Patents Examined by Tae-Sik Kang
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Patent number: 11569044Abstract: A solar battery unit (100) is provided that includes: a substrate (120); a solar battery (110) attached to a back face of the substrate (120); and a communications module (130) attached to the substrate (120). The communications module (130) includes an antenna (132) disposed so as not to overlap solar cells (115) in the solar battery (110) in a front view.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Nakano, Satoshi Shimizu, Masato Sasaki, Yuki Watanabe, Tomohisa Yoshie, Tetsuya Ikemoto, Daisuke Toyoshima
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Patent number: 11569401Abstract: A solar panel includes a plurality of photovoltaic cells embedded in a layer of encapsulant. A textured and/or colored layer is positioned on a back side of the layer of encapsulant. The textured and/or colored layer matches a color and/or texture of the plurality of photovoltaic cells. A top layer is positioned on a front side of the layer of encapsulant.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2021Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Tesla, Inc.Inventors: Michael Pilliod, Christos Gougoussis, Michael M. Laurin, Scott Tandoi, Javier Verdura, Franz Von Holzhausen, Caroline Park, Radu Muntean, Kate Kuzina, Dante Lamastra
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Patent number: 11567249Abstract: This light absorbing device includes: a light reflecting layer; a dielectric layer disposed on the light reflecting layer; and a plurality of metal nanostructures disposed on the dielectric layer. A portion of each of the plurality of metal nanostructures is buried in the dielectric layer and another portion thereof is exposed to the outside.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2018Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: National University Corporation Hokkaido UniversityInventors: Hiroaki Misawa, Xu Shi, Kosei Ueno, Tomoya Oshikiri, Quan Sun, Keiji Sasaki
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Patent number: 11558004Abstract: A thermophotovoltaic generator incorporating a two-stage combustor for providing heat to a thermophotovoltaic cell. Combustor parts include a partial oxidation reactor, which functions catalytically to convert a hydrocarbon fuel and a first supply of an oxidant into a gaseous partial oxidation product; and further include downstream thereof, a deep oxidation reactor including a premixer plenum fluidly connected to a heat spreader comprising a porous matrix, such as a ceramic foam. Functionally, the deep oxidation reactor converts the gaseous partial oxidation product and a second supply of oxidant into complete combustion products. Heat produced by the two-stage combustor generates radiative energy from a photon emitter, which is directly converted to electricity in a photovoltaic diode cell.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Precision Combustion, Inc.Inventors: Subir Roychoudhury, Richard Mastanduno, Francesco Macri, Bruce Crowder
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Patent number: 11552375Abstract: An energy storage module, particularly a solid state battery, an energy storage system, a vehicle and a method for measuring an electrical voltage on an energy storage module or on an energy storage system is based on two stacked and series-connected energy storage cells, each have an anode layer and a cathode layer. A contact, which is electrically connected to an anode layer located within the stack of a first energy storage cell and to a cathode layer located within the stack of a second energy storage cell, which is adjacent to the first energy storage cell, leads out of the stack such that at least one contact can be contacted from outside the stack.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jose Lopez De Arroyabe, Jan Philipp Schmidt
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Patent number: 11552208Abstract: A solar module configured in a frame assembly with multi-configuration attachment member(s), which has locking and unlocking characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2021Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: NEXTRACKER LLCInventor: Alexander W. Au
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Patent number: 11552233Abstract: A thermionic energy converter, preferably including an anode and a cathode. An anode of a thermionic energy converter, preferably including an n-type semiconductor, one or more supplemental layers, and an electrical contact. A method for work function reduction and/or thermionic energy conversion, preferably including inputting thermal energy to a thermionic energy converter, illuminating an anode of the thermionic energy converter, thereby preferably reducing a work function of the anode, and extracting electrical power from the system.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: Spark Thermionics, Inc.Inventors: Jared William Schwede, Lucas Heinrich Hess
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Patent number: 11532777Abstract: A thermoelectric power generation device including: a heating unit having a heat medium passage in which a heat medium flows; a cooling unit having a cooling liquid passage in which a cooling liquid flows; a thermoelectric element having the heating unit and the cooling unit so as to generate power by utilizing a temperature difference between a condensation temperature of the heat medium and a temperature of the cooling liquid; a power generation output detection unit configured to detect a power generation output of the thermoelectric element; a heat medium pressure detection unit configured to detect a pressure of the heat medium; a storage unit for storing, in advance, a relationship between a power generation output of the thermoelectric element and the pressure of the heat medium; and an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an abnormality taking place in the thermoelectric power generation device.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2017Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshika Hatasako, Jiro Fukudome, Yuichiro Tanaka, Shuichi Nakagawa
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Patent number: 11522495Abstract: A photoelectric conversion module includes a substrate, a photoelectric conversion element mounted on the substrate, and a connector mounted on the substrate, the connector including a terminal that is electrically coupled to the photoelectric conversion element, wherein the connector is configured such that coupling the connector to a connector of another photoelectric conversion module causes the photoelectric conversion element to be electrically coupled to a photoelectric conversion element of the another photoelectric conversion module.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Ide, Naomichi Kanei
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Patent number: 11515436Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes: a p- or n-type semiconductor substrate; a p-type amorphous semiconductor film and an n-type amorphous semiconductor film on a first-face side; p-electrodes on the p-type amorphous semiconductor film; and n-electrodes on the n-type amorphous semiconductor film, wherein: the p-electrodes and the n-electrodes are arranged at intervals; the p-type amorphous semiconductor film surrounds the n-type amorphous semiconductor film in an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate; the n-type amorphous semiconductor film has an edge portion providing an overlapping region where the n-type amorphous semiconductor film overlaps the p-type amorphous semiconductor film; and the n-electrodes are disposed in areas of the n-type amorphous semiconductor film that are surrounded by the overlapping region.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2022Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Teruaki Higo, Chikao Okamoto, Masamichi Kobayashi, Masahito Ishii, Takeshi Mori, Yuta Matsumoto
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Patent number: 11489083Abstract: A solar cell panel can include a plurality of solar cells; and a diode member connected to the plurality of solar cells, the diode member being formed of a solar cell unit disposed within the solar cell panel under at least a portion of one of the plurality of solar cells at a non-light-incident region.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.Inventors: Hyunho Lee, Donghae Oh, Jaewon Chang, Jinsung Kim
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Patent number: 11489488Abstract: A bifacial solar module with enhanced power output including first and second transparent support layers, a plurality of electrically interconnected bifacial solar cells arranged between the transparent support layers with gaps between one or more of the interconnected solar cells and edges of the first and second transparent support layers, the bifacial solar cells having a first side directly exposed to solar radiation and a second side opposite the first. The bifacial solar module further includes one or more micro-structured reflective tapes positioned coincidentally with the gaps and attached to a surface of the second support layer such that light passing through the second support layer is reflected back into the second support layer at angles such that light reflecting from the tape is absorbed by either the first or second side of the bifacial solar cells.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2018Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: NEXTRACKER LLCInventors: Daniel Shugar, Eric Cole
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Patent number: 11482655Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermoelectric measurement system based on a liquid eutectic gallium-indium electrode, whereby thermoelectric performance can be measured with excellent efficiency and high reproducibility even without construction of expensive equipment, various organic molecules as well as large-area molecular layers can be measured, and various thermoelectric materials, such as inorganic materials and inorganic-organic composite materials, can be measured. In addition, non-toxic liquid metal EGaIn is used as an upper electrode, so the damage to even a substance of measurement in the form of a nano-level thin film can be minimized, and the measurement of thermoelectric performance can be performed on even nano- to micro-level organic thermoelectric elements. Therefore, the thermoelectric measurement system is widely utilized across the thermoelectric element industry.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: Korea University Research and Business FoundationInventors: Hyo Jae Yoon, Sohyun Park
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Patent number: 11482673Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solar battery. The solar battery comprises a semiconductor structure, a back electrode, and an upper electrode. The semiconductor structure defines a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor structure comprises an N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer. The back electrode is located on the first surface. The upper electrode is located on the second surface. The back electrode comprises a first carbon nanotube, the upper electrode comprises a second carbon nanotube, and the first carbon nanotube intersects with the second carbon nanotube. A multilayer structure is formed by an overlapping region of the first carbon nanotube, the semiconductor structure and the second carbon nanotube.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2020Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.Inventors: Jin Zhang, Yang Wei, Shou-Shan Fan
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Patent number: 11482632Abstract: A back contact solar cell string includes at least two cell pieces, each cell piece including P-type doped regions and N-type doped regions that are alternately arranged, the P-type doped regions including positive electrode thin grid lines, and the N-type doped regions including negative electrode thin grid lines; and a plurality of conductive wires connected to the positive electrode thin grid lines and the negative electrode thin grid lines. The conductive regions configured for electrical connection between each conductive wire and the positive electrode thin grid lines or the negative electrode thin grid lines and insulation regions configured for insulating connection between each conductive wire and the negative electrode thin grid lines or the positive electrode thin grid lines are alternately disposed at joints between each conductive wire and the positive electrode thin grid lines, and at joints between each conductive wire and the negative electrode thin grid lines.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignees: Zhejiang Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Guangdong Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Tianjin Aiko Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Wei Dai, Gang Chen
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Patent number: 11473200Abstract: An apparatus and methods to make a product using supersonic cold-spray deposition of brittle functional materials in fine and micro features down to 10 ?m in minimum dimension. The process may use semiconductors such as bismuth and antimony telluride formulations, and hard magnetic materials such as neodymium iron boride and strontium ferrite, and soft magnetic materials such as manganese zinc ferrite, and manganese ferrite materials. In addition, the methods and processes have been demonstrated for materials as soft as graphite and as hard as boron carbide. Micro components have been deposited in square, tapered and elongated shaped features with feature sizes as small as 10 ?m in minimum dimensions and applied to flat and highly complex shaped surfaces. This process when combined with other cold spray manufacturing processes allows the total additive manufacturing of complete electronic, magnetic and other complex devices including multiple type of brittle functional materials.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Inventor: Richard C Thuss
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Patent number: 11476307Abstract: A photovoltaic device (1) is provided with plurality of mutually subsequent photovoltaic device cells (1A, . . . , 1F) arranged along a direction of first device axis (D1). Each pair of a photovoltaic device cell and its successor are serially arranged through an interface region (1CD), further having a bypass function, and which extends along a second axis (D2), transverse to the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNOInventors: Francesco Di Giacomo, Herbert Lifka
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Patent number: 11476422Abstract: An Anthradithiophene derivative having general formula (I): can be advantageously used in the synthesis of electron donor polymers These polymers can be advantageously used in the construction of photovoltaic devices (or solar devices) such as, for example, photovoltaic cells (or solar cells), photovoltaic modules (or solar modules), either on a rigid support or on a flexible support. Furthermore, these polymers can be advantageously used in the construction of Organic Thin Film Transistors (OTFTs), or Organic Field Effect Transistors (OFETs), or Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs).Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: ENI S.P.A.Inventors: Gabriele Bianchi, Dario Pasini, Andrea Nitti
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Patent number: 11462670Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor; and an additive element that differs from an element constituting the base material. An additional band formed of the additive element is present within a forbidden band of the base material. A density of states of the additional band has a ratio of greater than or equal to 0.1 relative to a maximum value of a density of states of a valence band adjacent to the forbidden band of the base material.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2017Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Toyota School FoundationInventors: Masahiro Adachi, Makoto Kiyama, Yoshiyuki Yamamoto, Tsunehiro Takeuchi
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Patent number: 11456397Abstract: An energy harvesting electrophoretic display is disclosed comprising a photovoltaic cell that converts part of the incident light to electric current or voltage, wherein the electric current or voltage is used for the operation of the electrophoretic display upon the conversion or stored in a storage component to be used for the operation of the electrophoretic display.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: E Ink CorporationInventors: Stephen J. Telfer, Dirk Hertel, Richard J. Paolini, Jr., Benjamin Harris Paletsky