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:
Mar. 31, 2015
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2011
David Madore, Vancouver, WA (US);
Leonard Lee, Vancouver, WA (US);
Eric Martin, Vancouver, WA (US);
U.S. Digital Corporation, Vancouver, WA (US);
Abstract
In a solar concentrator of a type having a curved mirror adapted to focus light onto an energy collecting body mounted at the mirror's focal axis, an alignment correction apparatus and method includes a linear array of light detectors adapted to be mounted at a bottom of and across a centerline of the curved mirror so as to intercept the shadow cast by the energy collecting body mounted along the focal axis. Outputs of each of the detectors are measured and plotted according to an order of arrangement of the light detectors on the array. The output results in a dip across adjacent detectors when a shadow falls across the array. A shadow detection means is adapted to determine a center point of the dip and correction means are configured to output a correction command if the center point is different from an optimal position.