Support for solar energy collectors

Cole, Corey; Ardell-Smith, Zachary; Ciasulli, John; Jensen, Soren

Title: Support for solar energy collectors

Abstract

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 collection device pre-wired together and mounted to a support member so as to form modular units. The system can also include enhanced supports for wire trays extending between rows of solar energy collection devices.

Inventors:: Cole, Corey; Ardell-Smith, Zachary; Ciasulli, John; Jensen, Soren

Issue Date:: 2016-11-01

Research Org.:: SUNPOWER CORPORATION, San Jose, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1330702

Patent Number(s):: 9482449

Application Number:: 13/176,276

Assignee:: SUNPOWER CORPORATION (San Jose, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES

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F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
F24S2030/136 - {for moving several solar collectors by common transmission elements}
F24S2030/17 - {Spherical joints}
F24S25/10 - extending in directions away from a supporting surface
F24S30/425 - Horizontal axis

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
H02S20/20 - Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object
H02S30/10 - Frame structures
H02S30/20 - Collapsible or foldable PV modules
H02S40/36 - characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E10/47 - Mountings or tracking
Y02E10/52 - PV systems with concentrators

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DOE Contract Number:: FC36-07GO17043

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2011 Jul 05

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING

Citation Formats


                    Cole, Corey, Ardell-Smith, Zachary, Ciasulli, John, and Jensen, Soren. Support for solar energy collectors.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
        Web.

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                    Cole, Corey, Ardell-Smith, Zachary, Ciasulli, John, & Jensen, Soren. Support for solar energy collectors.  United States.

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                    Cole, Corey, Ardell-Smith, Zachary, Ciasulli, John, and Jensen, Soren. Tue .  
        "Support for solar energy collectors".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1330702.

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@article{osti_1330702,

  title        = {Support for solar energy collectors},

  author       = {Cole, Corey and Ardell-Smith, Zachary and Ciasulli, John and Jensen, Soren},

  abstractNote = {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 collection device pre-wired together and mounted to a support member so as to form modular units. The system can also include enhanced supports for wire trays extending between rows of solar energy collection devices.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2016},

  month        = {11}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Self-Lubricating Bearing
patent, April 1919

Smalley, George O.
US Patent Document 1299799
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/1299799

Resilient Bearing Structure
patent, December 1975

Ogino, Michihiro
US Patent Document 3929392
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/3929392

Solar tracking apparatus utilizing photovoltaic flat panels and method
patent, January 1984

Prideaux, Daniel L.; Spencer, Robert M.
US Patent Document 4,429,178
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/4429178

Thrust bearing or axial journal bearing, in particular for slow-running machines
patent, December 1988

Schluter, Siegfried
US Patent Document 4,789,250
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/4789250

Photovoltaic panel support assembly
patent, July 1993

Barker, James M.; Underwood, John; Shingleton, Jefferson
US Patent Document 5,228,924
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/5228924

Zero clearance bearing
patent, September 1997

Sabin, Jeffrey M.
US Patent Document 5,664,888
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/5664888

Solar collector and tracker arrangement
patent, May 2000

Shingleton, Jefferson
US Patent Document 6,058,930
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/6058930

Universal joint
patent, April 2005

Jantz, Carl; Lyman, Randy
US Patent Document 6,881,151
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/6881151

Split Bearing and Method of Making the Same
patent-application, November 2007

Sandin, Kenneth D.
US Patent Application 11/752217; 20070274618
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20070274618

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Similar Records

Title: Support for solar energy collectors

Abstract

Citation Formats

Self-Lubricating Bearing patent, April 1919

Resilient Bearing Structure patent, December 1975

Solar tracking apparatus utilizing photovoltaic flat panels and method patent, January 1984

Thrust bearing or axial journal bearing, in particular for slow-running machines patent, December 1988

Photovoltaic panel support assembly patent, July 1993

Zero clearance bearing patent, September 1997

Solar collector and tracker arrangement patent, May 2000

Universal joint patent, April 2005

Split Bearing and Method of Making the Same patent-application, November 2007

Self-Lubricating Bearing
patent, April 1919

Resilient Bearing Structure
patent, December 1975

Solar tracking apparatus utilizing photovoltaic flat panels and method
patent, January 1984

Thrust bearing or axial journal bearing, in particular for slow-running machines
patent, December 1988

Photovoltaic panel support assembly
patent, July 1993

Zero clearance bearing
patent, September 1997

Solar collector and tracker arrangement
patent, May 2000

Universal joint
patent, April 2005

Split Bearing and Method of Making the Same
patent-application, November 2007