Electromagnetic radiation collector and transport system
First Claim
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1. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
- a propagation component configured to transmit radiation and having a first end and at least a first refractive index;
a buffer component coupled to the propagation component and configured to transmit radiation and having at least a second refractive index, the second refractive index being less than the first refractive index of the propagation component;
a radiation directing component coupled to the buffer component and configured to redirect the incident radiation from the at least first direction along at least a second direction different than the first direction within the buffer component, such that the radiation enters the propagation component and is propagated within the propagation component toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection; and
a lower interface located between the propagation component and an outside medium, wherein the outside medium has a refractive index at the lower interface which is less than the first refractive index of the propagation component.
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Abstract
The present invention includes a radiation collector configured to collect incident radiation. The radiation collector includes a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation, a buffer component configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component, and a propagation component configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation towards a first end of the propagation component.
99 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
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a propagation component configured to transmit radiation and having a first end and at least a first refractive index;
a buffer component coupled to the propagation component and configured to transmit radiation and having at least a second refractive index, the second refractive index being less than the first refractive index of the propagation component;
a radiation directing component coupled to the buffer component and configured to redirect the incident radiation from the at least first direction along at least a second direction different than the first direction within the buffer component, such that the radiation enters the propagation component and is propagated within the propagation component toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection; and
a lower interface located between the propagation component and an outside medium, wherein the outside medium has a refractive index at the lower interface which is less than the first refractive index of the propagation component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A collector for collecting radiation incident on the collector from at least a first direction, the collector comprising:
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a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident radiation;
a buffer component coupled to the radiation directing component and configured to receive the radiation redirected by the radiation directing component;
a propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to receive the radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the radiation generally in a first direction toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection, the radiation directing component being positioned such that the radiation incident on the collector which is received into the propagation component is incident from a direction generally not parallel with the first direction of the propagation component, said buffer component is configured to optically separate radiation directing component and propagation component and to retain the collected radiation in propagation component; and
a lower interface located between the propagation component and an outside medium, wherein the outside medium has a refractive index at the lower interface which is less than the first refractive index of the propagation component. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A solar collector configured to collect incident solar radiation and to be affixed to a surface of a building, the solar collector comprising:
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an optical component having a top surface and a first end, the optical component configured to receive the incident solar radiation through the top surface and to collect the incident solar radiation at the first end of the optical component; and
an attachment component coupled to the optical component, the attachment component configured to receive at least one fastening component to secure the attachment component to the surface of the building;
wherein the optical component comprises;
a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident solar radiation;
a buffer component coupled to the radiation directing component and configured to receive the solar radiation redirected by the radiation directing component; and
a propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to receive the solar radiation from the buffer component and to propagate the solar radiation generally in a first direction toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection, the radiation directing component being positioned such that the solar radiation incident on the solar collector which is received into the propagation component is incident from a direction generally not parallel with the first direction of the propagation component, said buffer component is configured to optically separate radiation directing component and propagation component and to retain the collected radiation in propagation component; and
a lower interface located between the propagation component and an outside medium, wherein the outside medium has a refractive index at the lower interface which is less than the first refractive index of the propagation component. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification