US4100915A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solar energy heating apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-02-18
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Granted: 1978-07-18
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Expires: 1997-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A solar heater having a reflector which focuses sun rays onto a solar heat-absorbing collector. The collector consists of a transparent vacuum flask with a novel highly efficient collector cell including heat-transfer transparent fluid therein. The collector comprises a center support in the form of a metal inlet pipe and a series of frusto-conical heat-absorbing cones and intervening sleeves clamped to the pipe. The cones are formed of thin aluminum and have highly polished reflective interior sides. The exterior sides of the cups as well as the sleeves are blackened. The reflector is arranged to focus the rays perpendicularly to the flask so that the heat-absorbing exterior sides of the cones which have an angle of incidence reflect the rays axially of the tube into the interior sides of the adjacent cones, which being arranged at preferably 45° to the axis of the tube, reflect the rays against the intermediate black sleeve. The heat absorbed by the metal is transferred to fluid which is circulated through the flask to a use apparatus such as a boiler, turbine, etc.
Inventors
- 👤 Ingemar Carlson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:42
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S3/00; G01S3/78; G01S3/782; G01S3/785; G01S3/786; G01S3/7861; F; F24; F24S; F24S23/00; F24S23/70; F24S23/74; F24S30/00; F24S30/40; F24S30/45; F24S30/452; F24S2030/10; F24S2030/13; F24S2030/134; F24S2030/14; F24S25/00; F24S25/10; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/47; Y10; Y10S; Y10S126/00; Y10S126/907
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
In a solar heat collector, a support, means carried thereon for absorbing solar heat, said means comprising first dark heat absorbent surfaces disposed for direct impingement by solar rays, said means comprising other highly polished reflective surfaces, said first heat absorbent surfaces having an angle of incidence with the sun rays for deflecting at least a portion of said rays toward said reflective surfaces, and said means having other second dark heat absorbent surfaces disposed both to direct impingement by the sun's rays and also to the reflected rays, and means for conducting heat from both heat absorbent surfaces to a use area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a solar heat collector, a support, means carried thereon for absorbing solar heat, said means comprising first dark heat absorbent surfaces disposed for direct impingement by solar rays, said means comprising other highly polished reflective surfaces, said first heat absorbent surfaces having an angle of incidence with the sun rays for deflecting at least a portion of said rays toward said reflective surfaces, and said means having other second dark heat absorbent surfaces disposed both to direct impingement by the sun's rays and also to the reflected rays, and means for conducting heat from both heat absorbent surfaces to a use area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
121 words
A solar energy module comprising an envelope having a fluid outlet passage, a solar energy collector sealed therein having a fluid inlet passage; a fluid circulated via the inlet into the envelope and out of the outlet, said fluid and envelope being transparent for permitting sun rays to pass therethrough; said collector comprising a column of elements positionable for direct exposure to solar rays, having means for absorbing heat therefrom and reflecting some of said rays, and reflecting means on said elements for bouncing said rays back and forth between said heat absorbing means and said reflecting means to maximize the exposure of said heat absorbing means to said rays, said elements being disposed in heat conducting relation to said fluid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
121 words
A solar energy module comprising an envelope having a fluid outlet passage, a solar energy collector sealed therein having a fluid inlet passage; a fluid circulated via the inlet into the envelope and out of the outlet, said fluid and envelope being transparent for permitting sun rays to pass therethrough; said collector comprising a column of elements positionable for direct exposure to solar rays, having means for absorbing heat therefrom and reflecting some of said rays, and reflecting means on said elements for bouncing said rays back and forth between said heat absorbing means and said reflecting means to maximize the exposure of said heat absorbing means to said rays, said elements being disposed in heat conducting relation to said fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention according to claim 2 and said elements being conical shaped and each element focused toward the next succeeding element in the column.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention according to claim 3 and each element having an external sun-facing side with solar energy absorbing means thereon and angled to provide an angle of incidence to the sun rays such as will reflect sun rays axially of the column toward the adjacent element for impingement by such rays thereagainst.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention according to claim 2 wherein said envelope has inner and outer portions and a vacuum chamber therebetween providing a thermal barrier between the collector and the ambient external atmosphere.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention according to claim 4 and each element having an internal polished reflective surface angled to reflect the rays deflected from the adjacent element in a direction transaxially of the column, and solar energy absorbing means on the column between the elements in the path of the reflected rays.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention according to claim 6 and said solar energy absorbing means arranged to reflect back the rays directly and indirectly impinging thereagainst toward the adjacent reflective surface for reflection thereby toward the absorbing means of the adjacent element, whereby the rays are bounced against a plurality of surfaces on said collector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention according to claim 2 and said collector comprising a metal support and said elements being sleeved on the support in thermal conduction therewith, and said inlet passage being in said support.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention according to claim 2 and a reflector for focusing the sun rays on the collector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention according to claim 9 and means for moving said reflector in accordance with the position of the sun for continuously focusing the sun rays on the collector.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
A solar cell comprising a transparent vacuum flask having inlet and outlet passages, heat collector means mounted within the flask, and a transparent fluid medium circulated through the flask in washing contact with said collector for transferring heat therefrom, and said collector comprising a plurality of cup-shaped disks supported within said tube in axially spaced relation, each disk having a solar heat absorbing surface on one side and a reflective surface on the other side, other absorbing surfaces between the cup-shaped disks, said reflective surfaces being oriented to reflect solar rays onto said other heat absorbing surfaces of said heat collector.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
A solar cell comprising a transparent vacuum flask having inlet and outlet passages, heat collector means mounted within the flask, and a transparent fluid medium circulated through the flask in washing contact with said collector for transferring heat therefrom, and said collector comprising a plurality of cup-shaped disks supported within said tube in axially spaced relation, each disk having a solar heat absorbing surface on one side and a reflective surface on the other side, other absorbing surfaces between the cup-shaped disks, said reflective surfaces being oriented to reflect solar rays onto said other heat absorbing surfaces of said heat collector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention according to claim 11 and a reflector for focusing solar rays onto said cell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention according to claim 12 and a common support for the cell and reflector, and means carried by the support for tracking the sun rays with said cell and reflector.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
A solar energy collector comprising a column of similarly oriented axially spaced cup-shaped collector elements each having a side wall with a sun-facing exterior side and an interior side, said exterior side having energy-absorbing means thereon, other energy-absorbing means associated with said column and located between adjacent cup-shaped collector elements and reflective surface means on said interior side of each element, the reflective surface means on each element oriented to redirect sun rays impinging thereon toward said other energy absorbing means associated with said column.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
A solar energy collector comprising a column of similarly oriented axially spaced cup-shaped collector elements each having a side wall with a sun-facing exterior side and an interior side, said exterior side having energy-absorbing means thereon, other energy-absorbing means associated with said column and located between adjacent cup-shaped collector elements and reflective surface means on said interior side of each element, the reflective surface means on each element oriented to redirect sun rays impinging thereon toward said other energy absorbing means associated with said column.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention according to claim 14 and said column comprising an enclosing envelope formed of material accommodating unimpeded passage of sun rays therethrough.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 15 and said envelope having inner and outer portions and a vaccuum chamber therebetween, and a heat-conduction fluid medium circulating within said envelope in thermal-transfer contact with said elements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention according to claim 14 and a solar reflector positioned to direct sun rays agains said collector.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-07-17 | 1982-01-16 | 1982-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-17 | 1986-01-16 | 1986-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-17 | 1990-01-16 | 1990-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |