Integrated solar carport

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024128921-A1
Application number	US-202217967738-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2022
Priority date	Oct 17, 2022
Publication date	Apr 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosed technology provides solutions for improving solar carport systems and in particular, for improving a solar carport integrated with a busbar. Aspects of the disclosed technology include an integrated solar carport that includes at least one beam, at least one rail coupled to the at least one beam, and one or more vertical columns configured to support the at least one beam and the at least one rail. Further, the integrated solar carport includes one or more solar modules coupled to the at least one beam or the at least one rail and a busbar coupled to each beam of the at least one beam and one of the vertical columns. Methods of manufacturing the integrated solar carport are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An integrated carport comprising:
at least one beam; at least one rail coupled to the at least one beam; one or more vertical columns configured to support the at least one beam and the at least one rail; one or more solar modules coupled to the at least one beam or the at least one rail; and a busbar coupled to each beam of the at least one beam and one of the one or more vertical columns.

2 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , further comprising:
a DC-DC converter partially coupled to one of the at least one beam and configured to convert a first voltage of the one or more solar modules to a second voltage of the busbar.

3 . The integrated carport of claim 2 , wherein the DC-DC converter is removable.

4 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is configured to distribute power at a fixed voltage.

5 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronic vehicle (EV) charger coupled to one of the one or more vertical columns.

6 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy storage system (ESS) connected to the busbar.

7 . The integrated carport of claim 6 , wherein the energy storage system includes one or more cables to connect to an electronic vehicle (EV).

8 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more electrical connectors coupled to the at least one beam and configured to electrically connect with the busbar.

9 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , further comprising:
an AC-DC rectifier configured to couple to a plurality of energy resources.

10 . The integrated carport of claim 9 , wherein the AC-DC rectifier is connected to the plurality of energy resources including at least one of the EV charger via the busbar.

11 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein the one or more solar modules are wired to each other in series.

12 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more solar modules is coupled to a positive point of the busbar at the at least one rail and a negative point of the busbar at the at least one beam.

13 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is enclosed within each of the at least one beam and one of the one or more vertical columns.

14 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is insulated.

15 . The integrated carport of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is a high voltage direct current (HVDC) busbar.

16 . A method of manufacturing an integrated carport structure comprising:
attaching at least one beam to at least one rail; attaching the at least one beam to one or more vertical columns configured to support the at least one beam and the at least one rail; coupling one or more solar modules to the at least one beam; and coupling a busbar to each beam of the at least one beam and one of the one or more vertical columns.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
attaching a DC-DC converter to one of the at least one beam, wherein the DC-DC converter is configured to convert a first voltage of the one or more solar modules to a second voltage of the busbar.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
coupling an electronic vehicle (EV) charger to one of the one or more vertical columns.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
coupling an energy storage system (ESS) to the busbar.

20 . An integrated carport comprising:
at least one beam; at least one rail coupled to the at least one beam; one or more vertical columns configured to support the at least one beam and the at least one rail; one or more electric panels coupled to the at least one beam or the at least one rail; a busbar enclosed within each beam of the at least one beam and one of the one or more vertical columns; and an energy storage system connected to the busbar, the energy storage system being configured to provide power to an autonomous vehicle (AV).

Assignees

• Gm Cruise Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Hau Darren
• Brandon Jeffrey Robert
• Khoo Lin Zhuang

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• B60L53/51

  Photovoltaic means · CPC title

• E04H6/025

  in the form of an overhead canopy, e.g. carports · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title