Solar panel arrangement with telescoping frame for a sailing vessel

A telescoping and folding solar panel frame system for providing photovoltaic power to a sailing vessel comprising:

• a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels arranged generally horizontally and mutually parallel to one another;
• a telescoping base frame structure to support said panels consisting of at least two sliding sections, nested one within the other, to enable extension and retraction of the base frame structure;
• wherein said base frame structure has a male-female sliding fit between the rectangular or circular tube sliding sections;
• wherein each sliding base frame section can be locked into position with spring pin locks;
• wherein the aftmost and forwardmost base frame sections have vertically downward projecting adjustable legs;
• wherein flexible or rigid photovoltaic solar panels are attached, permanently or semi-permanently, to lightweight ridged solar panel frames;
• wherein the forwardmost panel frame is attached on the forward longitudinal edge by at least two hinge joints to the forward base frame subassembly;
• wherein the forwardmost panel frame has the aft longitudinal edge of the adjacent solar panel frame has at least two pinned or hinged joints to the adjacent solar panel frame;
• wherein the aft longitudinal edge has at least two hinge joint connected to the second adjacent base subframe;
• wherein the forwardmost two panels form a folding arrangement for storage and deployment;
• wherein a plurality of similar panel configurations are identical to the first two forwardmost solar panel attachments to the base frame;
• wherein the plurality of solar panels will fold over one another in the stowed position while axially collapsing the base frame structure;
• wherein an electrical connection wire, is attached to each solar panel and terminates at a fixed power connection to the top deck or continues to a solar charge controller and power battery bank using an extension wire;
• wherein the solar frame system is generally placed on the sailing vessel foredeck between the vessel mast and bow, or forwardmost part of the sailing vessel, and perpendicular to the sailing vessel forward to aft centerline;
• wherein the base frame structure is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the foredeck.

A telescoping solar panel frame system for providing photovoltaic power to a sailing vessel comprising:

• a plurality of photovoltaic solar panels arranged generally horizontally and mutually parallel to one another;
• a telescoping base frame structure to support said panels consisting of at least two sliding sections, nested one within the other, to enable extension and retraction of the base frame structure;
• wherein said base frame structure has a male-female sliding fit between the rectangular or circular tube sliding sections;
• wherein flexible or rigid photovoltaic solar panels are attached, permanently or semi-permanently, to lightweight rigid solar panel frames;
• wherein solar panel frames use a “T-shaped” groove oriented along the axial edges that align with the sailboat forward to aft centerline;
• wherein each corresponding solar panel frame has a companion “T-shaped” downward facing interfacing member that engages with the female groove in the adjacent solar panel frame;
• wherein the assembled adjacent solar panel frames form a ridged structure while fully deployed in the vessel longitudinal directions;
• wherein panel frames are connected at one end permanently to the base frame members;
• wherein the collapsed structure has mating tongue-and-groove rail interface allowing for the vertical stacking of the stowed solar array system;
• wherein each sliding solar panel frame section can be locked into position with spring pin locks or similar;
• wherein the aftmost and forwardmost base frame sections have vertically downward projecting adjustable legs;
• wherein an electrical connection wire, is attached to each solar panel and terminates at a fixed power connection to the top deck or continues to a solar charge controller and power battery bank using an extension wire;
• wherein the solar frame system is generally placed on the sailing vessel foredeck between the vessel mast and bow, or forwardmost part of the sailing vessel, and perpendicular to the sailing vessel forward to aft centerline;
• wherein the base frame structure is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the foredeck.