Patent US4074704A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4074704A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process of and apparatus for solar heating and the like
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1976-05-28
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Granted: 1978-02-21
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Expires: 1996-05-28
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure is concerned with the collection and concentration of solar ray energy and the like through optimal use of prismatic and reflective concentration thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald P. Gellert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:54
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24S; F24S23/00; F24S23/10; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A process of concentrating radiation that comprises: impinging the radiation upon a plurality of successive staggered front surfaces of an array of prisms, each front surface being oriented at an acute angle to an adjacent plane extending along the length of the array at a rear surface of each prism; passing the radiation so impinged upon said front surfaces through the prisms and refracting the radiation at the rear surfaces of the prisms; directing the refracted radiation upon a collecting surface located at a predetermined region behind said plane; adjusting the said acute angle of orientation with reference to the refraction index of the prisms and within limits such that the refracted radiation is effectively concentrated to provide greater energy per collecting surface area than the radiation energy per unit area impinged upon the first-named surfaces, thereby amplifying the energy at the collecting surface; and absorbing the energy at the collecting surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A process of concentrating radiation that comprises: impinging the radiation upon a plurality of successive staggered front surfaces of an array of prisms, each front surface being oriented at an acute angle to an adjacent plane extending along the length of the array at a rear surface of each prism; passing the radiation so impinged upon said front surfaces through the prisms and refracting the radiation at the rear surfaces of the prisms; directing the refracted radiation upon a collecting surface located at a predetermined region behind said plane; adjusting the said acute angle of orientation with reference to the refraction index of the prisms and within limits such that the refracted radiation is effectively concentrated to provide greater energy per collecting surface area than the radiation energy per unit area impinged upon the first-named surfaces, thereby amplifying the energy at the collecting surface; and absorbing the energy at the collecting surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which the radiation is solar radiation and the like, and the step of adjusting the said acute angle of orientation and said refraction index is effected with reference to the latitude of operation with its range of solar ray incidence and azimuthal angles, in order to predetermine the annual periods of effective concentrating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 2 and in which the said plane is oriented substantially vertically.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 2 and in which said front surfaces are tilted to adjust the angles of impinging of the radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said directing step comprises reflecting at least some of the refracted radiation generally towards said collecting surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said directing step comprises reflecting at least some of the refracted radiation generally downward towards said collecting surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said directing step comprising reflecting some of the refracted radiation from each of differently oriented reflecting surfaces generally toward said collecting surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said directing step comprises reflecting at least some of the refracted radiation generally upward towards said collecting surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said directing step comprises reflecting at least some of the refracted radiation generally in a direction substantially parallel to said plane towards said collecting surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which the energy absorbed at the collecting surface is thereupon transferred to a utilization location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said acute angle and said refraction index are substantially within ranges of from about 27° to 36° and 1.50 to 1.58, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which said front surfaces are parallely mounted in a substantially planar array extending along the direction of said plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as claimed in claim 12 and in which front bottom of said surfaces protrude outward from said plane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as claimed in claim 12 and in which said concentrating is effected by placing a plurality of said arrays over an area subjected to said impinging radiation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 and in which the angle of impinging of the radiation upon said front surfaces is adjusted by optically directing the same upon said front surfaces.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as claimed in claim 15 and in which the optical directing is effected by refraction in front of said front surfaces.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
115 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus having, in combination, a substantially planar array of substantially parallelly mounted prisms extending along a predetermined plane at the rear surfaces of the prisms with successive staggered front prism surfaces exposed to impinging radiation; energy-absorbing means comprising a collecting surface disposed rearward of said plane; said prisms being selected with an acute included angle between said rear and front surfaces and a refractive index such as to concentrate the radiation impinged upon the front prism surfaces into a smaller area, after refraction at the rear surfaces of said prisms, upon the energy-absorbing means, thereby to amplify the energy from the radiation at said collecting surface; and means for utilizing the energy thus concentrated.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
115 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus having, in combination, a substantially planar array of substantially parallelly mounted prisms extending along a predetermined plane at the rear surfaces of the prisms with successive staggered front prism surfaces exposed to impinging radiation; energy-absorbing means comprising a collecting surface disposed rearward of said plane; said prisms being selected with an acute included angle between said rear and front surfaces and a refractive index such as to concentrate the radiation impinged upon the front prism surfaces into a smaller area, after refraction at the rear surfaces of said prisms, upon the energy-absorbing means, thereby to amplify the energy from the radiation at said collecting surface; and means for utilizing the energy thus concentrated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and in which said plane is substantially vertical.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and in which said acute angle and refractive index lie within ranges of from about 27° to 36° and 1.50 to 1.58, respectively.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and in which the lower edge of each of said surfaces protrudes outward from said front plane.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and in which optical means is disposed rearward of said plane to direct at least some of the refracted radiation towards said collecting surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 21 and in which said optical means comprises reflecting means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 22 and in which said reflecting means comprises a plurality of differently oriented reflectors.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 22 and in which said collecting surface is near the bottom of said array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 21 and in which said array is stacked with one or more additional similar arrays to provide a collecting area, and the energy-absorbing means of each array are cooperatively interconnected.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 17 and in which radiation-directing means is provided in front of said array to control the angle of incidence of the impinging radiation upon said front prism surfaces.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
Radiation-concentrating apparatus as claimed in claim 26 and in which said radiation-directing means comprises further refractive means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
125 words
A solar energy collector extending generally upwardly from a solar energy absorption region and having means for concentrating the sun's rays at said absorption region, said means comprising a transparent prismatic front wall having prisms arranged successively in a stacked array, each prism having an acute included angle at an upper end between a rear surface of the prism that extends along the length of the array and a front surface of the prism that extends downwardly and outwardly from the rear surface so as to be exposed to the sun's rays, the included angles and the refractive indices of said prisms being such that the sun's rays impinging upon the front surfaces of said prisms substantially perpendicularly thereto are refracted downwardly by said prisms.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
125 words
A solar energy collector extending generally upwardly from a solar energy absorption region and having means for concentrating the sun's rays at said absorption region, said means comprising a transparent prismatic front wall having prisms arranged successively in a stacked array, each prism having an acute included angle at an upper end between a rear surface of the prism that extends along the length of the array and a front surface of the prism that extends downwardly and outwardly from the rear surface so as to be exposed to the sun's rays, the included angles and the refractive indices of said prisms being such that the sun's rays impinging upon the front surfaces of said prisms substantially perpendicularly thereto are refracted downwardly by said prisms.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
A solar energy collector according to claim 28 and in which said front surfaces of said prisms are substantially parallel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
A solar energy collector according to claim 28 and in which the rear surface of the prisms is substantially vertical, the included angles of the prisms lie within the range of from about 27° to about 36°, and the refractive indicies lie within the range from about 1.50 to about 1.58.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
34 words
A solar energy collector according to claim 28 and in which said collector comprises a reflective rear wall spaced from said front wall for reflecting rays from said front wall to said absorption region.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
34 words
A solar energy collector according to claim 31 and in which said rear wall has a lower portion substantially parallel to said front wall and an upper portion which converges with said front wall.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
A solar energy collector according to claim 28 and in which said collector has a lower portion for reflecting rays upwardly to an absorber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US937013A
Cited
US3982527A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-20 | 1981-08-22 | 1982-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-20 | 1985-08-22 | 1986-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-20 | 1989-08-22 | 1990-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |