Solar powered wheel apparatus
First Claim
1. A solar powered wheel apparatus comprising:
- one or more photovoltaic cells housed on a rotatable element, wherein said one or more photovoltaic cells capture solar energy and convert said solar energy into electrical energy, and wherein said rotatable element is hingedly connected to a rotary object for angularly displacing said rotatable element from said rotary object to increase exposure of said one or more photovoltaic cells to sunlight, wherein said exposed one or more photovoltaic cells capture additional solar energy and convert said captured solar energy into said electrical energy, when said rotary object is stationary;
an electric motor in electric communication with said one or more photovoltaic cells that power said electric motor, wherein said electric motor is rigidly connected to said rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells; and
an axial shaft rotatably connected to said electric motor and rigidly connected to a support structure of said rotary object, wherein said electric motor converts said electrical energy produced by said one or more photovoltaic cells into mechanical energy and rotates about said axial shaft, wherein said rotation of said electric motor rotates said rigidly connected rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells;
whereby said rotation of said rotatable element housing said one or more photovoltaic cells by said electric motor removes heat from said one or more photovoltaic cells and causes rotation of said connected rotary object.
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Abstract
A solar powered wheel apparatus comprising one or more photovoltaic cells housed on a rotatable element connected to a rotary object such as a wheel, an electric motor, and an axial shaft. The electric motor is in electric communication with the photovoltaic cells that power the electric motor and is rigidly connected to the rotatable element that houses the photovoltaic cells. The axial shaft is rotatably connected to the electric motor and rigidly connected to a support structure of the rotary object. The electric motor converts electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic cells into mechanical energy causing the electric motor to rotate about the axial shaft. The rotation of the electric motor rotates the rigidly connected rotatable element that houses the photovoltaic cells. The rotation of the rotatable element housing the photovoltaic cells removes heat from the photovoltaic cells and causes rotation of the connected rotary object.
14 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A solar powered wheel apparatus comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic cells housed on a rotatable element, wherein said one or more photovoltaic cells capture solar energy and convert said solar energy into electrical energy, and wherein said rotatable element is hingedly connected to a rotary object for angularly displacing said rotatable element from said rotary object to increase exposure of said one or more photovoltaic cells to sunlight, wherein said exposed one or more photovoltaic cells capture additional solar energy and convert said captured solar energy into said electrical energy, when said rotary object is stationary; an electric motor in electric communication with said one or more photovoltaic cells that power said electric motor, wherein said electric motor is rigidly connected to said rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells; and an axial shaft rotatably connected to said electric motor and rigidly connected to a support structure of said rotary object, wherein said electric motor converts said electrical energy produced by said one or more photovoltaic cells into mechanical energy and rotates about said axial shaft, wherein said rotation of said electric motor rotates said rigidly connected rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells; whereby said rotation of said rotatable element housing said one or more photovoltaic cells by said electric motor removes heat from said one or more photovoltaic cells and causes rotation of said connected rotary object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for causing rotation of a rotary object, comprising:
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providing a solar powered wheel apparatus comprising; one or more photovoltaic cells housed on a rotatable element, wherein said rotatable element is hingedly connected to said rotary object for angularly displacing said rotatable element from said rotary object to increase exposure of said one or more photovoltaic cells to sunlight, wherein said exposed one or more photovoltaic cells capture additional solar energy and convert said captured solar energy into said electrical energy, when said rotary object is stationary; an electric motor in electric communication with said one or more photovoltaic cells, wherein said electric motor is rigidly connected to said rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells; and an axial shaft rotatably connected to said electric motor and rigidly connected to a support structure of said rotary object; capturing solar energy by said one or more photovoltaic cells and converting said captured solar energy into electrical energy, wherein said electrical energy powers said electric motor; rotating said electric motor about said axial shaft on conversion of said electrical energy produced by said one or more photovoltaic cells into mechanical energy by said electric motor; and rotating said rigidly connected rotatable element that houses said one or more photovoltaic cells by said rotation of said electric motor, wherein said rotation of said rotatable element housing said one or more photovoltaic cells by said electric motor removes heat from said one or more photovoltaic cells and causes rotation of said connected rotary object. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification