Patent ID: 8640394
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: E04H,F24S,H02S,Y02B,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A solar canopy assembly comprising: (a) at least a pair of dual-inclined wing members disposed in opposition, each wing member comprising a low-incidence, downwardly-curved, arcuate, wing member with a proximal end, a distal end, and a curvature spanning from the proximal end to the distal end, wherein the proximal ends of the wing members are disposed in opposed relation to each other forming a structural spine, said curvature in said downwardly-curved wing members beginning at said distal ends and increasing in steepness near said proximal ends; (b) at least one support column for supporting said wing members, wherein the support column is end-mounted on a ground surface at a lower end of the support column and extending substantially vertically along a longitudinal axis of the support column to support at an upper end of the support column the weight of the dual-inclined wing members; (c) wherein each wing member has at least one canopy deck, wherein each canopy deck is formed and positioned with a proximal edge adjacent to the proximal end of the wing member, a distal edge adjacent to the distal end of the wing member, and a curvature from the proximal edge to the distal edge in conformity with the curvature of the low-incidence, downwardly curved wing member; (d) at least one trough formed to collect water and disposed between said proximal ends forming said structural spine and extending lengthwise from said first pair of wing arms to said second pair of wing arms; (e) photovoltaic material superposed on the canopy decks from adjacent to the proximal edge of each canopy deck to adjacent to the distal edge of each canopy deck in conformity with the curvature of each canopy deck whereby the photovoltaic material superposed on each canopy deck has a curvature corresponding to the curvatures of the canopy deck and the wing arms; and (f) wherein each wing member further comprises a pair of low-incidence, downwardly-curved, arcuate, wing arms, each wing arm with a proximal end, a distal end, and a curvature spanning from the proximal end to the distal end and further comprising a second support column end-mounted on a ground surface at a lower end of the second support column and extending substantially vertically along a longitudinal axis of the second support column to support at an upper end of the second support column the weight of the dual-inclined wing members wherein the proximal ends of the wing arms are formed as mating, flanged, half-cylinders, and wherein the wing arms have concave surfaces positioned around said upper end of said support columns.