Patent ID: 8648551

Claim:
A device for continuously reorienting a solar panel array while maintaining a substantially stationary footprint which comprises: an upper pole defining an axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein a solar panel is affixed to the second end thereof; a lower pole defining an axis and having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end thereof is embedded into the ground with the lower pole oriented substantially vertical; a cylindrical shaped knuckle having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is slanted relative to the bottom surface by a slant angle φ, wherein the first end of the upper pole is positioned against the top surface of the knuckle and the first end of the lower pole is positioned against the bottom surface of the knuckle and wherein the solar panel defines a first axis for rotation of the panel through an incline angle α and a second axis for rotation of the panel through a tilt angle β, wherein the first and second axes are orthogonal; an upper motor mounted on the knuckle and having a gear assembly engaged with the knuckle, and an upper gear assembly engaged with the upper pole for rotating the knuckle at an angular velocity ω (ω=dθ/dt) relative to the upper pole, wherein θ for the upper pole is held constant to continuously reorient the solar panel without rotating the solar panel around the axis of the lower pole to maintain a substantially stationary footprint; and a lower motor mounted on the knuckle and having a gear assembly engaged with the lower pole, and an upper gear assembly engaged with the knuckle for rotating the knuckle at an angular velocity ω (ω=dθ/dt) relative to the lower pole, wherein θ for the lower pole is held constant and wherein the angles α and β respectively vary sinusoidally at a frequency ω with an amplitude in a range of ±φ.