Solar-powered window covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458179-B2
Application number	US-201615220969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2016
Priority date	Jul 27, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

The system includes a headrail, which includes a motor, a gearbox, and one or more tiltable slats. At least one slat includes sliding tracks. The system further includes one or more PV cells movably disposed within the sliding tracks. The PV cells slide in move along the tracks with regard to an amount of sunlight incident on the cells. Methods of operating a solar powered window covering are also disclosed. The methods generally include detecting a tilt of at least one window covering slat. The slat includes one or more PV cells disposed in sliding tracks in the slat, and the tilt indicates an amount of sunlight incident on the cells. The methods also include sliding the PV cells in the tracks with regard to the amount of sunlight incident on the cells.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solar powered window covering system comprising:
a headrail comprising a motor and gearbox;
one or more tiltable slats, wherein at least one slat of the one or more tiltable slats comprises sliding tracks;
one or more flexible photovoltaic (PV) cells movably disposed within the sliding tracks enabling the one or more PV cells to slide across and around the at least one slat, to a top side or a bottom side of the at least one slat; and
a microcontroller controlling the motor, gearbox, tiltable slats, and the one or more PV cells in the sliding tracks;
wherein the one or more tiltable slats are adjusted to adjust an amount of light entering into a room and the microcontroller causes the one or more PV cells to slide in the sliding tracks to reposition the one or more PV cells to maximize an amount of sunlight incident on the one or more PV cells.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a MEMS inclinometer coupled to the one or more slats, wherein the inclinometer increases the amount of sunlight incident on the one or more PV cells by detecting a tilt of the one or more slats communicating the angle of tilt to the microcontroller; the microcontroller instructing the one or more PV cells to slide within the sliding track such that the one or more PV cells are positioned to receive more sunlight.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a potentiometer coupled to strings that tilt the slats, wherein the potentiometer indicates the amount of sunlight incident on the one or more PV cells by detecting a position of the strings.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a microcontroller having instructions to instruct the motor to tilt the tiltable slats to maximize a current generated by the one or more PV cells.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a rigid coupling member coupled to the one or more PV cells and an outside edge of a tiltable slat above the cell, wherein the coupling member forces the one or more cells to slide in the sliding tracks when the tilt of the one or more tiltable slats is adjusted.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor and one or more gears embedded into the one or more tiltable slats, wherein the embedded motor and gears force the one or more PV cells to slide in the sliding tracks when the tilt of the one or more tiltable slats is adjusted.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more PV cells are mounted to a flexible material, and wherein the flexible material is perforated to fit over the gears.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more PV cells are mounted to a flexible material, wherein the one or more gears are positioned in the sliding track, and wherein the flexible material includes teeth protruding into the sliding track that engage the one or more gears.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the window covering system has an open position and a closed position, in the closed position the microcontroller causes the one or more PV cells to slide in the sliding tracks and be repositioned to maximize an amount of time the one or more PV cells are exposed to the sunlight.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control device indicating a position of the sun in the sky.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a string passing through the one or more slats that engages one or more gears embedded in the one or more slats, wherein the gears engage the one or more PV cells and, when rotated, slide the one or more PV cells in the sliding tracks, wherein motion of the gears across the string as the tiltable slats are tilted slides the one or more PV cells in the sliding tracks.

12. A method of operating a solar powered window covering system, comprising:
detecting a tilt of at least one tiltable window covering slat, wherein the slat comprises one or more photovoltaic (PV) cells disposed in sliding tracks in the tiltable slat, and wherein the tilt indicates an amount of sunlight incident on the one or more PV cells; and
sliding the one or more PV cells in the sliding tracks to reposition the one or more PV cells to maximize to the amount of sunlight incident on the one or more PV cells.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein detecting the tilt of the at least one tiltable slat further comprises detecting a position of one or more strings that tilt the tiltable slat.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one tiltable slat further comprises an inclinometer that detects the tilt of the slat.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising obtaining a position of the sun in the sky, wherein the sliding of the one or more PV cells is additionally based on the position of the sun in the sky.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning the tiltable slat in the window covering to maximize an amount of time the at least one tiltable slat is exposed to sunlight relative to the entire window covering.

17. A method of operating a solar powered window covering system, comprising:
detecting an amount of electrical current generated by a first photovoltaic (PV) cell disposed in sliding tracks in a tiltable window covering slat;
detecting an amount of electrical current generated by a second PV cell disposed in the sliding tracks in the tiltable window covering slat;
comparing the amounts of current; and
sliding the PV cells in the sliding tracks in a direction associated with the PV cell with the largest current.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising obtaining a position of the sun in the sky, wherein the sliding of the first or second PV cell is additionally based on the position of the sun in the sky.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein comparing the amounts of current comprises comparing the amounts of current to a minimum threshold, and wherein the first PV cell or the second PV cell are slid in the direction associated with the PV cell having the highest current above the minimum threshold.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising positioning the tiltable slat in the window covering to maximize an amount of time the first PV cell or the second PV cell is exposed to sunlight relative to the entire window covering system.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Carlson Austin
• Miles Jerome
• Rees Kevin
• Brimhall Emily
• Fox Joe
• Knight Jedediah
• Duncan Joseph
• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Carlson Austin
• Miles Jerome
• Rees Kevin
• Brimhall Emily
• Fox Joe
• Knight Jedediah
• Duncan Joseph

Classifications

• E06B2009/2476

  Solar cells · CPC title

• E06B2009/285

  Means for actuating a rod (being tilt rod or lift rod) · CPC title

• H02S20/22

  specially adapted for buildings · CPC title

• H02S30/20

  Collapsible or foldable PV modules · CPC title

• H02S20/32

  specially adapted for solar tracking · CPC title