COLOR CHANGING APPARATUSES WITH SOLAR CELLS

• US 20180047860A1
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: WU, KUAN-TING, CHU, WEI-KUANG, YANG, CHIENLUNG, LIM, HUI LENG
• Granted Patent: US 10,361,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2476 Solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/50 using change in colour of an indicator, e.g. actinometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0126 Opto-optical modulation, i.e. control of one light beam by another light beam, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0147 based on thermo-optic effects G02F1/132 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0216 Coatings H01L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02327 the optical elements being integrated or being directly associated to the device, e.g. back reflectors optical coatings H01L31/0216
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/042 PV modules or arrays of single PV cells supporting structures for PV modules H02S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/053 Energy storage means directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. a capacitor integrated with a PV cell energy storage means associated with the PV module H02S40/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/054 Optical elements directly associated or integrated with the PV cell, e.g. light-reflecting means or light-concentrating means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0547 comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a color changing apparatus. The color changing apparatus includes a solar cell assembly to absorb solar energy and converse the solar energy to thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation. The color changing apparatus also includes a color changing element to be in contact with the solar cell and display different color features by absorbing the thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation provided by the solar cell assembly.

Claims

1. A color changing apparatus, comprising:

a solar cell assembly to absorb solar energy and provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation;

a color changing element to be in contact with the solar cell and display different color features by absorbing the thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation provided by the solar cell assembly.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color changing element is a flexible photochromic band or a flexible thermochromic band and the solar cell assembly comprises a plurality of flexible solar cells, and wherein the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly are arranged into a plurality of recesses formed in the color changing element, respectively.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color changing element is disposed over a substrate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the color changing element is a flexible photochromic coating or a flexible thermochromic, coating and the solar cell assembly comprises a plurality of flexible solar cells, and wherein the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly are arranged into a plurality of recesses formed in the substrate, respectively, and the color changing element is formed between the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly and the substrate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the solar cell assembly is arranged on the top side of the substrate with the color changing element being formed between the solar cell assembly and the substrate.

3. The apparatus according to clan 1, further comprising a back-up battery unit to provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation in the color changing apparatus in place of the solar cell assembly when the solar cell assembly does not work normally.

7. A method for producing a color changing apparatus, comprising:

forming a color changing element

arranging a solar cell assembly in contact with the color changing element, wherein the solar cell assembly is to absorb solar energy and provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the color changing element is to display different color features by absorbing the thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation provided by the solar cell assembly.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the color changing element is a flexible photochromic band or a flexible thermochromic band and the solar cell assembly comprises a plurality of flexible solar cells, and wherein arranging the solar cell assembly in contact with the color changing element comprising forming a plurality of recesses in the color changing element and arranging the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly into the plurality of recesses, respectively.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising arranging a back-up battery unit in contact with the color changing element, the back-up battery unit is to provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation in the color changing apparatus in place of the solar cell assembly when the solar cell assembly does not work normally.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein forming a color changing element comprises forming the color changing element over a substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the color changing element is a flexible photochromic coating or a flexible thermochromic coating and the solar cell assembly comprises a plurality of flexible solar cells, and wherein arranging the solar cell assembly in contact with the color changing element comprises forming a plurality of recesses in the substrate and arranging the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly into the plurality of recesses, respectively, and wherein the color changing element is formed between the flexible solar cells of the solar cell assembly and the substrate.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein arranging the solar cell assembly in contact with the color changing element comprising arranging the solar cell assembly on the top side of the substrate with the color changing element being formed between the solar cell assembly and the substrate.

13. A wearable device comprising:

a color changing apparatus, the color changing apparatus comprising;

a solar cell assembly to absorb solar energy and provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation;

a color changing element to be in contact with the solar cell and display different color features by absorbing the thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation provided by the solar cell assembly.

14. The wearable device according to claim 13, wherein the color changing apparatus further comprising a back-up battery unit to provide thermal energy or electromagnetic radiation in the color changing apparatus in place of the solar cell assembly when the solar cell assembly does not work normally.

15. The wearable device according to claim 13, wherein color changing element is photochromic band, thermochromic band, photochromic coating or thermochromic coating.