I don't think I'm buying it.
"method of rewiring any solar panel so as to double its
power output"
That should immediately set off a red flag. *DOUBLE* its
power output. Jeeesh, folks at Spike's Ranch would be
beating down the door to this guy on the basis of weight
reduction alone. Less weight in solar cells means much
more weight in telephoto lenses, fuel for orbital adjustments,
tape or memory for storage, sensors across more frequencies,
etc., etc.
I would have to suspect there "prior art"? The patent was
filed Dec 1983. I can't believe that Skylab, MIR, etc.
did not have their solar cells and batteries wired up
in series.
Here are the claims:
> 1. A solar powered battery charging system, comprising a series string of
> n rechargeable battery cells, a plurality of series strings of charging
> sources of m solar cells each, and means for connecting a different one of
> said strings of m solar cells directly across each of said n battery
> cells for bidirectional current flow between connected battery cells and
> strings of solar cells to provide shared charging of each of said battery
> cells by all of said solar cells.
>
> 2. A solar powered battery charging system, comprising a series string of
> n unloaded, rechargeable battery cells, a plurality of series strings of
> charging sources of m solar cells each, and means for connecting a
> different one of said strings of m solar cells directly across each of
> said n battery cells for bidirectional current flow between connected
> battery cells and strings of solar cells to provide shared charging of each of
> said battery cell by all of said solar cells.
>
> 3. In a solar-powered battery-charging system, a battery charging method,
> comprising the steps of connecting a plurality of rechargeable
> battery cells in series; connecting across each said battery cell
> respectively a different plurlaity of series connected solar-cells for
> bidirectional current flow, and exposing the solar-cells to sunlight,
> whereby each of said battery cells is charged sharingly by all said
> solar-cells.
>
> 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said battery cells ar maintained
> unloaded during battery charging.
I think one would have to look at the architecture of every
solar powered satellite in the '60s and '70s to determine
whether or not the patent is valid.
Robert
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