Abstract:
A solar panel storage and deployment system includes a container with an opening formed therein. A rotatable spool housed in the container has an assembly of solar voltaic panels wound thereabout prior to its deployment. The assembly is deployed from the opening in the container when the assembly is unwound from the spool. At least one stake is provided where each such stake is anchored to a position in proximity to and outside of the container. Each stake cooperates with a link that couples a free end of the assembly to the stake when the assembly is unwound from the spool and deployed through the opening.

Description:
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for Governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefore. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to solar panel assemblies, and more particularly to a system that provides for the storage and deployment of solar panels. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many military and civilian operations in remote regions require the generation of on-site electrical power. The cost of deploying fuel for generators and camp lighting can be quite expensive in terms of both fuel cost and the difficulty of delivering such fuel along potentially dangerous routes. In an effort to reduce the number of fuel delivery convoys, alternative energy sources are being explored. Many regions, such as the desert areas of the Middle East, are especially conducive to the use of solar power systems. Unfortunately, existing systems suffer from one or more shortcomings related to functionality and/or efficiency/optimization. Some are cumbersome to set up. Most do not consider array protection during storage and shipment. Still others do not provide for deployment angle adjustability relative to the sun&#39;s seasonal orientation to garner maximum power yield. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage and deployment system for solar panels. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a solar panel storage/deployment system readily adapted to become a self-contained power generator. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a solar panel storage and deployment system easily optimized for seasonal orientations of the sun. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a solar panel storage and deployment system is provided. A container has an opening formed therein. A rotatable spool is housed in the container. An assembly of solar voltaic panels is wound about the spool prior to its deployment. The assembly has an end coupled to the spool and a free end accessible when the assembly is wound about the spool. The assembly is deployed from the opening in the container when the assembly is unwound from the spool. At least one stake is provided where each such stake is adapted to be anchored to a position in proximity to and outside of the container. Each stake cooperates with a link that couples the free end of the assembly to the stake when the assembly is unwound from the spool and deployed through the opening. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments and to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side schematic view of a solar panel storage and deployment system with solar panels in a deployed state in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the solar panel storage and deployment system illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an electrical system that can be used to convert DC power from the solar panels to AC power in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an isolated side view of the free end of the solar panel assembly coupled to a stake by a tension member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is an isolated side view of a stake in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a system for the storage and deployment of a number of solar panels is shown and is referenced generally by numeral  100 . System  100  is illustrated in its deployed state at an installation site  200  (e.g., a natural ground location, a man-made platform or pad, etc.) having a clear view of the sun  300 . While system  100  could be permanently installed at location  200 , a great advantage of the present invention is its ability to provide for the secure/safe storage and shipping of solar panels to installation site  200  followed by the simple deployment of the solar panels into an efficient collector of solar energy. The system also provides for simple/efficient pack-up, transport, and re-deployment if needed. Accordingly the description of system  100  will focus on the features providing these capabilities. 
     System  100  includes a container  10  that houses the elements of system  100  during the storage, shipping, and deployment thereof. Some of these elements in conjunction with container  10  also provide support for one side of a solar panel assembly as will be described later herein. Container  10  can be a standardized container (e.g., an ISO container) or a specially designed container without departing from the scope of the present invention. Container  10  will typically be of rigid construction. 
     As used herein, the term “solar panel” refers to a flexible solar voltaic panel that, when exposed to solar energy, generates DC power. One commercial source for such flexible solar voltaic panels is Xunlight Corporation, Toledo, Ohio. The term “solar panel assembly” as used herein refers to a plurality of such flexible solar voltaic panels configured such that the entire assembly is flexible. For example,  FIG. 1  illustrates a number of solar panels  12  mounted/coupled to a flexible substrate  14  where the construction of panels  12  and substrate  14  forms a solar panel assembly for purposes of the present invention. The number of solar panels used in such an assembly is not a limitation of the present invention. Flexible substrate  14  can be any material that can support panels  12  and withstand the rigors of an operational environment. For example, flexible substrate  14  could be a tensile fabric such as fabrics made from commercially-available fibers such as KEVLAR or SPECTRA fibers. 
     Since panels  12  and substrate  14  are flexible, their combination as a solar panel assembly is also flexible where such flexibility facilitates the assembly&#39;s storage and deployment. More specifically, a spool  16  is housed/mounted in container  10  for rotation in two directions about its central axis (as indicated by two-headed arrow  18 ). Rotation  18  can be induced by manual rotation of spool  16 . In this case, spool  16  can be torsionally biased to facilitate retraction of the solar panel assembly when it is being re-packed. Still another option is to provide a motor  20  in container  10  that is operationally coupled to spool  16  to induce rotation  18 . In all cases, rotation  18  is used to wind panels  12  and substrate  14  onto spool  16  during the packing thereof, or deploy panels  12  and substrate  14  from spool  16  for the deployed state of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . Deployment and retraction of the assembly from and into container  10  is made via an opening  10 A formed in container  10  where opening  10 A can be sealable. 
     One end  14 A of flexible substrate  14  is fixed to spool  16  to thereby support one end of the assembly formed by panels  12  and substrate  14  when the assembly is in its deployed state. The opposing end  14 B of flexible substrate  14  is free when the assembly is wound on spool  16 . However, when the assembly is deployed as shown, end  14 B is coupled to a stake  22  by a link  24 . Stake  22  is any rigid support that can be fixed at a point outside of container  10  at installation site  200 . Link  24  can be integrated with substrate  14  or stake  22 , or can be attachable thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. In general, stake  22  and link  24  cooperate to place substrate  14  in tension to thereby define a planar support for panels  12 . Further, stake  22  and link  24  cooperate to set the angle (relative to sun  300 ) of the planar support provided by substrate  14  to thereby set the angle of panels  12  with respect to sun  300 . In this way, the present invention can optimize the angular orientation of panels  12  relative to the seasonal orientation of sun  300 . Link  24  can be adjustable in length (e.g., a ratchet strap) and/or made from an elastic material (e.g., elastic band, bungee cord, etc.) to provide the requisite amount of tension in flexible substrate  14  in order to maintain a substantially planar orientation of substrate  14  for the deployed state of the solar panel assembly. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an embodiment of system  100  that provides for the deployment of a greater number of solar panels  12  for a given width of spool  16 . In general, this is achieved by a substrate  14  that is wider than spool  16  such that substrate  14  can be folded to a width that can be accommodated by spool  16  during storage, and that can be unfolded (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) to provide a larger surface area for panels  12  when deployed. More specifically, a portion of end  14 A is fixed to spool  16  as indicated by dashed line  140 . Panels  12  are arranged in a spaced apart fashion on substrate  14  such that one or more regions (e.g., two are illustrated)  142  are defined along the length of substrate  14  having no part of a panel  12  coupled thereto. Regions  142  lie within the width of spool  16  as shown. In this way, substrate  14  can be folded along regions  142  so that the folded assembly of panels  12 /substrate  14  define a width that fits on spool  16 . The number of regions  142  used for folding substrate  14  is not a limitation of the present invention. 
     With substrate  14  in its unfolded/deployed state shown in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of stiffening members  144  can be coupled to substrate  14  for support thereof. Stiffening members  144  adjacent container  10  can be coupled thereto as indicated at  146 . The choice of stiffening members  144 , means for attaching/coupling them to substrate  14  and container  10 , and the number of stiffening members used are not limitations of the present invention. 
     In addition to the mechanical storage and deployment features provided by the present invention, an electrical system can be provided to cooperate with solar panels  12  so that the present invention is a self-contained power provider.  FIG. 3  presents a schematic view of an embodiment of a simple electrical system coupled to panels  12 . Since panels  12  typically generate DC power, an DC/AC converter  30  converts the panels&#39; DC power to AC power. One or more AC power outlets  32  can be coupled to converter  30 . One or more batteries  34  could also be provided between panels  12  and converter  30  to store the panel-generated DC power until it is needed by appliances or other systems (not shown) coupled to AC power outlets  32 . The electrical system can include different and/or additional elements as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The electrical system can be housed within container  10 . 
     As mentioned above, stake  22  and link  24  cooperate to tension and angularly orient the assembly of panels  12  and substrate  14 . An example of a stake  22  and link  24  is illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Stake  22  includes an anchoring end  220  designed to be readily driven into the ground at location site  200 . The particular design of end  220  is not a limitation of the present invention. The exposed portion  222  of stake  22  defines a number of attachment points  224  along its length/height. For example, attachment points  224  could be notches formed in stake  22 . Link  24  could be a tension member (e.g., elastic band, bungee cord, ratchet strap, etc.) coupled to end  14 B of substrate  14  and to one of attachment points  224 . The choice of attachment point  224  will determine the angular orientation of substrate  14  and, therefore, the angular orientation of panels  12  coupled thereto. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another type of stake  22  having a screw-shaped anchoring end  220  and a T-handle  226  formed at the top of stake  22 . This type of stake can be screwed into the ground at location site  200  without the use of any tools. 
     The advantages of the present invention are numerous. Solar arrays are safely and securely stored for shipping, but readily deployed once on site. A simple angular orientation system allows the orientation of the panels to be easily adjusted for optimum capture of solar energy. By using a flexible solar panel assembly, the storage width of the assembly is readily reduced (i.e., folded) for winding on a storage spool. An onboard electrical system can be added to make the entire system a self-contained AC power source. 
     Although the invention has been described relative to specific embodiments thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.