Flexible Photovoltaic Lighting System for Weight and Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable solar power systems are heavy, fragile, and costly to transport, and existing solar-powered lighting devices lack flexibility and adaptability for specific lighting needs, with centralized designs that do not leverage the benefits of distributed power generation and lighting systems.
Innovation Solution
A portable, flexible, and configurable lighting and power-generating system integrated into a flexible-layered structure with compact photovoltaic cells, a power management system, and solid-state lighting, allowing for various configurations and digital networking of units for optimized energy harvesting and light output.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional solar power systems use silicon-based photovoltaic cells or panels, then power generation capability is achieved, but the system becomes heavy and fragile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of photovoltaic cells from conventional silicon-based rigid cells to flexible photovoltaic cells, fundamentally altering the physical state and mechanical properties while maintaining power generation capability. This parameter change enables the system to be lightweight and flexible, directly resolving the contradiction between power generation and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structure by integrating flexible photovoltaic cells with a flexible layered structure containing multiple functional layers (reflective layer, translucent layer, opaque layer). This composite approach combines the power generation function with structural support and optical management in a single integrated system, achieving both power generation and weight reduction.
2Quantity of substance
If solar power systems include large rechargeable batteries for high capacity, then energy storage is improved, but transport complexity and cost increase due to FAA regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the energy storage function into multiple small distributed units rather than using one large centralized battery. Each lighting unit contains its own small rechargeable battery, enabling modular energy storage that simplifies transport regulations compliance while providing sufficient total energy capacity through aggregation of multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multi-functional lighting units that can serve both as lighting sources and as energy storage devices. The distributed units can function independently or be networked together, providing universal functionality that reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high energy storage capacity.
3Ease of operation
If conventional solar power chargers are made flexible, then portability is improved, but the physical form becomes rigid and cannot be adjusted for specific lighting needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static rigid form of conventional flexible solar chargers into a dynamic reconfigurable structure. The flexible layered structure can be folded, bent, and shaped into various three-dimensional configurations, enabling the system to adapt its physical form to different lighting applications while maintaining portability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the lighting system into multiple independent flexible units that can be separately configured and combined. Each unit can be independently folded or shaped, and multiple units can be arranged in different spatial configurations to meet specific lighting requirements, enhancing adaptability while preserving portability.
4Volume of moving object
If portable solar-powered flashlights and lanterns are designed with compact fixed volume, then portability is improved, but the physical form cannot be modified for specific lighting needs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the fixed rigid volume of conventional portable lighting with a dynamic flexible structure that can be compactly stored but expanded into various forms during use. The flexible layered structure allows the same unit to be compressed to small volume for portability while being expandable into different three-dimensional configurations for specific lighting applications.
5Ease of manufacture
If conventional lighting devices use centralized design, then manufacturing is simplified, but the system does not leverage benefits of distributed power generation and lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from centralized lighting design to distributed modular units, where each unit contains its own photovoltaic cell, battery, and lighting components. This segmentation enables standardized mass production of individual units while allowing flexible system configuration and networking to achieve high overall efficiency and productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a lightweight, adaptable, and efficient solution for portable lighting and power generation, enabling flexible configurations, reduced complexity, and enhanced performance through distributed intelligence and power pooling, addressing the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
small, compact, flexible photovoltaic cells or panels are used for generating DC power
Implementation Method 2
The flexible-layered structure is made up of reflective, translucent, and/or opaque layers and is designed for rapid deployment and can be configured into a variety of optimally functional three-dimensional forms that provide light management benefits
Implementation Method 3
The re-configurable forms can be used to reflect, focus, diffuse, and manage light output from the solid-state lighting source(s)
Data Source
AI summary
A portable lighting system is disclosed. The portable lighting system includes at least one light-emitting source, a power-generating source, a power storage device, and a processing system for controlling and managing power-generated by the power-generating source that are all are integrated into a flexible-layered structure. The flexible-layered structure is a layered structure of woven or non-woven, natural or made-made fibers that have been joined using sewing, sonic-welding or heat lamination manufacturing techniques. Materials for the flexible-layered structure include woven textiles, non-woven materials, flexible plastics, natural leather materials, artificial leather materials, reflective flexible materials, opaque flexible materials, translucent flexible materials, light-diffusing materials, and specular reflective materials.