An optical article for illuminating building interiors including a reflective grid panel, an LED light source positioned above the reflective grid panel and configured to illuminate the reflective grid panel at incidence angles ranging from a minimum angle of 0° to a maximum angle of at least 45°, a light diffusing sheet of an optically transmissive dielectric material approximately coextensive with and oriented generally parallel to the reflective grid panel, and a pair of reflective side walls flanking a space between the reflective grid panel and the light diffusing sheet. The reflective grid panel incorporates a plurality of parallel longitudinal walls and a plurality of parallel transverse walls joining the walls and defining a plurality of rectangular openings configured to transmit light. Each of the parallel transverse walls extends transversely with respect to a plane of the reflective panel and is configured to diffusely reflect a portion of the light being transmitted through the plurality of rectangular openings.

Linear acylindrical lens (and array/system employing a plurality of such lens elements) containing liquid silicone rubber material for use in solar applications, as well as a low-cost silicone based optical lightguide(s) configured to channel and concentrate solar light with about 90% optical efficiency. The lens includes a transparent glass substrate (with an optional coating), which mechanically supports a moldable flexible silicone lenslet optical quality and is bonded to it with the use of plasma and in absence of adhesive material. When injection molding of lightguide(s) is employed, the lightguide shape can be formed variably to provide for integration of multiple lightguide s into an array with alignment tolerances that are looser than in a solar concentrator employing glass waveguides. Optical system employing such (arrayed) linear lens(es) concatenated with corresponding (arrayed) lightguides, juxtaposed with micro-CPV cells and conventional PV-cell(s) to capture diffused light.

The present invention provides a reflective member (10) for emitting a diffused second reflected light (63) in a second direction different from a first direction, if an incident light (61) is incident in the first direction, and for emitting a concentrated second reflected light (73) in the first direction, if an incident light (71) is incident in the second direction, the reflective member comprising: a reflective profile surface (13) for reflecting the incident light; and a first reflective surface (14) and a second reflective surface (15) provided in an alternating manner on the reflective profile surface (13) along the lengthwise direction thereof. The reflective member (10) may further comprise a film member (11) having a first surface having the reflective profile surface (13), and a second surface facing the first surface.

An optical article for illuminating building interiors including a reflective grid panel, an LED light source positioned above the reflective grid panel and configured to illuminate the reflective grid panel at incidence angles ranging from a minimum angle of 0° to a maximum angle of at least 45°, a light diffusing sheet of an optically transmissive dielectric material approximately coextensive with and oriented generally parallel to the reflective grid panel, and a pair of reflective side walls flanking a space between the reflective grid panel and the light diffusing sheet. The reflective grid panel incorporates a plurality of parallel longitudinal walls and a plurality of parallel transverse walls joining the walls and defining a plurality of rectangular openings configured to transmit light. Each of the parallel transverse walls extends transversely with respect to a plane of the reflective panel and is configured to diffusely reflect a portion of the light being transmitted through the plurality of rectangular openings.

A skylight for a building includes a solar panel arranged within the skylight, the solar panel comprising one or more photovoltaic cells to collect direct radiation from rays of sunlight for conversion to electrical power, and an optical element to receive the direct radiation and refract it to the solar panel, and to receive the direct radiation and diffuse radiation scattered from the rays of sunlight and refract the direct radiation and the diffuse radiation through the skylight, bypassing the solar panel, to provide daylighting in the building.

Systems and methods for improving the brightness of a transparent display are disclosed herein. One embodiment collects ambient light using an array of diffraction gratings disposed on an external surface of a vehicle to produce filtered ambient light; collects internal light from the vehicle's headlights; filters the internal light to produce filtered internal light; generates primary-source light using a light-emitting-diode (LED) light source; and injects, into a transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display deployed in at least a portion of a window of the vehicle, the primary-source light, the filtered ambient light, and the filtered internal light in a color-synchronized manner. The filtered ambient light and the filtered internal light improve the brightness of the transparent edge-lit liquid crystal waveguide display.

A convex reflective surface, such as mirror (1) or an equivalent deflector of radiation, designed to suit a FIG. 5 particular location or type of location, fixed in position and requiring no adjustment, can re-direct solar radiation (2,3) downwards onto a chosen target area throughout the calendar year or such lesser period of operation as may be chosen, benefitting the growth of plants in a greenhouse or the open air, and other human activities, at minimal expenditure including of fossil fuel.

A method of making illumination systems for illuminating building interiors comprises positioning first and second opaque, rigid reflective side walls at a distance from one another with reflective surfaces facing each other. The method further comprises positioning a reflective grid panel with parallel longitudinal walls and parallel transverse walls joining the longitudinal walls between the side walls, defining rectangular light-transmitting openings. The method also includes positioning an LED light source above the grid panel to illuminate it at incidence angles ranging from 0° to at least 45°. Additionally, the method comprises positioning a light diffusing sheet of optically transmissive dielectric material approximately coextensive with the grid panel parallel to the grid panel between the side walls above the grid panel. The transverse walls of the grid panel and the reflective side walls are configured to diffusely reflect portions of light transmitted through the rectangular openings.

The present invention relates to an energy generation by means of solar power, especially to generators utilizing solar power to generate electricity.

A solar power generator (20) comprising foldable elongated sheet (1) forming a four-side box frame structure (13). The generator (20) further comprises four photovoltaic solar panels (5) mounted within the four-side box frame structure (13). The open side of the four-side box frame structure (13) comprises a cover (8) having a hole (81) where a solar bulb (9) is mounted. The solar bulb (9) is configured so that a light from outer environment can travel through the solar bulb (9) into the four-side box frame structure (13) made by elongated sheet (1) and onto the photovoltaic solar panels (5) disposed therein generating electricity.

Non-imaging radiation collecting and concentrating devices, and assemblies, are disclosed. The non-imaging radiation collecting and concentrating devices comprise an entrance aperture for receiving incoming radiation, an exit aperture located opposite to the entrance aperture for outputting concentrated radiation, and one or more concaved reflectors arranged between the entrance and exit apertures. The concaved reflectors define an acceptance angle of the device relative to an optical axis thereof and configured such that their optical focuses are located between edges of the exit aperture and the optical axis, thereby substantially preventing escape of the incoming radiation received in the entrance aperture within the acceptance angle and providing substantial uniform radiation collection at the exit aperture of the device.