunlight incident on the solar cells to electricity and transmit the electricity for use at a location external to the swimming pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: MASIMO SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Massi Joe E. Kiani, Steven J. Wojtczuk, Brad M. Siskavich
  • Patent number: 9831819
    Abstract: A rotating, pivoting mount for mounting a panel is disclosed. The mount can include a mounting block, a driveshaft, and a base. A socket in the mounting block can be mounted on a ball of the base to pivotally couple the panel to a structure. The ball can also include a cam profile, while the mounting block can include a complementary cam follower. As the mounting block rotates, therefore, the cam follower can follow a path set forth by the cam profile to tilt the mounting block about one axis as the mounting block rotates about a second axis. In this manner, the panel can be rotated and tilted—or moved about two axes—using a single motor. The use of a single motor can, in turn, reduce the cost and complexity of the system, while maintaining high efficiency for the panel (e.g., a solar panel) mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: KIRK-RUDY, INC.
    Inventors: Harry V. Kirk, Bryan Carbon, Wolfgang G. Fraint, Michael Aiken
  • Patent number: 9818889
    Abstract: A composition for solar cell electrodes, a solar cell electrode prepared from the composition, a solar cell, and a method of manufacturing the same, the composition including silver powder; silver iodide; glass frit; and an organic vehicle, wherein the silver iodide is present in an amount of about 0.1 wt % to about 30 wt %, based on a total weight of the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Cheil Industrial, Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Hee Park, Tae Joon Kim, Hun Gyu Song
  • Patent number: 9780253
    Abstract: A high efficiency configuration for a solar cell module comprises solar cells arranged in a shingled manner to form super cells, which may be arranged to efficiently use the area of the solar module, reduce series resistance, and increase module efficiency. The solar cell module may comprise for example a series connected string of N greater than or equal to 25 rectangular or substantially rectangular solar cells having on average a breakdown voltage greater than about 10 volts, with the solar cells grouped into one or more super cells each of which comprises two or more of the solar cells arranged in line with long sides of adjacent solar cells overlapping and conductively bonded to each other, and with no single solar cell or group of <N solar cells in the string of solar cells individually electrically connected in parallel with a bypass diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Ratson Morad, Gilad Almogy, Itai Suez, Jean Hummel, Nathan Beckett, Yafu Lin, Dan Maydan, John Gannon
  • Patent number: 9748418
    Abstract: A rear contact heterojunction solar cell and a fabricating method. The solar cell comprises a silicon substrate having a passivating layer and an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer. At a back side of the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer, an emitter layer and a base layer are provided. Interposed between these emitter and base layers is a separation layer comprising an electrically insulating material. This separation layer as well as the base layer and emitter layer may be generated by vapor deposition. Due to such processing, adjacent regions of the emitter layer and the separating layer and adjacent regions of the base layer and the separating layer partially laterally overlap in overlapping areas in such a way that at least a part of the separating layer is located closer to the substrate than an overlapping portion of the respective one of the emitter layer and the base layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: REC SOLAR PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Martin Kirkengen, Erik Sauar
  • Patent number: 9728704
    Abstract: The invention concerns a thermoelectric module with multiple thermoelectric elements, which are arranged spaced apart from one another, two thermoelectric elements being respectively electrically connected by means of a conductor bridge, an electrical insulation being arranged at least in certain portions on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing away from the thermoelectric element and/or on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing the thermoelectric element, the electrical insulation being arranged on the surface of the conductor bridge, the electrical insulation and the conductor bridge being thermomechanically decoupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
    Inventor: Thomas Himmer
  • Patent number: 9705019
    Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell module and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell module includes a back electrode layer disposed on a support substrate and having a first separation pattern, a light absorbing layer disposed on the back electrode layer and having a second separation pattern, and a plurality of solar cells disposed on the light absorbing layer and formed with a front electrode layer including an insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Suk Jae Jee
  • Patent number: 9698288
    Abstract: In order to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of a photoelectric conversion device, this photoelectric conversion device is provided with an electrode layer, a first semiconductor layer that is positioned on the electrode layer and contains a polycrystalline semiconductor, and a second semiconductor layer that is positioned on/above the first semiconductor layer and forms a p-n junction with the first semiconductor layer, and an average grain diameter of crystal grains in the first semiconductor layer is larger near the surface on the electrode layer side of the first semiconductor layer than the center of the first semiconductor layer in a thickness direction of the first semiconductor layer. Furthermore, the average grain diameter of the crystal grains in the first semiconductor layer is larger in a surface portion on the second semiconductor layer side of the first semiconductor layer than in the central portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Miyamichi, Tatsuya Domoto, Yuji Asano, Rui Kamada
  • Patent number: 9653628
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a back contact layer disposed above the substrate, and an absorber layer disposed above the back contact layer. The absorber layer includes at least two regions at respectively different horizontally locations. Each respective region has a respectively different concentration profile of an ingredient at a respective depth of the absorber layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chien-Yao Huang
  • Patent number: 9634170
    Abstract: A concentrator photovoltaic is formed by concentrator photovoltaic panels each having solar cells arranged on the back side of concentrating lenses. A plurality of portions of an image are imaged at the periphery of each of the solar cells in each of the panels. When each of the panels tracks the sun to be swung in the right-left direction and in the up-down direction, an image which can be identified through the concentrating lenses by a person who sees the image from a position in front of the concentrator photovoltaic is different according to an angle at which the panel is swung (direction rotation angle and elevation angle) due to the characteristic of the concentrating lenses. Therefore, the image of a letter or the like which appears with movement of the sun can be changed, and a message or the like according to time thereof can be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Iwasaki, Masanobu Koganeya
  • Patent number: 9496443
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes a light guide body that guides incident light to propagate therein, and a solar cell element that receives the light propagating within the light guide body, wherein the light guide body is made of a light-transmissive base material and has a curved surface in at least a part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kamada, Tsuyoshi Maeda, Hideki Uchida, Tokiyoshi Umeda, Hideomi Yui
  • Patent number: 9379266
    Abstract: Disclosed are a solar cell module and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell module according to the embodiment includes first solar cells including a first P-type semiconductor layer, a first buffer layer, and a first N-type semiconductor layer sequentially disposed on a support substrate; second solar cells including a second N-type semiconductor layer, a second buffer layer, and a second N-type semiconductor layer sequentially disposed on the support substrate; and a connecting electrode connecting the first solar cells to the second solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Suk Jae Jee
  • Patent number: 9362429
    Abstract: Photovoltaic thin-film materials comprising crystalline tin sulfide alloys of the general formula Sn1-x(R)xS, where R is selected from magnesium, calcium and strontium, as well as methods of producing the same, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventor: Stephan Lany
  • Patent number: 9349897
    Abstract: A solar cell module is provided with a plurality of solar cells and a wiring material. Each solar cell includes a p-side electrode and an n-side electrode arranged on one principal surface thereof. For each pair of adjacent solar cells, the wiring material electrically connects the p-side electrode of one solar cell and the n-side electrode of the other solar cell. Surface layers of the p-side electrodes and the n-side electrodes comprises, respectively, plating layers each containing at least one power-supplied point. The wiring material is bonded to the solar cells at regions each of which at least includes the power-supplied point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Ide, Youhei Murakami, Mitsuaki Morigami, Ryo Goto
  • Patent number: 9330853
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes an optically transparent support, a porous semiconductor layer containing fine semiconductor particles and a photosensitizer, a conductive layer, and a counter electrode provided in that order, each of the porous semiconductor layer and the conductive layer contains a carrier-transport material. The porous semiconductor layer includes at least two layers each containing fine semiconductor particles having different particle sizes. The fine semiconductor particles contained in a layer of the layers located closest to the counter electrode, the layers constituting the porous semiconductor layer, have an average particle size of 380 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Fukui, Ryoichi Komiya, Ryohsuke Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9318637
    Abstract: Solar cells exhibiting improved conversion efficiency are disclosed. Particularly, multi-pn junction solar cells that contain a current spreading layer as well as concentrating photovoltaic modules that include such a solar cell and light concentrating optics are disclosed. The multi-pn junctions in question may generally be made up of III-V semiconductor materials, while the current spreading layer may generally be made up of II-VI semiconductor materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Michael A. Haase
  • Patent number: 9281429
    Abstract: A solar cell module includes interconnected solar cells, a transparent cover over the front sides of the solar cells, and a backsheet on the backsides of the solar cells. The solar cell module includes an electrical insulator between the transparent cover and the front sides of the solar cells. An encapsulant protectively packages the solar cells. To prevent polarization, the insulator has resistance suitable to prevent charge from leaking from the front sides of the solar cells to other portions of the solar cell module by way of the transparent cover. The insulator may be attached (e.g., by coating) directly on an underside of the transparent cover or be a separate layer formed between layers of the encapsulant. The solar cells may be back junction solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventors: Grace Xavier, Bo Li