초록 ▼

A solar tracking apparatus and system for supporting and use with solar devices. The apparatus is comprised of a pair of concentric shafts oriented parallel to the earth\s rotational axis with one shaft being rotated by a motor at one revolution per day, so that a yoke rigidly attached to this shaft

A solar tracking apparatus and system for supporting and use with solar devices. The apparatus is comprised of a pair of concentric shafts oriented parallel to the earth\s rotational axis with one shaft being rotated by a motor at one revolution per day, so that a yoke rigidly attached to this shaft will follow the diurnal motion of the sun. The second concentric shaft is rotated at a rate relative to the first shaft and by means of a spherical four-bar linkage will automatically produce a rotational oscillation of a support or gimbal mounted on the yoke equal to the yearly declination of the sun. A means is also provided for advancing or retarding the diurnal motion of the yoke at specific times of the year so as to correct for anomalies in the motion of the sun, commonly known as “the equation of time”. A means is also provided for coupling a large array of solar tracking yokes to a single central drive unit.

대표청구항 ▼

An automatic solar tracking apparatus comprising: a first rotatable shaft means; mounting means mounting said first rotatable shaft means parallel to the axis of rotation of the earth; a yoke rigidly attached to said first shaft; first rotating means for providing open loop rotation to said first ro

An automatic solar tracking apparatus comprising: a first rotatable shaft means; mounting means mounting said first rotatable shaft means parallel to the axis of rotation of the earth; a yoke rigidly attached to said first shaft; first rotating means for providing open loop rotation to said first rotatable shaft means at a substantially uniform and continuous rate of one revolution per mean solar day; correcting means for correcting the rotational rate of said first rotatable shaft means an amount equal to the equation-of-time anomaly so as to accurately follow the hour-angle motion of the sun; support means mounted on said yoke rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis of said first rotatable shaft means; a second rotatable shaft means; linking means linking said support means to said second rotatable shaft means; second rotating means adapted to provide open-loop rotation to said second rotatable shaft means at a substantially uniform and continuous rate of one revolution per siderial day so that differential rotational rates of said second shaft and said corrected first shaft cause said linking means to automatically oscillate said support means by an amount substantially equal to the yearly declination motion of the sun.