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US 11,059,190 B2Granted
Fluidic solar actuator
AssigneeSunfolding, Inc.
InventorsSaul Griffith, Leila Madrone, Peter S. Lynn, Kevin Simon, James McBride
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar actuator comprises a top coupler, a bottom coupler, and a plurality of fluidic bellows actuators, wherein a fluidic bellows actuator of the plurality of fluidic bellows actuators moves the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler.
Claims20
A solar actuator array comprising:
- a first and second solar actuator each including,
- a top coupler;
- an elongated V-shaped bottom coupler having a peak and elongated planar faces on opposing sides of the peak;
- and
- two or more elongated bulbous fluidic inflatable actuators having an elongated profile along respective first lengths of the fluidic inflatable actuators, with portions of the fluidic inflatable actuators on opposing sides of peak of the bottom coupler,
- wherein the fluidic inflatable actuators move the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler about only a single axis of rotation that is parallel to the first lengths of the fluidic inflatable actuators, and
- wherein the position of the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler is generated at least in part by:
- a first pressure of a first fluid in a first inflatable actuator of the two or more inflatable actuators, the first fluid being introduced to the first inflatable actuator from a shared fluid source;
- and
- a second pressure of a second fluid in a second inflatable actuator of the two or more inflatable actuators, the second fluid being introduced to the second inflatable actuator from the shared fluid source;
- a control array coupled to the shared fluid source and the first and second solar actuator;
- and
- a controller configured to control the position of the top couplers of the first and second solar actuators in order to match an angle of the sun by selectively introducing fluid from the shared fluid source into one or more of the fluidic inflatable actuators via the control array.
10 more elements
A solar actuator array comprising:
- a first and second solar actuator each including,
- a top coupler;
- an elongated V-shaped bottom coupler having a peak facing the top coupler;
- and
- one or more fluidic inflatable actuators that are elongated along a first length and that are configured to move the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler about only a single axis that is parallel to the first lengths, the movement of the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler based at least in part on a first pressure of a fluid in the one or more fluidic inflatable actuators, the fluid being introduced to the one or more fluidic inflatable actuators from a shared fluid source;
- and
- a control array coupled to the shared fluid source and the first and second solar actuator;
- and
- a controller configured to control the position of the top couplers of the first and second solar actuators by selectively introducing fluid from the shared fluid source into one or more of the fluidic inflatable actuators via the control array.
6 more elements
A solar actuator system comprising:
- a first solar actuator including,
- a top coupler;
- a V-shaped bottom coupler;
- and
- one or more elongated fluidic actuators configured to move the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler about only a single axis of rotation that is parallel to the elongation of the fluidic actuators, the movement of the top coupler relative to the bottom coupler based at least in part on a pressure of a fluid in the one or more fluidic actuators.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.