Multi-point parallel synchronous drive device, which includes a drive mechanism and several stages of driven mechanisms drivingly connected. The drive mechanism comprises a first power output for rotatably connecting with a power output shaft, and a second power output disposed below the first power output and parallel to the first power output along a power output direction. The several stages of the driven mechanism are arranged at intervals in the power output direction. The second power output of the drive mechanism is drivingly connected with a power input of the adjacent driven mechanism along the power output direction, and the adjacent two-stage driven mechanisms are drivingly connected along the power output direction. The driven mechanism at any stage comprises a power output for rotatably connecting with the power output shaft. The device can be applied to the a solar tracking system, with the main shaft as the power output shaft.

Device for securing an orientation of photovoltaic panels includes a stem for supporting an array assembly of photovoltaic panels for producing an electrical current when exposed to sunlight. The array assembly also includes eye blades positioned on a side opposite to a photovoltaic panel carrying side. The device further includes a joint interconnecting the stem and the eye blades of the array assembly. The joint includes a hollow horizontal conduit and a bolting mechanism for adjustably coupling the eye blades to lateral ends of the horizontal conduit. A side of each eye blade facing the horizontal conduit carries an eye blade gear that cooperatively meshes with a conduit gear carried at or near a lateral end of the horizontal conduit to secure the array assembly at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis passing through the stem.

A novel portable solar energy system includes a solar concentrator, a thermal storage device, an azimuth adjustment system, an elevation system, and a heat exchanger, all mounted on a rotatable support frame. In a particular embodiment, the thermal storage device remains at a fixed vertical height and fixed tilt orientation when adjustments are made to the azimuth adjustment system and/or the elevation adjustment system.

In this invention, a dual-axis solar tracker is presented to increase the energy produced by solar panels. The control strategy of this tracker is based on a hybrid of both astronomical algorithms and optical sensors and is designed in such a way that both actuators are not active at the same time. Also, the mechanical structure of the tracker is such that it is possible to rotate the solar panel 360 degrees around both axes. This makes it possible to track the sun in the early or late hours of the day or in some geographical areas where the direction of the sun ray is significantly inclined. Furthermore, the invented tracker consists of modular and ready-made mechanical and electronic components, and all the connections are in the form of bolts and nuts, which makes it fast and easy to assemble, install, disassemble and transport while having sufficient strength.

Modular tracker systems that include at least first and second tables or are continuous without the use of tables, a single motor driving the first and second tables, first and second intra-table drive shafts and an inter-table drive shaft. Each table includes a support structure including first and second mounting posts, a frame supported by the support structure, at least one solar panel supported by the frame, and first and second gearboxes being concentrically aligned for each table. The first and second gearboxes are each configured to produce first and second outputs. The first output has a first rotational speed, and the second output has a second rotational speed less than the first rotational speed, and is operatively coupled to the frame. The inter-table drive shaft couples the second gearbox of the first table with the first gearbox of the second table, whereby the first and second tables are rotated synchronously.

A solar collector system comprising at least one heliostat and an inflatable cover configured to protectively conceal the at least one heliostat while it tracks the sun. The inflatable cover comprises a flexible membrane, which is transparent and colorless so that sunlight is transmitted through the cover. The cover may comprise an elastomeric material such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). The solar collector system may further include a pump for inflating the inflatable cover, a pressure relief valve configured to prevent air pressure in the inflatable cover from exceeding a predetermined threshold, and a pressure sensor configured to automatically turn on the pump when the internal pressure falls below a predetermined threshold. The inflatable cover effectively removes wind loading from the heliostats, thus enabling the heliostats to use low-power, less-expensive actuators.

A propulsion system for a boat comprises a plurality of aerofoils connected to a main mast. At least one of the aerofoils is a displaceable aerofoil adapted to be displaced along the main mast between an open position and a closed position. When the displaceable aerofoil is in its open position the aerofoils together form a sail of open sail area. When the displaceable aerofoil is in its closed position at least some of the aerofoils overlap to form a sail of closed sail area, the closed sail area being less than the open sail area. The propulsion system can include a displacement mechanism to displace the displaceable aerofoil between its open and closed positions; at least one of the aerofoils having a solar panel thereon; and/or a stub mast extending along and free to rotate about a stub axis and; connected to the main mast by a stub pivot.

A handling system for receptor devices of solar energy suitable for allowing the handling of said devices on a first axis and on a second axis, substantially orthogonal with respect to each other, said system being constrainable on fixed structures composed of supporting poles kept in position by a network of tie-rods. The system comprises a main tube rotating around said first axis, to which a plurality of secondary tubes are connected, also rotating around their own axis, fixed substantially perpendicularly to the main tube, the receptor devices being fixed on said secondary tubes. The main rotating tube comprising both the handling mechanism around the first axis and the handling mechanism around the second axis activated by a respective first motor and second motor.

A solar tracking system for tracking the orientation of solar energy is disclosed. The solar tracking system may be integrated with solar cells and solar concentrators. The solar tracking system may have a first (22) and second (24) tracker module array that are opposite from another, aligned in substantially identical orientation, and form a tracker module pair array (1000). Tracker module pairs (12, 14; 12, 144) may allow motion relative to one another while maintaining substantially identical orientation. Solar concentrators may be attached to opposing tracker modules of a tracker module pair forming an array of solar concentrators. A base bar array (28) may be coupled to at least one tracker module pair. A transmission may operably rotate the base bar array and the tracker module pair array simultaneously.

Modular tracker systems that include at least first and second tables or are continuous without the use of tables, a single motor driving the first and second tables, first and second intra-table drive shafts and an inter-table drive shaft. Each table includes a support structure including first and second mounting posts, a frame supported by the support structure, at least one solar panel supported by the frame, and first and second gearboxes being concentrically aligned for each table. The first and second gearboxes are each configured to produce first and second outputs. The first output has a first rotational speed, and the second output has a second rotational speed less than the first rotational speed, and is operatively coupled to the frame. The inter-table drive shaft couples the second gearbox of the first table with the first gearbox of the second table, whereby the first and second tables are rotated synchronously.