Abstract:
A solar energy device ( 100 ) for an electronic device includes a solar energy collecting component ( 10 ) and a lens module ( 20 ). The solar energy collecting component has a first surface ( 105 ) and a second surface. The lens module is rotatably mounted relative to the solar energy collecting component. The lens module is configured to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the first surface of the solar energy collecting component. The solar energy collecting component is for converting incident solar radiation energy to electrical energy. The lens module is movable between a first position in which the lens module is spaced from the first surface of the solar energy collecting component so as to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the first surface and a second position in which the lens module abuts the second surface so as to reduce overall volume of the solar energy device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to solar energy devices and, more particularly, to a solar energy device for use in a portable electronic device.  
         [0003]     2. Discussion of the Related Art  
         [0004]     With the development of wireless communication and information processing technologies, portable electronic devices such as mobile telephones and electronic notebooks are now in widespread use. These electronic devices enable consumers to enjoy high technology services anytime and anywhere.  
         [0005]     Many portable electronic devices are equipped with rechargeable batteries. The batteries can be recharged through a power conversion adapter used in conjunction with household alternating current (AC) power or through a power conversion adapter used in conjunction with a 12-volt cigarette lighter socket provided in an automobile. However, when a user is away from such a power source, it is hard to recharge the battery.  
         [0006]     It is well known that single crystal silicon photovoltaic cells, or silicon solar cells, have been successfully employed to convert incident solar radiation energy into electrical energy. The silicon solar cells are in extensive common use primarily because they provide relatively high conversion efficiencies compared to other energy conversion devices that are presently available. However, the cost of the silicon solar cells has been a predominant system cost factor. Now it has been recognized that cost savings can be achieved by using concentrators or reflectors to increase the intensity of incident radiation, thus providing increased power outputs per unit solar cell area. However, when using a concentrator, there is generally a space between the concentrator and the silicon solar cell in order to achieve high intensity of the incident radiation. Correspondingly, the volume of the silicon solar cells system is large and awkward to carry.  
         [0007]     Therefore, a new solar energy device is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In one aspect, a solar energy device is provided for an electronic device. The solar energy device includes a solar energy collecting component and a lens module. The solar energy collecting component has a first surface and a second surface. The lens module is rotatably mounted relative to the solar energy collecting component. The lens module is configured to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the first surface of the solar energy collecting component. The solar energy collecting component is for converting incident solar radiation energy to electrical energy. The lens module is movable between a first position in which the lens module is spaced from the first surface of the solar energy collecting component so as to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the first surface and a second position in which the lens module abuts the second surface so as to reduce overall volume of the solar energy device.  
         [0009]     In another aspect, an electronic device employing a solar energy device is provided. The electronic device includes a device body, a battery, and a solar energy device. The battery and the solar energy device are mounted to the device body. The battery has a battery connector. The solar energy device includes a solar energy collecting component and a lens module. The lens module is configured to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the solar energy collecting component. The solar energy collecting component is for converting incident solar radiation energy to electrical energy and is electrically connected with the battery connector. The lens module is rotatable relative to the solar energy collecting component.  
         [0010]     Other advantages and novel features of the embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Many aspects of the present solar energy device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the solar energy device and its potential applications. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a solar energy device in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the solar energy device in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partly assembled, isometric view of the solar energy device in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, isometric view of the solar energy device used with a mobile phone; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of an electronic device with a solar energy device in a use position in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     Referring now to the drawings in detail,  FIG. 4  shows a solar energy device  100  for use with a mobile phone  200 . The mobile phone  200  is taken here as an exemplary application, for the purposes of describing details of the solar energy device  100  of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is to be understood, however, that the solar energy device  100  could be suitably used in other environments (e.g. electronic notebooks). As such, although proving particularly advantageous when used in the mobile phone  200 , the solar energy device  100  should not be considered limited in scope solely to an intended use environment of the mobile phone  200 . The mobile phone  200  has a charging socket  202  formed at one end thereof for electronically connecting with the solar energy device  100 .  
         [0018]     Also referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the solar energy device  100  includes a solar energy collecting component  10 , a lens module  20 , a pair of rotating poles  31 , a pair of positioning poles  41 , and a plug connector  50 . The lens module  20  is rotatable relative to the solar energy collecting component  10  through the cooperation of the rotating poles  31  and the positioning poles  41 . The plug connector  50  is electrically connected with the solar energy collecting component  10  through a transmission line  52 . The plug connector  50  is configured to engage with the charging socket  202  of the mobile phone  200  in order to recharge a battery (not shown) in the mobile phone  200  through the solar energy device  100 .  
         [0019]     Further referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the solar energy collecting component  10  is for converting incident solar radiation energy into electrical energy. The solar energy collecting component  10  is substantially in the form of a cuboid and has a first major sidewall  101 , a second major sidewall  102  opposed to the first major sidewall  101 , a pair of opposite minor sidewalls  103 , a top surface  105 , and a bottom surface (not shown) opposed to the top surface  105 . A columnar first mounting shaft  11  is formed at each of the two opposite minor sidewalls  103 , both adjacent to the second major sidewall  102  and the top surface  105 . A first flange  112  is formed at each distal end of the first mounting shafts  11 . A diameter of the first flange  112  is slightly larger than a diameter of the first mounting shaft  11 . A columnar second mounting shaft  12  is formed at each of two opposite ends of the first major sidewall  101 , respectively adjacent to the two opposite minor sidewalls  103  and both adjacent to the top surface  105 . The shape and size of second mounting shafts  12  are similar to those of the first mounting shaft  11 . A second flange (not labeled) is formed at each distal end of the second mounting shafts  12 . A diameter of the second flange of the second mounting shaft  12  is slightly larger than a diameter of the second mounting shaft  12 . A plurality of silicon solar cells are provided at the top surface  105  for collecting incident solar radiation energy and converting incident solar radiation energy into electrical energy.  
         [0020]     Further referring to  FIG. 4 , the lens module  20  is a Fresnel lens module in the present embodiment. The lens module  20  is configured to concentrate incident solar radiation onto the silicon solar cells of the solar energy collecting component  10 . The lens module  20  is substantially in the form of a cuboid and has a pair of opposite short sidewalls  201 , a first long sidewall  202 , a second long sidewall  203  opposed to the first long sidewall  202 , a top surface (not labeled), and a bottom surface (not labeled) opposed to the top surface. The area of the top surface of the lens module  20  is substantially equal to the area of the top surface  105  of the solar energy collecting component  10 . A third mounting shaft  21  is formed at each of the two opposite short sidewalls  201 , both adjacent to the second long sidewall  203 . The shape and size of the third mounting shaft  21  are similar to those of the first mounting shaft  11 . A third flange  212  is formed at each distal end of the third mounting shafts  21 . A diameter of the third flange  212  of the third mounting shaft  21  is slightly larger than a diameter of the third mounting shaft  21 . A positioning projection  22  is formed at each of two opposite ends of the first long sidewall  202 .  
         [0021]     The rotating pole  31  is substantially rectangular in shape and has first mounting holes  312  defined in either end. A diameter of the first mounting hole  312  is slightly larger than the diameter of the first mounting shaft  11  of the solar energy collecting component  10  and the diameter of the third mounting shaft  21  of the lens module  20 . The diameter of the first mounting hole  312  is slightly smaller than the first flange  112  of the solar energy collecting component  10  and the diameter of the third flange  212  of the lens module  20 . The first flanges  112  and the third flanges  212  are respectively forced to travel through the first mounting holes  312  of the rotating poles  31 . As a result, the rotating poles  31  are mounted with the solar energy collecting component  10  and the lens module  20 , and are rotatable relative to the solar energy collecting component  10  and the lens module  20 . The lens module  20  has a first position in which the lens module  20  is located above the top surface  105  of the solar energy collecting component  10  (as best seen in  FIG. 4 ) and a second position in which the lens module  20  is located below the bottom surface of the solar energy collecting component  10  (as best seen in  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0022]     The positioning pole  41  is similar to the rotating pole  31 . The positioning pole  41  defines a positioning hole  414  in one end thereof and a second mounting hole  416  through the other opposite end thereof. The positioning hole  414  is configured for receiving the positioning projection  22  of the lens module  20 . A diameter of the second mounting hole  416  is slightly larger than the diameter of the second mounting shaft  12  of the solar energy collecting component  10  and is slightly smaller than the second flange of the solar energy collecting component  10 . The second flanges are respectively forced to travel through the second mounting holes  416  of the positioning poles  41 . As a result, the positioning poles  41  are mounted with the solar energy collecting component  10 , and are rotatable relative to the solar energy collecting component  10 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the solar energy device  100  is in use, the lens module  20  is in the first position. The lens module  20  is above the top surface  105  of the solar energy collecting component  10 . The positioning projections  22  are received in their corresponding positioning holes  414  of the positioning poles  41  in order to supporting the lens module  20 . The rotatating poles  31  and the positioning poles  41  are configured to enable the top surface  105  of the solar energy collecting component  10  to be positioned at a focal distance of the lens module  20  in order to increase the intensity of incident radiation. The plug connector  50  is electrically connected with the charging socket  202  of the mobile phone  200  in order to recharge the battery in the mobile phone  200  through the solar energy device  100 .  
         [0024]     Further referring to  FIG. 1 , when the solar energy device  100  is not in use, one end of the positioning poles  41  having the positioning holes  414  is rotated away from the lens module  20  and towards the bottom surface of the solar energy collecting component  10 . In this process, the positioning projections  22  of the lens module  20  are respectively moved out from engagement with the positioning holes  414 . The lens module  20  is rotated away from the top surface  105  of the solar energy collecting component  10  and towards the bottom surface of the solar energy collecting component  10  by means of the rotating poles  31 . The positioning holes  414  move into engagement with the positioning projections  22  again to position the lens module  20 . The lens module  20  is thus moved into its second position. The rotating poles  31  and the positioning poles  41  are configured to enable the lens module  20  to abut with the solar energy collecting component  10 . The volume of the solar energy device  100  in the second position is much smaller than that in the first position such that the solar energy device  100  is convenient to carry.  
         [0025]     It is to be understood that the one of the rotating poles  31  may be omitted. Correspondingly, the mounting shafts  11  and  21  may be omitted, too. One of the positioning poles  41  may be omitted, and one of the mounting shafts  12  may correspondingly also be omitted. The plug connector  50  may be any of the many interface configurations suitable for connection to the mobile phone  200  manufactured by different companies.  
         [0026]     The solar energy device may be directly mounted to the mobile phone. Referring to  FIG. 5 , one solar energy device  300  is mounted with a mobile phone  400 , being electrically connected and located adjacent to a battery  410  thereof, and the solar energy device  300  is in a use position. The solar energy device  300  has a substantially same configuration as that of the solar energy device  100  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Understandably, in this case, the plug connector  50  and the charging socket  202  may be omitted, and the solar energy collecting component  10  is connected to a battery connector of the mobile phone  400 , either directly or via another connector.  
         [0027]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.