Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.p.

Hughes Aircraft Company

Karl S Weibezahn

Scott A Lerner

Christie Dudenhoefer

Stephan R Clark

Gary J Watts

Robert H Weinmann, Jr

Richard L Baker, Deceased

Apparatus and methods related to photovoltaic energy are provided. A device includes electrically conductive supports in electrical contact with one or more photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells are secured with respect to the supports by a clamping force soldering or other means. Optics concentrate and guide photonic energy onto the photovoltaic cells. Generated electrical energy is coupled to a load using the conductive supports. Heat is rejected from the photovoltaic cells using at least one of the supports and a fluid flow, thermal conduction, and so on.

Photovoltaic devices with electrically coupled supports

A flexible substrate layer having metallic bus-lines and connecting stitches is formed. A trace layer having electrical traces and thermal vias is also formed. The substrate layer and the trace layer are bonded together by way of respective thermal pathways and electrically interconnected. The resulting layer-wise assembly is configured to support and electrically interconnect an array of photovoltaic cells and to channel away heat during operation.

Method for forming a flexible electrical substrate

Apparatus are provided for use in photovoltaic systems. A photovoltaic array includes a rigid transparent material supporting a flexible material there beneath. Numerous photovoltaic cells are supported by the flexible material and are electrically coupled to circuit pathways borne there on. A positioner operates to shift the flexible material thus adjusting respective angular relationships between the photovoltaic cells and the overlying transparent material. Photovoltaic cells are reoriented in accordance with daily or seasonal variations in the suns position by way of the present teachings.

Photovoltaic array with angular adjustment

Methods and apparatus are provided for solder bonding entities to solid materials. One or more through apertures are formed in a solid material. Solder paste is introduced into each through aperture. Respective entities having solderable surface features are disposed in overlying alignment with the through apertures. The arrangement is heated causing molten solder paste to wet the solderable surface features and the solid material. Cooling results in the electrical and mechanical bonding of the entities to the solid material. Devices having substantially planar form factors and without lead wires can be electrically and mechanically secured to a supporting conductive stratum.

Soldering entities to a monolithic metallic sheet

Flexible electrical substrate

The present invention provides an ink filter for an inkjet print cartridge, the print cartridge having nozzles for dispensing ink from an ink supply. The filter is formed of a polymeric material and is configured to prevent particles in the ink supply from passing to the print nozzles. The polymeric filter material is overmolded in a carrier which is configured to be coupled between the ink supply and the print nozzles.

Filter for a print cartridge

A vibration assembly comprising a housing (12) having a central cavity (20) and a pair of side cavities (22, 24) of radially smaller dimension than that of the central cavity, all of which extends axially about an axis (26) from opposed ends of the central cavity. A piston (50) is housed within the cavities (20, 22, 24) and includes a mass (52) disposed within the central cavity (20) and a pair of supports (54, 56) which are disposed within respective ones of the cavity pair (24, 22) and which extend axially from the mass. The supports (54, 56) have radial dimensions which are substantially the same as those of the pair of cavities (22, 24). The mass (52) and the supports have axial dimensions which are substantially less than those respectively of the central cavity means and of the pair of cavities (20, 22, 24) for enabling the piston (50) to move axially within the cavities. Air inlets (61, 62) in the housing and conduits (66, 68) in the piston enable the piston to reciprocate within the housing for repeated impact against an impactor (38) for transmission of energy thus obtained to a test table and an item under test.

Growing community of inventors

Corvallis, OR, United States of America

Karl S Weibezahn