Abstract:
A double-pane window that produces electricity via a plurality of small, noncontiguous solar cells thereby allowing continued enjoyment of a portion of the views afforded by the glass panes themselves.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to the field of solar generated electricity.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The traditional uses of panels of solar cells have not realized their full potential because the electricity produced by these panels of solar cells is more expensive than that generated by the consumption of fossil fuels.  
         [0003]     Glass panes are a very common exterior feature of high-rise office and apartment buildings. Sometimes these high-rise buildings are called skyscrapers. Glass panes afford views for the workers and occupants in the high-rise buildings. Additionally, glass panes permit sunlight to enter the building, to illuminate its interior.  
         [0004]     Via a plurality of small, noncontiguous solar cells, meaning that there are gaps between them, this invention uses solar cells to produce solar generated electricity while generally allowing a portion of the views afforded by glass panes themselves. It is preferred that these small, noncontiguous solar cells are between the glass panes of sealed double-pane windows, so that the solar cells are protected from weathering, contamination, and cleaning. These electricity-producing double-pane windows could be used in any structure, such as a home or trailer, as well as a high-rise building. However, these electricity-producing double-pane windows are particularly advantageous to high-rise buildings where there is so much glass in use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is for a double-pane window that also serves as a power source as the double-pane window houses a plurality of solar cells. More specifically, this invention has gaps between the plurality of solar cells, so that people can look out of the window and sunlight can enter the building while electricity is still provided.  
         [0006]     Further advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself; however, both as to its structure and operation are best understood through the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a pane of glass with a plurality of solar cells.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a pane of glass with cavities having sidewalls formed by stamping.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a pane of glass with cavities having sidewalls formed by an auxiliary pane of glass.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a pane of glass with cavities having sidewalls each formed by auxiliary structures.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a cross section of a solar cell.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a double-pane window utilizing a plurality of solar cells.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a triple-pane window utilizing a plurality of solar cells. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood to those skilled in the art, that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0016]     Referring to the Figures by characters of reference,  FIG. 1  shows electricity producing window  100 , comprising a front view of a pane of glass  101  which has a plurality of noncontiguous solar cells  110  and electrical conductors  120 - 123 .  FIG. 1  shows that the solar cells  110  are noncontiguous, so that sunlight can enter and people can view out of window  100 . Solar cells  110  are shown as square in  FIG. 1 . However, solar cells  110  may be of any artistic shape, such as circular, hexagonal, octagonal, triangular, square, or an irregular polygon. Although solar cells  110  can be of any size, the approximate typical size of solar cells  110  is smaller than fifty millimeters and larger than ten millimeters. The effect of the plurality of noncontiguous solar cells  110  is that when viewed from a distance, window  100  has the appearance of being tinted, in that less light is admitted than an obstructed pane of glass but the viewer still can see through the glass.  
         [0017]     Electrical conductors  120 - 123  are preferably oxide semiconductors such as indium oxide In 2 O 3 , tin oxide SnO 2 , or indium tin oxide (ITO) which is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. These oxide semiconductors in thin film form have the unique properties of good electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. Alternately, electrical conductors  120 - 123  are wires made of copper, or other conductive metals such as aluminum or gold. Electrical conductors  120  and  121  are of opposite polarity. Similarly, electrical conductors  122  and  123  are of opposite polarity.  
         [0018]     Solar cells  110  are typically thin-film solar cells, due to their low-cost due to low-cost processing, and the use of relatively low-cost materials. One example of solar cell  110  utilizes undoped amorphous silicon (a-SI) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (n+a-Si). Another example of solar cell  110  utilizes AlGaAs (Aluminum Gallium Arsenide) and GaAs (Gallium Arsenide).  FIGS. 2-4  show the employment of sidewalls to contain the chemical constituents of solar cells  110  during the fabrication of these solar cells.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows stamper  220  with indenters  221  which are pressed into hot glass  202  to form indentations  210  with sidewalls  212 . Front view  201  of glass  202  shows an additional view of the formation of indentations  210  for the construction of solar cells  110 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of auxiliary layer of glass  300  which has openings  309 . Auxiliary layer of glass  300  is laid over glass  302  to form open cavities  310  with sidewalls  312 , for the construction of solar cells  110 . Conductor  321  may be sandwiched between auxiliary layer of glass  300  and glass  302 . Electrical conductor  321  is preferably an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide In 2 O 3 , tin oxide SnO 2 , or indium tin oxide (ITO) which is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. These oxide semiconductors in thin film form have the unique properties of good electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. Alternately, electrical conductor  321  is wire made of copper, or other conductive metal such as aluminum or gold.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows front view  400  of glass  402  which has auxiliary walls  411 . Auxiliary sidewalls  411  are laid over glass  402  to form cavities  410  with sidewalls  412 , for the construction of solar cells  110 . Conductor  421  may be sandwiched between auxiliary walls  411  and glass  402 . Electrical conductor  421  is preferably an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide In 2 O 3 , tin oxide SnO 2 , or indium tin oxide (ITO) which is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. These oxide semiconductors in thin film form have the unique properties of good electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. Alternately, electrical conductor  421  is wire made of copper, or other conductive metal such as aluminum or gold. Auxiliary walls  411  may be permanently attached to glass  402 . However, auxiliary walls  411  may be only temporarily attached to glass  402  and once solar cells  110  are formed in cavities  410 , auxiliary walls  411  are removed from glass  402 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-section of solar cell  110 . Adjacent to glass  501  is electrical conductor  502 . Electrical conductor  502  is preferably an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide In 2 O 3 , tin oxide SnO 2 , or indium tin oxide (ITO) which is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. These oxide semiconductors in thin film form have the unique properties of good electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. Alternately, electrical conductor  502  is wire made of copper, or other conductive metal such as aluminum or gold. Layers  503  and  504  are the components of solar cell  110 , such amorphous silicon (a-SI) and hydrogenated amorphous silicon (n+a-Si). It is preferred that solar cell  110  is on the outer pane of glass of a double-pane window,  FIG. 6 , which would mean that layer  503  is the amorphous silicon (a-SI) and layer  504  hydrogenated amorphous silicon (n+a-Si). Electrical conductor  505  is preferably an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide In 2 O 3 , tin oxide SnO 2 , or indium tin oxide (ITO) which is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide. These oxide semiconductors in thin film form have the unique properties of good electrical conductivity and high optical transparency. Alternately, electrical conductor  505  is wire made of copper, or other conductive metal such as aluminum or gold.  
         [0023]     Double-pane window  600  is preferably sealed against contaminants such as dust, dirt, and debris by seals  601  which run along the outer perimeter of double-pane window  600 . In conjunction with seal  601 , spacer  604  also runs along the outer perimeter of double-pane window  600  to keep exterior pane  602  and interior pane  603  uniformly spaced. Seal  601  and spacer  604  preferably have the same thermal coefficient of expansion so that during diurnal and seasonal temperature changes, the seal is maintained. A typical material for seal  601  and spacer  604  is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. A thin elastomeric coating on seal  601  and spacer  604 , such as polytetrafluoroethylene, may be used to augment the sealing. Glass pane  100  is preferably used as exterior pane  602 . However, glass pane  100  could be interior pane  603 .  
         [0024]     Triple-pane window  700  is preferably sealed against contaminants such as dust, dirt, and debris by seals  701  which run along the outer perimeter of triple-pane window  700 . In conjunction with seal  701 , spacers  704  also run along the outer perimeter of triple-pane window  700  to keep exterior pane  702 , middle pane  705 , and interior pane  703  uniformly spaced. Seal  701  and spacers  704  preferably have the same thermal coefficient of expansion so that during diurnal and seasonal temperature changes, the seal is maintained. A typical material for seal  701  and spacers  704  is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. A thin elastomeric coating on seal  701  and spacer  704 , such as polytetrafluoroethylene, may be used to augment the sealing. Glass pane  100  is preferably used as exterior pane  702 . However, glass pane  100  could be interior pane  703  or middle pane  705 .  
         [0025]     Groups of solar cells  110  are connected in series to increase DC (direct current) voltage and these groups may be connected in parallel to increase DC current. A DC-to-AC (alternating current) converter (not shown) may be used to convert the DC current and voltage from solar cells into AC current and voltage which would then be fed into the AC power grid of the building. The AC current and voltage output of DC-to-AC would preferably vary at a frequency of sixty Hertz (sixty times a second) in the United States and preferably vary at a frequency of fifty Hertz in Europe. If the AC current and voltage output of DC-to-AC converter is being superimposed with purchased AC power from a utility, the phase of the AC current and voltage from DC-to-AC converter will have to match the phase of the AC current and voltage from the utility. In this manner, the solar generated DC electricity from window  100  is converted to usable AC electricity while window  100  still provides interior illumination and a view of the outside world.  
         [0026]     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be understood to those skilled in the art, that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, solar cells  110  may simply be separately manufactured and merely adhered in place on window  100  using a conventional adhesive such as epoxy. Additionally, solar cells  110  may comprise thin-ribbons of solar cells which are in noncontiguous rows or columns separated by open glass for viewing and admitting light into a building.