Powerlight Corporation

Sunpower Corporation

Daniel S Shugar

Thomas L Dinwoodie

Steven T Slavsky

Charles Bernardo Almy

Jason Jones

Reuben Sandler

John Peurach

Nathaniel T Coleman

Adam D Jackaway

Timothy M Mueller

A solar collector assembly may include a frame supporting a solar collector and a frame member defining a tilted pivot axis. Support struts may be used to elevate one end of the frame and may be pivoted between an orientation generally parallel to the frame member and to an orientation generally away from the frame. Anchorless, ballast type bases may be used to support the solar collector assembly. Several assemblies may be stacked on top of one another in a storage or transportation configuration using spacers extending between the frames.

Stackable tracking solar collector assembly

Support structure for tracking solar collectors

Inclined photovoltaic assembly

A PV roof assembly ( ) includes a roof ( ) mountable to an electric vehicle ( ), and a PV assembly ( ) at the upper part of the roof. The PV assembly may be mounted to a separate roof surface ( ) or the PV assembly may itself constitute all or part of the roof. The vehicle may include a secondary PV assembly ( ) coupled to a display unit ( ) to provide an independent indication of the intensity of solar irradiation. The roof may have mounting element recesses ( ) to accommodate mounting elements ( ) of the PV assembly, the mounting elements configured so as not to shade the PV panel ( ). The roof may also be configured to accommodate a global positioning device ( ). The roof preferably includes a peripheral gutter ( ). The roof body preferably includes hand-hold recesses ( ) housing hand-hold elements ( ) at positions to provide a horizontal setback ( ) from the lateral sides ( ) of the roof body.

Electric vehicle roof

Electric vehicle with photovoltaic roof assembly

Handhold for electric cart roof

Electric cart PV panel solar cell layout

Electric cart roof

A PV roof assembly (,) includes a roof (,) mountable to an electric car (,), and a PV assembly (,) at the upper part of the roof. The PV assembly may be mounted to a separate roof surface (,) or the PV assembly may itself constitute all or part of the roof. The PV assembly may include a monolithic PV panel (,) with a plurality of PV cells (,). The roof may define a storage region (,) accessible through a closable access opening (,). The roof may include a circumferential lip (,) which extends around and above the PV assembly to help prevent damage to the PV panel. The roof may include a protective, at least semi-transparent top layer (,), an at least semi-transparent bottom layer (,) and a semi-transparent PV layer (,) secured between and in contact with the top and bottom layers to create a roof which is itself semi-transparent. The ratio of PV cells to the number of battery cells may be chosen to create a self-regulating design. A misting system (,) with roof-mounted misting outlets (,) can be used for enhanced comfort during hot weather. A graphical display may be used to provide the driver with, for example, energy production and battery charge level.

Electric vehicle photovoltaic charging system

A photovoltaic building assembly (2) includes a building support surface, typically a roof (4) or a wall (6), on which a PV module support assembly (12) is mounted. The support assembly includes a base (18) secured to the support surface, and an upper portion (14, 16; 14a, 31, 33). A PV module (10) is mounted to and is supported by the body (14, 14a) of the upper portion. A foam insulation layer (22) is sprayed onto the support surface to embed the base and lower ends of the legs therein. A weather-resistant layer (24) is applied to the outer surface of the insulation layer to prevent moisture from reaching the building surface. The base can be secured to the building support surface by an adhesive (32) or by mechanical fasteners (34) as well as by simply embedding the base within the insulation layer. The assembly provides for electricity generation, building thermal insulation and building waterproofing in a lightweight construction assembly.

Photovoltaic building assembly with continuous insulation layer

Growing community of inventors

San Bruno, CA, United States of America

Daniel S Shugar