Name of Inventor:
Robert William Jackson

Overall Basic Concept

 This solar panel is composed mainly of bichromal beads.  These are spherical plastic pellets with a black side and a white side.  The hemispheres are electrically charged so that one side is positive and the other negative.  They are like tiny magnets.  Each bead is encapsulated so that it can spin freely, but can’t leak out.

 My theory is when you irradiate these beads you create an electrical field within a flat concealed area of chemically processed material, which generates a voltage.  The beads, each contained in an oil-filled cavity, are free to rotate within those cavities.  The beads are “bichromal” with hemispheres of two contrasting colors (e.g. black and white, red and white), and charged so they exhibit an electrical dipole.  The 2nd and 3rd layers are patterned after the Gyricon sheet (electronic paper by Xerox).  A gyricon sheet is a thin layer of transparent plastic in which millions of small beads, somewhat like toner particles, are randomly dispersed.  These beads were not intended for my concept.

 I believe these beads could be used for an extended period of time before being used up, I’m hoping as long as silicon does.  The beads will flip to show one side or the other when photons (light source) is directed onto the surface of the panel.  My theory is that electrons (electrical energy) will be emitted when this happens.  The circuitry in the transparent coating (top layer) will collect this current and deliver it to the load.  I will refer to this circuitry as electrical contacts.  Those collected electrons are routed through an external circuit, providing power to the electrical system attached to the panels.

 This panel consists of a clear-protective top-layer with the circuitry (electrical contacts) embedded within this layer.  This circuitry needs to be able to collect the free electrons and use their energy.

 This means that there has to be a metal connection to the charged bichromal beads.  I visualize a series of thin wires running the length of the panel.  These wires need to be thin as to not impede the light source (photons).
 The second and third layers are basically Gyricon sheets (electronic paper by Xerox).  These layers need to be transparent as possible.  This has a magnetic force.  I’m hoping for an electromagnetic effect.

 The fourth layer needs to be a negative charge magnetic layer.  This could be developer beads that are used in laser printers.  These beads need to cover the entire bottom layer of the panel and be immobile.  I believe a thin transparent plastic coating should work.  The beads should still be able to attract positive particles.  The negative charged beads need to be black in color so as to absorb the photons from the light source.  I hope this effect will create some free-electrons.
 The fifth layer should be a tough polymer backing layer with metal contacts throughout this negative-type material.  This material needs to be black in color.

 The panel itself can be framed (adds durability) or unframed (reduces weight) and in some cases the layers can be flexible.

 The type and intensity of the light source (photons) determines to a certain degree the power output.

 I haven’t yet determined if top layers should be positive or negative or the bottom layer should be positive or negative in nature.  I think the top should be positive and the bottom layer negative, even though most solar panels in use now are vice-versa.  The second and third layers could be replaced by cylindrical spheres which would lay horizontal across the length of the panel.  The spheres would contain the bichromal pellets, between the spheres would be plastic insulators.  See drawing on page 4.  The outer coating of these cylindrical spheres need to be transparent.

 Electrical current also needs to be able to flow into the circuitry in the outer top layer of the panel.

 I’m hoping for a conversion rate of 30% or higher.  Example, if a square yard of panel receives 1,000 watts of light (brightness) it will produce at least 300 watts of power.

 The bichromal beads and developer beads are toxic.  I believed these beads can be used in this solar panel after they have been used for their original purpose.  This means instead of disposing of them, you can reuse them.  This makes the beads more environmentally friendly in the long run.

 In conclusion, I believed this to be a practical and inexpensive way of generating electricity.  I’m hoping to get professional help with this in the coming year.  I believed the basic concept is conveyed in this provisional application.
 If this theory works, I believed it could work in conjunction with the basic concept conveyed in my Utility Patent Application 10/211041.
 
Basic Concept for High Conversion Photovoltaic Solar Panel
By Robert William Jackson