Drive with integrated inclination sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9920957-B2
Application number	US-201615166655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A drive can include a positional sensor within an outer housing of the drive so as to provide an output indicative of a position of the drive. The positional sensor can be an inclinometer. The inclinometer can be used for feedback control of an inclination of the drive. The drive can further include control electronics within the same housing, so as to provide feedback control of a motor of the drive. The control electronics can include an input for receiving a requested inclination and can be configured to drive the motor until the inclinometer outputs a signal indicative of the requested angle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sun-tracking, solar energy collection system, comprising:
a frame;
at least one solar energy collection device supported by the frame;
a driver assembly configured to pivot the frame through a range of sun-tracking pivot motion about a pivot axis, the driver assembly comprising:
a pivoting portion configured to pivot relative to the Earth about the pivot axis, the pivoting portion comprising:
a housing;
an inclination sensor disposed inside the housing such that the inclination sensor pivots with the housing about the pivot axis, the inclination sensor configured to detect an inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device and to output a signal indicative of inclination detected by the inclination sensor; and
an inclination controller in electrical communication with the inclination sensor and configured to provide a desired inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device, wherein the inclination controller pivots with the housing about the pivot axis; and

a motor configured to cause the pivoting portion to pivot about the pivot axis.

2. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination controller is configured to transmit inclination requests to the motor.

3. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , wherein the motor is disposed in the housing such that the motor pivots with the housing about the pivot axis.

4. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , further comprising a motor controller configured to control operation of the motor.

5. The solar energy collection system according to claim 4 , wherein the motor controller comprises a motor controller circuit board, the motor controller circuit board being electrically connected to the motor, the motor controller circuit board being configured to receive an inclination signal from the inclination sensor.

6. The solar energy collection system according to claim 5 , wherein the inclination sensor is mounted to the motor controller circuit board.

7. The solar energy collection system according to claim 5 , wherein the motor controller circuit board is configured to drive the motor to an inclination corresponding to an inclination request signal.

8. The solar energy collection system according to claim 5 , wherein the inclination sensor is mounted to an inclination circuit board which is separate from and connected to the motor controller circuit board.

9. The solar energy collection system according to claim 8 , wherein the inclination sensor circuit board comprises at least a first communications module configured to transmit a signal indicative of a detected inclination.

10. The solar energy collection system according to claim 4 , wherein the motor controller is configured to receive an inclination request signal, an inclination signal from the inclination sensor, and to drive the motor until the motor controller receives a signal from the inclination sensor that corresponds to the inclination corresponding to the inclination request signal.

11. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , wherein the pivoting portion comprises a motor controller configured to control operation of the motor.

12. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , wherein the driver assembly comprises a fixed portion fixed relative to the Earth, the pivoting portion rotatably coupled with the fixed portion.

13. The solar energy collection system according to claim 12 , further comprising at least a first support pier fixed to the Earth, the fixed portion being fixed to the first support pier.

14. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , wherein the motor is offset from the pivot axis in a direction transverse to the pivot axis.

15. The solar energy collection system according to claim 1 , further comprising a first gear engaged with the motor such that the motor rotates the first gear about a first rotational axis, the first rotational axis non-parallel with the pivot axis.

16. The solar energy collection system according to claim 15 , further comprising a second gear engaged with the first gear such that rotation of the first gear about the first rotational axis causes the second gear to rotate parallel to the pivot axis.

17. A sun-tracking, solar energy collection system, comprising:
a frame;
at least one solar energy collection device supported by the frame;
a driver assembly configured to pivot the frame through a range of sun-tracking pivot motion about a pivot axis, the driver assembly comprising:
a pivoting portion configured to pivot relative to the Earth about the pivot axis, the pivoting portion comprising:
a housing;
an inclination sensor disposed inside the housing such that the inclination sensor pivots with the housing about the pivot axis, the inclination sensor configured to detect an inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device and to output a signal indicative of inclination detected by the inclination sensor; and
circuitry in electrical communication with the inclination sensor and a motor and configured to control the motor to cause the pivoting portion to pivot about the pivot axis to provide a desired inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device, wherein the circuitry pivots with the housing about the pivot axis.

18. The solar energy collection system according to claim 17 , wherein the motor is disposed in the housing such that the motor pivots with the housing about the pivot axis.

19. The solar energy collection system according to claim 17 , wherein the circuitry comprises a motor controller circuit board that is electrically connected to the motor and configured to receive an inclination signal from the inclination sensor.

20. A sun-tracking, solar energy collection system, comprising:
a frame;
at least one solar energy collection device supported by the frame;
a driver assembly configured to pivot the frame about a pivot axis, the driver assembly comprising:
a housing configured to pivot relative to the Earth about the pivot axis, the housing comprising:
an inclination sensor disposed inside the housing such that the inclination sensor pivots with the housing about the pivot axis, the inclination sensor configured to detect an inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device and to output a signal indicative of inclination detected by the inclination sensor; and
circuitry in electrical communication with the inclination sensor and a motor and configured to control the motor to cause the pivoting portion to pivot about the pivot axis to provide a desired inclination of the at least one solar energy collection device, wherein the circuitry pivots with the housing about the pivot axis.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Linderman Ryan
• Barton Nicholas

Classifications

• F24S2030/134

  in the form of gearings or rack-and-pinion transmissions · CPC title

• F24S30/425

  Horizontal axis · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• F24S50/80

  for controlling collection or absorption of solar radiation · CPC title

• F24S50/20 Primary

  for tracking · CPC title