Flexible Solar Cell Assembly for Multi-Surface Energy Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small electronic devices with processors and sensors face challenges in harnessing sufficient solar power due to limited surface area, and existing methods for mounting solar cells on multiple surfaces are costly and complex, especially when considering varying solar radiation angles.
Innovation Solution
A flexible substrate with multiple solar cells is mounted on different surfaces of an electronic device, allowing for a single electrical connection and improved solar energy harvesting by increasing the surface area per device volume and enhancing response to different solar incidence angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If solar cells are mounted on multiple surfaces to increase power collection, then solar energy harvesting is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple solar cells that would traditionally require separate mounting processes are merged onto a single flexible substrate. This allows all solar cells to be mounted simultaneously as one unit, dramatically reducing the complexity of the mounting process while maintaining the ability to capture solar energy from multiple surfaces of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
A flexible substrate is used to mount the solar cells, allowing the entire solar cell assembly to be conformally mounted to multiple surfaces of the device. The flexibility of the substrate enables it to wrap around or conform to different surface geometries without requiring complex rigid mounting structures for each individual cell.
2Reliability
If solar cells are mounted on multiple surfaces to capture varying solar radiation angles, then power collection consistency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple solar cells are combined on a single flexible substrate and mounted together as one assembly. This streamlined approach reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and material requirements compared to mounting individual cells separately, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while achieving consistent power collection across different solar radiation angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The solar cells are arranged in a three-dimensional configuration across multiple surfaces of the device rather than being confined to a single flat plane. This spatial arrangement allows the solar cells to capture radiation from various angles throughout the day, improving power collection consistency without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity since the cells are mounted together on one flexible substrate.
3Volume of moving object
If device size is reduced for portability, then device volume is improved, but available surface area for solar mounting decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The solar cell assembly utilizes multiple surfaces of the compact device, transitioning from a single-surface mounting approach to a multi-surface configuration. By wrapping the flexible substrate with solar cells around the device edges or mounting on multiple faces, the total solar collection area is increased without proportionally increasing the device's volume, thus maintaining portability while maximizing solar energy harvesting.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible substrate enables solar cells to be mounted on multiple surfaces of a compact device without requiring additional volume. The thin, flexible nature of the substrate allows it to conform to the device's geometry and wrap around edges or corners, effectively utilizing available surface area in a three-dimensional space without increasing the device's overall footprint.
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
This solution enables more efficient and extended use of solar power for small devices, including those with limited surface area, by maximizing solar energy collection and maintaining energy production consistency throughout the day and year, regardless of orientation changes.
Implementation Method 1
a solar cell package with a foldable substrate to mount on a first surface and electrically couple to the electrical contact, and to mount on a second surface, to position at least one solar cell over the first surface and at least one solar cell over the second surface
Data Source
AI summary
A solar cell assembly includes a bendable substrate and multiple solar cells to be mounted over different surfaces of an electronic device. The bendable substrate includes an electrical contact to couple to an electrical contact on one of the surfaces of the electronic device. Thus, the electronic device only needs an electrical connection on one surface, and the solar cell assembly can mount solar cells on multiple surfaces to couple to the one electrical connection.