Device comprising a solar cell arrangement and a liquid crystal display

• US 20050225686A1
• Filed: 05/07/2003
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gunter Megner, Hanna Brummack
• Original Assignee: Gunter Megner, Hanna Brummack
• Inventors: Megner, Gunter, Brummack, Hanna
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13324 Circuits comprising solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar-powered LCD device, e.g., for a clock, includes a solar cell arrangement and a liquid crystal display. The solar cell arrangement includes an at least partially transparent carrier and at least one solar cell provided with at least one at least partially transparent contact, at least one first polarizer, a first at least partially transparent carrier, a first at least partially transparent contact, a liquid crystal, a second transparent contact, a second transparent carrier, a second polarizer, and a reflector in a stacked arrangement. The carrier of the solar cell arrangement is one of the carriers of the liquid crystal display.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A solar-powered liquid crystal display device, comprising:

a solar structure including;

an at least partially transparent first carrier, and

a solar cell arrangement carried by the first carrier and comprising, in stacked relationship;

an at least partially transparent first contact,

a photovoltaically active layer, and

a second contact disposed on a side of the photovoltaically

active layer opposite that of the first contact; and

a liquid crystal display carried by the first carrier and comprising;

a first polarizer,

a liquid crystal,

a transparent third contact disposed on a side of the liquid crystal

opposite that of the first contact,

a transparent second carrier,

a second polarizer, and

a reflector.

15. The device according to claim 14 wherein the solar cell arrangement includes an internal space formed therein, and the liquid crystal display is aligned with the internal space.

16. The device according to claim 15 wherein the liquid crystal display is disposed within the internal space.

17. The device according to claim 16 wherein the internal space extends through the photovoltaically active layer and the second contact.

18. The device according to claim 15 wherein the internal space extends through the second contact, and the liquid crystal display includes a transparent fourth contact disposed on the liquid crystal display and extending into the internal space.

19. The device according to claim 18 wherein the fourth contact is disposed between the liquid crystal display and the photovoltaically active layer.

20. The device according to claim 14 wherein the first carrier includes front and rear sides;

and wherein the solar cell arrangement, the first contact, the liquid crystal, the second contact, the second carrier, the second polarizer, and the reflector are carried on the rear side of the first carrier, and the first polarizer is carried on the front side of the first carrier.

21. The device according to claim 14 wherein the first carrier comprises a timepiece dial face.

22. The device according to claim 14 wherein the first polarizer is seated on the first carrier.

23. A method for producing a solar-powered liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of:

A) making a solar cell arrangement comprising, in stacked relationship, an at least partially transparent first contact, a photovoltaically active layer, and a second contact disposed on a side of the photovoltaically active layer opposite that of the first contact;

B) removing a portion of the solar cell arrangement to form an opening therein;

C) making a stacked LCD arrangement comprising;

a liquid crystal;

a transparent third contact;

a transparent carrier of the LCD arrangement;

a second polarizer of the LCD arrangement, and

a reflector of the LCD arrangement; and

D) adhesively attaching the stacked arrangement of step D to the solar cell arrangement such that a portion of the LCD arrangement is disposed within the opening of the solar cell arrangement.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the liquid crystal is disposed within the opening in step D.

25. The method according to claim 24 wherein the portion of the solar cell arrangement removed in step B comprise respective parts of the photovoltaically active layer and the second contact.

26. The method according to claim 23 wherein the solar cell of step A includes a solar cell carrier.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein step D comprises attaching the LCD arrangement directly to the solar cell carrier.

28. The method according to claim 26 further comprising seating a first polarizer of the LCD arrangement on the solar cell carrier.

33. The method according to claim 28 wherein the solar cell of step A includes a solar cell carrier.

34. The method according to claim 33 wherein step D comprises attaching the LCD arrangement directly to the solar cell carrier.

29. A method of producing a solar-powered liquid crystal display device, comprising the steps of:

A) making a solar cell arrangement comprising, in stacked relationship, an at least partially transparent first contact, a photovoltaically active layer, and a second contact disposed on a side of the photovoltaically active layer opposite that of the first contact;

B) removing a portion of the solar cell arrangement to form an opening therein;

C) making a stacked LCD arrangement comprising;

a liquid crystal;

a transparent third contact;

a transparent second carrier of the LCD arrangement;

a second polarizer of the LCD arrangement, and

a reflector of the LCD arrangement; and

D) inserting a partially transparent fourth contact into the opening formed in step B; and

E) adhesively attaching the stacked arrangement of step C to the second contact.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the portion of the solar cell removed to form the opening in step B comprises respective parts of the first contact, the photovoltaically active layer, and the second contact.

31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the fourth contact is inserted into the portion of the opening formed by the first contact.

32. The method according to claim 29 wherein the portion of the solar cell removed to form the opening in step B comprises a part of the second contact, with the fourth contact inserted therein.