Patents Assigned to FCX SOLAR LLC
  • Patent number: 12695413
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2026
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 12687864
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2025
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: FCX SOLAR LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 12345613
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: FCX SOLAR LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 12289080
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 12253868
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 12174644
    Abstract: A solar tracker system includes a photovoltaic panel and an actuator coupled to the photovoltaic panel and configured to actuate to rotate the photovoltaic panel around a base. A controller communicatively coupled to the actuator is configured to detect a direction from which wind is incident on the photovoltaic panel. Based on the direction from which wind is incident on the photovoltaic panel, the controller adaptively controls the actuator to set a stow position of the photovoltaic panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11949368
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11843347
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11843346
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11837990
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11774321
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11764722
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: FCX SOLAR LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11750147
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11422575
    Abstract: A solar tracker system includes a photovoltaic panel and an actuator coupled to the photovoltaic panel and configured to actuate to rotate the photovoltaic panel around a base. A controller communicatively coupled to the actuator is configured to detect a direction from which wind is incident on the photovoltaic panel. Based on the direction from which wind is incident on the photovoltaic panel, the controller adaptively controls the actuator to set a stow position of the photovoltaic panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11416010
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11402294
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 11209337
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 10903782
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 10848097
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden
  • Patent number: 10630231
    Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: FCX Solar LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Thomas Needham, Frank Carl Oudheusden