Solar powered charging shelter and system and method thereof
First Claim
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1. A solar powered charging shelter, comprising:
- a metal standing seam roof having a length and a width in plan view, the length being greater than the width;
a metal frame, the metal frame including;
a plurality of vertically oriented tubular metal support beams, a first set of said vertically oriented support beams being of a first height and a second set of said vertically oriented support beams being of a second height, the first height being different from the second height; and
a plurality of horizontally oriented metal support beams running in a length-wise direction of said roof,wherein each said horizontally oriented metal support beam is comprised of two ‘
C-shaped’
purlins arranged in touching, face-to-face fashion such that substantially no gap exists between touch points thereof; and
wherein top portions of each said horizontally oriented metal support beam are flush mounted so as to be in direct contact with the bottom of said roof and such that substantially no gap exists between the top portions and the bottom of said roof;
a plurality of solar panels mechanically coupled to the top of said roof, each said solar panel being mechanically coupled to said roof by a coupling element;
a plurality of control stations, each said control station being operative to provide at least two charge levels for charging a vehicle, said at least two charge levels including a DC level 2 charge; and
a plurality of extendable and retractable electrical outlets, each said electrical outlet being adapted to be mechanically releasably coupled to the vehicle to provide to the vehicle a vehicle user-selected one of any of said at least two charge levels,wherein said roof is at a non-horizontal angle based on the respective first and second heights of the first and second sets of said vertically oriented metal support beams, andwherein said charging shelter is without exterior sidewalls.
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Abstract
A solar powered charging shelter and system and method thereof. The shelter includes a metal standing seam roof and a flush mounted metal frame. The top of the roof has a plurality of solar units that provide power to at least a plurality of retractable electrical outlets or receptacles coupled to either the bottom of the roof or the metal frame. The retractable electrical outlets or receptacles are to provide power to or charge various electrical systems.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A solar powered charging shelter, comprising:
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a metal standing seam roof having a length and a width in plan view, the length being greater than the width; a metal frame, the metal frame including; a plurality of vertically oriented tubular metal support beams, a first set of said vertically oriented support beams being of a first height and a second set of said vertically oriented support beams being of a second height, the first height being different from the second height; and a plurality of horizontally oriented metal support beams running in a length-wise direction of said roof, wherein each said horizontally oriented metal support beam is comprised of two ‘
C-shaped’
purlins arranged in touching, face-to-face fashion such that substantially no gap exists between touch points thereof; andwherein top portions of each said horizontally oriented metal support beam are flush mounted so as to be in direct contact with the bottom of said roof and such that substantially no gap exists between the top portions and the bottom of said roof; a plurality of solar panels mechanically coupled to the top of said roof, each said solar panel being mechanically coupled to said roof by a coupling element; a plurality of control stations, each said control station being operative to provide at least two charge levels for charging a vehicle, said at least two charge levels including a DC level 2 charge; and a plurality of extendable and retractable electrical outlets, each said electrical outlet being adapted to be mechanically releasably coupled to the vehicle to provide to the vehicle a vehicle user-selected one of any of said at least two charge levels, wherein said roof is at a non-horizontal angle based on the respective first and second heights of the first and second sets of said vertically oriented metal support beams, and wherein said charging shelter is without exterior sidewalls. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A charging system for a shelter having a metal roof and a metal frame mounted to the roof, the charging system comprising:
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an array of photovoltaic devices mounted on a top side of said roof; a plurality of extendable and retractable reel-type electrical outlets in correspondence with respective vehicle parking spaces under the shelter, each said reel-type electrical outlet being constructed and operative to output at least one voltage level for charging an electric vehicle when said electric vehicle is connected thereto; and a charging station to output the at least one voltage level, the at least one voltage level including a DC level 2 voltage level, to each of said extendable and retractable reel-type electrical outlets, wherein said shelter is without any exterior sidewalls. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of making a charging canopy, comprising:
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providing a metal frame, the metal frame including; a plurality of vertically oriented support members, a first set of said vertically oriented support members being of a first height and a second set of said vertically oriented support members being of a second height, and a plurality of horizontally oriented support members, providing a photovoltaic device as an upper-most portion of said charging canopy; providing a plurality of extendable and retractable electrical outlets, said electrical outlets being in spaced apart relation to one another and being configured to output separately a plurality of different electrical characteristics of the same type to a load coupled thereto, one of the electrical characteristics being a DC level two charging characteristic, the DC level two charging characteristic including a component thereof at or at about 480 volts; and providing a user interface unit electrically coupled to said photovoltaic device and said electrical outlets, said user interface unit being configured to receive power from said photovoltaic device and to provide to each of said electrical outlets, separately, each of the plurality of different electrical characteristics of the same type. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification