Pool solar power generator

• US 9,847,749 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masimo Semiconductor Inc. (Masimo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masimo Semiconductor Inc. (Masimo Corporation)
• Inventors: Kiani, Massi Joe E., Wojtczuk, Steven J., Siskavich, Brad M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barton, Jeffrey T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Michael Y
• Application Number:
  US14/850,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/08 Coverings consisting of rigid elements , e.g. coverings composed of separate or connected elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/14 Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/10 the working fluids forming pools or ponds
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 10/17 using covers or floating solar absorbing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/02 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/79 with spaced and opposed interacting reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 90/00 Solar heat systems not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/32 specially adapted for solar tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/20 Collapsible or foldable PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/22 Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/054
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/425 using a gaseous or a liquid coolant, e.g. air flow ventilation, water circulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

Solar panels located on residential roofs can be unsightly in some cases. A swimming pool solar power generator can locate solar panels in or around the sides and/or bottoms of a swimming pool in a manner so as to create electricity from the sun without creating an eyesore. In an embodiment, a pool solar power generator includes a solar cell module disposed in a portion of a swimming pool. The solar cell module can include solar cells and be submerged under water held by the swimming pool. The solar cell module can convert sunlight incident on the solar cells to electricity and transmit the electricity for use at a location external to the swimming pool.

Claims

1. A pool solar power generator comprising:

a solar cell module disposed in a recess of an inner wall of a swimming pool, the solar cell module comprising solar cells and configured to convert sunlight from a sun incident on the solar cells to electricity and transmit the electricity for use at a location external to the swimming pool via wiring disposed in the inner wall;

a sensor configured to detect when a person is in a vicinity of the swimming pool; and

a controller in communication with the sensor, the controller configured to;

selectively expose the solar cells to the sunlight and conceal the solar cells from the sunlight,

in response to detecting with the sensor that the person is in the vicinity of the swimming pool, automatically conceal the solar cells from the sunlight, and

adjust a position or a tilt of the solar cells based at least on a position of the sun relative to the swimming pool or a measure of energy produced by solar cell module so that an amount of energy produced by the solar cell module increases.

2. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising an electrically-switchable film layer over at least part of the solar cell module, the electrically-switchable film layer configured to be either transparent or opaque, and wherein the controller is configured to, in response to detecting with the sensor that the person is in the vicinity of the swimming pool, automatically conceal the solar cells from the sunlight by causing the electrically-switchable film layer to transition from transparent to opaque.

3. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to transition between a first position where the cover conceals the solar cells from the sunlight and a second position where the solar cells are exposed to the sunlight, and wherein the controller is configured to, in response to detecting with the sensor that the person is in the vicinity of the swimming pool, automatically conceal the solar cells from the sunlight by causing the cover to transition from the second position to the first position.

4. The pool solar power generator of claim 3, wherein the cover is configured to be submerged under water held by the swimming pool and slide between the first position and the second position.

5. The pool solar power generator of claim 3, wherein the cover is configured to be submerged under water held by the swimming pool and comprises a shutter including louvers.

6. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the position or the tilt of the solar cells based at least on the position of the sun relative to the swimming pool so that the amount of energy produced by the solar cell module increases.

7. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the position or the tilt of the solar cells based at least on the measure of energy produced by solar cell module so that the amount of energy produced by the solar cell module increases.

8. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the tilt of the solar cells in response to detecting with the sensor that the person is in the vicinity of the swimming pool.

9. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the inner wall is a bottom inner wall of the swimming pool.

10. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the inner wall is a side inner wall of the swimming pool.

11. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein when the solar cells are exposed to the sunlight, the controller is configured to activate a visible alarm or an audible alarm in response to detecting with the sensor that the person is in the vicinity of the swimming pool.

12. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the swimming pool is within a swimming pool area, and the controller is configured to lock a gate to the swimming pool area when the solar cells are exposed to the sunlight.

13. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of mirrors disposed beneath the swimming pool, the plurality of mirrors configured to redirect the sunlight to the solar cell module.

14. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a cooler configured to cool the solar cell module using water from the swimming pool.

15. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, in combination with the swimming pool, wherein the swimming pool is oriented in a north-south direction, a north end of the swimming pool being wider and shallower than a south end of the swimming pool.

16. The pool solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the location external to the swimming pool is a house power grid.