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:
Jul. 12, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 07, 2009
Melvin L. Prueitt, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Melvin L. Prueitt, Los Alamos, NM (US);
Other;
Abstract
This invention is a trough solar collector that uses the principles of high leverage in order to produce a lightweight, inexpensive thermal solar collector. The parabolic reflectors are held in proper shape by rigid ribs that are spaced apart along the length of the collector. The structure of the trough is held rigid by a unique sun-tracking system that not only guides a long trough row to point it toward the sun, but also maintains the whole length of the row in rigid configuration. Small-diameter cables are wrapped around a rotatable pipe that extends along the row. The cables extend around circular arches attached to the parabolic ribs that provide high leverage for rotating the troughs. Since the arches rotate in unison, the long trough row is maintained in rotational rigidity. Rather than having heavy concrete foundations and heavy structures to support the troughs, lightweight support posts are placed into the ground, and guy wires maintain the position of the posts.