A portable solar panel system and method includes a support structure, one or more solar panels mounted on the support structure, at least three wheels coupled to the support structure and rotatably supporting the support structure on a surface, a controller, a sunlight monitor coupled to the controller and a tracking drive system coupled to the controller and mechanically linked to at least one of the at least three wheels.

A pressure-driven solar photovoltaic panel automatic tracking device includes a photovoltaic panel, a rotating shaft, a rotating wheel, a transmission component, a first counterweight, a second counterweight, a bellow tube, and a gas supply mechanism; the photovoltaic panel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is fixed to the rotating shaft, the rotating wheel is provided with the transmission component, and both ends of the transmission component are respectively connected to the first counterweight and the second counterweight; the first counterweight is connected to the bellow tube, and the bellow tube is connected to the gas supply mechanism; and the bellow tube is expanded and contracted by controlling he gas supply mechanism, so that the first counterweight moves in the vertical direction, thereby driving the rotating wheel to rotate, so as to realize the automatic tracking of the sunlight by the photovoltaic panel.

An energy concentrating apparatus includes: a mounting platform, a mounting support, a rotating support, a reflective mirror, an arc-shaped slide rail, a linking rod, a sliding parts, a drive device, and a pull rope. The mounting support is located on the mounting platform. A rotation shaft of each rotating support is rotatably located on the corresponding mounting support, and a rotation shaft of each reflective mirror is rotatably located on the corresponding rotating support. The arc-shaped slide rail is located on the mounting platform, and the sliding parts is slidably located in the arc-shaped slide rail, the linking rod is connected to the sliding parts and the reflective mirror respectively, and a curvature of the arc-shaped slide rail is different such that the reflective mirror rotates towards a different direction.

A solar power collection system includes one or more photovoltaic (PV) panel assemblies positioned by one or more tracker drive units. Each PV panel assembly includes at least one PV panel comprising PV cells that collect solar energy and a base attached to the PV panel. The base includes at least one curved rocker surface that presents a first convex surface in at least a first direction to a substrate. The base is positionable on the substrate with the first direction aligned with an east-west orientation. The tracker drive unit is mechanically coupled to the base via a selected one of: (i) a drive rod; (ii) a closed loop cable; (iii) a torsion mechanism to impart a selected amounting of rolling-rocking movement of the base across the substrate to position the PV panel to efficiently receive sunlight.

One embodiment provides a drive system that includes a drive device with at least one drum for spooling at least one wire rope. A mounting device is connected to the drive device and a single-axis tracker. At least one partial pulley is connected to a torque tube. The at least one partial pulley is configured to accept the at least one wire rope and to transfer leveraged drive forces to the torque tube.

A robotic coupling joint system and method are discussed herein, which may be utilized with a daylighting system or photovoltaic system to track sunlight. The system may provide a spherical joint allowing axial motion about two or more axes of the spherical joint. The joint comprises a first plate with four or more sockets, a second plate, a connector, and one or more spheres positioned between the first and second plates. The connector secures the sphere between the first and second plates. The system may also include a stand, an end effector coupled to the stand by the spherical joint, and a mobility system that is capable of actuating the end effector. The mobility system includes two or more linking elements coupled to the end effector, and a motor coupled to the linking elements to actuate the end effector to track sunlight.

A rotary actuator has a rotatable platform rotatably supported on a base. The rotatable platform has a friction surface. An actuator band is operated by a band clamp so as to be selectively frictionally engageable with the friction surface. A motion actuator is coupled between the base and the actuator band such that change in length of the motion actuator causes corresponding movement of the actuator band. A brake band is operated by a brake band actuator so as to be selectively frictionally engageable with the friction surface, the brake band anchored to the base.

A foldable portable load distributed lightweight dual-axis tracker with solar panels consists of a foldable pedestal with spokes and tracks, a foldable rotating spoke-platform with spokes equipped with sprocket gears on top of the pedestal, a motor with a sprocket gear, a front supporting structure with a hinge, a rear supporting structure with sprocket gears connected with chains, solar panels with cables. The motor is connected to the hub-platform through a chain. The motor drives the spoke-platform to rotate around a vertical axis at the center of the pedestal. The sprocket gears and the chains lift the solar panels to rotate them around the hinge mounted on the front supporting structure. The foldable hub-platform is expanded by the foldable lattice girders. The load of the tracker is distributed among the wheels sitting on the tracks of the pedestal.

Tracking systems for adjusting a photovoltaic array are disclosed. In some embodiments, the tracking system includes an actuator that moves one or more links to cause the array to rotate. The tracking system may be disposed below a torque rail of the tracking system. The actuator may be a slew drive that retracts or extends the one or more links to cause the array to rotate.

The present invention comprises at least two independently maneuverable panels, either reflective of photovoltaic, arranged linearly, and physically interconnected to at least one common control capable of moving the panels simultaneously. Each panel is mounted on a separate support allowing it to be pivoted from side-to-side and/or up-and-down independently of the other panels. The preferred embodiment will permit every panel in series to be moved in unison using two main cables. This apparatus is further designed to track the sun along two-axes-both side-to-side and up-and-down-while maintaining constant tension on these cables throughout all degrees of freedom permitted by design. The apparatus also permits each mirror to be focused independently on a smaller target by means of mirror warping.