Solar collector
OwnerJames W. Fitzsimmonsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar collection device and method including a corrugated front surface and a plurality of fins for refracting and concentrating solar radiation on a photovoltaic cell. The device uses a clear material to refract and concentrate solar radiation and conductively cool the system. A modular system of solar collecting devices which employs a plurality of devices connected to one another to provide a large power output, simple assembly, replaceability, and expandibility is also disclosed.
Claims20
A photovoltaic device for converting solar radiation to electrical energy, comprising a collector member having two side edges, a top end, a bottom end, a front side which comprises a corrugated surface that refracts radiation, a rear side which comprises a plurality of fins protruding outwardly from said collector member, said front and rear sides acting in cooperation to refract and concentrate radiation, and
- at least one photovoltaic cell being adapted to receive and convert solar radiation to electrical energy mounted at one end of said collector member in a position such that at least some of the radiation refracted and concentrated by said collector member will impinge on said photovoltaic cell.
A method of converting solar radiation to electrical energy comprising
- mounting at least one photovoltaic device comprising
- a collector member having two side edges, a top end, a bottom end, a front side which comprises a corrugated surface that refracts radiation, a rear side which comprises a plurality of fins protruding outwardly from said collector member, said front and rear sides acting in cooperation to refract and concentrate radiation, and
- at least one photovoltaic cell being adapted to receive and convert solar radiation to electrical energy mounted at one end of said collector member in a position such that at least some of the radiation refracted and concentrated by said collector member will impinge on said photovoltaic cell, in a position wherein solar radiation will impinge upon said front side of said collector member, and
- electrically connecting said photovoltaic device to an apparatus which consumes or stores electrical energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.