Patents by Inventor Bruce Krein
Bruce Krein 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).
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Patent number: 9105778Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2009Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Apollo Precision (Kunming) Yuanhong LimitedInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson
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Patent number: 8888869Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2011Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Hanergy Holding Group Ltd.Inventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson, William Sanders, Paul Alexander
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Patent number: 8690148Abstract: A method for removing a sheet of paper from a substrate includes providing an air exhaust stream from an outlet of an air amplifier to the sheet of paper on the substrate to perturb the sheet of paper and lifting the perturbed sheet of paper from the substrate using a sub-atmospheric intake of the air amplifier.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2011Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Hanergy Holding Group Ltd.Inventors: Colin F. Smith, Bruce Krein, Michael Lofstrom
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Patent number: 8535968Abstract: Provided are novel photovoltaic cell alignment apparatuses and methods for fabricating photovoltaic module sub-assemblies that include multiple aligned photovoltaic cells. The apparatuses and methods provide high-speed precise alignment of the cells with respect to each other and other components of a photovoltaic module. In certain embodiments, a set of photovoltaic cells is first aligned on an alignment plate of an alignment apparatus and then transferred to a sealing sheet of the module such that the respective alignments of the cells are maintained during transfer. The alignment plate may include multiple cell receiving areas that have corresponding alignment edges. Aligning photovoltaic cells on this plate may involve forcing the cells against the alignment edges and/or moving the cells in the receiving areas in a direction parallel to the alignment edges.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2012Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: MiasoleInventors: Bruce Krein, Frank Lema
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Publication number: 20120005884Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: MIASOLEInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson, William Sanders, Paul Alexander
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Publication number: 20120003777Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: MIASOLEInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson, William Sanders, Paul Alexander
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Patent number: 8062384Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2009Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: MiasoleInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson, William Sanders, Paul Alexander
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Publication number: 20100317141Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2009Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: MIASOLEInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson, William Sanders, Paul Alexander
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Publication number: 20100313939Abstract: Provided herein are methods, apparatuses and systems for fabricating photovoltaic cells and modules. In certain embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems involve coating ferromagnetic substrates with thin film solar cell materials and using magnetic force to constrain, move or otherwise manipulate partially fabricated cells or modules. According to various embodiments, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide magnetically actuated handling throughout a photovoltaic cell or module fabrication process, from forming photovoltaic cell layers on a substrate to packaging the module for transport and installation. The magnetically manipulated processing provides advantages over conventional photovoltaic module processing operations, including fewer mechanical components, greater control over placement and tolerances, and ease of handling. As a result, the methods, apparatuses and systems provide highly efficient, low maintenance photovoltaic module fabrication processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2009Publication date: December 16, 2010Applicant: MIASOLEInventors: Bruce Krein, Darin Birtwhistle, Jeff Thompson
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Patent number: 5791782Abstract: A combination contact temperature probe/wafer support includes a thermocouple enclosing probe head of low thermal mass and large contact area supported by a support means such that 1) there is a high thermal resistivity connection between the support means and the probe head, and 2) the probe head is self orienting under the weight of the wafer so that the contact area is maintained coplanar with the surface of the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1995Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: Fusion Systems CorporationInventors: David Wooten, Bruce Krein, Jianou Shi
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Patent number: 5112042Abstract: A document transfer system for receiving a cluster of stacked documents within the first end of an output holder and, by using movable partitions, advancing the clusters to the second end of the output holder, thereby permitting a next document cluster to be received within the output holder at the first end. A document cluster at the second end of the output holder is then, using extendable and retractable gates, transferred from the output holder to a separate holder for further processing.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1990Date of Patent: May 12, 1992Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.Inventors: David J. Tilles, Stanley K. Wakamiya, Bruce A. Krein, Dale H. Brown, Sharon A. Duggan, Mark S. Schroeder
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Patent number: 5097960Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the throughput of a multiple pass document sorting device that sorts documents into a plurality of output holders by automatically displacing the sorted documents within the receiving areas of each output holder into a transitional area to make the receiving areas available. In this manner a next sorting pass may be initiated, using documents from the transitional area from the output holders, without the need to empty all of the output holders before a sorting pass can be initiated.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1990Date of Patent: March 24, 1992Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.Inventors: David J. Tilles, Mark S. Schroeder, Sharon A. Duggan, Bruce A. Krein, Dale H. Brown, Stanley K. Wakamiya