Patent ID: 8242349

Claim:
A solar concentrator comprising: a plurality of separate panels positioned between opposed support rods; tension elements extending between said support rods and mounting said plurality of panels; said panels being positioned relative to said tension elements at selected orientations, and such that at least one of said panels may be positioned at different angles relative to others of said panels to provide a desired focus of reflected solar energy; said support rods are movable toward each other, with said panels and said tension elements collapsing to provide a stowed position for said solar concentrator; one of said support rods being moveable away from the other to cause said tension elements to extend, and move said panels to a deployed position; and a frame being positioned outwardly of the solar concentrator, and said support rods being connected to ends of said frame, and one of said support rods moving from the stowed position to the deployed position and then being connected to said support frame.