Patent US5124610A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5124610A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Tritiated light emitting polymer electrical energy source
Assignee: EF Johnson Co
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Filing: 1991-03-04
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Granted: 1992-06-23
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Expires: 2011-03-04
Abstract
Abstract An electrical energy source is created by the combination of a light emitting polymer material having at least one light emitting surface emitting light energy of a specified frequency bandwidth and a photovoltaic cell having a light collecting surface and a pair of electrical contacts. The light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell is optically coupled with the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material. An open-circuit voltage is generated between the pair of electrical contacts as a result of the absorption of emitted light energy from the light emitting polymer material by the photovoltaic cell. The light emitting polymer comprises a mixture of a polymer labelled with a tritium and an organic compound which emits light energy when subjected to radiation generated by the tritium. The organic compound is at least partly bonded to the polymer and the mixture is translucent at the specified frequency bandwidth of the light energy. Maximum absorption of the emitted light energy is achieved by the intimate optical contact between the light emitting surface and the light collecting surface, by matching the maximum absorption frequency bandwidth of the photovoltaic cell with the specified frequency bandwidth of the emitted light energy from the light emitting polymer material, and by the structural arrangement of the light emitting polymer material itself.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry J. Conley
- 👤 Gary B. Mortensen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:49
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21H; G21H1/00; G21H1/12; H; H10; H10F; H10F55/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
An electrical energy source, comprising: a light emitting polymer material having at least one light emitting surface emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth, the light emitting polymer material comprising a mixture of a polymer labelled with a tritium and an organic compound which emits the light energy when subjected to radiation generated by the tritium, where the organic compound is at least partly bonded to the polymer and the mixture is translucent at the specified frequency bandwidth of the light energy; and a photovoltaic cell having a light collecting surface and a pair of electrical contacts, the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell being substantially intimately optically coupled to the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material, such that an open-circuit voltage is generated between the pair of electrical contacts as a results of the photovoltaic cell's absorption of the light energy emitted from the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
An electrical energy source, comprising: a light emitting polymer material having at least one light emitting surface emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth, the light emitting polymer material comprising a mixture of a polymer labelled with a tritium and an organic compound which emits the light energy when subjected to radiation generated by the tritium, where the organic compound is at least partly bonded to the polymer and the mixture is translucent at the specified frequency bandwidth of the light energy; and a photovoltaic cell having a light collecting surface and a pair of electrical contacts, the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell being substantially intimately optically coupled to the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material, such that an open-circuit voltage is generated between the pair of electrical contacts as a results of the photovoltaic cell's absorption of the light energy emitted from the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein organic compound is comprised of a primary organic phosphor for absorbing a beta particle emitted by the polymer labelled with tritium and emitting photons at a first frequency bandwidth and a secondary organic phosphor for shifting the frequency bandwidth of the photons emitted by the primary organic phosphor to establish the specified frequency bandwidth for the light energy emitted by the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electrical energy source of claim 2 wherein the primary organic phosphor consists of a phosphor from the group PPO, PBD, and POPOP.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic cell has a maximum absorption value at a specified frequency bandwidth that is matched to the specified frequency bandwidth of the emitted light energy of the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein the specified frequency bandwidth of the emitted light energy of the light emitting polymer is substantially monochromatic.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
217 words
An active electrical element, comprising: a light emitting polymer material having at least one light emitting suface emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth, the light emitting polymer material comprising comprising a mixture of a polymer labelled with a tritium and a first organic compound which emits the light energy when subjected to radiation generated by the tritium wherein the organic compound is at least partly bonded to the polymer and the mixture is translucent at the specified frequency bandwidth of the light energy; a photovoltaic cell having a light collecting surface and a pair of electrical contacts, the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell being optically coupled to the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material; and optical control means intimately interposed between the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material and the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell for controlling the amount of light energy that may be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell, such that an open-circuit voltage is generated between the pair of electrical contacts as a result of the photovoltaic cell's absorption of the light energy emitted from the light emitting polymer material when the optical control means allows at least a minimum amount of the emitted light energy to be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
217 words
An active electrical element, comprising: a light emitting polymer material having at least one light emitting suface emitting light energy in a specified frequency bandwidth, the light emitting polymer material comprising comprising a mixture of a polymer labelled with a tritium and a first organic compound which emits the light energy when subjected to radiation generated by the tritium wherein the organic compound is at least partly bonded to the polymer and the mixture is translucent at the specified frequency bandwidth of the light energy; a photovoltaic cell having a light collecting surface and a pair of electrical contacts, the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell being optically coupled to the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material; and optical control means intimately interposed between the light emitting surface of the light emitting polymer material and the light collecting surface of the photovoltaic cell for controlling the amount of light energy that may be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell, such that an open-circuit voltage is generated between the pair of electrical contacts as a result of the photovoltaic cell's absorption of the light energy emitted from the light emitting polymer material when the optical control means allows at least a minimum amount of the emitted light energy to be absorbed by the photovoltaic cell.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electrical energy source of claim 6 wherein the optical control means is a liquid crystal display material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electrical energy source of claim 6 wherein the optical control means is a lead lantium zirconium titinate material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The electrical energy source of claim 6 wherein the photovoltaic cell has a maximum absorption value at a specified frequency bandwidth that is matched to the specified frequency bandwidth of the emitted light energy of the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electrical energy source of claim 9 wherein the specified fequency bandwidth of the emitted light energy of the light emitting polymer is substantially monochromatic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein the polymer is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein the polymer is comprised of a combination of tritium-labeled monomers and unlabled monomers which are subjected to polymerization along with the organic compound.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electrical energy source of claim 12 wherein the tritium labeled monomers and the unlabled monomers are deuterated prior to polymerization.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electrical energy source of claim 1 wherein the polymer is labelled to an activity of 1-100 Ci/g.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
The active electrical element of claim 6 wherein the organic compound is comprised of a primary organic phosphor for obsorbing a beta particle emitted by the polymer labelled with tritium and emitting photons at a first frequency bandwidth and a secondary organic phosphor for shifting the frequency bandwidth of the photons emitted by the primary organic phosphor to establish the specified frequency bandwidth for the light energy emitted by the light emitting polymer material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The active electrical element of claim 15 wherein the primary organic phosphor consists of a phosphor from the group PPO, PBD and POPOP.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The active eletrical element of claim 6 wherein the polymer is a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
The active electrical element of claim 6 wherein the polymer is comprised of a combination of tritium-labeled monomers and unlabeled monomers which are subjected to polymerization along with the organic compound.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The active electrical element of claim 18 wherein the tritium labeled monomers and the unlabeled monomers are deuterated prior to polymerization.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The active electrical element of claim 6 wherein the polymer is labelled to an activity of 1-100 Ci/g.
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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) | 1995-06-23 | 1995-12-23 | 1996-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-23 | 1999-12-23 | 2000-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-23 | 2003-12-23 | 2004-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |