Vehicular body panel energy generator system

• US 20070261896A1
• Filed: 05/11/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Patterson, Joseph, Miller, Ronald, Macneille, Perry, Shaffer, Aric
• Granted Patent: US 8,997,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/2.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/12 of exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/90 Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof

Abstract

A vehicular body panel energy generator system is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the system includes a vehicle body and a plurality of body panels forming the vehicle body. At least one of the body panels comprises a vehicular solar panel. A method of generating and utilizing electrical power in a vehicle is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A vehicular body panel energy generator system, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of body panels forming said vehicle body; and

wherein at least one of said plurality of body panels comprises a vehicular solar panel.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a hood panel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a roof panel.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a trunk panel.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a rear cabin panel.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a dashboard panel.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises at least one side panel.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a solar fabric panel.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said solar fabric panel comprises an electrode, a solar fabric layer provided on said electrode and a conductive layer provided on said solar fabric layer.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said solar fabric layer comprises titanium dioxide powder particles.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said conductive layer comprises a conductive polymer.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a battery connected to said vehicular solar panel.

13. A vehicular body panel energy generator system, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a plurality of body panels forming said vehicle body and imparting shape to said vehicle body; and

wherein each of said plurality of body panels comprises a vehicular solar panel.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said plurality of body panels comprises a hood panel, a roof panel, a trunk panel and a plurality of side panels.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a solar fabric panel.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said solar fabric panel comprises an electrode, a solar fabric layer provided on said electrode and a conductive layer provided on said solar fabric layer.

17. A method of generating and utilizing electrical power in a vehicle, comprising:

providing a plurality of vehicular body panels, wherein at least one of said plurality of vehicular body panels comprises a vehicular solar panel;

forming a vehicle body using said plurality of vehicular body panels; and

converting solar energy into electrical energy using said vehicular solar panel.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising using said electrical energy in functioning of said vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said vehicular solar panel comprises a solar fabric panel.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said solar fabric panel comprises an electrode, a solar fabric layer provided on said electrode and a conductive layer provided on said solar fabric layer.