US 11,705,857 B2
Weather protected gear mechanism for tiltable solar panel array
William Bradford Carpenter, Asheville, NC (US); and Robert J. Surra, Cary, NC (US)
Assigned to Spotlight Solar, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed by Spotlight Solar, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC (US)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/852,664.
Prior Publication US 2021/0328541 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01); F16H 57/029 (2012.01); F24S 40/10 (2018.01); F24S 30/425 (2018.01); F24S 30/00 (2018.01); F16H 57/02 (2012.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) [F16H 57/029 (2013.01); F24S 30/425 (2018.05); F24S 40/10 (2018.05); F16H 2057/02039 (2013.01); F24S 2030/134 (2018.05)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for securing an orientation of photovoltaic panels, comprising:
a stem for supporting an array assembly of the photovoltaic panels for producing an electrical current when exposed to sunlight, the array assembly further comprising eye blades positioned on a side opposite to a photovoltaic panel carrying side; and
a joint interconnecting the stem and the eye blades of the array assembly, wherein:
the joint comprises a hollow horizontal conduit and a bolting mechanism for adjustably coupling the eye blades to lateral ends of the hollow horizontal conduit;
the joint further comprises a vertical conduit coupled to the hollow horizontal conduit, and the vertical conduit carries a plate gear for cooperatively meshing with a stem gear carried at an upper portion of the stem; and
a side of each eye blade facing the hollow horizontal conduit carries an eye blade gear that cooperatively meshes with a conduit gear carried at or near each lateral end of the hollow horizontal conduit to secure the array assembly at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis passing through the stem.