Reflection-Safe Receiver for Power Beaming

• US 20080130124A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PowerBeam, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PowerBeam, Inc.
• Inventors: Graham, David S.
• Application Number:
  US11/943,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20080130124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/614
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/807 Optical power feeding, i.e. transmitting power using an optical signal

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a power beam receiver that will not reflect light beyond the regulatory limits for human exposure, except along paths known to be without people. In one embodiment, a baffle is used to trap reflections from surfaces of the receiver. In a second embodiment, the power beam receiver is arranged so that reflections are reflected to another surface of the receiver. These surfaces may be designed as a retroreflector. In a third embodiment, an intentional scattering medium is added to the power beam receiver so that parallel light rays incident on the front surface of the power beam receiver are scattered through a series of angles. As a result, any light escaping the system is diffused.

Claims

1. A power beam receiver comprising:

a power conversion element arranged at a non-perpendicular angle to an incident power beam; and

a first baffle arranged to absorb reflections of the incident power beam from the power conversion element.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the incident power beam has a wavelength, and the first baffle absorbs light at least at the wavelength of the incident power beam.

3. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first baffle comprises black anodized aluminum.

4. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the non-perpendicular angle to the incident power beam is an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

5. The receiver of claim 1, further comprising a reflector that focuses the incident power beam onto the power conversion element.

6. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the power conversion element is arranged at a non-parallel angle to the incident power beam, and the power beam receiver further comprises a second baffle arranged to absorb reflections of the incident power beam that have twice reflected from the reflector.

7. The receiver of claim 5, wherein the reflector comprises a parabolic reflector.

8. The receiver of claim 7, wherein the parabolic reflector comprises an off-axis parabolic reflector.

9. A power beam receiver comprising:

a first power conversion element arranged at a non-perpendicular, non-parallel angle to an incident power beam; and

a second power conversion element fixed at a right angle to the first power conversion element, wherein reflections of the incident power beam from the first power conversion element impinge on the second power conversion element.

10. A power beam receiver comprising:

a power receiving element arranged to receive an incident power beam; and

a retroreflector between a source of the incident power beam and the power receiving element.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the retroreflector is anti-reflection coated.

12. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the retroreflector comprises a corner cube.

13. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the corner cube is anti-reflection coated.

14. The receiver of claim 12, wherein the corner cube is hollow.

15. The receiver of claim 14, wherein a thickness of the hollow corner cube retroreflector is approximately 1 mm.

16. The receiver of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of retroreflectors between the source of the incident power beam and the power receiving element, wherein the plurality of retroreflectors comprise a plurality of anti-reflection coated, hollow corner cube retroreflectors.

17. A power beam receiver comprising:

a surface of a first element; and

a surface of a second element, wherein the first and second elements are arranged so that light from an incident power beam that originally reflects from the surface of the first element is directed to the surface of the second element, wherein the first and second elements are not substantially reflective.

18. The receiver of claim 17, wherein the first element comprises a power receiving element.

19. The receiver of claim 17, wherein the first and second elements are afocal.

20. The receiver of claim 17, wherein the first and second elements are further arranged so that light from the incident power beam that originally reflects from the surface of the second element is directed to the surface of the first element.

21. A power beam receiver comprising:

a power receiving element arranged to receive an incident power beam; and

an intentional dispersion element between a source of the incident power beam and the power receiving element to scatter reflections of the incident power beam.

22. The receiver of claim 21, wherein the intentional dispersion element comprises a light-dispersive feature.

23. The receiver of claim 21, wherein the intentional dispersion element comprises a photoetched element.

24. The receiver of claim 21, further comprising a border around the power beam receiver.