Apparatus for the collection and transmission of electromagnetic radiation

• US 8,121,454 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosynergetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biosynergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nyhart, Eldon H Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Application Number:
  US12/574,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20100021120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 385/131, 385/133, 136/244, 136/251, 126/685, 521/733
• US Class Current: 385/133
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/601 by bonding, e.g. by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/00 Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/12 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 50/20 for tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0023 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/26 Optical coupling means G02B6/36, G02B6/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/44 Heat exchange systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking

Abstract

A collector for propagating incident radiation is disclosed. The collector may comprise a light directing component coupled to a buffer component, a first propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to transmit the incident radiation into a collector region through one of a plurality of windows, and an optical transport assembly coupled to an end of the collector region and having a second propagation component. Each light directing component may be configured to redirect the incident radiation from a first direction to a second direction, and the collector region may include a plurality of regions exhibiting a refractive index value that gradually transitions from about 1.5 to about 2.0. The second propagation component may be further configured to retain the incident radiation.

Claims

1. A collector for propagating incident radiation to a remote location, comprising:

a radiation directing component configured to redirect the incident electromagnetic radiation;

a buffer component coupled to the radiation directing component, the buffer component configured to transport the electromagnetic radiation redirected by the radiation directing component; and

a propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to propagate the electromagnetic radiation generally in a first direction toward a first end of the propagation component by at least total internal reflection, the propagation component including a plurality of spaced apart regions through which the electromagnetic radiation would pass as it is propagated towards the first end, an index of refraction of each of the plurality of spaced apart regions generally increases from a leading edge of the region to a peak value and then decreases towards a trailing edge of the region, the radiation directing component being positioned such that the electromagnetic 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.

2. The collector of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of regions has a first index of refraction at the leading edge of the region and a second index of refraction at the trailing edge of the region.

3. The collector of claim 2, wherein the first index of refraction is equal to the second index of refraction.

4. The collector of claim 2, wherein the peak value of the region is about 133 percent of first index of refraction.

5. The collector of claim 2, wherein the peak value of the region is about 133 percent of second index of refraction.

6. The collector of claim 2, wherein the index of refraction gradually transitions from the first index of refraction to the peak value.

7. The collector of claim 6, wherein the first index of refraction is about 1.5 and the peak value is about 2.0.

8. The collector of claim 2, wherein the index of refraction gradually transitions from the peak value to the second index of refraction.

9. The collector of claim 8, wherein the peak value is about 2.0 and the second index of refraction is about 1.5.

10. The collector of claim 1, wherein the radiation directing component is configured to receive and redirect electromagnetic radiation of at least two wavelength bands.

11. The collector of claim 1, wherein the radiation directing component is configured to receive and redirect electromagnetic radiation from at least one additional direction.

12. The collector of claim 1, wherein the radiation directing component includes a holographic element.

13. The collector of claim 12, wherein the radiation directing component includes a diffraction grating.

14. The collector of claim 1, wherein the propagation component includes a plurality of spaced apart reflective components and wherein each of the plurality of regions is located to overlap a space between adjacent reflective components.

15. The collector of claim 14, wherein the electromagnetic radiation enters a collection region of the propagation components through the space between adjacent reflective components, the collection region including the plurality of spaced apart regions.

16. The collector of claim 14, wherein a portion of the electromagnetic radiation exiting a first region of the plurality of spaced apart regions is reflected by a lower surface of a first reflective component.

17. The collector of claim 14, wherein a portion of the electromagnetic radiation entering a first region of the plurality of spaced apart regions has been reflected by a lower surface of a first reflective component.

18. The collector of claim 2, wherein the first index of refraction is about 1.5 and the peak value is about 2.0.

19. The collector of claim 18, wherein the radiation directing component includes a holographic element.

20. The collector of claim 18, wherein the radiation directing component includes a diffraction grating.