An apparatus for distributing light from a waveguide through a collimating array, or collecting light over a given area into a waveguide. Light received within a waveguide is propagated transmissively and retained by total internal reflection, except in response to impinging upon deflector elements which sufficiently redirect the light to escape the waveguide into a collimator array that aligns and distributes the light. In a light collector, a collection array collects and collimates the received light and directs it at the surface of a waveguide, within which deflectors properly positioned in relation to each collector of the collector array, deflect the angle of the light so that it propagates through the waveguide in response to total internal reflection. The apparatus can be fabricated into an efficient and compact form.

Light collection and illumination systems employing planar waveguide

A concentrating photovoltaic module comprising: a lightguide member having at least one exit face and a plurality of entrance faces; and at least one solar cell placed immediately after the exit face of the lightguide member; wherein the lightguide member is comprised of a light transmissive, solid medium having no refractive-index-discontinuity portion and a surface of the lightguide member is smooth and wherein the lightguide member makes sunbeams incident on the plurality of entrance faces, totally reflected on side faces, and emergent from the exit face, whereby the sunbeams can be concentrated on the solar cell with high efficiency.

Concentrating photovoltaic module and concentrating photovoltaic power generating system

A solar energy utilization unit comprises a solar radiation concentrating optics and a solar radiation receiver including a first receiver component designed to convert into electric energy radiation in a first part of the solar spectrum, and a second receiver components designed to convert into electric energy radiation in a second part of the solar spectrum which is different from said first part. The solar radiation concentrating optics comprises a concave primary reflector adapted to reflect incident solar radiation towards the secondary reflector, and a convex secondary reflector adapted to reflect radiation in the first part of the solar spectrum into the first receiver component and also to transmit radiation in the second part of the solar spectrum into the second receiver component. The primary reflector is formed with a centrally disposed opening, via which the first receiver component is adapted to receive the radiation reflected by the secondary receiver. The primary receiver may have central and peripheral components, wherein the central component is made of a material which withstands heat better than the material from which the peripheral component is made.

Solar energy utilization unit and solar energy utilization system

A drainage apparatus is disclosed to reduce intraocular pressure in an eyeball that includes an anterior chamber having aqueous humor disposed therein, a cornea and a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer disposed on an exposed surface of the eyeball and under eyelids, the apparatus comprising an inlet assembly configured to be disposed at the anterior chamber of the eyeball, an outlet assembly configured to be disposed at the external surface of the eyeball, the assembly having a central chamber, a tube extending between the inlet and outlet assemblies and configured to promote fluid communication between the inlet and outlet assemblies, and control means disposed within the outlet assembly for controlling a flow of aqueous humor through the tube from the anterior chamber of the eyeball to the external surface of the eyeball, the control means further comprising a replaceable filter disposed within the central chamber of the outer member to prevent intraocular infection, the filter having a medicinal agent applied thereto for preventing occlusion of the filter or bacterial contamination by inhibiting at least one of the formation of fibrotic membranes, inflammatory membrane, or bacterial adhesions or biofilms, thereby preventing increased of intraocular pressure or infection.

Method and apparatus for reducing intraocular pressure

The present invention is that of a solar energy system that uses a light-guide solar panel (LGSP) to trap light inside a dielectric or other transparent panel and propagates the light to one of the panel edges for harvesting by a solar energy collector such as a photovoltaic cell. This allows for very thin modules whose thickness is comparable to the height of the solar energy collector. This eliminates eliminating the depth requirements inherent in traditional concentrated photovoltaic solar energy systems.

Light-guide solar panel and method of fabrication thereof

A survivable solar power-generating system for use with spacecraft is disclosed comprising optical means positioned to collect and concentrate solar energy flux, a flexible solar energy flux transmission line for conducting the concentrated solar flux towards a solar energy converter, and solar energy conversion means including an array photovoltaic cells for converting the solar energy flux to electrical power to be applied to on-board equipment of the spacecraft. A protected enclosure is positioned about the photovoltaic cells to shield them from destructive radiation and particulate matter. The transmission line includes a plurality of optical fiber waveguides whose input ends are positioned to receive the concentrated solar energy flux. Means are provided for moving the input ends of the optical fiber waveguides to optimize the quantity of concentrated solar flux entering the waveguides.

Takashi Nakamura

Papers

Survivable solar power-generating systems for use with spacecraft