"A thermal solar, photovoltaic or mixed panel having adjustable collectors"

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The present invention relates to a thermal solar or photovoltaic panel having adjustable collectors. The increasing cost of energy has led to develop supplying technologies for solar energy, which has the advantage of being free.

The thermal solar panels are used to heat water; they are configured as broad surfaces of a thermally conductive material in contact with pipes within which water supplied to the users at the desired temperature flows. The photovoltaic panels are used to generate electrical energy; they are surfaces made of a semiconductive material which is capable of generating electrical energy when irradiated.

The performance of both types of panels varies especially according to the orientation thereof: it is clear that a greater exposure to sun rays allows to supply greater solar energy, and thus the ideal orientation is directed upwards and southwards, with inclinations varying depending on the latitude. Therefore, many owners fit said panels on the southern side of the house roof. Not all buildings have the roof facing southwards, though: therefore, not always is the functioning of the panels optimised. A further requirement has arisen because some owners, being satisfied with the performance of their panel, would like to increase the number of panels, and after having occupied the whole available surface of the house roof, apply panels to vertical walls facing South. In this case also, the functioning of the panels is not optimised, because the vertical panels do not display the appropriate degree of inclination.

Said requirement is also felt by users who would like to fit panels on the roof for architectural integration reasons, because the optimal inclination of the panels rarely coincides with that of roofs or building coverages.

It is the object of the present invention to make a thermal solar or photovoltaic or mixed panel displaying the present features so as to allow an

optimal irradiation and an aesthetical integration in the building's architecture.

According to the present invention such an object is achieved by a thermal solar, photovoltaic or mixed panel, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of thermal solar and/or photovoltaic collectors, each of which is rotatably hinged to a fixed structure, retaining means being provided to lock said collectors in selected angular positions.

In this manner, already during the manufacturing step of the panel, the collectors may be rotated and locked in a position that allows the optimal irradiation of the collectors themselves, according to the desired positioning in the building.

These and other features of the present invention will become more apparent by the detailed description of three examples of embodiment, which are set forth by no way of limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 shows a front view of a thermal solar panel; figure 2 shows a section view along line H-II in figure 1 ; figure 3 shows an enlarged section view of a thermal solar collector of the panel in figure 1 ; figure 4 shows a simplified perspective view of a group of collectors of the panel in figures 1 and 2; figure 5 shows a detail of figure 4; figure 6 shows a front view of a photovoltaic panel; figure 7 shows a section view along line VII-VII in figure 6; figure 8 shows a front view of a part of the panel in figures 6 and 7; figure 9 shows a plan view with respect to figure 8; figure 10 shows a section view along line X-X in figure 9; figure 11 shows a front view of a mixed thermal solar and photovoltaic panel; figure 12 shows a section view along line XII-XII in figure 11.

A first example of panel according to the invention is a thermal solar panel 1, shown in figures 1-5.

The panel 1 comprises a fixed metal structure 40, to which a thermally insulating material 2 is applied by adhesion and clamping. Said fixed structure 40 comprises a plurality of dual series of holes 20, 21, each arranged as an arc as in figure 2, and holes 22 positioned halfway between said series 20, 21.

Collectors 3 (shown in figures 2 and 3) are rotatably hinged to said fixed structure 40. Each of said collectors 3 is formed by the following reciprocally adhering layers: a layer 6 made of thermally insulating material; an irradiation surface 5, formed by thermally conductive material. As shown in figures 3-5, the layer 5 is integral with a cylindrical bar 8, made of a thermally conductive material, provided with an axial hole 9, and with two longitudinal members 10, 12 provided with cavities 11, 13. The bar

8 longitudinally extends with respect to the layers 5, 6 and is rotatably inserted in a corresponding hole 22 of the fixed structure 40, serving as a pin for the rotation of the collector 3.

As shown in figure 2, the collectors 3 may thus be rotated to achieve a plurality of positions A, B, C. In this manner each of said collectors 3 may be oriented so as to optimise the irradiation thereof.

As shown in figure 5, once one of the above said collectors 3 has been positioned according to an appropriate direction, it is possible to lock the orientation thereof by the introduction of threaded elements 30 in selected holes 20, 21 of profiled elements 41 of the fixed structure 40 and in the cavities 11, 13 of the elements 10, 12 of the collectors.

A tube 50 made of thermally conductive material runs through the inside of the cavity 9 of each of said collectors 3 to allow the circulation of water, which is heated by thermal conduction from the walls of said cavity 9. The tubes 50 of the various collectors 3 are connected to one another and

to a hydraulic circuit to employ the heat generated by absorption of solar energy.

A second example of panel according to the invention is a photovoltaic panel 101, shown in figures 6-10. The photovoltaic panel 101 comprises a fixed metal structure 140, to which an electrically insulating material 102 is applied by clamping and adhesion.

As shown in figure 7, said fixed structure 140 comprises a plurality of dual series of holes 120, 121, each of which is arranged as an arc, and holes 122 positioned halfway between said series 120, 121.

Collectors 103 (shown in figures 7 and 10) are rotatably hinged to said fixed structure 140. Each of said collectors 3 comprises the following reciprocally adhering layers: a layer 107 made of metal material; - a layer 106 made of electrically insulating material; a photosensitive layer 105, which is the site of the generation reaction for electrical power; said layer 105 is connected to an electrical network by means of an electrical circuit (not shown in the figures). The layer 107 is integral with a cylindrical bar 108 provided with an axial hole 109 and with two longitudinal members 110, 112 provided with cavities 111, 113. The bar 108 longitudinally extends further with respect to the remainder of the collector 103 and is rotatably inserted in a corresponding hole 122 of the fixed structure. Each collector 103 may thus be rotated to achieve a plurality of angular positions, among which the positions D, E, F in figure 7 are highlighted, so as to achieve a better orientation to optimise the irradiation of its photosensitive layer 105.

Once it has been positioned, the collector 103 may be locked by retaining means, for instance by the introduction of threaded elements (not

shown in the figures), in two holes of the fixed structure 140 which are appropriately chosen among those of the corresponding series 120, 121 and in the cavities 111, 113 of said elements 110, 112 of the collector.

A third example is a mixed panel 201 having thermal solar and photovoltaic collectors (shown in figures 10-11). It comprises a fixed structure similar to those in the previous examples, on which there are hinged collectors for photovoltaic panels (first example) alternated to collectors for thermal solar panels (second example).

The panel 201 is formed by a fixed metal structure 240, to which electrically and thermally insulating material 202 is applied. The fixed structure 240 comprises a plurality of dual series of holes 220, 221 (shown in figure 11), each of which is arranged as an arc, and holes 222 positioned halfway between said series 220, 221.

Thermal solar collectors 3 alternated to photovoltaic collectors 103 are rotatably hinged to said fixed structure 240.

Said collectors 3 and 103 are assembled to said fixed structure 240 and oriented exactly as in the previous two examples, and perform the same functions according to the same modes.

The manufacturing procedure for a panel (1, 101, 201) needs to comprise, for each collector (3, 103), the following steps: a first step of introducing the bar (8, 108) integral with said collector (3, 103) within the cavity (22, 122); a second step of rotating said collector (3, 103) until a desired position (A, B, C, D, E, F) is achieved; - a third step of locking said collector (3, 103) in said position (A, B,

C, D, E, F) by employing retaining elements (130).