Electromagnetic radiation collector and transport system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
- a propagation component configured to transmit radiation and having a first end and at least a first refractive index;
a buffer component coupled to the propagation component and configured to transmit radiation and having at least a second refractive index, the second refractive index being less than the first refractive index of the propagation component; and
a radiation directing component coupled to the buffer component and configured to redirect the incident radiation from the at least first direction along at least a second direction different than the first direction within the buffer component, such that the radiation enters the propagation component and is propagated within the propagation component toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes a radiation collector configured to collect incident radiation. The radiation collector includes a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation, a buffer component configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component, and a propagation component configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation towards a first end of the propagation component.
-
Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
-
a propagation component configured to transmit radiation and having a first end and at least a first refractive index;
a buffer component coupled to the propagation component and configured to transmit radiation and having at least a second refractive index, the second refractive index being less than the first refractive index of the propagation component; and
a radiation directing component coupled to the buffer component and configured to redirect the incident radiation from the at least first direction along at least a second direction different than the first direction within the buffer component, such that the radiation enters the propagation component and is propagated within the propagation component toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
-
a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation;
a buffer component coupled to the radiation directing component and configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component; and
a propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation generally in a first direction toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection, the radiation directing component being positioned such that the radiation incident on the collector which is received into the propagation component is incident from a direction generally not parallel with the first direction of the propagation component. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A solar collector configured to collect incident solar radiation and to be affixed to a surface of a building, the solar collector comprising:
-
an optical component having a top surface and a first end, the optical component configured to receive the incident solar radiation through the top surface and to collect the incident solar radiation at the first end of the optical component; and
an attachment component coupled to the optical component, the attachment component configured to receive at least one fastening component to secure the attachment component to the surface of the building. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A method of collecting incident radiation, the method comprising:
-
receiving the incident radiation from at least a first direction;
redirecting the incident radiation with a radiation directing component into a propagation component;
retaining the radiation in the propagation component such that the radiation is propagated generally toward a first end of the propagation component; and
optically separating the radiation component from the propagation component such that the radiation propagating with the propagation component is prevented from interacting with the radiation directing component. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A method of coupling optical radiation from at least a first source of optical radiation into a first optical transport component including a first propagation component and a first buffer component, the first buffer component radially overlaying the first propagation component and the first optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a first direction toward a first end of the first optical transport component or in generally a second direction toward a second end of the first optical transport component, the method comprising:
-
positioning the at least first source of optical radiation adjacent an exterior radial surface of the first buffer component;
directing at least a portion of the radiation emanating from the source of optical radiation into the first buffer component of the first optical transport component such that the radiation is coupled into the first propagation component and is propagated within the first propagation component toward at least one of the first end or the second end of the first propagation component due at least to total internal reflection between the first propagation component and the second component. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. An optical connector for transferring radiation, the optical connector comprising:
-
a first optical transport component including a first propagation component and a first buffer component, the first buffer component radially overlaying the first propagation component, the first optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a first direction toward a first end of the first optical transport component;
a second optical transport component including a second propagation component and a second buffer component, the second buffer component radially overlaying the second propagation component, the second optical transport component configured to propagate optical radiation in generally a second direction toward a second end of the second optical transport component, the second optical transport component being positioned such that the second direction is not parallel to the first direction; and
a radiation directing component located proximate to the first end of the first optical transport component and proximate to an exterior surface of the buffer component of the second optical transport component, the radiation directing component configured to redirect the optical radiation propagating generally in the first direction through the exterior surface of the second optical transport into the second propagation component such that the optical radiation is propagated within second optical transport component generally along the second direction of the second optical transport component. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
Specification