Solar energy collecting system

Claim 2

A solar energy-collecting system, comprising in combination: a flexible, relatively thin film including a solar energy-reflecting surface; a plurality of frame members, one each of which is secured to one of a plurality of parallel, spaced strip-like zones on said film, said frame members being parabolically arced at the portion thereof secured to said zones on said film, said members thereby forming said film at said zones into parabolic arcs, with said reflective surface residing on the concave side of said arc; means for generating a biasing force between adjacent spaced frame members tending to displace same away from one another to thereby pull and maintain said film in a taut condition between said spaced parabolically arced zones, thereby maintaining said flexible film in the configuration of a line-generated parabolic surface; energy conversion means disposed along the line of geometric foci of said parabolic surface for receiving reflected solar energy from said surface and converting same into a further utilizable energy form; support means for said frame means and energy conversion means for disposing said system to receive incident solar energy onto the concave side of said parabolic surface; and means for rotating said frame means together with said parabolic surface about the said line of foci, to enable at least partial tracking of incident solar radiation.

Claim 3

A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a tubular member, and wherein said frame members are suspended and journalably supported from said tubular member for enabling said rotating.

Claim 4

A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein each frame member including a pair of arms diverging in a downward direction from a suspension region, a parabolically arced portion joining the diverged lower ends of said arms and being adapted for securing to said sheet.

Claim 5

A system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said arced portion comprises a pair of hinged opposed jaws adapted for grasping and sandwiching said sheet therebetween.

Claim 6

A system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said tubular member is a heat conductive hollow cylinder and carries a liquid for absorbing incident energy as heat.

Claim 7

A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said energy conversion means comprises means for converting said incident solar energy to an electrical output.

Claim 8

A solar energy-collecting system for suspended installation from overhead support members at a roof or other enclosure including energy transmissible portions for enabling solar energy to be rendered incident on said system, said system comprising: a plurality of solar energy-collecting units, each said unit comprising: a flexible, relatively thin film including a solar energy-reflecting surface; a plurality of frame members, one each of which is secured to one of a plurality of parallel, spaced strip-like zones on said film, said frame members being parabolically arced at the portion thereof secured to said zones on said film, said members thereby forming said film at said zones into parabolic arcs, with said reflective surface residing on the concave side of said arc; means for generating a biasing force between adjacent spaced frame members tending to displace same away from one another to thereby pull and maintain said film in a taut condition between said spaced parabolically arced zones, thereby maintaining said flexible film in the configuration of a line-generated parabolic surface; energy conversion means disposed along the line of geometric foci of said parabolic surface for receiving reflected solar energy from said surface and converting same into a further utilizable energy form; support means for said frame means and energy conversion means for disposing said unit to receive incident solar energy onto the concave side of said parabolic surface; and means for rotating said frame means together with said parabolic surface about the said line of foci, to enable at least partial tracking of incident solar radiation.

Claim 9

A solar energy-collecting system for suspended installation from overhead support members at a roof or other enclosure including energy transmissible portions for enabling solar energy to be rendered incident on said system, said system comprising: a plurality of solar energy-collecting units, each said unit comprising: a flexible, relatively thin film including a solar energy-reflecting surface; a plurality of frame members, one each of which is secured to one of a plurality of parallel, spaced strip-like zones on said film, said frame members being parabolically arced at the portion thereof secured to said zones on said film, said members thereby forming said film at said zones into parabolic arcs, with said reflective surface residing on the concave side of said arc; means for generating a biasing force between adjacent spaced frame members tending to displace same away from one another to thereby pull and maintain said film in a taut condition between said spaced parabolically arced zones, thereby maintaining said flexible film in the configuration of a line-generated parabolic surface; energy conversion means disposed along the line of geometric foci of said parabolic surface for receiving reflected solar energy from said surface and converting same into a further utilizable energy form; support means for said frame means and energy conversion means for disposing said unit to receive incident solar energy onto the concave side of said parabolic surface; and means for rotating said frame means together with said parabolic surface about the said line of foci, to enable at least partial tracking of incident solar radiation.

Claim 10

A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein said plural units are mounted with their said lines of foci parallel; and further including common means for commonly effecting said rotation of each said unit to enable said tracking.

Claim 11

A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said energy conversion means comprises a tubular member, and wherein said frame members are suspended and journalably supported from said tubular member for enabling said rotating.

Claim 12

A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein each frame member includes a pair of arms diverging in a downward direction from a suspension region, a parabolically arced portion joining the diverged lower ends of said arms and being adapted for securing to said sheet.