Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric inventions 04/06

20060086382 - Mechanism for mounting solar modules: A mounting system is provided for solar modules with a compressable retention structure for solar modules. The retention structure may interleave a upper and lower rail that provides a shelf or other support structure in order to hold a solar module or panel in an operative position. The upper and...

20060086383 - Solar concentrator: A space solar concentrator based on deployable reflectors attached to a panel base is described. Each of the reflectors includes sides coated with reflective coating on surfaces facing away from the base. In one embodiment, the sides of the reflector have thicker portion to provide stiffness for deployment absent compressive...

20060086384 - Light receiving or light emitting device and itsd production method: A light-receiving device incorporating particulate semiconductor devices (solar cells) having a light-to-electricity transducing function or a light-emitting device incorporating particulate semiconductor devices (light-emitting diodes) having an electricity-to-light transducing function. In a solar cell panel shown, solar cells are arrayed on the same plane in rows. Each row of solar cells...

20060086385 - Tandem thin film solar cell: A tandem thin film solar cell is composed of a first conductive layer formed on a transparent substrate; a first solar cell layer formed on the first conductive layer; and a second solar cell layer covering the first solar cell layer. The first conductive layer has surface irregularity, a pitch...

20060086386 - Thin-film solar cell of tandem type: A thin-film solar cell of a tandem type includes a first conductive layer formed on a transparent substrate to which a sun light is input; a top solar cell layer formed on the first conductive layer; and a bottom solar cell layer laminated on the top solar cell layer to...

20060081286 - Solar to electrical energy transduction using the streaming potential: Apparatus and method using solar power driven expansion of an electrolytic solution to force said solution through pores in an insulating plate. The pores' surface has fixed surface charge of one polarity. The velocities of the cations and anions through the pores differ because of the fixed surface charge and...

20060076046 - Thermoelectric device structure and apparatus incorporating same: In certain embodiments, a thermoelectric device apparatus includes a plurality of laterally spaced-apart electrodes disposed upon a supporting structure, and at least one complementary pair of thermoelectric elements, each thermoelectric element coupling an electrode to a laterally adjacent electrode. Such a structure reduces the need for solder joints or other...

20060076047 - Potted domed solar panel capsule and traffic warning lamps incorporating same: A rugged, long lasting, transparent housing of a domed shape protects an embedded solar panel. More particularly, the solar panel is embedded in a polymer in a utilized, potted construction. The use of polyurethane as the polymer produces a durable product which is transparent and resistant to both thermal and...

20060076048 - Photo-sensing photovoltaic with positioning facility: Photovoltaic cells, systems and methods, as well as related compositions, are disclosed. Embodiments involve providing a photovoltaic facility; associating a photon sensing facility with the photovoltaic facility; associating a positioning facility with the photovoltaic facility; measuring a photon intensity with the photon sensing facility; and automatically repositioning the photovoltaic facility...

20060076049 - Solar cell having front grid metallization that does not contact the active layers: A solar cell has a photovoltaic element having a back electrical contact, and a front current-collection grid cap structure overlying and contacting the photovoltaic solar cell element. The front current-collection grid cap structure is made of a doped semiconductor material and has openings therethrough to the photovoltaic solar cell element....

20060076051 - Electrolyte composition and photoelectric conversion element using same: An electrolyte composition is in solid form, and includes a polymer compound containing a cation structure selected from a group consisting of ammonium, phosphonium and sulfonium structures in either the principal chain or a side chain of the polymer, and a halide ion and/or a polyhalide as a counter anion....

20060076050 - Heteroatomic regioregular poly(3-substitutedthiophenes) for photovoltaic cells: Regioregular polythiophene polymers can be used in photovoltaic applications including copolymers and blends. The polymer can comprise heteroatoms in the side groups. Better efficiencies can be achieved....

20060070650 - Temperature gradient detector: To monitor temperature variations over a surface, the present invention employs a grid of thermoelectric wires imbedded into a carrier or body patch. The thermoelectric wires form a thermopile with “hot” junctions distributed over the central section of the body patch, while the “cold” junctions” are positioned at the periphery...

20060070651 - Highly efficient counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell and method of producing the same: Disclosed herein is a counter electrode for a dye-sensitized solar cell, and a method of producing the same. In the dye-sensitized solar cell which includes a photoelectrode containing a photosensitive dye molecules, in which the counter electrode is positioned opposite to the photoelectrode, and an electrolytic solution interposed between the...

20060070652 - Drop tube type granular crystal producing device: A drop tube type particulate crystalline body producing device is a device for creating a substantially spherical crystalline body by solidifying a particulate melt of an inorganic material while allowing it to free-fall inside a drop tube. This device 1 has a melt formation device 2, drop tube 3, gas...

20060070653 - Nanostructured composite photovoltaic cell: In accordance with one aspect of the present application, a solar photovoltaic cell is disclosed. The semiconductor material of the solar photovoltaic cell includes an inter-digitated nanostructure of a charge transport material and an optical absorbing material. The charge transport material is formed by anodization of a metal, preferably a...