Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PRIMARY LOCATING FEATURE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a mechanical fastener or
primary locating feature used for providing proper location and adjustment of
a
mirror used in a solar collector device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many different types of solar collectors use mirrors, or a primary
objective element, for directing light to a focal point, or a secondary
objective
element, such that the light can be converted to electricity. Optimal
positioning of
these mirrors is necessary for the solar collector to function properly. In
many
applications, proper positioning of these mirrors is a difficult and expensive
task.
[0003] A lack of position control of the mirrors causes or allows for a
loss in system efficiency. A reduction in efficiency may be the result of too
much
dimensional variation between the various components in a solar array
assembly.
[0004] Some solar collectors use a mechanical fastener for attachment
and positioning of the primary mirrors, which allows for some adjustment.
However, this is an expensive attachment, is not accessible in a sealed solar
module, and takes time and skill to adjust properly.
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[0005] Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved mechanical
fastener or locating feature used with a mirror in a solar array assembly,
which
properly positions the mirror in an efficient and inexpensive manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is directed to a solar collector assembly
with at least one primary locator feature. The solar collector assembly has
housing having at least one wall and at least one mirror for directing rays of
light
toward a second objective. Each mirror of the solar collector assembly has a
back side and a reflective side and at least one primary locating feature for
connecting the mirror to the housing. The primary locating feature has a guide
bushing that is operably connected to the at least one wall of the housing. A
stud
of the primary locating feature has a first end connected to a mirror bracket
and
second end extending through the guide bushing. The stud has a longitudinal
axis that extends between and substantially perpendicular to the mirror
bracket
and the guide bushing for allowing the mirror to be positioned along the
longitudinal axis relative to the at least one wall of the housing. The solar
collector assembly may have a single mirror, however it is possible for a
solar
collector assembly to have multiple mirrors with each mirror having their own
respective primary locating feature that serves to connect the mirror with a
guide
bushing within the housing.
[0007] The present invention is also directed to a fastener or primary
locating feature which places and locates a primary objective element or
mirror in
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an optimal location relative to a secondary objective element, and a quick set
adhesive locks the fastener location while the main adhesive has time to cure.
The design allows for an adjustable attachment, or it could be locked down to
a
net locating pad that could be machined to an ideal location relative to other
key
locations.
[0008] The present invention further includes a ceramic, plastic, or
metal type pad bonded to the back of a mirror that bonds directly to a Sheet
Molding Compound (SMC) panel or attach to an SMC panel with a mechanical
fastener. The mechanical fastener may be net or set by fixture, or it can be
adjustable and serviceable. The mounting pads may be net or can be milled or
machined to precise tolerances.
[0009] The mechanical fastener or primary locating feature of the
present invention sets and holds the position of one panel relative to the
other
with a quick set adhesive and a long term adhesive. The primary locating
feature
of the present invention has the ability to set at a controlled nominal
position, or
to allow for final field type adjustment and service. The primary locating
feature
of the present invention also has the ability to utilize an as-molded datum
pad, or
the pad may be machined to a higher precision nominal position. The addition
of
bonding combined with the mechanical fasteners also helps to allow for
variation
without influencing twist or deflection into a critical component such as the
primary objective mirror.
[0010] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should
be
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understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while
indicating
the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of
illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a solar collector assembly in
accordance with the present invention;
[0013] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side plan view of a solar collector
assembly in accordance with the present invention;
[0014] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side perspective view of a solar
collector assembly in accordance with the present invention;
[0015] Figure 4 is another cross-sectional side perspective view of a
solar collector assembly in accordance with the present invention;
[0016] Figure 5A is a sectional side view of a primary locating feature
used with a primary objective element, according to the present invention;
[0017] Figure 5B is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a seal cap for a primary locating feature used with a primary objective
element,
according to the present invention;
[0018] Figure 5C is a sectional side view of a threaded cap and collar
used in an alternate embodiment of a primary locating feature used with a
primary objective element, according to the present invention;
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[0019] Figure 6 is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a primary locating feature used with a primary objective element, according to
the
present invention;
[0020] Figure 7A is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a primary locating feature, having a ball mounted on an adjustable stud, used
with a primary objective element, according to the present invention;
[0021] Figure 7B is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a primary locating feature, with the ball and stud removed, used with a
primary
objective element, according to the present invention;
[0022] Figure 7C is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a hexalobular external driving feature on a stud used with a primary locating
feature, according to the present invention;
[0023] Figure 7D is a sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of
a primary locating feature, having a ball mounted on a mirror, used with a
primary
objective element, according to the present invention;
[0024] Figure 8 is a sectional side view of another alternate
embodiment of a primary locating feature used with a primary objective
element,
according to the present invention;
[0025] Figure 9 is a sectional side view of a stud and a jam nut of a
primary locating feature used with a primary objective element, according to
the
present invention;
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[0026] Figure 10 is a sectional side view of a secondary objective
element used with a primary objective element having a primary locating
feature,
according to the present invention; and
[0027] Figure 11 is a sectional side view of another alternate
embodiment of a primary locating feature used with a primary objective
element,
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is
merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,
its
application, or uses.
[0029] The present application uses the term "guide bushing", which
can include, but is not limited to, various specific elements including a
rivet nut,
drilled aperture or a sealed rivet nut. The term "rivet nut" is defined to
include a
one piece internally threaded and counterbored tubular rivet that can be
anchored entirely from one side or both sides depending on a particular
application. A "sealed rivet nut" is defined as including a rivet nut that has
a
sealing member disposed around the aperture for the counterbore allowing for a
stud placed through the counterbore to be sealed off from the surrounding
environment. A "drilled aperture" is defined as including a hole drilled
through a
surface that may or may not be threaded.
[0030] The present application also uses the term "fastener", which can
include, but is certainly not limited to a jack screw, adhesives, jam nut,
ratchet
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type stud nut and combinations thereof. "Adhesives" as described herein
include
any type of polymeric adhesive. The term "jack screw" includes a type of self-
locking fastener system that includes a scissor type frame operated by turning
a
lead screw or some other type of gear or worm drive train. The term "jam nut"
is
generally a type of nut that is jammed in a locking manner to a stud or shaft.
The
term "ratchet type stud nut" includes a nut that connects to a threaded shaft
or
stud and moves in one direction while preventing motion in the other
direction.
The term "fastener" may include various combinations of the fasteners
described
above as well as other suitable fasteners depending on the needs of a
particular
application.
[0031] Referring to Figures 1-4, a solar collector assembly 100 in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. Solar
collector assemblies have various shapes and forms; however; generally
speaking, solar collector assemblies use a reflective surface or a mirror 102
that
direct rays 103 toward a secondary objective (not shown) collecting energy.
The
solar collector assembly 100 shown in Figure 1 has a housing 108 that holds
the
mirror 102 and secondary objective in order to prevent the components within
the
housing 108 from being exposed to the outside elements. The solar collector
assembly 100 can have a single mirror 102 it is can have several mirrors each
connected to a designated primary locating feature 110. The number of mirrors
102 will depend on the needs of a particular application.
[0032] Other solar collector assemblies can have a different type of
shape with no sealed housing. For example, other solar collector assemblies
_, _ ... _ _ ~ _.. _ _ .~ ....E ..
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might be shaped to look like a satellite dish wherein the dish portion of the
satellite-shaped dish is mirrored to direct the sun's rays towards a secondary
objective located in the center of the dish.
[0033] In designing a the solar collector assembly 100, it may be
necessary to control the position of the mirror 102 relative to the secondary
objective in order to maximize reflection of the rays 103. Each mirror 102 in
the
present invention is connected to the housing 108 using the primary locating
feature 110 that connects the respective mirror 102 to the housing 108. The
primary locating feature 110 allows for the mirror 102 to be moved in the X,
Y,
and Z directions relative to the housing 108. Movement and positioning of the
mirror 102 will depend on several factors, which include the position of the
housing 108 relative to a mounting surface 112 upon which the solar collector
assembly sits or is pivotably connected to. Additionally, the direction from
which
the rays 103 enter the housing 108 may also affect the position of the mirrors
102. Additional factors causing the rays 103 that affect the direction the
rays
enter the housing 108 include time of day, longitude or latitude as well as
the
position of the Earth's axis relative to the sun (e.g., the season and the
region
that the solar collector assembly is located).
[0034] The housing 108 includes several mirror walls 114 which each
have one or more primary locating features 110 that permit a mirror to be
connected to the housing 108. Each of the wall of the housing 108 are curved
to
permit the X, Y and Z movement of the mirror when connected. Associated with
each of the primary locating features 110 is an actuator 116 that is connected
to
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the components of the primary locating feature and will cause the mirror to
move
when actuated. The details of the mirror movement will be described in greater
detail below.
[0035] A primary locating feature according to the present invention is
shown in the Figures 5-10 generally at 10. Referring to Figure 5A, a first
embodiment of the locating feature 10 includes a guide bushing 21, which in
the
specific embodiment shown in Figure 5A is a threaded rivet nut mounted to a
wall
14 of a housing (not shown). While the present invention shows the guide
bushing 12 as being a rivet nut, it is within the scope of this invention for
the
guide bushing to be any type of supportive aperture, and can include a rivet
nut
as shown in Figure 5A; threaded cap and collar as shown in Figure 5C; ratchet-
type nut and stud as shown in Figure 6; stud and sealed jam nut 22 as shown in
Figure 7A, a ratchet-type nut and stud in combination with a UV activated
adhesive as shown in Figure 8; a jam nut that ratchets the stud in a single
direction as shown in Figure 9; or an adjustable fastener mounted to a support
member as shown in Figure 11. The wall 14 in this embodiment is made of a
SMC (Sheet Molding Compound), but it is within the scope of the invention that
the wall 14 may be made of another thermoplastic injected material.
[0036] The rivet nut 12 is threaded to receive a stud 16 having a ball 18
and a hexalobular external driving feature 20. The hexalobular external
driving
feature 20 is connectable to the actuator 116 shown in Figure 3. The actuator
116 is a motor that causes the hexalobular external driving feature 20 to
rotate,
which in turn rotates the stud 16 causing the stud to move along its
longitudinal
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axis 45, which in turn causes a mirror 36 to move axially relative to the wall
14 of
the housing 108. Mounted on the stud 16 is a sealed jam nut 22 which secures
the stud 16 to the rivet nut 12. Also connected to the wall 14 is an outer
rubber
seal cap 24.
[0037] The ball 18 is disposed in a socket 26 formed as part of a
bracket 28, which is connected to a ceramic pad 30 of a mirror bracket shown
generally at 29, which is connected to the back side of the mirror 36. The
ceramic pad 30 is used with an adhesive 32 for attachment with the rear
surface
34 of a mirror 36. The ball 18 and socket 26 allow for repositioning of the
mirror
36 as desired, and the stud 16 in combination with the rivet nut 12 and sealed
jam nut 22 allow for the mirror 36 to be moved axially, which is shown as left
to
right by direction arrow 45 or vice versa when looking at Figure 5A. The
mirror
moves along the longitudinal axis 37 of the stud 16. The axial movement of the
mirror 36 is accomplished by activating the actuator 116, which is connected
to
the external drive 20, which in turn causes the stud 16 to rotate through the
threaded jam nut 22.
[0038] Referring to Figure 5B, an alternate embodiment of the
secondary outer rubber seal cap 24 is shown, which is designed to permanently
connect to the wall 14, and is removed only when needed. The permanent
connection between the rubber seal cap 24 and the wall 14 can be accomplished
using adhesives, resistive implant welding, cementing, or other permanent
connection methods. Figure 5C shows a threaded cap 38 on a collar 40, which
replaces the sealed jam nut 22 and rivet nut 12, as shown in Figure 5A.
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[0039] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 6, with
like numbers referring to like elements. In this embodiment, the primary
locating
feature 10 has a bracket or molded carrier 42 which supports the ceramic pad
30. The carrier 42 is connected to the wall 14 through the use of a ratchet-
type
nut 44 and stud 46. The nut 44 and stud 46 are used for moving the mirror 36
axially, which is shown as right to left by direction arrow 45 and vice versa
when
looking at Figure 6.
[0040] Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Figures 7A-7D, with like numbers referring to like elements. In this
embodiment
the ball 18 is mounted on an adjustable stud 16, where the stud 16 is threaded
and connected to the sealed jam nut 22. The stud 16 and sealed jam nut 22 are
used for allowing the mirror 36 to move axially, which is shown as left to
right by
direction arrow 45 and vice versa when looking at Figure 7A. Figure 7B shows
another alternate embodiment of the invention, where the ball 18 and socket 26
have been removed, and the stud 16 is connected directly to the bracket 28.
The
stud 16 may have either a hexalobular internal driving feature 46, or a
hexalobular external driving feature 20, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 7C.
Yet
another alternate embodiment of the primary locating feature 10 in Figure 7B
is
shown in Figure 7D, where the ball 18 is connected to the bracket and the
socket
26 is formed on the first end of the stud 16.
[0041] Another embodiment of the primary locating feature 10 of the
present invention is shown in Figure 8. In this embodiment, the ceramic pad 30
is connected to a urethane pad 48 which is about one to two inches thick. This
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embodiment may include a ratchet-type nut 44, similar to the ratchet-type nut
44
shown in Figure 6. To secure the stud 16 to the nut 44, once the mirror 36 is
in
the desired position, UV-activated adhesive may be used to secure the position
of the stud 16 relative to the nut 44, quickly, while the adhesive 32
attaching the
mirror 36 to the ceramic pad 30 cures.
[0042] Referring to Figure 9A, another embodiment of the feature 10 is
shown having a different type of jam nut, generally shown at 50, which
ratchets in
only one direction to secure the connection between the stud 16 and the jam
nut
50.
[0043] Figure 9B shows a secondary objective element 104 that
collects reflected light from the mirrors and converts the light to stored
energy. A
lens 52 of the secondary objective element 104 is mounted to a second wall 54
of the housing. More specifically, the lens 52 is mounted to a carrier 56, and
the
carrier 56 is connected to the wall 54. The lens 52 is used for receiving
light
directed from the mirror 36 shown in the Figures. It is within the scope of
the
invention that a plurality of the mirrors 36 may be used with a plurality of
primary
alignment features 10 such that the mirrors 36 may be optimally positioned to
direct as much light as possible to the lens 52.
[0044] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 11,
where the stud 16 is used with an adjustable fastener 58, where the stud 16
and
fastener 58 are mounted to a support member 60. The fastener 58 is used to
reposition the stud 16, and therefore the mirror 36, relative to the support
member 60 and the wall 14. The fastener 58 as shown in Figure 1 is a jack
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screw used for locking the stud 16 in place between the mirror bracket 28 and
support member 60.
[0045] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature
and, thus, variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention are
intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to
be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
