Transfusion Technologies Corporation

Haemonetics Corporation

Strategic Solar Energy, LLC

Dbm Global Inc.

Tranfusion Technologies Corporation

Thomas D Headley

Edward T Powers

Gordon F Kingsley

Lise N Halpern

Jack DeBartolo, Iii

Robert L Boscamp

Wesley H Verkaart

Gary R Stacey

David G Lamphere

Michael Nothum

James P Cianci

Jacques Chammas

Clayton Jay Allen

Clair L Strohl

Mark Little

Clifford Martin

In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, solar energy shade structures and methods of design and revenue generation are disclosed. These systems comprise structures capable of supporting solar panel at heights greater than 18 feet above their mounting surface. These systems may be installed in confined spaces. These systems also comprise structures that are customizable, allowing an installation to be configured with a desired lighting and environmental effect. The methods discussed herein describe processes for achieving desired design effects based on natural elements. Moreover, the methods discussed herein describe processes for reducing the costs of generating solar energy and/or reducing the costs of providing a solar structure.

Solar energy shade structure

In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, solar energy shade structures and support systems are disclosed that have electrical components concealed or screened within columns located under the structure. For example, a solar energy structure may comprise: a solar panel support structure, a plurality of solar panels supported by the solar panel support structure, a plurality of vertical supports connected to the solar panel support structure for supporting the solar panel support structure elevated above a surface, and a column, located under the solar panel support structure. The column comprises an electrical component mounted to the column in a screened manner, wherein the electrical component comprises at least one of a string inverter, a combiner, and a battery.

Protection of electrical components in solar energy shade structure

An example solar structure is disclosed for providing shade to a roof of a building having a building support structure. The solar structure may comprise: a plurality of vertical supports; a plurality of connecting beams; and a plurality of solar panels, wherein the plurality of vertical supports couple the load of the solar structure directly to the building support structure. Example methods are disclosed for keeping rooftop equipment cooler and operating more efficiently and longer, for specifying smaller AC units, for extending the life of a roof, for reducing the heat entering a building from sunshine, for reducing the heat re-radiated from solar panels onto a roof, and for specifying smaller structural roof support beams. An example solar structure comprises a movable portion configured to move from a first position to a second position to allow rooftop equipment to be lifted off the roof through the solar structure.

Rooftop solar shade structure

Solar energy shade structures and methods of designing and installing the same are disclosed. These structures are capable of supporting a contiguous planar solar panel support structure at heights greater than 18 feet above their mounting surface. The planar solar panel support structure may contiguously cover at least two areas of different area types, including parking spaces and driving aisles, and may be at least 64 feet long by 64 feet wide. The planar solar panel support structure may have a high panel density defined in that an arrangement of the plurality of solar panels that is uninterrupted by service or access lanes. The majority of the plurality of solar panels may be fixed at an angle that would be non-optimal for energy generation in each individual panel of the majority of the plurality of solar panels, but results in optimal power density for the entire solar energy shade structure.

Solar energy shade structures and methods of designing and installing the same. These structures are capable of supporting a contiguous solar panel holding structure solar panel at heights greater than 18 feet above their mounting surface. The solar energy shade structure may comprise a retaining mechanism accessible and operable from underneath for attaching/detaching a solar panel, and may comprise openings through which the solar panel can be passed when installing or removing the solar panel from beneath the structure. The structure may comprise rows of first and second force lateral brace frames the rows respectively proximate first and second sides for respectively counteracting lateral forces, and a plurality of vertical column supports for providing dead load support. The solar energy shade structure may have an arrangement of the plurality of solar panels that is uninterrupted by service or access lanes.

Solar energy collecting systems and methods

A rotor for collecting and centrifuging biological fluids in a range of volumes. The rotor includes an elastic impermeable diaphragm which defines at least a portion of a variable-volume processing chamber, where the fluid is centrifuged. The rotor includes a rigid mounting member, to which the diaphragm is mounted and which is held and spun by a chuck. Preferably, this rigid mounting member includes a boundary wall which together with the elastic diaphragm defines the chamber. The boundary wall may be a substantially imperforate circular wall which extends to the periphery of the processing chamber but defining one opening, preferably near the axis of rotation, permitting a conduit or conduits to pass therethrough so as to be in fluid communication with the processing chamber. The rotor may include a separate structure for controlling the flow of liquid out of the chamber into the conduit. In a preferred embodiment, this outlet-control structure is a perforate, substantially rigid wall or plate, located within the processing chamber and mounted adjacent the rigid boundary wall. In an alternative embodiment, the outlet-control structure for controlling flow from the processing chamber to the conduit may include at least one tube or preferably a set of tubes, wherein each tube provides fluid communication between the chamber and the conduit. In one preferred embodiment, grooves in the boundary wall may be used as the outlet-control structure.

Rotor with elastic diaphragm for liquid-separation system

A system for filtering and processing blood that is simple to implement and that reduces the need for human intervention. The system may be used to collect red blood cells (RBCs). For such a system, a disposable set may be provided with an inlet port, an RBC container, a centrifuge rotor having a variable total volume, and a filter, along with tubing connecting the port, the container, the rotor and the filter. The filter is located in tubing between the inlet port and the rotor. A control unit is also provided and includes a spinner in which the rotor may be held, a flow-control arrangement for controlling flow among the various components of the disposable set, and an electronic controller. The whole blood is directed by the flow-control arrangement from the inlet through the filter to the rotor. The rotor includes an elastic diaphragm, and the control unit's flow-control arrangement includes a pump or other device for applying a positive and negative pressure to the rotor's elastic diaphragm. The spinner rotates the rotor so as to separate the whole blood into plasma and RBCs. Preferably, the plasma is urged out of the rotor first and returned to the donor, while the rotor is still being spun. After the plasma has been removed from the rotor, the RBCs are urged from the rotor to an RBC container. In preferred embodiments, the filter is a white blood cell filter, so that white blood cells are filtered from the blood before it reaches the rotor.

System and method for processing blood

A shaped diaphragm as a part of a fluid processing disposable set acting as a centrifuge system rotor. The fluid processing disposable set has a variable-volume chamber and a fluid port. The shaped diaphragm defines a wall of the variable-volume chamber. The chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid port and is defined by a fixed wall and an elastic wall. The elastic wall is formed by the shaped diaphragm. The disposable set may also have a rotary seal coupled to the fluid port and fluidly coupled to the variable-volume chamber. The shaped diaphragm may be convoluted. The convolution may be a single fold and may have a plurality of folds located symmetrically about an axis. The shaped diaphragm may, alternatively, be essentially planar in an unstretched position while varying in thickness along a diaphragm dimension. Centrifuge rotors, systems, and methods for selective harvest of fluid constituents from a whole fluid are detailed.

Shaped diaphragm for a centrifuge system rotor

A system compact enough to be located entirely beside the donor's chair, and able to process the blood while the donor is still resting in the chair after having donated the blood. The separated blood components (plasma and red blood cells) may be stored in their individual optimum environments immediately after the whole blood is drawn, and the blood does not need to be transported back to a separation laboratory for processing. The system includes a needle ( ) (or other cannula-like device) for insertion into a vein of the donor and drawing whole blood therethrough, a rotor ( ) for holding the blood after it is drawn, and a motor ( ) for spinning the rotor so as to cause the blood to separate into components, for example, plasma and red blood cells. In a preferred embodiment two containers are used: the first container ( ) for containing an anticoagulant, which is preferably added to the whole blood as it is drawn from the donor, and then for storing the plasma after it has been separated from the red blood cells, and the second container ( ) for storing the separated red blood cells. The system further includes tubing ( ), which may have valving ( ) built into it and which may be acted on externally, so as to direct the blood components in the desired manner.

Blood collection and separation system

A system for collecting red blood cells (RBCs) and other blood components that reduces the need for human intervention. A disposable set is provided having a port, an RBC container, a centrifuge rotor having a variable total volume, and a filter, along with tubing connecting the port, the container, the rotor and the filter. A control unit is also provided and includes a spinner in which the rotor may be held, a flow-control arrangement for controlling flow among the various components of the disposable set, and an electronic controller. The whole blood is directed by the flow-control arrangement from the port through the tubing to the rotor. The rotor includes an elastic diaphragm, and the control unit's flow-control arrangement includes a pump or other device for applying a positive and negative pressure to the rotor's elastic diaphragm. The spinner rotates the rotor so as to separate the whole blood into plasma and RBCs. Preferably, the plasma, is urged out of the rotor first, while the rotor is still being spun. After the plasma has been removed from the rotor, the RBCs are urged from the rotor through the filter, so that white blood cells (WBCs) are caught in the filter and RBCs pass through the filter to an RBC container.

System and method for separating blood components

Rotor with elastic diaphragm defining a liquid separating chamber of varying volume

A method for collecting, from whole blood, platelets suspended in plasma is described. By centrifuging the blood at a high enough rotational speed, the platelets are separated from the plasma and the red blood cells. In a preferred embodiment, some of the plasma is removed while the centrifuge is being spun to keep the platelets separated from the plasma. Then, the speed of rotation is altered so as to cause the platelets to mix with the remaining plasma. The platelets can then be collected with the remaining plasma.

Growing community of inventors

Wellesley, MA, United States of America

Thomas D Headley