Patent · US Active

Solar energy collection system

US8546686B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
27References
9Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 4, 2009
Grant dateOct 1, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 4, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E10/52
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A solar collector utilizes multiple reflections of light passing down a tapered, pyramidal-type structure made of highly-reflective mirrored surfaces. A right-angled truncated reflective pyramidal structures have been discovered to have many properties which make them superior to existing concentrator geometries. The use of a tapered, pyramidal-type structure creates multiple reflections which appear at the collector output in the form of a Buckminster-Fullerene display, providing improved collector efficiency and amplification when compared to prior art “concentrators” of the Fresnel lens or parabola type.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.