Solar panel positioning assembly

摘要

A solar panel positioning assembly having at least one fluid filled tank that is connected to at least one piston. The fluid filled tank is shaded by a solar panel when the panel is perpendicular to the sun. When the panel is not perpendicular to the sun, the fluid filled tank is heated by the sun, causing the fluid to expand and increase pressure in the piston. As the pressure increases the piston moves the solar array until the solar panel is perpendicular to the sun.

主权项

1. A solar panel positioning assembly comprising:
a vertical support member configured for support of a solar array; a frame, having a central housing mount capable of attachment to said support member, said frame having at least one cross-member rotatably attached to said central housing mount; a solar array formed by least one solar panel attached to said frame for collection of solar energy, with said at least one solar panel having a periphery of four sides of each solar panel, said solar panel with a sun facing side and a shade facing side; a first and a second fluid filled tank positioned adjacent to two sides of said periphery of said solar panels, on said shade facing side of said solar panels and configured so that said first and second fluid fill tanks are simultaneously shaded by said solar array when said solar array is normal to the sun with said sun facing sides of said solar panels facing said sun, with said first fluid filled tank operationally connected to a first movement piston and said second fluid filled tank operationally connected to a second movement piston; with said first fluid filled tank attached to a first end of said first movement piston and said second end of said first movement piston connected to said vertical support member; with said second fluid filled tank attached to a first end of said second movement piston and said second end of said second movement piston connected to said vertical support member at a position to exert force in a direction opposite to the force exerted by said first movement piston; with each of said first and second movement pistons comprising a cylindrical body housing a central rod, with said central rod configured to move in one direction in said piston body, or an opposite direction in said piston body, based on the differential force exerted by the attached fluid filled tank or the opposing fluid filled tank; with said pistons connecting said solar array to said vertical support member, so that a fluid filled tank exposed to solar heat by movement of the sun will cause movement of said pistons and movement of said solar array in a horizontal plane, in relation to said vertical support member which is stationary, until said fluid filled tanks have equal pressure which occurs when both of said fluid filled tanks are shaded by the sun and thus not contacted by the sun.