Multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition and method, solar energy harvesting buckyball, inductive coupling device; vehicle chassis; atmospheric intake hydrogen motor; electrical energy generating tire; and mechanical energy harvesting device

• US 9,837,570 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gridkicker, LLC
• Original Assignee: Kahrl L. Retti
• Inventors: Retti, Kahrl L
• Primary Examiner(s): Ayad, Tamir
• Application Number:
  US13/673,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20130278201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 136244
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/005 without mechanical contact between the collector and the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/00 Electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 7/00 Power lines or rails specially adapted for electrically-propelled vehicles of special types, e.g. suspension tramway, ropeway, underground railway
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0206 Non-hydrocarbon fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ammonia or carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0227 Means to treat or clean gaseous fuels or fuel systems, e.g. removal of tar, cracking, reforming or enriching
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0296 Manufacturing or assembly; Materials, e.g. coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 45/00 Discharge tubes functioning as thermionic generators structural combination of fuel element with thermoelectric element G21C3/40; nuclear power plants using thermionic converters G21D7/04; structural combination of a radioactive source with a thermionic converter, e.g. radioisotope batteries G21H1/10; generators in which thermal or kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy by ionisation of a fluid and removal of the charge therefrom H02N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/056 the light-reflecting means being of the back surface reflector [BSR] type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1876 with reciprocating, linearly oscillating or vibrating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A multiple layer composition and method for deposition of a solar energy harvesting strip onto a driving surface that will allow electric cars to charge by an inductive coupling is provided. The multiple layer composition includes at least one magnetic material for generating a magnetic field, wherein at least one of the multiple layers comprises the magnetic material. Further, the a multiple layer composition includes at least one solar energy harvesting material for converting at least one of thermal and photonic energy into electrical energy, wherein at least one of the multiple layers comprises the at least one solar energy harvesting material and wherein the at least one solar energy harvesting material is located within a magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic material. One of the layers may also include a thermal energy harvesting material for converting thermal energy into electrical energy.

Claims

1. A method for harvesting solar energy, the method comprising:

depositing a plurality of layers onto a surface area that is incident to solar energy, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers comprises at least one solar energy harvesting material bonded to the surface area and at least one of the plurality of layers comprises at least one permanent magnetic material bonded to the surface area; and

converting at least one of thermal and photonic energy into electrical energy by the at least one solar energy harvesting material, wherein the at least one solar energy harvesting material is located within a magnetic field generated by the at least one permanent magnetic material;

wherein the step of depositing a plurality of layers comprises;

applying a bonding layer onto a surface;

applying a magnetic layer directly on top of the bonding layer and in fixed relation thereto;

applying a conductive layer onto the magnetic layer and in fixed relation thereto;

applying an energy harvesting layer onto the conductive layer and in fixed relation thereto, said energy harvesting layer further comprising a plurality of carbon buckyballs having a thermal energy harvesting material on at least a portion of the exterior of each buckyball, and a photonic energy harvesting material on at least a portion of each buckyball, wherein each said buckyball defines a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, and wherein the first and second hemisphere each comprise a hollow portion comprising a carbon nanotube and one of a dielectric and magnetic material; and

applying a transparent sealing layer onto the energy harvesting layer and in fixed relation thereto.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one discharge capacitor is comprised by one or among more than one of the plurality of layers, the discharge capacitor comprising at least two conductors that are spaced apart and substantially parallel and at least one dielectric material between the conductors, wherein the at least one discharge capacitor is charged by the electrical energy and augments the magnetic field.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic material is deposited as a line array of a plurality of adjacent magnet portions substantially parallel to the surface area and substantially parallel to each other, wherein opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions are oriented such that a line between the opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions is perpendicular to the line array, further wherein each of the plurality of magnet portions have a substantially similar or opposite magnetic field orientation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnetic material is at least partially used for retaining and conveying information by staggering or eliminating portions of the magnetic material, or by adding diamagnetic material to the magnetic material to act as a magnetic field modifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of layers comprises a basecoat on which the magnetic material is deposited and another one of the plurality of layers comprises a transparent sealant material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface area that is incident to solar energy is one of a driving surface and a body panel of a vehicle.

7. A multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition for deposition onto a surface area that is incident to solar energy, the composition comprising:

at least one permanent magnetic material bonded to the surface area, for generating a magnetic field, wherein at least one of the multiple layers comprises the permanent magnetic material;

an energy harvesting layer bonded on top of the magnetic material, said energy harvesting layer further comprising a plurality of carbon buckyballs having a thermal energy harvesting material on at least a portion of the exterior of each buckyball, and a photonic energy harvesting material on at least a portion of each buckyball, wherein each said buckyball defines a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, and wherein the first and second hemisphere each comprise a hollow portion comprising a carbon nanotube and one of a dielectric and magnetic material;

wherein said energy harvesting layer is located within a magnetic field generated by the at least one permanent magnetic material.

8. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition according to claim 7, wherein at least one discharge capacitor is comprised by one or among more than one of the multiple layers, the discharge capacitor comprising at least two conductors that are spaced apart and substantially parallel and at least one dielectric material between the conductors, wherein the at least one discharge capacitor is charged by the electrical energy and augments the magnetic field.

9. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition according to claim 8, wherein at least one layer of said multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition is deposited by spraying, hand application, or film deposition.

10. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition according to claim 7, wherein the at least one magnetic material is deposited as a line array of a plurality of adjacent magnet portions substantially parallel to the surface area and substantially parallel to each other, wherein opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions are oriented such that a line between the opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions is perpendicular to the line array, further wherein each of the plurality of magnet portions have a substantially similar or opposite magnetic field orientation.

11. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition of claim 7, wherein the magnetic material is at least partially used for retaining and conveying information by staggering or eliminating portions of the magnetic material, or by adding diamagnetic material to the magnetic material to act as a magnetic field modifier.

12. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition of claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of layers comprises a basecoat on which the magnetic material is deposited and another one of the plurality of layers comprises a transparent sealant material.

13. The multiple layer solar energy harvesting composition according to claim 7, wherein the surface area that is incident to solar energy is one of a driving surface and a body panel of a vehicle.

14. A method for harvesting solar energy, the method comprising:

depositing a plurality of layers onto a surface area that is incident to solar energy such that the plurality of layers are adhesively bonded to the surface area, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers comprises an energy harvesting layer comprising a plurality of carbon buckyballs having a thermal energy harvesting material on at least a portion of the exterior of each buckyball, and a photonic energy harvesting material on at least a portion of each buckyball, wherein each said buckyball defines a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere, and wherein the first and second hemisphere each comprise a hollow portion comprising a carbon nanotube and one of a dielectric and magnetic material; and

converting thermal and photonic energy into electrical energy by the energy harvesting layer.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the depositing of the plurality of layers onto a surface area comprises depositing one or more of the plurality of layers by spraying, hand application, or film deposition.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers comprises a magnetic material for generating a magnetic field, the magnetic material being deposited as a line array of a plurality of adjacent magnet portions substantially parallel to the surface area and substantially parallel to each other, wherein opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions are oriented such that a line between the opposing polar regions of each of the plurality of magnet portions is perpendicular to the line array, further wherein each of the plurality of magnet portions have a substantially similar or opposite magnetic field orientation.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein at least one discharge capacitor is comprised by one or among more than one of the plurality of layers, the discharge capacitor comprising at least two conductors that are spaced apart and substantially parallel and at least one dielectric between the conductors, wherein the at least one discharge capacitor is charged by the electrical energy and augments the magnetic field.