Photovoltaic solar concentrator

A photovoltaic solar concentrator in which each of a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells is paired with a corresponding lens, comprising:

• a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells arranged on a common substrate;
• a plurality of lenses supported above the plurality of cells such that each said lens is located above its corresponding photovoltaic solar cell to concentrate incident light onto the corresponding said cell;
• an arrangement of mechanical linkages connected between the plurality of lenses and the common substrate such that the lenses are repositioned relative to the common substrate when said linkages are actuated, wherein the arrangement of mechanical linkages mechanically links the plurality of lenses together such that the lenses are repositioned jointly;
• and
• a plurality of piezoelectric actuators connected to the mechanical linkages so as to reposition the plurality of lenses when the said actuators are energized, wherein:
• a first substrate has a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells arrayed thereon;
• a truss is supported above the first substrate and attached thereto, with the truss having an opening therethrough at a location above each photovoltaic solar cell;
• a tilt plate is centered above each opening in the truss, with the tilt plate being supported by a plurality of legs and holding a lens to concentrate the sunlight onto the photovoltaic solar cell located therebeneath, and with a first leg of the plurality of legs being connected between the tilt plate and the truss;
• a second substrate is located below the first substrate, with each tilt plate being connected to the second substrate by a second leg of the plurality of legs;
• a third substrate is located below the second substrate, with each tilt plate being connected to the third substrate by a third leg of the plurality of legs;
• and
• a plurality of piezoelectric actuators is sandwiched between each adjacent pair of the substrates to provide a vertical movement between each adjacent pair of the substrates, with the vertical movement tilting each lens in unison to maintain the sunlight concentrated onto each photovoltaic solar cell over time.

A photovoltaic solar concentrator comprising:

• a plurality of photovoltaic solar cells arranged on a common substrate;
• a plurality of lenses above the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells such that each lens of the plurality of lenses is above a corresponding photovoltaic solar cell of the plurality of photovoltaic solar cells;
• an arrangement of linkages connected between the plurality of lenses and the common substrate, wherein each lens of the plurality of the lenses is configured to be repositioned relative to the common substrate, wherein the arrangement of linkages links each lens of the plurality of lenses such that the plurality of lenses are repositioned jointly;
• a piezoelectric actuator connected to the arrangement of linkages, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is configured to reposition the plurality of lenses;
• a plurality of substrates stacked one upon the other and moveable in a vertical direction relative to each other by at least one actuator between each adjacent pair of the substrates;
• and
• a plurality of tilt plates above the plurality of substrates, wherein each tilt plate of the plurality of tilt plates comprises a lens of the plurality of lenses, wherein a tilt plate of the plurality of tilt plates is being supported on a plurality of legs which are connected to the substrate, wherein a leg of the plurality of legs is configured to tilt the tilt plate in the vertical direction.