IP Library Granted Patent US 9,595,627
Granted Patent B2
US 9,595,627 · App. 14/215,913 · Granted Mar 14, 2017

Photovoltaic panel

Inventor: John Paul Morgan (Toronto, CA)
H01L31/056H01L31/02008H01L31/0543H02S20/32Y02E10/52
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,595,627
App. No.
14/215,913
Granted
Mar 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photovoltaic system comprising a first photovoltaic panel configured to collect direct light; and a second photovoltaic panel configured to collect, at least, indirect light transmitted through the one or more first photovoltaic panels.

Claims (25)

1. A photovoltaic system comprising:

a concentrating photovoltaic panel configured to concentrate direct light towards at least one photovoltaic cell; and

a non-concentrating photovoltaic panel configured to collect, at least, indirect light transmitted through the concentrating photovoltaic panel,

wherein the concentrating photovoltaic panel comprises:

at least one rigid sheet;

one or more first optical elements disposed adjacent a first side of the at least one rigid sheet;

one or more second optical elements disposed adjacent a second side of the at least one rigid sheet; and

one or more photovoltaic elements, each photovoltaic element disposed between a respective first optical element and a respective second optical element, each first optical element comprising at least one lens configured to focus light impinging thereon onto a corresponding reflecting surface of the respective second optical element, each second optical element being configured to reflect light focused by the first optical element to the photovoltaic element.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the concentrating photovoltaic panel comprises one or more multi junction photovoltaic elements.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel comprises one or more silicon photovoltaic elements.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the concentrating photovoltaic panel is mounted on a rotating support configured for sun tracking.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel is mounted in a fixed relationship relative to the ground.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel is mounted to a support post of a rotating support.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising a ground support stand supporting the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel is mounted adjacent a back side of the concentrating photovoltaic panel, the concentrating photovoltaic panel and the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel being mounted on the rotating support.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel comprises one or more bifacial photovoltaic elements.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each bifacial photovoltaic element comprises a first photonic element on a front side thereof, and a non-concentrating photonic element on a back side thereof, the non-concentrating photovoltaic panel being mounted such that the non-concentrating photonic element is oriented away from the first photovoltaic panel.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the back side is configured to collect light reflected from the ground.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lens is configured to focus direct light impinging thereon onto the corresponding reflecting surface of the respective second optical element.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lens comprises a generally ring-shaped, plano-convex lens arranged concentrically about a central axis of the first optical element.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one lens comprises a plurality of generally ring-shaped, plano-convex lenses arranged concentrically about the central axis.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a structure configured to conduct heat away from each photovoltaic element.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of concentrating photovoltaic panels, each first photovoltaic panel configured to collect direct light.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising a plurality of rotating supports, each concentrating photovoltaic panel being mounted on a respective rotating support.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more photovoltaic elements is a multi junction photovoltaic element.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: MORGAN SOLAR INC.
To: MORGAN INNOVATION INC.
Reel/Frame 058864/0960 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2022
From: MORGAN, JOHN PAUL
To: MORGAN SOLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 058847/0396 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation In Part 14196523 · Mar 4, 2014
Continuation In Part 14196291 · Mar 4, 2014
Continuation In Part 14196618 · Mar 4, 2014
Provisional Application 61798205 · Mar 15, 2013
Provisional Application 61948020 · Mar 4, 2014
Related Publication 20140261630A1 · Sep 18, 2014