Solar heat apparatus

A solar energy device comprising a body having a plurality of spaced focusing lenses to concentrate direct and reflected rays from the sun. A heat receiving member is inside of the body. One of the body and the member is expansible and contractible so that there is a relative movement between the surface of member and the focal points of the lenses, the member surface thereby being alternately in and out of coincidence with the lens focal points. The member is supported within the body and fed fluid to be heated. The heated fluid is then removed from the member. The heat receiving member or body that is expansible and contractible may be used as a prime mover.

The present invention relates to a solar energy device, and more 
particularly to an apparatus for collecting the radiant energy of the sun 
through direct and reflected rays therefrom. 
In the past various arrangements of lenses have been used to concentrate 
the rays of the sun for the purpose of extracting solar energy. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,573 there is disclosed the use of a spherical system 
for directing the sun's rays through lenses onto a boiler. However, the 
heat from such rigidly mounted lenses focused on a rigid boiler requires 
the use of expensive materials for use in the boiler and eliminates the 
possibility of using low cost materials in the production of solar energy. 
No means are provided for moving the boiler skin slightly out of focus 
upon an increase in temperature above a predetermined level. 
The expansion of fluids through application of solar radiation is old in 
the art as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,908 but such patent does not 
conceive of an expansible and contractible member for heating fluids. 
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,631 which is directed to apparatus for 
converting solar radiation to thermal energy by heating a gaseous stream 
of air does not utilize an expansible and contractible member for 
minimizing cost and production difficulties of the solar energy apparatus. 
It is the object of this invention to provide a low cost solar energy 
device capable of being manufactured out of inexpensive materials, which 
can be used for individual installations in homes, factories, and offices 
to provide heat and energy, yet which may be made of materials of lower 
melting temperatures thereby facilitating manufacturing processes. 
The concept of the invention is to provide a solar energy device in the 
form of a body having a plurality of spaced focusing lenses thereon for 
concentrating direct and reflected rays of the sun. A member is disposed 
in the body and contains a black heat absorbent core. Either the body or 
the member is expansible and contractible so as to direct the lenses into 
focus on the surface of the member until a predetermined temperature is 
reached whereby the member will expand so its surface is out of the focal 
point to lessen concentrated heat thereon. Thereafter contraction will 
return the focal point to the surface of the member and heating continues 
at the optimum rate. The member is suspended on the feed conduit and 
discharge conduit for delivering fluid to be heated and for receiving 
heated fluid. The solar energy device is made of easily worked materials 
including plastics and metals and is adapted for home use for heating, 
power, and desalinization.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference 
numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, FIG. 1 
shows an embodiment of a solar heating device 10 according to the present 
invention. In this embodiment, a rigid spherical body 12 of plastic or 
metal is provided with a plurality of lenses 14 for focusing both direct 
and reflected rays from the sun. The body 12 may be transparent. The 
lenses 14 are disposed about the entire surface of body 12. The lenses 
and/or the entire inner surface of body 12 may be coated with a reflecting 
film. Within the spherical body 12 is an expansible and contractible 
member 18, the details of the construction of which are shown in FIGS. 3 
through 5. The spherical body 12 is supported by stanchions or suitable 
supports 20 above a mirror or other reflecting surface 22. 
The heating member 18 may be in the form shown in FIG. 3. Herein the member 
18 includes an expansible and contractible sphere 50 having therein a 
rigid boiler 52 connected to intake conduit 54 provided with a one way 
valve 56 and a discharge conduit 58 provided with a pressure gage 60. The 
space between the member sphere 50 and the boiler 52 is filled with a 
fluid, preferably a gas. Inside the boiler 52 there is supported at 62 a 
black heat absorbing body 64. 
In operation, the rays of the sun are directed through lenses 14 onto the 
surface of the sphere 50, which coincides with the focal points of lenses 
14 or expands upon heating to so coincide. As the sphere 50 continues to 
be heated it will expand beyond the lens focal points until additional 
cold fluid is introduced into the boiler 52 or some fluid is allowed to 
escape, at which point sphere 50 contracts. This allows for expansion and 
contraction of the surface of sphere 50 out of the focal point of the 
lenses to prevent spot burnout of the boiler and permit cheaper materials 
to be used while making use of the most available heat. 
In FIG. 2 there is shown a form 30 of the invention wherein the spherical 
body 32 is made of a flexible, clear, resilient material having lenses 14 
mounted all about its surface and having a fluid heating member 38 therein 
which may be rigid or similar to the member 18. The sphere is mounted on 
standards 40 above a reflecting surface 42. The spherical body may be 
filled with a fluid, such as a suitable liquid or an inert gas 44. 
As the interior of body 32 becomes heated, the focal points of lenses 14 
move into coincidence with the surface of heating member 18. Further 
heating causes the focal points to move radially outwardly beyond the 
member 18. As heated water is extracted from member 18 and cold water 
introduced into it, the interior of body 32 cools bringing the lens focal 
points again into coincidence with the surface of heating member 18. 
In FIG. 4 there is shown a modified form of the heating member, identified 
by the reference numeral 18', which may be used within body 12 or 
separately. The heating member 18' includes an expansible spherical shell 
71 having an inlet conduit 76 connected thereto which is provided with a 
one way inlet valve 78. Discharge conduit 80, provided with a valved 
pressure gage 82 to serve as a pressure regulator, is connected to the 
shell 71. A black body 72 supported at 74 is provided within the shell 71 
to absorb heat and distribute heat to incoming fluid. Fixed to the 
expansible shell 71 is a mounting plate 73 carrying a toothed rack 75 
which engages a gear 77 for driving a shaft 79. Although rack 75, and 
hence gear 77, move in two directions as shell 71 expands and contracts, a 
one-way clutch 81 between gear 77 and shaft 79 can be used to drive the 
shaft in one direction for performing useful work. In this form of the 
invention the member 18' can be placed in body 12 or may derive its heat 
from a mirror, parabolic reflector, or receiver, or the like and may be 
used to transport, for example, a parabolic mirror. The shaft 79 when 
rotated can carry the reflector along a solar track. As a cloud cover 
develops when the shell 71 is contracting a ratchet arrangement could 
disengage the movement of the reflector. As solar heat redevelops the 
drive of the shaft 79 would keep the reflector moving. Thus the 
arrangement could track mirrors and other heat seeking devices. After a 
predetermined length of time the various devices could be sent back, by 
spring device or the like, for the start of another solar day. 
The periodic movement of shaft 79 could be used to lift a weight 83 which 
thereafter can be allowed to fall to perform some desired function. 
Alternatively, shell 71 may be connected to a plunger within a 
fluid-filled chamber. Upon each expansion of shell 71, the plunger 
pressurizes the chamber and pushes fluid out of the chamber through a 
oneway valve. Upon each contraction of shell 71, the plunger moves in the 
opposite direction and draws additional fluid, from a reservoir, into the 
chamber through a second oneway valve. The periodic pulses of fluid 
leaving the chamber can be used to perform some desired work. The 
work-performing mechanism 73, 75, 79, 81, 83 may be associated with sphere 
50 of the embodiment of FIG. 3 as well as with shell 71 of the FIG. 4 
embodiment. 
As shown in FIG. 5, this solar energy device may be employed for 
desalinization of water. In this embodiment, the outer body 85 is provided 
with lenses 87. The body 85 may be transparent and the body and the lenses 
may be provided on their inner surfaces with a "one way" coating. The 
resilient heating member 84 is mounted within the body 85 by inlet conduit 
86 connected to a source of saline water and by discharge conduit 88. 
Saline water entering through one way valve 90 will pass into the heating 
member 84 where the saline water will be in contact with black body 94 
supported at 96 within the heating member 84. Heat from the focused sun's 
rays on the member 84 will turn the saline water to steam and salt. The 
steam will be at a pressure regulated by pressure gage and valve 100 and 
will flow into a condenser, shown schematically by condenser plate 102 and 
thence at 104 to a reservoir for further consumption. The salt can be 
removed by flushing with fresh water periodically or through use of an 
access port 106. 
In order to enhance heating capabilities a reflector, such as a parabolic 
reflector 112, may be employed and mounted, for more than one degree of 
movement about a track 114, on a universal joint 116 controllable by a 
direct mechanical linkage as heretofore described with reference to FIG. 
4, or by a sun following photoelectric device 118. Thus the reflector can 
move to assume an optimum position by following the sun. 
While the solar energy device has been described in several embodiments 
herein, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made within 
the scope of the appended claims. For example, although body 12 and member 
18 have been shown in spherical form, other shapes can be used. The body 
and member could have relatively flat rectangular shapes, similar to that 
of a conventional solar water heater used on the roof of a house, the 
lenses being arranged in a plane parallel to the flat surface of the 
heating member.