초록 ▼

A foldable solar cell panel apparatus has at least two panel portions which are connected together at a foldable edge to form at least one foldable pair which, in the folded-together state, is preferably stored in a panel container. A stationary folding and unfolding system brings the solar cell pan

A foldable solar cell panel apparatus has at least two panel portions which are connected together at a foldable edge to form at least one foldable pair which, in the folded-together state, is preferably stored in a panel container. A stationary folding and unfolding system brings the solar cell panel into the folded or unfolded state. During the folding process, the lowermost deployed foldable pair is folded together while the foldable pairs above it remain unfolded. The deployed foldable pairs are folded together individually in succession. During the unfolding process, the uppermost foldable pair stored in the panel container is unfolded while the fold pairs below it are held in the folded state. The stored foldable pairs are unfolded in succession during deployment.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A foldable solar cell panel apparatus, comprising: a solar cell generator panel having a top end, a bottom end, and an axis running through said top and bottom ends, said solar cell generator panel having a plurality of panel portions which are connected at foldable edges that are substantiall

1. A foldable solar cell panel apparatus, comprising: a solar cell generator panel having a top end, a bottom end, and an axis running through said top and bottom ends, said solar cell generator panel having a plurality of panel portions which are connected at foldable edges that are substantially perpendicular to said axis to form a plurality of foldable pairs of panel portions, the panel portions of said plurality of foldable pairs being movable between a folded state and an unfolded state; a panel container disposed at said bottom end to store said foldable pairs when said foldable pairs are in their folded state; and folding and unfolding system means, connected to said solar cell generator panel and to said panel container, for folding into said container the lowermost of said foldable pairs that is not already in its folded sate in the container while any foldable pairs above said lowermost foldable pair remain in their unfolded state so that foldable pairs that are being folded into said container are folded individually in succession, and for unfolding from said container the uppermost of said plurality of foldable pairs that is not already in its unfolded state outside the container while any foldable pairs below said uppermost foldable pair remain in their folded state so that foldable pairs that are being unfolded from said container are unfolded individually in succession, said folding and unfolding system means including an end plate to which said top end of said solar cell generator panel is operationally connected, a mast mechanism movable along a line substantially parallel to said axis of said solar cell generator panel and operationally connected to said end plate, means for releasably fastening said plurality of foldable pairs of panel portions when said solar cell generator panel is being folded into said container, said means for releasably fastening including at least two cables each having a top end operationally secured to said end plate and a bottom end wound around a spring drum disposed below said bottom end of said solar cell generator panel, said means for releasably fastening providing releasably fastened connections between said cables and individual ones of said plurality of foldable pairs, and holding mechanism means operationally connected to said container for preventing the unfolding of foldable pairs already in said container when said lowermost of said plurality of foldable pairs that is not already in its folded state in the container is being folded into said container and for preventing simultaneous unfolding or fanning out of a plurality of foldable pairs when said uppermost of said plurality of foldable pairs that is not already in its unfolded state outside the container is being unfolded from said container. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said solar cell generator panel has a front side and a back side, and wherein for each of said cables the panel portions of each of said foldable pairs are provided with a pair of passage openings through which said cable passes in such a manner that when said foldable pairs are in their unfolded state the length of said cable disposed at the back side of said solar cell generator panel is greater than the length of said cable disposed at the front side, the cable extending on the front side in the region of the foldable edge between adjacent foldable pairs. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each passage opening corresponds to a foldable edge and wherein for each foldable pair of panel portions the passage openings through which said cables pass from the front to the back side of said solar cell generator panel as the cables progress toward the bottom end thereof have a generally keyhole shape with a generally circular portion and an elongated portion that is oriented away from the corresponding foldable edge, and wherein said folding and unfolding system means further comprises a plurality of balls that are fastened on the cables and that are dimensioned to pass through said generally circular portions. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein for each foldable pair of panel portions the passage openings through which the cables pass from the back to the front side of said solar cell generator panel as the cables progress toward the bottom end thereof have an elongated shape. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein for each cable the number of balls fastened thereto corresponds to the number of foldable pairs, the balls fastened to each cable having a staggered arrangement so that when all of the foldable pairs are in their unfolded state the balls are spaced apart by predetermined amounts and lie adjacent respective ones of said generally keyhole shaped openings. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said folding and unfolding means further comprises leader means for operationally connecting the cables to the end plate and means releasing said leader means for bringing a ball fastened on each cable into releasably fastened connection with the lowermost foldable pair that is not in its folded state in the container. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pins affixed to said solar cell generator panel at recesses therein adjacent the foldable edges, and wherein said holding device means comprises at least two gear systems means for engaging said pins and having gears with teeth, one gear system means being disposed at the back side of said solar cell generator panel adjacent said container and another gear system means being disposed at the front side of said solar cell generator panel adjacent said container, said one and another gear systems means being positioned so that the teeth of the gears come into engagement with the pins when the panel portions are disposed at a predetermined position with respect to the container. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said one gear system means comprises means for preventing the unfolding of foldable pairs that are already in their folded state in the container and includes means for rotating the gears of said one gear system means in a direction which prevents unfolding when the foldable pairs are being folded into the container and for rotating the gears of said one gear system means in the opposite direction so that the foldable pairs in the container are unfolded in succession when said foldable pairs are being unfolded from said container. 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said another gear system means comprises means for preventing the fanning of foldable pairs that are already in their folded state in the container and includes means for rotating the gears of said another gear system means in a direction which prevents fanning when the foldable pairs are being folded into the container and for rotating the gears of said another gear system means in the opposite direction to release the foldable pairs when said foldable pairs are being unfolded from said container.