Patents by Inventor Nathan D. Rock

Nathan D. Rock 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).

  • Publication number: 20180342640
    Abstract: A colored photovoltaic (PV) module or roof tile including a layer of highly stable nanoparticles provides uniform, angle-independent viewer color. The nanoparticles can comprise a metal oxide such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or iron oxide. The nanoparticles can have composition and/or size tuned to absorb wavelengths of light reflected from PV cells, effectively concealing their appearance, and tuned to scatter wavelengths in a desired color range. The disclosed embodiments can provide better color uniformity and better efficiency, and be more cost-effective, than existing approaches for manufacturing colored PV modules. During the manufacturing process, a coating system, which may include one or more nozzles, can spray an inside surface of a glass cover with nanoparticles, which can be suspended in a solvent (such as water or isopropyl alcohol). The nanoparticle layer can then be encapsulated directly inside an encapsulant layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Applicant: TESLA, INC.
    Inventors: Yangsen Kang, Nathan D. Rock, Jiunn Benjamin Heng