The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 26, 1982
Filed:
Aug. 18, 1980
David W Holdridge, Fullerton, CA (US);
Swedlow, Inc., Garden Grove, CA (US);
Abstract
A focusing device for concentrating radiation, such as sunlight, and producing a prescribed distribution of energy over a target surface. The principles of the device have both photovoltaic and photothermal applications, and can be embodied in either a lens or a mirror, having a plurality of discrete focusing surfaces for redirecting radiation onto a target surface. The angle for each of the respective focusing surfaces, relative to the direction of the radiation being received, is selected to redirect an increment of such radiation to a unique portion of the target surface, whereby a superposition of the radiation increments redirected by all of the focusing surfaces produces the prescribed distribution of energy on the target. In one embodiment, a plurality of focusing segments is provided each having a plurality of the focusing surfaces for irradiating the target surface with a prescribed energy distribution. Apparatus is provided for selectively masking predetermined ones of the focusing segments for controllably adjusting the magnitude of light energy concentrated upon the target surface in a plurality of known and discrete steps.