University of California

Skyline Solar, Inc.

Springworks, LLC

Storwatts, Inc.

Harold D Ackler

Stefan P Swierkowski

Marc A Finot

Lisa A Tarte

Randall K Hicks

Peter A Krulevitch

William J Benett

Richard Ernest Demaray

Tamir Lance

Kai-An Wang

Frederick F Becker

Ravi Mullapudi

Julie K Hamilton

Qing Zhu

Dean Samara-Rubio

Bernhard Boser

Xiao-Bo Wang

Adam B Eldredge

Hongmei Zhang

Peter R C Gascoyne

Rajiv Pethe

Robert J Moffat

John C Egermeier

Christopher K Fuller

Cameron G Wylie

Brian J Ignaut

Mang V Chau

Elizabeth Samara-Rubio

Certain examples present an improved compressed-air energy storage system. The system can include multiple sequential stages, in which accumulators are charged with air, which influences a hydraulic fluid to influence a pump/motor, and vice versa.

Compressed air energy storage

In one aspect of the present invention, a reflector for use in a solar collector will be described. The reflector includes a thin film reflective coating that is positioned on a layer. For example, the layer may be a substrate that physically supports the reflective coating or a protective layer. There are multiple spaced apart pinning regions that are distributed through an interface between the layer and the thin film reflective coating. The pinning regions locally anchor the reflective coating to the layer. Some aspects of the present invention relate to the use of pinning regions in other types of optical or electrical components.

Thin film reflective coating pinning arrangement

The present invention relates to a solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system. The solar energy collection system includes the collector, a stand that supports the collector and a tracking system that causes the collector to track movements of the sun along at least one axis. The collector includes one or more reflector panels, one or more solar receivers, and a support structure that physically supports the reflector panels and solar receivers. Some designs involve a reflector panel that has a compound curvature. That is, the reflector panel has a convex shape along one direction and a concave shape in another direction. In another aspect of the invention, the collector includes a space frame support structure.

Solar collector with reflector having compound curvature

An as-deposited waveguide structure is formed by a vapor deposition process without etching of core material. A planar optical device of a lighthouse design includes a ridge-structured lower cladding layer of a low refractive index material. The lower cladding layer has a planar portion and a ridge portion extending above the planar portion. A core layer of a core material having a higher refractive index than the low refractive index material of the lower cladding layer overlies the top of the ridge portion of the lower cladding. A slab layer of the core material overlies the planar portion of the lower cladding layer. The lighthouse waveguide also includes a top cladding layer of a material having a lower refractive index than the core material, overlying the core layer and the slab layer. A method of forming an as-deposited waveguide structure includes first forming a ridge structure in a layer of low refractive index material to provide a lower cladding layer. Next a layer of core material is deposited over the ridge structure by a vapor deposition process. Finally, a top cladding layer of a material having a lower refractive index than the core material is deposited over the core layer.

As-deposited planar optical waveguides with low scattering loss and methods for their manufacture

An electrical connector is formed from a sheet of electrically conductive material that lies in between the two layers of nonconducting material that comprise the casing of an electrical chip. The connector is electrically connected to an electrical element embedded within the chip. An opening in the sheet is concentrically aligned with a pair of larger holes respectively bored through the nonconducting layers. The opening is also smaller than the diameter of an electrically conductive contact pin. However, the sheet is composed flexible material so that the opening adapts to the diameter of the pin when the pin is inserted therethrough. The periphery of the opening applies force to the sides of the pin when the pin is inserted, and thus holds the pin within the opening and in contact with the sheet, by friction. The pin can be withdrawn from the connector by applying sufficient axial force.

Integrated electrical connector

A microfabricated instrument for detecting and identifying cells and other particles based on alternating current (AC) impedance measurements. The microfabricated AC impedance sensor includes two critical elements: 1) a microfluidic chip, preferably of glass substrates, having at least one microchannel therein and with electrodes patterned on both substrates, and 2) electrical circuits that connect to the electrodes on the microfluidic chip and detect signals associated with particles traveling down the microchannels. These circuits enable multiple AC impedance measurements of individual particles at high throughput rates with sufficient resolution to identify different particle and cell types as appropriate for environmental detection and clinical diagnostic applications.

Microfabricated AC impedance sensor

An improved vacuum fusion bonding structure and process for aligned bonding of large area glass plates, patterned with microchannels and access holes and slots, for elevated glass fusion temperatures. Vacuum pumpout of all components is through the bottom platform which yields an untouched, defect free top surface which greatly improves optical access through this smooth surface. Also, a completely non-adherent interlayer, such as graphite, with alignment and location features is located between the main steel platform and the glass plate pair, which makes large improvements in quality, yield, and ease of use, and enables aligned bonding of very large glass structures.

Method for vacuum fusion bonding

An improved vacuum fusion bonding structure and process for aligned bonding of large area glass plates, patterned with microchannels and access holes and slots, for elevated glass fusion temperatures. Vacuum pumpout of all the components is through the bottom platform which yields an untouched, defect free top surface which greatly improves optical access through this smooth surface. Also, a completely non-adherent interlayer, such as graphite, with alignment and location features is located between the main steel platform and the glass plate pair, which makes large improvements in quality, yield, and ease of use, and enables aligned bonding of very large glass structures.

Fusion bonding and alignment fixture

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Harold D Ackler