Back to results
US 8,997,901 B2Granted
Vehicular body panel energy generator system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAric Shaffer, Joseph Patterson, Ronald Miller, Perry Macneille
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicular body panel energy generator system is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the system includes a vehicle body and a plurality of body panels forming the vehicle body. At least one of the body panels comprises a vehicular solar panel. A method of generating and utilizing electrical power in a vehicle is also disclosed.
Claims17
A vehicular body panel energy generator system, comprising:
- a vehicle body;
- a plurality of body panels forming said vehicle body;
- wherein at least one of said plurality of body panels is a vehicular solar panel;
- and,
- wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a solar fabric panel within said at least one body panel, said solar fabric panel corresponding to a shape of substantially an entirety of said at least one body panel, said vehicular solar panel comprising a composite material within which a weave of solar fibers is embedded, said weave of solar fibers disposed upon an electrode layer, said electrode layer comprising an electrically conductive sheet of material.
2 more elements
A vehicular body panel energy generator system, comprising:
- a vehicle body;
- a plurality of body panels forming said vehicle body and imparting shape to said vehicle body;
- wherein each of said plurality of body panels is a vehicular solar panel;
- and,
- wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a solar fabric panel within a respective body panel, said solar fabric panel corresponding to a shape of substantially an entirety of said respective body panel, said vehicular solar panel comprising a composite material within which a weave of solar fibers is embedded, said weave of solar fibers disposed upon an electrode layer, said electrode layer comprising an electrically conductive sheet of material.
2 more elements
A method of generating and utilizing electrical power in a vehicle, comprising:
- providing a plurality of vehicular body panels, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicular body panels is a vehicular solar panel;
- forming a vehicle body using said plurality of vehicular body panels, said vehicular solar panel comprising a solar fabric panel within said at least one body panel, said solar fabric panel shaped into a shape corresponding to substantially an entirety of said at least one body panel, said vehicular solar panel comprising a composite material within which a weave of solar fibers is embedded, said weave of fibers disposed upon an electrode layer, said electrode layer comprising an electrically conductive sheet of material;
- and
- converting solar energy into electrical energy using said vehicular solar panel.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.