Arrangement for converting light into electrical energy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023213702-A1
Application number	US-202118001154-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 31, 2021
Priority date	Jun 10, 2020
Publication date	Jul 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus is described for converting light of a light source into electrical energy. The apparatus includes a layered body having flat elements, a photovoltaic cell, a light conducting element, a light-switching element , and a photovoltaic cell arranged on a boundary surface of the layered body. The light-switching element (16) can be set to either transmit or block light, In the case of blocking, the light-switching element couples light into the photovoltaic cell t to convert received light into electric energy.

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . An apparatus for converting light of a light source into electrical energy, said apparatus comprising:
a layered body formed by a plurality of flat elements, wherein the flat elements are stacked on top of one another, wherein the layered body is delimited by an entry surface, an exit surface and at least one outer surface as boundary surfaces, wherein a main direction is defined as being oriented from the entry surface towards the exit surface, and wherein the layered body further includes:
at least one first light-switching element, and
at least one light-conducting element that is located in front of the at least one first light-switching element in the main direction;
at least one photovoltaic cell arranged on at least one boundary surface of the layered body, wherein the at least one first light-switching element can be set to either transmit or block light, wherein in the case in which the at least one first light-switching element is set to transmit the light, the at least one first light-switching element is set to transmit the light, and wherein in the case in which the at least one first light-switching element is set to block the light, the at least one first light-switching element is configured to couple the light into the at least one light-conducting element, wherein the at least one light-conducting element in this case is configured to transmit the light which has been coupled-in by the one first light-switching element to the at least one photovoltaic cell on the at least one boundary surface, and wherein the at least one photovoltaic cell is configured to convert received light into electric energy.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one light-conducting element and the at least one first light-switching element are arranged directly next to one another in the main direction, wherein the at least one first light-switching element contacts the at least one light-conducting element.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , having as at least one further element at least one second light-switching element arranged in front of the at least one light-conducting element in the main direction, wherein the at least one light-conducting element is arranged in the main direction between the at least one second light-switching element and the at least one first light-switching element, wherein the at least one second light-switching element is light-transmissive in the main direction and light-blocking counter to the main direction, wherein the at least one second light-switching element is configured to transmit the light in the main direction and to couple it into the at least one light-conducting element counter to the main direction.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein at least one coupling element for light is assigned to the at least one light-conducting element, wherein at least the first light-switching element is designed as at least one first coupling element for the at least one light-conducting element and is configured to couple the light into the at least one light-conducting element.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein at least one out-coupling element for light is assigned to the at least one light-conducting element, said out-coupling element being arranged at least on the at least one boundary surface between the at least one light-conducting element and the at least one photovoltaic cell and being configured for coupling the light out of the at least one light-conducting element and into the at least one photovoltaic cell.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , designed as a glazing pane for closing an opening in an enclosing surface, wherein the enclosing surface and the arrangement arranged in the opening separate an interior from a surroundings, wherein the entry surface of the surroundings and the exit surface can be assigned to the interior, wherein the light source is arranged in the surroundings outside the interior.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , which is configured for a vehicle.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one photovoltaic cell is arranged on at least one boundary surface of the layered body formed as an outer surface.

19 . A method for converting light of a light source into electrical energy, the method comprising:
setting at least one first light-switching element to either transmit or block the light, the at least one first light-switching element forming a part of a layered body, the layered body being further formed by a plurality of flat elements, wherein the flat elements are stacked on top of one another, wherein the layered body is delimited by an entry surface, an exit surface and at least one outer surface as boundary surfaces, wherein a main direction is defined as being oriented from the entry surface towards the exit surface, and wherein the layered body further includes the at least one light-conducting element that is located in front of the at least one first light-switching element in the main direction; when the at least one first light-switching element is set to transmit the light, transmitting the light; when the at least one first light-switching element is set to block the light, coupling the light by the at least one first light-switching element into the at least one light-conducting element; transmitting, by the at least one light-conducting element, the light which has been coupled-in by the one first light-switching element to an at least one photovoltaic cell on the at least one boundary surface of the layered body; and converting, by the at least one photovoltaic cell, the light into electric energy.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:
setting the at least one first light-switching element to transmit the light when the light of the light source is desired to radiate through the exit surface; and setting the at least one first light-switching element to be light-blocking when the light of the light source is to be darkened.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Moll Tobias
• Scheuchenpflug Johannes
• Matthai Annegret

Classifications

• H10F77/488 Primary

  Reflecting light-concentrating means, e.g. parabolic mirrors or concentrators using total internal reflection · CPC title

• G02F2203/48

  Variable attenuator · CPC title

• B60J3/04

  adjustable in transparency · CPC title

• G02B6/262 Primary

  Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements · CPC title

• H01L31/0547

  Electricity · mapped topic