# US 10,483,906 B1 · Photovoltaic solar conversion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,483,906 B1 - Document ID: US10483906B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/163,143 - Filed: 2018-10-17 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-17 - Assignees: Orenko Limited - Applicants: Orenko Limited - Inventors: Elias Towe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483906B1 ## CPC - H02S 40/22: Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means (directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H10F77/42) - F24S 23/12: {Light guides} - F24S 40/55: Arrangements for cooling, e.g. by using external heat dissipating means or internal cooling circuits (by venting F24S40/53) - F24S 80/40: Casings - H02S 20/32: specially adapted for solar tracking - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - H02S 40/20: Optical components - H02S 40/425: {using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation} - H10F 19/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules - H10F 77/407: {indirectly associated with the devices} - H10F 77/42: directly associated or integrated with photovoltaic cells, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means - H10F 77/488: {Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection} - F24S 23/31: {having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses} - F24S 23/71: with parabolic reflective surfaces (with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74) - F24S 23/79: with spaced and opposed interacting reflective surfaces - F24S 2030/12: {Coupling means} - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A photovoltaic chip is designed to receive light energy from a light box arranged above it. The light can be sunlight guided by optical-fibers. For ease of replacement the photovoltaic chips can be supported in a carrier which is movably housed in a block. The blocks are housed on racks and are movable for ease of repair and replacement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus comprising: a plurality of photovoltaic chips arranged to convert sunlight into electrical energy; a plurality of coupling devices operable to secure a plurality of optical fibers in a configuration with a light transmission end-face arranged to couple sunlight transported by the optical fibers onto photosensitive surfaces of the photovoltaic chips; a carrier which supports the photovoltaic chips, with each of the coupling devices being arranged to couple sunlight transported by a respective one or more of the optical fibers to a corresponding photovoltaic chip; and a rack having a horizontally disposed rack mounting, wherein the coupling devices are fixedly mounted on the rack with respect to the rack mounting, and the carrier is movably mounted in alignment with the coupling devices with respect to the rack mounting for ease of replacement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 comprising of a thermally conductive casing in which the carrier is supported. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the carrier comprises a projecting member configured to be received in a slot within the casing to thereby removably retain the carrier with respect to the casing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 2 comprising a component upon which the thermally conductive casing is movably mounted. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the thermally conductive casing comprises a handle for moving the casing relative to the component for ease of access to the carrier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the coupling devices comprises a respective light box arranged to receive the respective one or more of the optical fibers, each light box comprising one or more diffusers to evenly distribute sunlight from the light transmission end-face onto the respective photovoltaic chip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coupling devices are arranged horizontally adjacent to one another, each aligned with a respective photovoltaic chip in the carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a light cabinet including a plurality of the racks and a corresponding plurality of the carriers, each rack having respective ones of the coupling devices oriented with respect to a respective carrier on its associated rack mounting. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the rack has at least one optical fiber intake associated with the rack mounting for guiding the optical fibers to the coupling devices from a remote location. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the casing comprises a cooling duct for receiving a coolant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: the carrier includes electronic circuitry for connecting the photovoltaic chips to one or more output terminals for electricity generated by the photovoltaic chips; and the photovoltaic chips are supported on the carrier with an upper surface exposed to receive illumination from the optical fibers, wherein the carrier is movable with respect to the optical fibers, and wherein the carrier comprises a coupling means for removably coupling the carrier to a casing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A photovoltaic solar conversion apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the coupling means comprises a tongue adapted to slide in a slot set within the casing.