Nonimaging radiant energy device

• US 5,610,768 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Argonne National Laboratory, The University of Chicago Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: Argonne National Laboratory, The University of Chicago Development Corporation
• Inventors: Winston, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong
• Application Number:
  US08/471,730
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 359/709-711, 359/727, 359/852-869, 359/362-366, 359/846-851, 126/438-441, 126/657, 126/683, 126/695, 136/206, 136/246, 385/50, 385/146
• US Class Current: 359/727
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2023/837 hyperbolic
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/00 Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/30 with lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/70 with reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0033 characterised by the use
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0042 for use with direct solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems

Abstract

A nonimaging radiant energy device may include a hyperbolically shaped reflective element with a radiant energy inlet and a radiant energy outlet. A convex lens is provided at the radiant energy inlet and a concave lens is provided at the radiant energy outlet. Due to the provision of the lenses and the shape of the walls of the reflective element, the radiant energy incident at the radiant energy inlet within a predetermined angle of acceptance is emitted from the radiant energy outlet exclusively within an acute exit angle. In another embodiment, the radiant energy device may include two interconnected hyperbolically shaped reflective elements with a respective convex lens being provided at each aperture of the device.

Claims

1. A radiant energy device comprising:

a radiant energy source with an edge;

a first lens positioned to receive radiant energy from said radiant energy source;

an optical element optically coupled to said first lens, said optical element having a nonlinear reflective surface positioned to receive radiant energy from said first lens;

a second lens optically coupled to said optical element whereby radiant energy passing through said first lens impinges upon said nonlinear reflective surface of said optical element and is reflected to said second lens; and

a radiant energy receptor positioned to receive radiant energy from said second lens, said radiant energy receptor having an edge,

said nonlinear reflective surface of said optical element being shaped such that the effective optical distance of a plurality of optical paths between said edge of said radiant energy source and said edge of said radiant energy receptor is substantially constant.

2. A radiant energy device as defined in claim 1 wherein the entire portion of said nonlinear reflective surface is shaped such that, for each point on said nonlinear reflective surface, the effective optical path distance between said edge of said radiant energy source and said edge of said radiant energy receptor is substantially constant.

3. A radiant energy device as defined in claim 1 wherein said radiant energy source comprises a radiant energy inlet.

4. A radiant energy device as defined in claim 1 wherein said radiant energy receptor comprises a radiant energy outlet.

5. A radiant energy device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first lens comprises a converging lens and wherein said second lens comprises a converging lens.