Patent Publication Number: US-2011056485-A1

Title: Subterranean solar panel system

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to eliminating the unsightly visual effects associated with traditional solar panel installations, by placing the solar panel installation underground to make the solar panel (modules) virtually invisible to the eye. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Currently, the solar panel industry has been plagued by the unsightly design and installation of solar panel systems for creating electricity. This invention avoids the negative aesthetics of the presently designed solar panel module installations, and also provides mechanical benefits. Also, with the present invention, there is no need for dedicated areas of land or rooftops for solar panels for either ground-mounted units or roof-top mounted units. In addition, solar panels that are rooftop mounted add extra load to the roof, and during the installation, there is a need to make many penetrations within the roof itself that lead to future leaks and subject the rooftop and the underneath to possible water damage and structural damage. 
     The current method of mounting solar panels on rooftops or ground installations, allows the solar panels to become tainted with dust, air pollutants, natural residues, and bird droppings that gradually decrease the overall electric productivity output of these solar panels/modules. 
     With the subterranean solar technology of the present invention, the above-referenced negative effects are eliminated because they will be in a controlled environment under the ground. 
     OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is placing solar panel installations in a subterranean system, that keeps the solar panels out of the elements, which will increase their life span and reduce the need for upkeep, maintenance, and cleaning of the solar modules, since they are no longer on rooftops or exposed to any weather elements or foreign debris from all outside installations. 
     Another object of the present invention, is that these solar panel modules that are stored under the earth, eliminate the current negative effects of outside exposure and eliminate the need for ongoing maintenance to keep them clean and operational. 
     The added benefits of subterranean solar technology is a much cooler environment to produce electricity which does not suffer from becoming overheated from exposure to the sun; therefore, increasing the electrical productivity. 
     The solar panel industry has suffered from solar panels that generate too much heat and reduce the electrical output. Another object is that the cooler underground environment improves and reduces the fluctuations of electrical output. 
     The present invention provides a better solar panel electrical system, in many ways: mechanically, electrically, aesthetically, and keeps them out of eyesight, and keeps them out of harms way. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A subterranean solar panel system  10  for collecting solar energy and generating electricity, includes a structure  12  having a building section  14 , a roof  16 , and rooftop surface  18 . A plurality of solar panels forming a solar panel station  30  is provided in an underground space  20 . An optical device  50  is provided for capturing and magnifying sunlight in the form of a transparent lens  52  that is either concave or convex, which receives and magnifies the sunlight, or enhances it to be transferred to the solar panel station  30 . A system of fiber optic conductors  60  is provided having fiber optic strands contained therein which are connected to the transparent lens  52  and the solar panel station  30  for transferring the collected sunlight from the transparent lens  52  to the solar panel station  30 . 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the subterranean solar panel system of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention includes a subterranean solar panel system  10 , which includes a structure  12  having a building section  14  and a roof  16 , which has a rooftop surface  18 . In an underground space  20 , there is provided a plurality of solar panels in a solar panel station  30 , wherein each solar panel station includes multiple solar panel units, which can be of any number, such as two solar panels up to fifteen solar panels for each solar panel station  30 . As shown in the attached drawing, solar panel station  30  includes seven solar panels  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 , and  44  which form a single solar panel station  30 . It should be understood that multiple solar panel stations  30  can be linked together to form a single subterranean solar panel system  10 . In addition, the solar panel stations  30  are placed underground at least  2  to  4  feet below the frontline. 
     Mounted on rooftop surface  18  is an optical device  50  to capture and magnify sunlight. Preferably, the optical device  50  is a transparent lens  52  that may be either concave or convex which receives the sunlight and magnifies it or enhances it to be transferred to the solar panel station  30  using a system of fiber optic conductors  60  having fiber optic strands contained therein for transferring the collected sunlight from the transparent lens  52  to the solar panel station  30 . 
     The transparent lens  52  may be of any size, such as 24 inches by 24 inches, or  36  inches by 36 inches, or 72 inches by 72 inches. 
     In the present invention, fiber optic conductors  60  are connected between transparent lens  52  and solar panel station  30  using individual fiber optic conductors  62 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72 , and  74  each connected to a different solar panel  32  to  44  in order to conduct the sunlight to each individual solar panel in the solar panel station  30 . 
     The electrical energy output from solar panel station  30  is connected by a wire  80  to an inverter  82  and an electric meter  84  for collecting, storing, and reading the amount of electric energy produced by the solar panel station  30 . 
     ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention has provided the advantage of placing solar panel installations in a subterranean system, that keeps the solar panels out of the elements, which will increase their life span and reduce the need for upkeep, maintenance, and cleaning of the solar modules, since they are no longer on rooftops or exposed to any weather elements or foreign debris from all outside installations. 
     A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.