# US 11,078,725 B2 · Combined window shade and solar panel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,725 B2 - Document ID: US11078725B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/150,757 - Filed: 2017-04-03 - Published: 2019-05-30 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-04 - Assignees: GeigTech East Bay LLC - Applicants: Geigtech East Bay, LLC - Inventors: James Geiger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078725B2 ## CPC - E06B 9/42: Parts or details of roller blinds, e.g. suspension devices, blind boxes (brackets or adjustable mountings for roller blinds and drawable curtains A47H1/13) - E06B 9/40: Roller blinds (usable only as awnings E04F10/06) - E06B 9/50: Bearings specially adapted therefor - E06B 9/68: Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive - H02S 30/20: Collapsible or foldable PV modules - E06B 2009/2476: {Solar cells} - E06B 2009/6827: {sensing light} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00) - 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) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A window shade system includes a mounting bracket configured to couple to a structure, a shade tube bracket configured to rotatably couple with the mounting bracket, and a shade coupled to the shade tube bracket and having a solar panel. The solar panel is electrically coupled with an external system via the shade tube bracket and the mounting bracket. The solar panel is configured to receive solar energy, transform the solar energy into electricity, and provide the electricity to the external system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A window shade system comprising: a mounting bracket configured to couple to a structure, the mounting bracket comprising: a removable coupler including a first aperture and a second aperture; a ground contact positioned between the mounting bracket and the removable coupler and configured to protrude through the removable coupler via the first aperture; and a hot contact positioned between the mounting bracket and the removable coupler and configured to protrude through the removable coupler via the second aperture; a shade tube bracket comprising a center pin configured to selectively rotate relative to the mounting bracket; a shade having a first end coupled to the shade tube bracket; and a first solar panel coupled to the shade, the first solar panel electrically coupled with the ground contact and the hot contact, the first solar panel configured to receive solar energy, transform the solar energy received by the first solar panel into electricity, and provide the electricity transformed by the first solar panel to an external system via the hot contact; wherein the center pin facilitates rotational movement of the shade relative to the mounting bracket; wherein the mounting bracket further comprises an interface; wherein the shade tube bracket further comprises a carriage coupled to the center pin; and, wherein the carriage is selectively repositionable within the interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The window shade system of claim 1, further comprising: a hot wire electrically communicable with the hot contact and a hot terminal of a power source; and a ground wire electrically communicable with the ground contact and a ground terminal; wherein the mounting bracket includes a wiring cavity at least partially adjacent to the hot contact and the ground contact; and wherein the wiring cavity is configured to partially contain the hot wire and the ground wire. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The window shade system of claim 1, further comprising a contact spring located within one of the first aperture and the second aperture; wherein the contact spring is configured to bias one of the ground contacts and the hot contact against the shade tube bracket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The window shade system of claim 1, further comprising a second solar panel coupled to the shade, the second solar panel electrically coupled with the ground contact, the hot contact, and the first solar panel, the second solar panel configured to receive solar energy, transform the solar energy received by the second solar panel into electricity, and provide the electricity transformed by the second solar panel to the external system via the hot contact. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The window shade system of claim 4, wherein the first solar panel and the second solar panel are wired in parallel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The window shade system of claim 4, wherein the first solar panel and the second solar panel are wired in series. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The window shade system of claim 1, wherein the shade tube bracket includes an access channel; wherein the carriage includes a slot; and wherein the slot is aligned with the access channel when the carriage is selectively repositioned within the interface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The window shade system of claim 7, wherein the shade tube bracket is configured to selectively receive an implement via the access channel such that the implement interfaces with the slot in the carriage to selectively reposition the carriage within the interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The window shade system of claim 1, wherein the shade comprises: a first layer; and a second layer; wherein the first solar panel is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The window shade system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises a substantially transparent or translucent material; and wherein the first solar panel is configured to receive the solar energy through the substantially transparent or translucent material. ### Claim 11 A window shade system comprising: a shade tube bracket configured to structurally and electrically couple with a mounting bracket, the shade tube bracket comprising: a center pin configured to selectively rotate relative to the mounting bracket; and a carriage coupled to the center pin and configured to facilitate selective decoupling of the shade tube bracket from the mounting bracket; and a shade having a first end coupled to the shade tube bracket, the shade comprising a first solar panel configured to receive solar energy, transform the solar energy received by the first solar panel into electricity, and provide the electricity to the shade tube bracket; wherein the center pin facilitates rotational movement of the shade relative to the mounting bracket; wherein the mounting bracket further comprises an interface; wherein the shade tube bracket further comprises a carriage coupled to the center pin; and, wherein the carriage is selectively repositionable within the interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The window shade system of claim 11, wherein the shade further comprises a second solar panel and a third solar panel, the second solar panel and the third solar panel each configured to receive solar energy, transform the received solar energy into electricity, and provide the electricity to the shade tube bracket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The window shade system of claim 12, wherein the first solar panel, the second solar panel, and the third solar panel are wired in parallel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The window shade system of claim 13, wherein the shade comprises: a first layer; and a second layer; wherein the first solar panel, the second solar panel, and the third solar panel are disposed between the first layer and the second layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The window shade system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises a substantially transparent or translucent material; and wherein the first solar panel, the second solar panel, and the third solar panel are configured to receive the solar energy through the substantially transparent or translucent material.