SOLAR TRACKER DRIVE
Granted: August 30, 2012
Application Number:
20120216852
A solar energy collection system can include a drive configured to adjust a tilt position of a solar collector assembly so as to tract the sun. The drive can include hardware for providing feedback control of the orientation of the solar collector assembly. A method for calibrating the drive can include moving the drive to a reference position and saving an output value from a sensor configured to detect the orientation of the drive. The reference value output from the sensor can then be…
FRAME-MOUNTED WIRE MANAGEMENT DEVICE
Granted: August 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120192925
A wire management device is disclosed. The device comprises a clip comprising an upper planar member and a lower planar member, each planar member having an inner and outer surface, wherein the inner surface of the upper planar member includes a post extending toward the inner surface of the lower planar member, a stem extending from the outer surface of the lower planar member, the stem including two outwardly-extending flanges, each of the first and second outwardly-extending flanges…
TILT ASSEMBLY FOR TRACKING SOLAR COLLECTOR ASSEMBLY
Granted: July 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120187058
A tilt assembly is used with a solar collector assembly of the type comprising a frame, supporting a solar collector, for movement about a tilt axis by pivoting a drive element between first and second orientations. The tilt assembly comprises a drive element coupler connected to the drive element and a driver, the driver comprising a drive frame, a drive arm and a drive arm driver. The drive arm is mounted to the drive frame for pivotal movement about a drive arm axis. Movement on the…
SUPPORT FOR SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTORS
Granted: July 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120180845
A solar energy collection system can include support devices configured to accommodate misalignment of components during assembly. For example, the system can include piles fixed to the earth and an adjustable bearing assembly at the upper end of the pile. The adjustable bearing assembly can include at least one of a vertical adjustment device, a lateral adjustment device and an angular adjustment device. The solar energy collection system can also include a plurality of solar energy…
LOCATING CONNECTORS AND METHODS FOR MOUNTING SOLAR HARDWARE
Granted: June 28, 2012
Application Number:
20120160236
A solar concentrator assembly can include edge solar receiver assemblies that are connected to pivotable frames with locating connections. The locating connections can be in the form of cam devices or tool-less connections formed by snap fitting devices as well as tool-less cam devices.
LOCATING CONNECTORS AND METHODS FOR MOUNTING SOLAR HARDWARE
Granted: June 28, 2012
Application Number:
20120160234
A solar concentrator assembly can include mirror assemblies that are connected to pivotable frames with locating connections. The locating connections can be in the form of cam devices or tool-less connections formed by snap fitting devices as well as tool-less cam devices.
Free-Piston Stirling Machine For Extreme Temperatures
Granted: June 14, 2012
Application Number:
20120144821
A free piston Stirling machine including a thermal buffer tube extending from the machine's expansion space and surrounded by its heat rejector and its regenerator, a displacer cylinder extending from the thermal buffer tube to the compression space and surrounded by the heat rejecting heat exchanger, and a displacer that reciprocates within an excursion limit that extends into the regenerator by no more than 20% of the length of the regenerator during normal operation and preferably…
APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR REMOVAL OF INK BUILDUP
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120050374
Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for removal of ink buildup are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In an embodiment, a chuck assembly to support a semiconductor substrate is provided. The chuck assembly includes a chuck, a trough disposed below the chuck, and a heater proximate to the trough. The chuck supports the semiconductor substrate while the trough collects an overspray of excess ink sprayed past an edge of the semiconductor…
METHOD TO DICE BACK-CONTACT SOLAR CELLS
Granted: February 2, 2012
Application Number:
20120025837
A method of processing of solar cells includes determining that a back-contact solar cell is defective. The back-contact solar cell includes a first plurality of interconnect pads at a first edge thereof, and a second plurality of interconnect pads at a second, opposed thereof, the first and second pluralities of interconnect pads having opposite operational charges. The back-contact solar cell is then diced to define at least first and second back-contact solar cell sections. The first…
MINIMALLY PENETRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A SLOPED ROOF AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: September 29, 2011
Application Number:
20110232715
An assembly which is lightweight includes an interconnected array of PV modules, where each PV modules is defined in part by a module outer perimeter portion. This array is defined in part by an outer perimeter portion including an upper edge portion, side edge portions, and a lower edge portion. The array is secured to a sloped roof along at least one of the upper or lower edge portion of the array. The assembly further includes interlocking features along the module outer perimeter…
Internal Position And Limit Sensor For Free Piston Machines
Granted: August 25, 2011
Application Number:
20110203360
A sensor for sensing the position of a reciprocating free piston in a free piston Stirling machine. The sensor has a disk mounted to an end face of the power piston coaxially with its cylinder and reciprocating with the piston The disk includes a rim around its outer perimeter formed of an electrically conductive material A coil is wound coaxially with the cylinder, spaced outwardly from the outer perimeter of the disk and mounted in fixed position relative to the pressure vessel,…
CHUCKS FOR SUPPORTING SOLAR CELL IN HOT SPOT TESTING
Granted: August 11, 2011
Application Number:
20110193561
In an embodiment, a chuck to support a solar cell in hot spot testing is provided. This embodiment of the chuck comprises a base portion and a support portion disposed above the base portion. The support portion is configured to support the solar cell above the base portion and to define a space between a bottom surface of the solar cell and the base portion that thermally separates a portion of the bottom surface of the solar cell from the base portion.
Integrated Composition Shingle PV System
Granted: August 4, 2011
Application Number:
20110185652
An integrated composition shingle PV system is interengageable with composition shingles, the composition shingles being arranged in overlapping rows on an inclined support surface. The system comprises a carrier mountable on the support surface. The carrier has flashing along its peripheral edge. The rear flashing is positionable under a first row of overlapping rows of composition shingles. The left side and right side flashing are interengageable with second and third rows of…
PHOTOVOLTAIC ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN DIFFUSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND RELATED METHODS
Granted: July 21, 2011
Application Number:
20110178641
A method includes collecting site specific data, collecting field data at a site of an array of photovoltaic members, determining a current tracked irradiance of the array of photovoltaic members, calculating predicted irradiance for multiple orientations based on the site specific data and the sensed field data, or sensing an actual irradiance for multiple orientations. The method further includes determining a maximum predicted irradiance from the calculated predicted irradiance or a…
Torque Arm Assembly and Method
Granted: June 30, 2011
Application Number:
20110155120
A torque arm assembly, used with a solar collector mounted to a drive shaft, comprises a torque arm with first and second ends and a torque arm coupling assembly including a drive shaft enclosure defining an open-ended channel sized to house the drive shaft. The channel has a circumferentially extending substantially continuous drive surface between the ends that lies adjacent to the drive shaft so the drive shaft and the drive shaft enclosure rotate together. In some examples,…
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SOLAR POWER GENERATION
Granted: May 26, 2011
Application Number:
20110120524
A photovoltaic device comprising an array of elongate reflector elements mounted substantially parallel to one another and transversely spaced in series, at least one of the reflector elements having an elongate concave reflective surface to reflect incident solar radiation towards a forward adjacent reflector element in the array. The at least one reflector element includes a photovoltaic assembly which is removably and replaceably mounted on the reflector element. The photovoltaic…
REPLACEABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC ROOF PANEL
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110114158
A replaceable building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) module system for mounting as roofing structures on a building is disclosed. The BIPV module system comprises a module and engagement means coupled to the building, the engagement means adapted to couple to the coupling means to releaseably couple the module to the building. The module comprises a photovoltaic laminate and a frame surrounding substantially entirely the perimeter of the photovoltaic laminate, the frame comprising…
PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR COLLECTION AND TRACKING SYSTEM
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110114153
A photovoltaic sun tracking system including a photovoltaic assembly, a first mounting structure, and a second mounting structure. The photovoltaic assembly includes at least one PV cell maintained by framework defining a PV plane. The first and second mounting structures are mounted to a support surface and rotatably maintain the framework at first and second pivot points, respectively, to establish a tracking axis passing through the pivot points. The tracking axis is non-parallel with…
WATER-RESISTANT APPARATUSES FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES
Granted: May 19, 2011
Application Number:
20110113704
A water-resistant apparatus is provided. This water-resistant apparatus is positioned near a photovoltaic module. The water-resistant apparatus includes hollow, elongated conduits, and each conduit can hold water with surface tension based on exposure of the conduit to water. The surface tension causes a formation of a meniscus that inhibits a flow of water through the conduit.
INDUCTION SOLDERING OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Granted: March 17, 2011
Application Number:
20110062148
A method comprises positioning a pair of photovoltaic wafers in a side-by-side arrangement. An interconnect is placed on the pair of wafers such that the interconnect overlaps both wafers of the pair, solder material being provided between the interconnect and the respective wafers. A solder head is then located adjacent the interconnect, and the coil is energized to effect inductive heating of the solder material. The solder head comprises an induction coil shaped to define an eye, and…
