SOLAR PANELS

Abstract

A solar panel system (10) comprising a solar panel (12) to be fixedly located such as to receive sunlight from a first direction (A), and a light guidance device (15) having an inlet (16) for receiving sunlight and an outlet (18) for projecting light, said light guidance device (15) having an operative or in use condition in which it is positioned with its inlet (16) directed in a second direction (B), and with its outlet (18) directed to project light therefrom towards the solar panel (12).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to solar panels.

BACKGROUND

Two principle kinds of solar panel are known: electrical photo-voltaic converters and piped fluid heat exchangers. The present application is considered applicable to both kinds of solar panel, but especially to the electrical photo-voltaic converter solar panel.

It is known to mount solar panels on the roof of a building. Examples include the arrangements and/or installations described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,282, U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,613 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,309. In general roof-mounted solar panels are fixed in position and this is largely essential for solar panels of the kind that function as piped fluid heat exchangers. Systems have been proposed (e.g. GB-2374139 and WO-02/061849) that move a solar panel of the electrical photo-voltaic kind from one side of the roof to another to maximise the solar panel's sunlight exposure as the earth's rotation moves the building-supported solar panel. Such systems are considered complex and likely to be expensive. Accordingly it is considered desirable to provide a solar panel system that can overcome or at least minimise these and/or other disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a solar panel system comprising a solar panel to be fixedly located such as to receive sunlight from a first direction, and a light guidance device having an inlet for receiving sunlight and an outlet for projecting light said light guidance device having an operative or in use condition in which it is positioned with its inlet directed in a second direction, preferably opposite said first direction, and with its outlet directed to project light therefrom towards the solar panel.

It is envisaged that with the installation of such a system the light guidance device can be arranged to “channel” the sunlight towards the solar panel when the latter is not directly facing the sun.

Preferably said light guidance device has optical characteristics substantially similar to those of a periscope. Advantageously the light guidance device includes one or more reflective surfaces. The latter may be provided by one or more mirrors—planar, concave or convex—or by one or more prisms to provide a total internal reflection effect from the or each of said reflective surfaces. Powered pivoting means may be provided to tilt the or at least one of the said mirror(s) about at least one axis. Where powered pivoting about two or more axes is permitted, this may be about axes that are orthogonal to one another.

In one embodiment, means mounting the light guidance device render it movable from said in use or operative condition to an out-of-use or inoperative condition.

The mounting means may permit lateral movement of the device from an operative or in use position in which it is substantially overlying the solar panel to an inoperative position in which it is generally alongside the solar panel. In one example of such an arrangement the mounting means permits pivotal movement of the device with respect to the panel whilst the device and panel remain in substantially equidistant parallel planes.

Alternatively or additionally, the mounting means may permit a collapsing movement of the device from an operative position in which it is spaced in said first direction from the solar panel to an inoperative position in which that spacing is reduced (thereby to minimise wind or storm damage).

The mounting means employed may incorporate actuators to effect said movement. Said actuators may be piston-cylinder arrangements driven electrically and/or pneumatically or hydraulically. Optionally movement of said actuators may be microprocessor controlled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of example embodiments of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a sketch of a first embodiment of this invention installed on a roof;

FIG. 2 is a sketch showing operative elements of the installed of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sketch similar to FIG. 2 showing the mobility of a reflective surface of the light guidance device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sketch similar to FIG. 1 showing one form of mobility (of part) of the light guidance device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sketches similar to FIG. 1 showing another form of mobility of the light guidance device of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sketches similar to FIG. 1 showing yet another form of mobility of the light guidance device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE(S) OF THE INVENTION

The solar panel system 10 of FIG. 1 comprises a solar panel 12 fixedly located on a pitched roof 14 such as to receive sunlight from a first direction A. The installed system also includes a light guidance device 15 having an inlet 16 for receiving sunlight and an outlet 18 for projecting light. The light guidance device 15 is positioned in use with its inlet 16 directed towards a second direction B, preferably opposite said first direction A, and with its outlet 18 directed to project light therefrom towards the solar panel 12. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the light guidance device 15 has optical characteristics substantially similar to those of a periscope and comprises a plurality of mirrors 29 to receive light from direction B (i.e. from the side of the pitched roof that is not provided with the solar panel 12) and impinging onto inlet 16, the light guidance device 15 serving to redirect the light received through inlet 16 and redirect it through outlet 18 and towards the solar panel 12. In an optional arrangement each of the mirrors or other reflective surfaces 29 can have a small motor or other device which can change the angle of the mirrors or other reflective surfaces 29, to change the direction of the light received and reflected therefrom, thus making them more efficient. These motors may be controlled by one or more sensors to determine the direction of the sun and therefore the best angles to point the mirrors or other reflective surfaces 29. There may be any number of mirrors or other reflective surfaces 29 and at different angles to those shown. The motors serve as powered pivoting means may and serve to tilt the or at least one of the said mirror(s) about at least one axis. Optionally, where powered pivoting about two or more axes is permitted, this may be about axes that are orthogonal to one another.

If appropriate in certain special conditions, e.g. when the sun is behind clouds or it is winter (and so the amount of light and heat shining is less than normal) the surfaces 29 can be moved to redirect light from the same side of roof or panel 12, i.e. from the same direction A (see FIG. 3).

Preferably the light guidance device 15 is movable from its operative, in use condition to an inoperative out-of-use condition. This may be achieved by the provision of mounting means that permit lateral movement of the device 15 from an in-use position in which it is substantially overlying the solar panel (FIG. 8) to an out-of-use position in which it is generally alongside the solar panel (FIG. 7). Conveniently this is achieved by arranging for the mounting means to permit pivotal movement of the device 15 about an axis 30 at right-angles to the plane of the solar panel 12.

Alternatively the mounting means may permit pivotal movement of the device 15 about an axis 30 in a plane parallel to the plane of the solar panel 12. Such an up and down motion of the device 15 between respectively operative and inoperative conditions for the solar panel may be suitable where the solar panel is fixed to the side of a building rather than the roof

In still another alternative, and as intimated by FIGS. 4-6, the mounting means for the device 15 may permit a collapsing movement of the device from an operative position in which its roof-adjacent plane is spaced in said first direction from the plane of the solar panel 15, to an inoperative or out-of-use position in which that spacing is less (thereby to minimise wind or storm damage). If appropriate, the sides of the device 15 may of flexible material to facilitate lowering and raising of the device 15.

The mounting means employed may incorporate actuators 31 (FIG. 4) or 32 (FIGS. 5 and 6) to effect said movement. In the embodiment of FIG. 4 said actuators 31 are piston-cylinder arrangements driven electrically and/or pneumatically or hydraulically. Optionally the movement of said actuators may be microprocessor controlled. Alternatively, in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the actuators 32 are motor-controlled rotational elements operative in a parallelogram fashion from the erect, operative position of FIG. 5 to the collapsed inoperative position of FIG. 6.

In a modified arrangement, the positionally fixed solar panel solar panel and the guidance device are mounted on the side of a building (rather than the roof).

In yet another modified arrangement, the positionally fixed solar panel and the guidance device are mounted on the ground (e.g. a garden).

Optionally, in any of the above-described arrangements according to the invention, filtering means may be provided to reduce the light or heat energy transmitted by the guidance device to the solar panel. Preferably such filtering means are adjustable to provide variable degrees of filtering.

It will be appreciated that although the illustrated arrangements embodying the invention utilise planar mirrors as reflective surfaces, those reflective surfaces may alternatively be provided by one or more concave or convex mirrors or by one or more prisms to provide a total internal reflection effect from the or each of said reflective surfaces.

Other modifications and embodiments of the invention, which will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art, are to be deemed within the ambit and scope of the invention, and the particular embodiment(s) hereinbefore described may be varied in construction and detail, e.g. interchanging (where appropriate or desired) different features of each, without departing from the scope of the patent monopoly hereby sought.

Claims

1. A solar panel system comprising a solar panel to be fixedly located such as to receive sunlight from a first direction, and a light guidance device having an inlet for receiving sunlight and an outlet for projecting light, said light guidance device including one or more reflective surfaces and a motor to tilt the or at least one of the reflective surface(s) about two or more axis that are orthogonal to one another, said light guidance device having an operative or in use condition in which it is positioned with its inlet directed in a second direction, and with its outlet directed to project light therefrom towards the solar panel.

2. A solar panel system according to claim 1 wherein said second direction is substantially opposite said first direction.

3. A solar panel system according to claim 1, wherein said light guidance device has optical characteristics substantially similar to those of a periscope.

4. A solar panel system according to claim 1, wherein the reflective surfaces are provided by one or more mirrors.

5. A solar panel system according to claim 4, wherein the mirrors are planar, concave or convex

6. A solar panel system according to claim 1, wherein the reflective surfaces are provided by one or more prisms to provide a total internal reflection effect from the or each of said reflective surfaces.

7. A solar panel system according to claim 1, having a mount which can move the light guidance device from said in use or operative condition to an out-of-use or inoperative condition.

8. A solar panel system according to claim 7, wherein said mount permits lateral movement of the device from an operative or in use position in which the device is substantially overlying the solar panel to an inoperative position in which it is generally alongside the solar panel.

9. A solar panel system according to claim 7, wherein said mount permits pivotal movement of the device with respect to the panel whilst the device and panel remain in substantially equidistant parallel planes.

10. A solar panel system according to claim 7, wherein said mount permits pivotal movement of the device about an axis in a plane parallel to the plane of the solar panel.

11. A solar panel system according to claim 7, wherein the mount permits a collapsing movement of the device from an operative position in which it is spaced in said first direction from the solar panel to an inoperative position in which that spacing is reduced

12. A solar panel system according to claim 11 wherein the mount incorporates actuators to effect said movement.

13. A solar panel system according to claim 12 wherein said actuators are piston-cylinder arrangements driven electrically and/or pneumatically or hydraulically.

14. A solar panel system according to claim 13 wherein movement of said actuators is microprocessor controlled.

15. A solar panel system according to claim 1 wherein the solar panel is fixedly located on a building surface.

16. A solar panel system according to claim 15, wherein the said surface is a wall of a building.

17. A solar panel system according to claim 15, wherein the said surface is one side of a pitched roof.

18. (canceled)

19. A solar panel system, comprising:

a solar panel for receiving sunlight from a first direction; and

a light guidance device having an inlet for receiving sunlight and an outlet for projecting light, comprising: a reflective surface; and a drive element operable to drive the reflective surface about two orthogonal axes;

wherein the light guidance device has an operative condition in which the light guidance device is positioned with the inlet directed in a second direction with the outlet directed to project light from the outlet toward the solar panel.