Patent ID: 9130097
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: E06B,G02F,H01L,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A solar powered variable light attenuating device comprising: a non-polarizer based variable light attenuating liquid crystal cell comprising a mixture of a liquid crystal host and a guest dichroic dye solution disposed between two transparent substrates; a photovoltaic cell in electrical communication with the liquid crystal cell; and a light concentrator having a light absorbing surface and a light emitting surface disposed at an angle with respect to the light absorbing surface and optically coupled to the photovoltaic cell, the light concentrator further comprising a luminescent dye orientated such that at least a portion of light impinging on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator is waveguided laterally toward and through the light emitting surface to a photon-absorbing portion of the photovoltaic cell to generate a voltage; wherein the liquid crystal cell and the light concentrator layer are arranged such that either: (a) the light concentrator is disposed outward of the liquid crystal cell, such that at least a portion of light impinges on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator before impinging on the liquid crystal cell; or (b) the liquid crystal cell is disposed outward of the light concentrator, such that at least a portion of light impinges on the liquid crystal cell before impinging on the light absorbing surface of the light concentrator.