Patents by Inventor Brandon Oakes Long

Brandon Oakes Long has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • LIGHT ANNEALING IN A COOLING CHAMBER OF A FIRING FURNACE
    Publication number: 20200292236
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed to an apparatus comprising a firing furnace comprising a heating chamber configured to fire a metallization layer of photovoltaic devices and a cooling chamber configured to cool the photovoltaic devices that have been heated by the heating chamber. The cooling chamber comprises lights to light anneal the photovoltaic devices to reduce light induced degradation as the photovoltaic devices are cooled in the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber of the firing furnace is configured to use residual heat from heating performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace as heat for the light annealing of the photovoltaic devices. Light annealing is not performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ruf, Brandon Oakes Long, Prathna Ung, Erik Richard Anderson
  • Light annealing in a cooling chamber of a firing furnace
    Patent number: 10443941
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed to an apparatus comprising a firing furnace comprising a heating chamber configured to fire a metallization layer of photovoltaic devices and a cooling chamber configured to cool the photovoltaic devices that have been heated by the heating chamber. The cooling chamber comprises lights to light anneal the photovoltaic devices to reduce light induced degradation as the photovoltaic devices are cooled in the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber of the firing furnace is configured to use residual heat from heating performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace as heat for the light annealing of the photovoltaic devices. Light annealing is not performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ruf, Brandon Oakes Long, Prathna Ung, Erik Richard Anderson
  • LIGHT ANNEALING IN A COOLING CHAMBER OF A FIRING FURNACE
    Publication number: 20160341479
    Abstract: One embodiment is directed to an apparatus comprising a firing furnace comprising a heating chamber configured to fire a metallization layer of photovoltaic devices and a cooling chamber configured to cool the photovoltaic devices that have been heated by the heating chamber. The cooling chamber comprises lights to light anneal the photovoltaic devices to reduce light induced degradation as the photovoltaic devices are cooled in the cooling chamber. The cooling chamber of the firing furnace is configured to use residual heat from heating performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace as heat for the light annealing of the photovoltaic devices. Light annealing is not performed in the heating chamber of the firing furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel M. Ruf, Brandon Oakes Long, Prathna Ung, Erik Richard Anderson