Patents by Inventor Thomas L. Murnan

Thomas L. Murnan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9773933
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a solar energy system includes multiple photovoltaic modules, each oriented substantially at a same angle relative to horizontal. The angle is independent of a latitude of an installation site of the solar energy system and is greater than or equal to 15 degrees. The solar energy system defines a continuous area within a perimeter of the solar energy system. The solar energy system is configured to capture at the photovoltaic modules substantially all light incoming towards the continuous area over an entire season.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: TENKSOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Kurt Korkowski, Lance E. Stover, Thomas L. Murnan, Orville Dodd
  • Publication number: 20170070188
    Abstract: An asymmetric wave photovoltaic (PV) system includes at least one asymmetric wavelet coupled. The at least one asymmetric wavelet includes front and rear PV modules of equal size. The front and rear PV modules are coupled together to form a peak of the at least one asymmetric wavelet. The front PV module is supported at a first angle. The rear PV module is supported at a second angle that is different than the first angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Richard Amy, Thomas L. Murnan, Lance E. Stover, Raymond W. Knight, Kevin Batko, Dan Heneman, Steve Sazama, Larry Weiss, Timothy C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8829330
    Abstract: In an example, a solar energy system includes multiple PV modules, multiple reflectors, and a racking assembly. Each of the reflectors is positioned opposite a corresponding one of the PV modules. The racking assembly mechanically interconnects the PV modules and the reflectors to form an interconnected system. The racking assembly defines gaps within the racking assembly and between adjacent PV modules and reflectors. The interconnected system includes multiple contact points associated with the gaps. The gaps and contact points configure the interconnected system to accommodate surface unevenness of an installation surface up to a predetermined surface unevenness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tenksolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Lance E. Stover, Orville D. Dodd, Thomas L. Murnan
  • Publication number: 20140174535
    Abstract: In an example, a solar energy system includes multiple PV modules, multiple reflectors, and a racking assembly. Each of the reflectors is positioned opposite a corresponding one of the PV modules. The racking assembly mechanically interconnects the PV modules and the reflectors to form an interconnected system. The racking assembly defines gaps within the racking assembly and between adjacent PV modules and reflectors. The interconnected system includes multiple contact points associated with the gaps. The gaps and contact points configure the interconnected system to accommodate surface unevenness of an installation surface up to a predetermined surface unevenness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: TENKSOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Lance E. Stover, Orville D. Dodd, Thomas L. Murnan
  • Publication number: 20130312812
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a solar energy system includes multiple photovoltaic modules, each oriented substantially at a same angle relative to horizontal. The angle is independent of a latitude of an installation site of the solar energy system and is greater than or equal to 15 degrees. The solar energy system defines a continuous area within a perimeter of the solar energy system. The solar energy system is configured to capture at the photovoltaic modules substantially all light incoming towards the continuous area over an entire season.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Tenksolar, Inc
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Kurt Korkowski, Lance E. Stover, Thomas L. Murnan, Orville Dodd
  • Publication number: 20120204935
    Abstract: In an example, a solar energy system includes multiple PV modules, multiple reflectors, and a racking assembly. Each of the reflectors is positioned opposite a corresponding one of the PV modules. The racking assembly mechanically interconnects the PV modules and the reflectors to form an interconnected system. The racking assembly defines gaps within the racking assembly and between adjacent PV modules and reflectors. The interconnected system includes multiple contact points associated with the gaps. The gaps and contact points configure the interconnected system to accommodate surface unevenness of an installation surface up to a predetermined surface unevenness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: tenKsolar
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Lance E. Stover, Orville D. Dodd, Thomas L. Murnan
  • Publication number: 20100212720
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a solar energy system includes a plurality of module rows and a plurality of reflector rows. Each module row includes a plurality of PV modules. Each PV module includes a plurality of PV cells arranged in a plurality of cell rows, the PV cells in each cell row being electrically connected in parallel to each other, and the plurality of cell rows being electrically connected in series to each other. Each reflector row includes a plurality of reflectors. The reflector rows are interposed between the module rows such that each reflector row is mechanically interconnected between two adjacent module rows and is arranged to reflect light having some incident angles on to one of the two adjacent module rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: TENKSOLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Lowell J. Berg, Thomas L. Murnan, Orville D. Dodd