PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

• US 20140352760A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zinniatek Limited
• Original Assignee: Zinniatek Limited
• Inventors: Partridge, Ashton Cyril, Haynes, Andrew Leo, Liu, Pengcheng, Nguang, Sing Kiong
• Application Number:
  US14/361,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20140352760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/246
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/67 in the form of roof constructions in the form of shingles or tiles F24S20/69
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/40 using plate-like mounting elements, e.g. profiled or corrugated plates; Plate-like module frames extending in directions away from a supporting surface F24S25/10
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0521 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/30 using light, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/26 Building materials integrated with PV modules, e.g. façade elements H02S20/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/44 Means to utilise heat energy, e.g. hybrid systems producing warm water and electricity at the same time directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/0525
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 : Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/60 : Thermal-PV hybrids

Abstract

This invention relates to photovoltaic (PV) unit adapted to provide wireless power transfer output comprising one or more photovoltaic cells that generate electrical output, and at least one wireless power transfer transmitter coupled to transfer the electrical output via wireless power transfer. Such a PV unit can be provided in combination with a roofing, cladding or siding module. Such a module comprises an underlapping region and an exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface; and an outer surface and an under surface, wherein the under surface of the underlapping region is profiled to define a pathway for air flow between the module and the building surface.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic unit adapted to provide wireless power transfer output comprising:

one or more photovoltaic cells that generate electrical output, at least one wireless power transfer transmitter coupled to transfer the electrical output via wireless power transfer.

2. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic unit is for installation on a roof or a substrate panel to serve as a roofing product.

3. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 wherein the electrical output is transferred via wireless power transfer to a load and/or output conductor.

4. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 wherein the wireless power transfer is via capacitive coupling whereby the wireless power transfer transmitter forms a capacitor with a wireless power transfer receiver coupled to (or for coupling to) the load and/or output conductor.

5. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 4 wherein the wireless power transfer transmitter comprises a capacitor plate.

6. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 5 wherein the capacitor plate has surface texturing.

7. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 6 wherein the surface texturing is nanoscopic and/or microscopic surface texturing.

8. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 wherein there are two or more photovoltaic cells coupled together to generate the electrical output, wherein the photovoltaic cells are coupled together using wireless power transfer.

9. Two or more photovoltaic units coupled together to generate electrical output, each according to claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic cells are coupled together using wireless power transfer.

10. A roof or roofing component comprising a photovoltaic unit according to claim 1.

11. A roof or roofing component according to claim 10 further comprising at least one wireless power transfer receiver coupled to (or for coupling to) a load or output conductor for receiving electrical output from the wireless power transfer transmitter.

12. A roof or roofing component according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the wireless power transfer is via capacitive coupling whereby the wireless power transfer transmitter forms a capacitor with the wireless power transfer receiver coupled to (or for coupling to) the load and/or output conductor.

13. A roof or roofing component according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the wireless power transfer transmitter comprises a capacitor plate.

14. A roof or roofing component according to claim 13 wherein the capacitor plate has surface texturing.

15. A roof or roofing component according to claim 14 wherein the surface texturing is nanoscopic and/or microscopic surface texturing.

16. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 for installation on a roofing, cladding, or siding module comprising:

an underlapping region and an exposed region, wherein the underlapping region is adapted to be substantially covered by the exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface; and

an outer surface and an under surface, wherein the under surface of the underlapping region is profiled to define a pathway for air flow between the module and the building surface.

17. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 for installation on a roofing, cladding, or siding module comprising a plurality of formed surfaces moulded from one or more polymeric materials, wherein each of the formed surfaces comprise three dimensional surface features, and wherein the formed surfaces are joined without weld lines or injection moulding points.

18. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 for installation a roofing, cladding, or siding assembly comprising a plurality of partially-overlapping modules that substantially covers a building surface, wherein each module comprises:

an underlapping region and an exposed region, wherein the underlapping region is adapted to be substantially covered by the exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface and the exposed region is adapted to be substantially exposed when installed on a building surface;

an outer surface and an under surface, wherein the under surface of the underlapping region is profiled to define a pathway for air flow between the module and the building surface.

19. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 for installation on a system for removing or recovering thermal energy from a building surface, the system comprising:

a building surface;

a roofing, cladding, or siding assembly comprising a plurality of partially-overlapping modules that substantially covers the building surface, wherein each module comprises

an underlapping region and an exposed region, wherein the underlapping region is adapted to be substantially covered by the exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface and the exposed region is adapted to be substantially exposed when installed on a building surface;

an outer surface and an under surface, wherein the under surface of the underlapping region is profiled to define a pathway for air flow between the module and the building surface; and

a fan adapted to induce the air flow.

20. A photovoltaic unit according to claim 1 for installation on a system for generating electricity and recovering or removing thermal energy from a building surface, the system comprising

a building surface;

a roofing, cladding, or siding assembly comprising a plurality of partially-overlapping modules that substantially covers the building surface, wherein each module comprises

an underlapping region and an exposed region, wherein the underlapping region is adapted to be substantially covered by the exposed region of an adjacent module when installed on a building surface; and

an outer surface and an under surface, wherein the under surface of the underlapping region is profiled to define a pathway for air flow between the module and the building surface, and wherein the outer surface of the exposed region comprises one or more photovoltaic