Assembly for collecting light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753264-B2
Application number	US-201213651959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2012
Priority date	Oct 15, 2012
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed is a novel solar collecting assembly that in which more than one mirror and/or photovoltaic is linked mechanically so that many mirrors share a few actuators, rather than equipping each mirror with individual actuators. One example includes a set of structures, such as poles or pipes. Each of the support structures has a first end and a second end, and each of the support structures is associated with at least one solar collecting assembly. A first set of cables is arranged to move the solar collecting assemblies in a first direction, each of the first set of cables includes a set of first alignment fittings disposed thereon. The first end of each of the solar collecting assemblies is attached to one of the first alignment fittings in the first set of cables. A second set of cables arranged to move the solar collecting assemblies in a second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for collecting light, comprising:
a set of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubular support structures, each of the PVC tubular support structures with a first end and a second end, and each of the PVC tubular support structures being associated with but separate from at least one solar collecting assembly;
at least one solar collecting assembly mechanically coupled to at least one of the PVC tubular support structures;
a first set of cables arranged in a substantially perpendicular to each other in an x-direction and y-direction in a first plane substantially parallel to earth, the first set of cables forming a grid of cables in which at least one cable in the x-direction intersects with at least one cable in the y-direction at the first end of each of the PVC tubular support structures thereby permitting the PVC tubular support structures to move in a first direction, each of the first set of cables includes a first set of swage alignment fittings, each of the swage alignment fittings in the first set securely hydraulically fastened with a hydraulic press at a predetermined position along the first set of cables, and the first end of each of the PVC tubular support structures attached to one of the swage alignment fittings in the first set of cables;
a set of a plurality of winches;
a set of cable segments each with a first end coupled to one of the winches in the set of the plurality of winches and a second end of the cable segments coupled to one of the first set of cables, whereby exerting a pulling force on one of the set of cable segments by one of the set of the plurality of winches changes a pitch between adjacent cables in the first set of cables in the x-direction, the y-direction, or both; and
a second set of cables arranged in a substantially perpendicular to each other in an x-direction and y-direction in a second plane substantially parallel to earth, the first set of cables forming a grid of cables in which at least one cable in the x-direction intersects with at least one cable in the y-direction at the second end of each of the PVC tubular support structures thereby permitting the PVC tubular support structures to move in a second direction, each of the second set of cables includes a second set of swage alignment fittings, each of the swage alignment fittings in the second set securely hydraulically fastened with a hydraulic press at a predetermined position along the second set of cables, and the second end of each of the PVC tubular support structures attached to one of the second alignment fittings in the second set of cables, and the first set of cables and the second set of cables are independently moveable.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the set of PVC tubular support structures includes one or more support poles.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the set of first swage alignment fittings disposed thereon on a cable in the first set of cables are disposed at non-uniform distances therebetween.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one solar collecting assembly is one of a mirror and a photovoltaic.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first actuator for moving at least one cable in the first set of cables along the first direction.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second actuator for moving at least one cable in the first set of cables along the second direction.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first end of each of the PVC tubular support structures attached to a cable in the first set of swage alignment fittings securely fastened to the first set of cables includes being attached between a threaded cap and a head of a first attachment pin in a first set of attachment pins to provide a position tolerance of the swage alignment fittings on the first set of cables of less than 1 mm.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the second end of each of the PVC tubular support structures attached to a cable in the second set of swage alignment fittings securely fastened to the second set of cables includes being attached between a threaded cap and a head of a second attachment pin in a second set of attachment pins.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first perimeter cable coupled in proximity to a first end of each cable in the first set of cables.

10. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second perimeter cable coupled in proximity to a second end of each cable in the first set of cables.

11. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising:
a third perimeter cable coupled in proximity to a first end of each cable in a first end of the second set of cables.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , further comprising:
a fourth perimeter cable coupled in proximity to a second end of the second set of cables.

13. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of solar collecting assembly, with each of the solar collecting assemblies having an opening therethrough, and at least one of the PVC tubular support structures passing through the opening and the solar collecting assemblies mechanically coupled to the PVC tubular support structures.

14. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a set of support structures with a first end and a second end, the second end of each of the support structures pivotably attached to the first end of each of the PVC tubular support structures; and
a third set of cables arranged parallel along a first direction to the first set of cables, and the first end of each of the support structures attached to a cable in the third set of cables.

15. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first set of cables arranged along generally radial direction from a given center point, and wherein the second set of cables arranged in a circumferential direction around the center point.

16. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one solar collecting assembly mechanically coupled to at least one of the PVC tubular support structures at an angle between 20 and 80 degrees with respect to at least one of the solar collecting assemblies.

17. An assembly for collecting light, comprising:
a two-dimensional array of solar collecting assemblies each connected to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubular support structure with a top end and a bottom end;
a first set of cables connecting the solar collecting assemblies in a row sequence, the first set of cables contain a first set of swage alignment features, each of the swage alignment features in the first set securely hydraulically fastened with a hydraulic press fastened at a predetermined position along the first set of cables and attached to each of the PVC tubular support structure of each solar collecting assembly in the row;
a set of a plurality of winches;
a set of cable segments each with a first end coupled to one of the winches in the set of the plurality of winches and a second end of the cable segments coupled to one of the first set of cables, whereby exerting a pulling force on one of the set of cable segments by one of the set of the plurality of winches changes a pitch between adjacent cables in the first set of cables in the x-direction, the y-direction, or both;
a second set of cables connecting the solar collecting assemblies in a column sequence, the second set of cables contain a second set of swage alignment features, each of the swage alignment features in the second set securely hydraulically fastened with a hydraulic press at a predetermined position along the second set of cables and attached to each of the PVC tubular support structure of eac

Assignees

• IBM
• Karidis Lynn

Inventors

• Karidis John P
• Wegman Mark N

Classifications

• F24J2/523

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24J2002/5468

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• H02S20/32

  specially adapted for solar tracking · CPC title

• H02S20/30

  Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment · CPC title