Apparatus for the collection and transmission of electromagnetic radiation

• US 8,385,708 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2012
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosynergetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biosynergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nyhart, Eldon H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Application Number:
  US13/371,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20120141068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 380 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 propagation apparatus for electromagnetic radiation, the propagation apparatus comprising

a first plurality of regions each having a first index of refraction;

and

a second plurality of spaced apart regions interleaved with the first plurality of regions, an index of refraction of each of the second plurality of spaced apart regions generally increases from the first index of refraction at a leading edge of the spaced apart region to a peak value and then decreases towards the first index of refraction at a trailing edge of the spaced apart region, wherein the electromagnetic radiation traverses generally in a first direction through a first region of the first plurality of regions, followed by a first region of the second plurality of spaced apart regions, followed by a second region of the first plurality of regions, and followed by a second region of the second plurality of spaced apart regions.

2. The propagation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peak value index of refraction of the first region of the second plurality of spaced apart regions is about 133 percent of first index of refraction.

3. The propagation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first index of refraction is about 1.5 and the peak value is about 2.0.

4. The propagation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the peak value index of refraction of the first region of the second plurality of spaced apart regions gradually transitions from the first index of refraction to the peak value index of refraction.

5. The propagation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first index of refraction is about 1.5 and the peak value is about 2.0.