Damping apparatus and method of using same
AssigneeStabilus GmbH
InventorsJames T. Kull, Todd A. Greve, Rahul Chandrashekar, Christopher Niemiec
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A damping apparatus for use with a solar panel array and a solar tracking device that is operatively connected to the solar panel array to control positioning of solar panels. The damping apparatus can absorb kinetic energy from movement of the solar panels and convert the kinetic energy to heat energy. The damping apparatus can include one or more sensors that collect data corresponding to the heat energy. The damping apparatus can send instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the solar panels based on the analysis of the sensor data.
Claims18
A damping apparatus comprising:
- (a) a housing defining an interior area, the housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
- (b) a piston rod partially positioned within the interior area of the housing, the piston rod having first and second opposed ends, the first end of the piston rod residing exterior to the housing and the second end of the piston rod residing within the interior area of the housing, the first end of the housing having an opening formed therein for receiving the piston rod therethrough, the piston rod adapted for moving in an extension stroke wherein the piston rod moves toward the first end of the housing and an extension stroke wherein the piston rod moves toward the second end of the housing;
- (c) a piston positioned proximate the second end of the piston rod;
- and
- (d) an internal temperature sensor configured to measure temperature inside the damping apparatus;
- (e) a computing device operatively connected to a radiofrequency transmitter, the computing device and the radiofrequency transmitter connected to the piston rod proximate the first end of the piston rod, wherein the internal temperature sensor is operatively connected to the computing device and the radiofrequency transmitter whereby the radiofrequency transmitter can transmit temperature data generated by the internal temperature sensor to a receiving device;
- (f) a magnetorestrictive sensor connected to the piston rod and adapted to measure displacement distance of the piston rod;
- (g) a time measuring device;
- and
- (h) wherein the magnetorestrictive sensor and the time measuring device are operatively connected to the computing device and the radiofrequency transmitter, the computing device comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software comprising programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to calculate a velocity of the piston using displacement data generated by the magnetorestrictive sensor and time data generated by the time measuring device, and wherein the radiofrequency transmitter can transmit the velocity to a receiving device.
A system for harvesting solar energy comprising:
- (a) a solar panel array comprising at least one solar panel adapted to absorb solar energy for generating electricity;
- (b) a solar tracking device operatively connected to the solar panel array and adapted to position the at least one solar panel in a plurality of positions;
- (c) a damping apparatus operatively connected to the at least one solar panel, the damping apparatus adapted to absorb kinetic energy from movement of the at least one solar panel and convert the kinetic energy to heat energy, the damping apparatus comprising a computing device operatively connected to the solar tracking device to communicate with the solar tracking device, the damping apparatus further comprising a temperature sensor adapted for measuring temperature inside the damping apparatus and sending data relating to the temperature inside the damping apparatus to the computing device, wherein the computing device analyzes the data, and sends instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the at least one solar panel based on the analysis of the data, the computing device comprising a computer processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software comprising programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to analyze the data and send instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the at least one solar panel based on the analysis of the data;
- and
- (d) wherein the damping apparatus takes an initial measurement of the heat energy and at least one subsequent measurement of the heat energy after a predetermined amount of time whereby a delta temperature value is determined by subtracting the initial measurement of heat energy from the at least one subsequent measurement of the heat energy, and the instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the solar panel are based on analysis of the delta temperature value.
A damping apparatus for use with a solar panel and a solar tracking device operatively connected to the solar panel to control positioning of the solar panel, the damping apparatus adapted to absorb kinetic energy from movement of the solar panel and convert the kinetic energy to heat energy inside the damping apparatus, the damping apparatus comprising means for measuring the heat energy inside the damping apparatus, collecting data relating to the measuring of the heat energy, analyzing the data, and sending instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the solar panel based on the analysis of the data;
- wherein the damping apparatus takes an initial measurement of the heat energy and at least one subsequent measurement of the heat energy after a predetermined amount of time whereby a delta temperature value can be determined by subtracting the initial measurement of heat energy from the at least one subsequent measurement of the heat energy, and the instructions to the solar tracking device for adjusting the position of the solar panel are based on analysis of the delta temperature value;
- and further wherein if the delta temperature value is an increase of greater than five degrees Celsius per minute and less than or equal to twenty degrees Celsius per minute, then the damping apparatus provides instructions to the solar tracking device to move the panels incrementally to an optimal position to reduce wind harmonics on the solar panel and maximize solar energy harvesting, and further wherein if the delta temperature value is an increase of greater than twenty degrees Celsius per minute, then the damping apparatus instructs the solar tracking device to move the solar panel to a stow position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.