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US 4,155,346 AGranted
Solar energy collector
OwnerRobert J. Arestyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar energy collector comprising a pair of manifolds for coupling one or more solar energy collectors thereto. The manifolds are provided with connectors including "O" ring sealing means for slideably receiving and connecting the open ends of collector tubes thereto. The manifolds are maintained within housings filled with foam insulation means for supporting the manifolds within the housings. Mounting brackets are coupled to the housings for facilitating securement of the housings to any suitable supporting surface. The housings and their respective manifolds are designed and arranged so as to facilitate simple and rapid installation, removal and reassembly of the collector tubes and may be spaced so as to accommodate tubes of varying lengths.
Claims25
A manifold assembly for solar energy collectors comprising:
- an elongated manifold for coupling the collectors at spaced intervals along the length of the manifold;
- an elongated housing section enclosing said manifold and having a main intermediate wall and first and second sidewalls integrally joined to opposite ends of said main intermediate wall whereby said main intermediate wall defines an elongated closed side of said housing section and the free ends of said housing section define an elongated open side through which the collectors may extend, while said main intermediate wall and side walls collectively define first and section open ends;
- said section having fastener receiving portions extending the length of said housing section and arranged at spaced intervals along one surface of said section;
- an end mounting bracket for securement to said first end of said housing section, said end mounting bracket having a first bracket arm positioned against said first end and including support means for supporting the end of said manifold adjacent said first end of said housing section;
- openings provided in said first bracket arm each being aligned with one of said fastener receiving portions;
- threaded fastening members being inserted through each of said openings for threadedly engaging of said fastener receiving portions to firmly secure said first bracket arm to said housing section;
- and
- said mounting bracket having a second bracket arm for joining said mounting bracket to a supporting surface.
5 more elements
A solar energy collector system comprising:
- first and second manifold assemblies each comprised of a manifold tube and a plurality of coupler tubes connected at spaced intervals along said manifold tube whereby the interiors of said coupler tubes communicate with the interior of said manifold tube, each of said coupler tubes having a free end remote from said manifold tube;
- said manifold tubes being arranged in spaced apart fashion with the free ends of said coupler tubes of said first and second assemblies generally facing one another;
- each of said coupler tubes having an annular groove extending around the outer periphery thereof and position adjacent said free end thereof;
- a stretchable resilient complient O-ring positioned in said groove and being of a size which is designed to be at least slightly stretched when sealed in said groove;
- at least one elongated collector tube having first and second coupler receiving ends whereby the interior surface of said receiving ends receive said free ends of said coupler tubes and encircle and at least slightly compress said O-ring which it encircles;
- the distance between said free ends of said coupler tubes of said first and second assemblies receiving said at least one collector tube being separated by a distance which is less than the length of said at least one collector tube so that said O-rings of said coupler tubes receiving said at least one collector tube are spaced apart by a distance which is less than the length of said at least one collector tube.
3 more elements
Solar collector apparatus comprising:
- a box-like enclosure having top and bottom sides joined in spaced fashion by sidewalls;
- said top side having a transparent cover aligned to face the sun;
- an energy absorptive surface exposed to the solar radiation positioned beneath said transparent cover;
- a first inlet opening being provided in one sidewall near a corner of said enclosure;
- a second outlet opening being provided in an opposite sidewall diagonally opposite said first opening;
- a plurality of baffle plates being arranged at spaced intervals within said enclosure and cooperating with said enclosure to define an undulating path between said first and second openings;
- a first manifold assembly for feeding a fluid into said first opening whereby the fluid follows said undulating path to reach said outlet opening, said first manifold assembly including means for removably connecting said first manifold assembly to said first opening for facilitating assembly and disassembly of said solar collector apparatus;
- said top side being adapted to absorb solar energy and transfer the absorbed energy to the fluid to elevate the temperature thereof when the fluid exits from said outlet opening;
- and
- a second manifold assembly for receiving the heated fluid which has been conducted to said outlet opening, said second manifold assembly including means for removably connecting said second manifold assembly to said second outlet opening for facilitating assembly and disassembly of said solar collector apparatus.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.