Composite vehicle skin co-cured with solar-cell array
US10573772B2 · kind B2 · utility
0Cited by
0References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 22, 2017 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 22, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T50/50
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle skin, such as a composite skin for a UAV wing or other vehicle component, is co-cured with an array of solar cells to form a thin, lightweight, integrated skin structure. In one embodiment, an upper surface of the solar-cell array may be substantially coplanar with an upper surface of the composite skin. A coating, such as a spray-on fluorinated polymer coating, is applied to the upper surface of the integrated skin structure to protect the solar cells from the environment or other potentially harmful elements.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.