Solar powered apparatus
AssigneeAmerican Power Conversion Corporation
InventorLance P. Haines
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar powered apparatus that includes a battery, at least one photovoltaic cell (which may be part of a solar module comprising multiple photovoltaic cells), and a DC-capable AC appliance, such as a compact fluorescent light. The solar powered apparatus may also include a first DC to DC converter that receives a first electrical signal from the at least one photovoltaic cell and provides a charging signal to the battery, and a second DC to DC converter that receives a second electrical signal from the battery and provides a DC power signal to the DC-capable AC appliance.
Claims20
A solar powered apparatus configured to be connected to a DC-capable AC appliance, the apparatus comprising:
- a battery;
- at least one photovoltaic cell;
- a first DC to DC converter that receives a first electrical signal from the at least one photovoltaic cell and provides a charging signal to the battery;
- and
- a second DC to DC converter that receives a second electrical signal from at least one of the battery and the first DC to DC converter, and is configured to provide a DC power signal to the DC-capable AC appliance.
A photovoltaic system comprising:
- a solar module including at least one photovoltaic cell, the solar module configured to convert energy received from sunlight into a first electrical signal;
- a battery;
- at least one fixture configured to be connected to a DC-capable AC appliance;
- a first DC to DC converter coupled between the solar module and the battery, the first DC to DC converter configured to receive the first electrical signal from the solar module and to supply a charging signal to the battery;
- and
- a step-up DC to DC converter coupled to the first DC to DC converter and to the battery and configured to receive a second electrical signal from at least one of the battery and the first DC to DC converter, the step-up DC to DC converter configured to provide a DC power signal to the at least one fixture, the DC power signal having a higher voltage than the second electrical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.