Two-Axes Solar Tracker System and Apparatus for Solar Panel and Likes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a simplified and lower cost two-axes tracker for solar PV (photovoltaic) or CPV (concentrated photovoltaic) solar panel, as well as heliostat solar reflectors and solar Stirling engine. In particular, the disclosure addresses a simplified and gravity centered tracker structure with low cost single or dual linear actuators mounted on the side of ground post which is easier for replacement and maintenance at lower cost.

1 . A two-axes solar tracker apparatus comprising:
 a ground post made of an elongated cylindrical tubing including a top end and a bottom end;   wherein said top end providing support to a rotating head; and wherein said top end of said ground post is either open or closed; and wherein said bottom end of said ground post being secured into a substructure such as ground;   said rotating head is made of a larger cylindrical tubing sealed with a top plate; wherein the inner wall of said rotating head is looped on the outer wall of said ground post with two bushings or bearings fitting in the gap at the top and the bottom ends;   an elongated cylindrical horizontal beam (tubing) is attached and balanced on top of said rotating head directly or via a cylindrical bushing;   a tracker frame is mounted on said horizontal beam symmetrically on two sides of said rotating head and symmetrically versus said horizontal beam;   one or two azimuth linear actuators attached horizontally to the side between said ground post and said rotating head for driving the rotating head and tracker frame in azimuth rotation; and   one elevation linear actuator attached vertically between said rotating head and said tracker frame for driving said tracker frame in elevation rotation with axis of rotation centered on said horizontal beam.   
     
     
         2 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein all tracker frame, post, tubing and components are made of rustproof steel metal or rustproof metal alloy materials. 
     
     
         3 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation is facilitated by said outer rotating head looped on said inner ground post with said upper and lower bushings or bearings in-between providing coaxial rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post; and wherein said upper bushings or bearings further carry the load of said rotating head and said tracker frame. 
     
     
         4 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said top bushing is a cylindrical flanged bushing with flange fitting the inner wall of said rotating head; and wherein the body of said flanged bushing fitting the inner wall of said ground post; and wherein an optional washer bushing is fittingly sitting on top of said flanged bushing facilitating easier rotation; and wherein said lower bushing is a cylindrical bushing. 
     
     
         5 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said top bushing is a combination of one or two disk bushings or washer bushings fitting at the top end with a first cylindrical bushing fitting at the top side wall; and wherein said two disk or washer bushings with lubricant sides face each other facilitating easier rotation; and wherein a second cylindrical bushing fits at the lower side wall. 
     
     
         6 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said top bearing is a tapered roller bearing; and wherein said bottom bearing is a cylindrical bushing; and wherein said top bearing is replaced by a combination of a thrust roller bearing at the top end and a cylindrical bushing at the top side wall; and wherein both said cylindrical bushings at the side wall is replaced by roller bearings or needle bearings. 
     
     
         7 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head is driven by one linear actuator with its jack head and body hinged on extended brackets to the sides of said rotating head and said ground post, respectively; and wherein said attachment positions of said jack head and said body of linear actuator is reversed. 
     
     
         8 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 7  wherein a first bracket is fixed to the side of said rotating head with the jack head of said linear actuator hinged at the end of said first bracket horizontally; and wherein the body of said linear actuator is fixed to a rotating arm; and wherein said rotating arm is hinged on a second bracket fixed on the ground post; and wherein said linear actuator rotates horizontally by the extension of said jack head together with said rotating arm. 
     
     
         9 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said second bracket is duplicated on the opposite side of said ground post for the hinging of said rotating arm to rotate said rotating head in opposite plane. 
     
     
         10 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head is driven by dual linear actuators hinged on brackets to the sides of said rotating head and said ground post, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an upper and a lower brackets fixed to the sides of said rotating head and said ground post respectively; wherein said two linear actuator bodies are hinged on the open ends of said upper and lower brackets respectively; and wherein said two linear actuators rotates horizontally versus said upper and lower brackets, respectively; and 
 a rotating ring fittingly looped on said ground post between said upper and lower brackets; and 
 wherein an horizontal arm is attached to the side of said rotating ring; and wherein the end of said horizontal arm is attached with a vertical tubing for hinging; and wherein the jack heads of said two linear actuators are hinged on top and bottom ends of said vertical tubing; wherein said rotating head is rotated in azimuth direction more than 180 degrees by the extension of said jack heads of said lower linear actuator and said upper linear actuator together. 
 
     
     
         12 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by a stepping motor with geared rotor attached on the sides of either said ground post or said rotating head; and wherein a geared ring mated to said geared rotor is looped and fixed on said rotating head or ground post, opposite to said stepping motor attachment; and wherein said geared ring is replaced by a half circle geared ring attached onto said rotating head. 
     
     
         13 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head is driven by a stepping motor linked to a worm gear attached on the sides of either said ground post or said rotating head horizontally; and wherein a slanted teeth geared ring, mating to said worm gear, is fixed on either said rotating head or said ground post, opposite to said worm gear and stepping motor attachment; and wherein said slanted teeth geared ring is replaced by a half circle slanted geared ring attached onto said rotating head. 
     
     
         14 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by a stepping motor with permanent or electromagnetic rotor attached on said ground post with rotor in close contact with said rotating head made of magnetic attractable material; and wherein activated magnetic attraction provide gearless friction force for the rotation of said rotating head. 
     
     
         15 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said horizontal beam is secured and balanced on top of said rotating head via a cylindrical bushing looped on the middle of said horizontal beam facilitating rotation of said horizontal beam; and wherein two-sided symmetrical tracker frame is mounted on said horizontal beam and balanced on said rotating head; and wherein each side of said tracker frame is further balanced on said horizontal beam with the elevation rotating axis centered on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         16 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said horizontal beam is fixed and secured directly on top and balanced on said rotating head; and wherein said horizontal beam is looped with multiple cylindrical bushings for the mounting of crossing beams of said tracker frame; and wherein said tracker frame is rotated around said fixed horizontal beam with elevation rotating axis centered on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         17 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a linear actuator with its body hinged vertically on a fix arm attached to said rotating head, and wherein the jack head of said linear actuator is hinged directly on said tracker frame, or hinged vertically on fix arms attached to said horizontal beam; and wherein the extension of the jack head of said linear actuator rotates said tracker frame in elevation direction with rotating axis centered on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         18 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said tracker frame is made of crossing reversed T-beams mounted and balanced on said horizontal beam; and wherein said crossing reversed T-beams are made of bended sheet metal with reversed U-shaped center T-post in the middle for the mounting and securing of said photovoltaic solar panels. 
     
     
         19 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein two electromagnetic wind lock devices with one attached on said ground post adjacent to said rotating head, and the other attached on said top plate adjacent to said horizontal beam; and wherein two drum shaped rod heads are in the center of solenoid of said wind lock devices; and wherein said rod head are attracted to said rotating head and said horizontal beam upon solenoid activation; and wherein said tracker will be locked in desired wind lock position by electromagnetic attraction force. 
     
     
         20 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 19  wherein said wind lock devices are activated between consecutive steps of azimuth and elevation driver activation in a stepwise wind lock of said two-axes solar tracker rotation. 
     
     
         21 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said tracker load may be a photovoltaic solar panel, a concentrated photovoltaic panel, trough or dish concentrator, a heliostat solar reflector, a solar thermo concentrator or a satellite dish antenna. 
     
     
         22 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rotating head and attachment to ground post is modified to be mounted on a light post; wherein an cylindrical inner tubing with a lower extruded flange ring is attached to support the tracker frame; and wherein an outer flanged bushing rotating head is looped fittingly and matched with the inner tubing flange ring with a thrust washer bushing and optional cylindrical bushings inserted in-between for easier rotation; and wherein a horizontal beam mounted with two sided tracker frames and solar panels is balanced on the flange and secured on the body of said rotating head. 
     
     
         23 . The solar tracker apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said inner tubing with flange ring, said outer flanged bushing and said thrust washer bushing are made from half cylinders or rings and mated in the middle to make a full cylinder or ring; and wherein the mating seams of each cylinder and each ring are interleaved for retrofit mounting on said light pole. 
     
     
         24 . A two-axes solar tracker system comprising:
 a ground post made of an elongated cylindrical tubing including a top end and a bottom end; and wherein said top end providing support to a rotating head; and wherein said bottom end being secured into a substructure such as ground;   said rotating head is made of a larger cylindrical tubing sealed with a top plate; wherein said rotating head is looped on said ground post with multiple bearings fitting in the gaps between said ground post and said rotating head;   an elongated horizontal beam is attached and balanced on top of said rotating head;   a tracker frame is mounted on said horizontal beam symmetrically on two sides of said rotating head and symmetrically versus said horizontal beam;   an azimuth motor driver attached between said ground post and said rotating head for driving said rotating head and said tracker frame in azimuth rotation; and   an elevation linear actuator attached between said rotating head and said tracker frame (or said horizontal beam) for driving said tracker frame in elevation rotation.   
     
     
         25 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the azimuth rotation is facilitated by said rotating head looped on said inner ground post with said upper and lower bearings in-between for the coaxial rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post. 
     
     
         26 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by single linear actuator attached on the sides between said rotating head and said ground post. 
     
     
         27 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein said tracker azimuth rotation plane is reversed to opposite side plane by changing the attachment of said linear actuator to the opposite side of said ground post. 
     
     
         28 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by linked dual linear actuators attached on the sides of said rotating head and said ground post, respectively; and wherein the combination of said dual linear actuators extensions rotate said rotating head more than 180 degrees in azimuth direction versus said ground post. 
     
     
         29 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by a stepping motor with geared rotor and a gear ring attached of the ground post and rotating head, respectively; and wherein said geared rotor is a worm drive rotor. 
     
     
         30 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the azimuth rotation of said rotating head versus said ground post is driven by a stepping motor with a permanent or an electromagnetic gearless rotor with magnetic attraction force for rotation. 
     
     
         31 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein elevation rotation of the tracker frame is via rotation of said horizontal beam pivoted on top of said rotating head; and wherein the elevation rotation axis is center on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         32 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein said horizontal beam is fixed and secured directly on top of said rotating head; and wherein the elevation rotation is facilitated by the rotation of said tracker frame with rotating axis pivoted on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         33 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein the elevation rotating is driven by linear actuator hinged between said rotating head and said tracker frame or an extension arm fixed to said horizontal beam; and wherein the extension of said linear actuator rotates said tracker frame in elevation direction with rotating axis centered on said horizontal beam. 
     
     
         34 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein two electromagnetic wind lock devices are installed between said ground post and said rotating head; and between said rotating head and said horizontal beam or tracker frame; wherein the activation of magnetized attraction force will lock said tracker at any desired azimuth and elevation position, respectively. 
     
     
         35 . The solar tracker system of  claim 34  wherein said wind lock devices are activated between consecutive steps of azimuth and elevation rotations in a stepwise wind lock of said solar tracker rotation. 
     
     
         36 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein said two-axes tracker is used for a concentrated photovoltaic panel, trough of dish concentrator, a heliostat solar reflector, a solar thermo concentrator or a satellite dish antenna. 
     
     
         37 . The solar tracker system of  claim 24  wherein said rotating head and attachment to the ground post is modified to be mounted on a light post for the charging of hybrid or electric automobile during the day, or for the storage of electricity generated by solar panel for night lighting.