# US 7,745,721 B2 · Optical element for shielding against light > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,745,721 B2 - Document ID: US7745721B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/517,424 - Filed: 2003-06-18 - Published: 2005-09-29 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2002-06-18 - Assignees: Photosolar ApS c/o Teknologisk Institut - Inventors: Eik Bezzel; Hanne Lauritzen; Signe Wedel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745721B2 ## CPC - E06B 9/24: Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) - 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) ## Abstract An optical element (11) in the form of an at least partially transparent face comprises transparent areas and essentially non-transparent areas. The transparent areas are arranged sufficiently close for the intermediate and essentially non-transparent areas to be essentially invisible to the naked eye, at least when the element is viewed from a given distance. The essentially non-transparent areas are arranged sufficiently close and have a sufficient extent at right angles to the face for the intermediate, transparent areas to have such depth/width ratio that the optical element will, at a given point on the face, allow passage of light with given angles of incidence, while light having other angles of incidence are unable to pass the element at the point in question. Hereby an optical element is obtained that is able to better reduce the heating of the interior of a building that is caused by incoming solar radiation without the direct radiation and hence the view being blocked considerably. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar cell comprising an optical element having both transparent areas and substantially non-transparent areas disposed along a surface of the optical element, wherein the transparent areas are arranged such that individual, intermediate, substantially non-transparent areas have an extent that is less than 1 mm in at least one direction in the plane of said surface; the substantially non-transparent areas are arranged close to each other and extend at right angles to said surface such that the transparent areas have a depth/width ratio that causes the optical element to allow, at a given point on said surface, passage of light with given angles of incidence, while light having other angles of incidence is unable to pass through the optical element at the given point; the substantially non-transparent areas have openings filled by the transparent areas; the transparent areas and the substantially non-transparent areas are located in the same plane; and at least a part of the substantially non-transparent areas is configured for functioning as an electrode in the solar cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that said substantially non-transparent areas form a continuous face, such that the transparent areas appear as openings in the continuous face. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The solar cell according to claim 2, characterised in that said openings are elongate, whereby they have, in a given direction in a plane of the continuous face, an extent that exceeds the extent in a direction at right angles thereto in the plane of the continuous face. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that said transparent areas constitute a continuous face, such that the substantially non-transparent areas appear as islands in the continuous face. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that the transparent areas and the substantially non-transparent areas are arranged in a mutually regular pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that the transparent areas have, at least in one direction in the plane of the face, an extent that is a maximum ten times the extent of the substantially non-transparent areas at right angles to the face. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that the transparent areas are arranged such that the individual, intermediate, substantially non-transparent areas have an extent that, at least in one direction in the plane of the face, is less than 100 μm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that the substantially non-transparent areas include any combination of a particulate semiconductor material and a particulate metallic material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1 characterised in that that it is configured as a film that can be attached to a surface on another optical element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that it is configured as an integral part of a window pane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that said solar cell is a photo-electro-chemical solar cell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The solar cell according to claim 11, characterised in that the substantially non-transparent areas comprise a semi-conductor, on which a suitable dye is adsorbed, and are configured for functioning as a photo-electrode. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The solar cell according to claim 11, characterised in that the substantially non-transparent areas comprise electrically conductive particulate material and are configured for functioning as a counter electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, characterised in that the substantially non-transparent areas comprise surfaces functioning as a carrier for the solar cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The solar cell according to claim 14, characterised in that the solar cell is configured as a thin-film solar cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the transparent areas include a transparent substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the substantially non-transparent areas are configured as lamellae having a triangular cross section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The solar cell according to claim 17, wherein the lamellae have a depth (D), a thickness (T) and a mutual distance (A) exceeding 10 μm, the mutual distance (A) being a distance between two adjacent lamellae. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the substantially non-transparent areas are configured as tilted lamellae.