Patent ID: 11870388
Assignee: RESILIENT ENERGY & INFRASTRUCTURE, LLC
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A portable, retractable, solar racking system, comprising:
a modular set of solar panel frames, each solar panel frame comprising:
a solar panel;
a plurality of arms; and
a plurality of struts, the arms and the struts forming a structure to which the solar panel is secured;
a pivoting connector assembly mechanically connecting one of the solar panel frames to another one of the solar panel frames to form a solar panel array having a longitudinal extent, the pivoting connector assembly of the solar panel frames configured to:
collapse the solar panel array along the longitudinal extent into a volume-minimized storage position; and
expand the solar panel array along the longitudinal extent into an extended position in which each solar panel is tilted from substantially vertical to an angle away from vertical; and
the solar panel array comprising at least two sets of wheels permitting the solar panel array to roll upon ground,
wherein: the solar panel has an orthogonal axis;
the plurality of struts comprise an upper frame strut and a lower frame strut; and
the pivoting connector assembly of each of the solar panel frames is configured to expand and contract the solar panel array between:
a closed configuration in which:
the orthogonal axis of the solar panel is substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent; and
the upper frame strut and the lower frame strut are substantially parallel to one another and are substantially parallel to ground with the upper frame strut disposed above the lower frame strut to define a first plane being substantially vertical and substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal extent; and
an open configuration in which the upper and lower frame struts are parallel to one another and not parallel to ground to define a second plane that is at a given angle to ground to place the orthogonal axis of the solar panel at the given angle from vertical.