The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 21, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 02, 1995
John J Phelan, Inwood, NY (US);
Joseph P Phelan, Parsippany, NJ (US);
Richard L Miller, Dix Hills, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
A sun-following solar panel stand that includes a frame, a hollow box, rotating and pivoting apparatus, first, second, and third light apparatus, comparing apparatus, and combination determining and comparing apparatus. The frame is horizontally rotatively mountable to a surface and the hollow box is vertically pivotally mounted to the frame. The rotating apparatus rotates the frame as the sun traverses horizontally and the pivoting apparatus pivots the hollow box as the sun traverses vertically. The first light apparatus provide a first light apparatus output responsive to the horizontal position of the sun. The second light apparatus provide a second light apparatus output responsive to the vertical position of the sun. The third light apparatus provide a third light apparatus output responsive to the general position of the sun. The comparing apparatus compares the first light apparatus output to the third light apparatus output and causes the rotating apparatus to seek a position where the first light apparatus output and the third light apparatus output are equal. And, the combination determining and comparing apparatus determines when the second light apparatus output is a maximum and compares the maximum second light apparatus output to the third light apparatus output and causes the pivoting apparatus to seek a position where the maximum second light apparatus output and the third light apparatus output are equal.