Patents by Inventor Ruediger Loeckenhoff

Ruediger Loeckenhoff 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).

  • Patent number: 11073306
    Abstract: A lens, a solar cell unit including the lens and a joining method for the solar cell unit, wherein the lens has a main body with a substantially planar base, a receiving surface opposite the base, a side surface area connecting the base and the receiving surface and an optical axis extending perpendicular to the base and at least one bulge is arranged on the main body of the lens at a first height above the base on the side surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger Loeckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20190219306
    Abstract: A lens, a solar cell unit including the lens and a joining method for the solar cell unit, wherein the lens has a main body with a substantially planar base, a receiving surface opposite the base, a side surface area connecting the base and the receiving surface and an optical axis extending perpendicular to the base and at least one bulge is arranged on the main body of the lens at a first height above the base on the side surface area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger LOECKENHOFF
  • Patent number: 10211358
    Abstract: A solar cell unit, comprising a solar cell with a light receiving surface, and a transparent optical element frictionally connected to the receiving surface. The optical element having a portion of surface formed substantially convex such that sunlight striking the receiving surface is bundled by the convex receiving surface. The light receiving surface is surrounded by a shoulder-shaped ledge that has a first rim surface and a second rim surface. A first alignment mark is provided in association with the first rim surface and a second alignment mark is provided in association with the second rim surface to position the optical element in regard to the receiving surface of the solar cell via the two alignment marks. The first alignment mark being spaced apart from the second alignment mark in order to guide the incident sunlight totally or at least largely to the receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger Loeckenhoff
  • Patent number: 10164139
    Abstract: A solar cell unit having a semiconductor body formed as a solar cell and having a front side and a back side, a carrier with a top side enclosed by at least four edges, a bottom side, and a first contact surface, formed on the top side and connected to the first terminal contact, and a second contact surface, connected to the second terminal contact and spaced apart from the first contact surface, and a secondary optical element. A back side of the semiconductor body is non-positively connected to a part of the top side of the carrier. The secondary optical element guides light to the front side of the semiconductor body and at least parts of the bottom side of the secondary optical element are non-positively connected to the front side of the semiconductor body and/or to the top side of the carrier by a polymer adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger Loeckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20170278997
    Abstract: A solar cell unit having a semiconductor body formed as a solar cell and having a front side and a back side, a carrier with a top side enclosed by at least four edges, a bottom side, and a first contact surface, formed on the top side and connected to the first terminal contact, and a second contact surface, connected to the second terminal contact and spaced apart from the first contact surface, and a secondary optical element. A back side of the semiconductor body is non-positively connected to a part of the top side of the carrier. The secondary optical element guides light to the front side of the semiconductor body and at least parts of the bottom side of the secondary optical element are non-positively connected to the front side of the semiconductor body and/or to the top side of the carrier by a polymer adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger LOECKENHOFF
  • Patent number: 9496423
    Abstract: A light converter for the photovoltaic conversion of light, having a support, a first semiconductor body, and a second semiconductor body. A first surface and a second surface are designed as receiving surfaces for light. An electrically conductive connector having a first arm and a second arm is provided, and the first arm is arranged on the first surface and interconnected with the first surface, and the second arm is arranged below the second rear surface and interconnected with the second rear surface. The second arm is at least partially embedded in a conductive material, the conductive material being arranged between the second rear surface and a second conductive track, and the second conductive track is formed as part of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Klaus-Dieter Rasch
  • Patent number: 9353971
    Abstract: A solar generator unit for converting sunlight, having a mirror array, a light converter, support designed to hold the mirror array, and a tracking unit for causing the mirror array to track the sun position. The light converter is arranged above the mirror array and the concentrated light strikes a receiver surface of the light converter. The support has an essentially horizontal first shaft with a first radial bearing point and a second radial bearing point arranged on mutually opposite sides of the mirror array. A third radial bearing point accommodates a second shaft that is essentially perpendicular to the first shaft is flange-mounted between the first bearing point and the second bearing point so that the axis of rotation of the second shaft is pivoted along with a rotation of the first shaft, and the mirror array is connected in a non-positive way to the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventor: Ruediger Loeckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20150349179
    Abstract: A solar cell unit, comprising a solar cell with a light receiving surface, and a transparent optical element frictionally connected to the receiving surface. The optical element having a portion of surface formed substantially convex such that sunlight striking the receiving surface is bundled by the convex receiving surface. The light receiving surface is surrounded by a shoulder-shaped ledge that has a first rim surface and a second rim surface. A first alignment mark is provided in association with the first rim surface and a second alignment mark is provided in association with the second rim surface to position the optical element in regard to the receiving surface of the solar cell via the two alignment marks. The first alignment mark being spaced apart from the second alignment mark in order to guide the incident sunlight totally or at least largely to the receiving surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventor: Ruediger LOECKENHOFF
  • Publication number: 20150107648
    Abstract: A light converter for the photovoltaic conversion of light, having a support, a first semiconductor body, and a second semiconductor body. A first surface and a second surface are designed as receiving surfaces for light. An electrically conductive connector having a first arm and a second arm is provided, and the first arm is arranged on the first surface and interconnected with the first surface, and the second arm is arranged below the second rear surface and interconnected with the second rear surface. The second arm is at least partially embedded in a conductive material, the conductive material being arranged between the second rear surface and a second conductive track, and the second conductive track is formed as part of the support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2012
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: AZURSPACE Solar Power GMBH
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Klaus-Dieter Rasch
  • Patent number: 8704085
    Abstract: The present invention shows a solar cell element comprising a semiconductor substrate layer (2) with precisely one first doping, a layer structure (1) which is disposed on the front-side of the substrate layer (2) and is adjacent to the substrate layer, said layer structure having at least one doping complementary to the first doping, a rear-side metallization (3) which is disposed on the rear-side of the substrate layer which is situated opposite the layer structure (1) and is adjacent to the substrate layer, and a first (4) and a second (6) front-side metallization, the first front-side metallization (4) contacting the layer structure (1) electrically and the second front-side metallization (6), electrically insulated from the first front-side metallization and the layer structure (1), being disposed on the front-side of the substrate layer adjacent to the substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhoer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung e.v.
    Inventor: Rüdiger Löckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20140048120
    Abstract: A solar generator unit for converting sunlight, having a mirror array, a light converter, support designed to hold the mirror array, and a tracking unit for causing the mirror array to track the sun position. The light converter is arranged above the mirror array and the concentrated light strikes a receiver surface of the light converter. The support has an essentially horizontal first shaft with a first radial bearing point and a second radial bearing point arranged on mutually opposite sides of the mirror array. A third radial bearing point accommodates a second shaft that is essentially perpendicular to the first shaft is flange-mounted between the first bearing point and the second bearing point so that the axis of rotation of the second shaft is pivoted along with a rotation of the first shaft, and the mirror array is connected in a non-positive way to the second shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GMBH
    Inventor: Ruediger LOECKENHOFF
  • Publication number: 20120285510
    Abstract: A solar cell module having sub-units of solar cells connected in parallel, the sub-units being connected in series. To enable individual adjustment to the impinging light intensity distribution such that substantially the same photocurrent is generated in each sub-unit, the solar cells have at least first and second solar cells, which each have radiation-sensitive surfaces that are different from each other, and at least one sub-unit of the solar cell module has a first and at least one second solar cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: AZUR SPACE SOLAR POWER GMBH
    Inventor: Rüdiger Löckenhoff
  • Publication number: 20110265852
    Abstract: The invention relates to an open concentrator system for solar radiation comprising a hollow mirror and a photovoltaic module comprising a plurality of solar cells disposed in the focus of said hollow mirror, the photovoltaic module being encapsulated by a housing. The housing is thereby configured such that it has a transparent cover at least in the region of the incident radiation reflected by the hollow mirror and such that this transparent cover is at a spacing from photovoltaic module, i.e. is situated in the cone of the incident radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forchung E.V.
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Andreas Bett, Maike Wiesenfarth, Roy Segev
  • Patent number: 7932462
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement having at least one solar cell, which is formed by a first sequence of differently doped layers (1, 2, 11, 12) on a substrate (6, 16), and at least one bypass diode, which is connected to the solar cell, particularly in a monolithic, series-connected solar module. The arrangement is characterized in that the bypass diode is formed by a second sequence of layers (4, 5, 13, 14), which is arranged between the substrate (6, 16) and the first layer sequence (1, 2, 11, 12). With the proposed arrangement monolithic, series-connected solar modules can be formed at a very low loss of active receiving surface, the solar cells of which are protected by bypass diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten e.V., Albert-Ludwigs-Universtät, AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Sascha Van Riesen, Rüdiger Löckenhoff, Gerhard Strobl, Ron Dietrich, Wolfgang Koestler
  • Patent number: D711817
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Klaus-Dieter Rasch
  • Patent number: D714718
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Klaus-Dieter Rasch
  • Patent number: D716218
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Azur Space Solar Power GmbH
    Inventors: Ruediger Loeckenhoff, Klaus-Dieter Rasch