Patents Assigned to SUNFOLDING, INC.
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Patent number: 11791764Abstract: An actuator assembly that includes an angled bottom plate having an opposing first side face and second side face; a first set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the first side face of the angled bottom plate; and a second set of one or more inflatable actuators engaging the second side face of the angled bottom plate. The first and second sets of inflatable actuators are configured to be separately fluidically inflated.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Leila Marcia Madrone, Kyle Douglas Betts, Peter Sturt Lynn, Louis Hong Basel, Brent Ridley, Saul Thomas Griffith, James Dylan Mcbride, Jeffrey Lamb, Eric Preston Lien Suan, Erica Lin, Joshua Erickson, Vincent Domenic Romanin
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Patent number: 11772282Abstract: A fluidic solar actuation system comprising a plurality of fluidic solar actuators that each include a first fluidic inflatable actuator, and a second fluidic inflatable actuator. The system also includes a fluidic routing system configured to covey a fluid originating from a fluid source to: the respective first fluidic inflatable actuators of the plurality of fluidic solar actuators, the first fluidic inflatable actuators ganged so as to be fluidically connected such that the first fluidic inflatable actuators are configured to be inflated together and separate from the second fluidic inflatable actuators, and the respective second fluidic inflatable actuators of the plurality of fluidic solar actuators, the second fluidic inflatable actuators ganged so as to be fluidically connected such that the second fluidic inflatable actuators are configured to be inflated together and separate from the first fluidic inflatable actuators.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2022Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Saul Griffith, Leila Madrone, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon, James McBride
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Patent number: 11683003Abstract: A solar tracker system comprising one or more tracker rotation control systems that include: a curved gear plate; and a locking element configured to lock the solar tracker system in a first configuration.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Victoria Macomber, Jeffrey Charles Lamb, Matthew N Schneider, Christopher Oestreich, Eric Preston Lien Suan, Louis Hong Basel, Saul Thomas Griffith, Peter Aumann, Kyle Allen Lamson, Jonah Sternthal, Eleanor Blair, Nicholas Andrew Catalan, Amando Luke Miller
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Patent number: 11588433Abstract: A method of coupling solar panels to one or more rails via one or more module clamps to form at least a portion of a solar assembly. The method can include positioning a first and second solar panel on at least a first rail, the first and second solar panels being positioned adjacent and defining a slot between the first and second solar panels. The method can further include positioning a module clamp between the first and second solar panels in the slot between the first and second solar panels, the module clamp engaging the first and second solar panels and the first rail. The module clamp can include a bolt and a clamp head.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2020Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Sunfolding, Inc.Inventors: Eric Preston Lien Suan, Jeffrey Charles Lamb
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Patent number: 11502639Abstract: An actuator comprising a bottom plate, a top-plate and one or more hub assembly extending between and rotatably coupling the bottom and top plates. The actuator also includes one or more bellows units disposed between the top plate and bottom plate, the one or more bellows units comprising a first and second inflatable bellows coupled by a web extending between the first and second bellows, the first and second bellows defining respective and separate first and second bellows cavities, with the first bellows of the bellows units disposed on a first side of the bottom plate, and the second bellows of the bellows units disposed on a second side of the bottom plate, opposing the first side, and between the top and bottom plates.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Kyle Douglass Betts, Saul Thomas Griffith, Jeffrey Charles Lamb, Peter Sturt Lynn, Leila Marcia Madrone, Matthew Ness Schneider, Kevin Patrick Simon, Louis Basel, Victoria Hammett Macomber, Dan Goldwater
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Patent number: 11420342Abstract: A solar actuator system comprising at least one actuator assembly. The actuator assembly includes: a top coupler; an angled bottom coupler having a top-end and respective first and second faces on opposing first and second sides of the top-end, the angled bottom coupler coupled to the top coupler via a one-degree-of-freedom joint between the top coupler and the angled bottom coupler; and at least a first and second actuator, with the first actuator disposed on the first side of the angled bottom coupler and the second actuator disposed on the second side of the angled bottom coupler.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Sunfolding, Inc.Inventors: Saul Griffith, Leila Madrone, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon, James McBride
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Patent number: 11059190Abstract: A solar actuator comprises a top coupler, a bottom coupler, and a plurality of fluidic bellows actuators, wherein a fluidic bellows actuator of the plurality of fluidic bellows actuators moves the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2019Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Saul Griffith, Leila Madrone, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon, James McBride
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Patent number: 10951159Abstract: A pneumatic control unit configured to inflate a first and second set of bellows with fluid from a pneumatic fluid source via a pneumatic circuit, the first and second set of bellows associated with one or more pneumatic actuators. The pneumatic control unit determines a target configuration of the actuators based on a determined current position of the sun; determines a current configuration of the actuators; determines a difference between the determined current configuration and target configuration of the actuators; determines that the difference between current configuration and the target configuration of the actuators is outside of a tolerance range; and actuates the actuators toward the determined target configuration by at least one of inflating the first or second set of bellows with fluid from the pneumatic fluid source via the pneumatic circuit.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Kyle Douglass Betts, Joshua Earle Erickson, Dan Goldwater, Jeffrey Charles Lamb, Leila Madrone, James Vincent Nolan, IV, Vincent Domenic Romanin, Matthew N Schneider, Eric Preston Lien Suan
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Patent number: 10944353Abstract: A system for controlling a rotation of one or more solar panels about an axis of rotation, comprising one or more solar panels defining a longitudinal axis, one or more bellows actuators coupled to the one or more solar panels and defining an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the panels, a fluid source, a first valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, a second valve circuit coupled to the bellows actuators and the fluid source, and a controller, wherein introduction or release of fluid from one or more of the bellows actuators is configured to cause rotation of the one or more actuators about the axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Louis Hong Basel, Joshua Earle Erickson, Dan Goldwater, Jeffrey Charles Lamb, Leila Madrone, Vincent Domenic Romanin, Matthew N Schneider
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Patent number: 10917038Abstract: An actuator that includes a bottom plate, a top-plate, and a first and second hub assembly extending between the bottom and top plates. The actuator can further include a first and second bellows disposed on opposing sides of the hub assemblies, the first and second bellows each extending between and coupled to the top plate and bottom plate. The actuator can also include a plurality of washers disposed between the top and bottom plates, with each of the washers coupled to the first and second hub assembly, a first set of the plurality of washers surrounding the first bellows and a second set of the plurality of washers surrounding the second bellows.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Louis Hong Basel, Kyle Douglass Betts, Alex Tan Kwan, Jeffrey Charles Lamb, Erica S. C. Lin, Leila Madrone, James Vincent Nolan, IV, Matthew N Schneider, Youngjoo Shin, Eric Preston Lien Suan
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Patent number: 10601366Abstract: A pneumatically actuated solar panel array system that includes a plurality of separate actuator assemblies that each have a top plate and bottom plate and a first and second bellows that each extend between and are coupled to the top and bottom plates at a respective top head and bottom head, the first and second bellows being configured to be separately pneumatically inflated, where the pneumatic inflation expands the bellows along a length. The pneumatically actuated solar panel array system can also include a plurality of solar panels coupled to the actuator assemblies with the solar panels being configured to be actuated based on inflation of one or more bellows associated with the plurality of actuator assembles.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2018Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Leila Marcia Madrone, Kyle Douglas Betts, Peter Sturt Lynn, Louis Hong Basel, Brent Ridley, Saul Thomas Griffith, James Dylan McBride, Jeffrey Lamb, Eric Preston Lien Suan, Erica Lin, Joshua Erickson, Vincent Domenic Romanin
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Patent number: 10384354Abstract: A solar actuator comprises a top coupler, a bottom coupler, and a plurality of fluidic bellows actuators, wherein a fluidic bellows actuator of the plurality of fluidic bellows actuators moves the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Saul Griffith, Leila Madrone, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon, James McBride
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Patent number: 10135388Abstract: A pneumatically actuated solar panel array system that includes a plurality of separate actuator assemblies that each have a top plate and bottom plate and a first and second bellows that each extend between and are coupled to the top and bottom plates at a respective top head and bottom head, the first and second bellows being configured to be separately pneumatically inflated, where the pneumatic inflation expands the bellows along a length. The pneumatically actuated solar panel array system can also include a plurality of solar panels coupled to the actuator assemblies with the solar panels being configured to be actuated based on inflation of one or more bellows associated with the plurality of actuator assembles.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: SUNFOLDING, INC.Inventors: Leila Marcia Madrone, Kyle Douglas Betts, Peter Sturt Lynn, Louis Hong Basel, Brent Ridley, Saul Thomas Griffith, James Dylan McBride, Jeffrey Lamb, Eric Preston Lien Suan, Erica Lin, Joshua Erickson, Vincent Domenic Romanin