JP7525833B2 - Solar power generation equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a solar power generation device equipped with a solar power generation sheet.

A known photovoltaic power generation device is installed on the roof of a building and includes a flexible photovoltaic sheet, a storage case that incorporates a roller for winding up the photovoltaic sheet and can store the photovoltaic sheet by winding it up on the roller and from which the photovoltaic sheet wound up on the roller can be pulled out, and an attachment section for removably attaching the storage case to the roof, and a battery storage section that stores a secondary battery that stores the power generated by the photovoltaic sheet is connected to the tip of the photovoltaic sheet (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2015-12262 A

In the above-mentioned solar power generation device, the secondary battery is housed in a battery housing provided at the tip of the solar power generation sheet, rather than on the rotatable roller (rotating drum) side. This has the advantage that the wiring structure for supplying power from the solar power generation sheet to the secondary battery can be simplified, and the solar power generation device having the solar power generation sheet and the secondary battery can be integrated to improve its convenience.

On the other hand, since the secondary battery is housed in the battery housing provided at the tip of the photovoltaic sheet, the weight inevitably increases. Therefore, when the photovoltaic sheet is installed in a hanging state from a rotating drum attached to the top of a building, etc., there is a problem that excessive pulling force acts on the photovoltaic sheet, easily damaging the solar cell elements.

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the convenience of solar power generation devices and prevent damage to solar cell elements by suppressing the application of excessive tensile force to the solar power generation sheet.

The solar power generation device of the present invention comprises a flexible solar power generation sheet, a rotating drum around which the solar power generation sheet is wound, a drive motor that rotates and drives the rotating drum to wind the solar power generation sheet onto it, a secondary battery that charges the power generated by the solar power generation sheet, a control unit that controls the supply of power to the drive motor and also controls the input and output of power to the secondary battery , and an emergency input unit that inputs power from an external power source to the drive motor , and the drive motor, the secondary battery, and the control unit are housed within the rotating drum.

According to this configuration, the photovoltaic power generation device can be easily stored and transported in a compact state, and its convenience can be improved. In addition, since a heavy secondary battery or the like is stored in the rotating drum, there is no charge loss as occurs when the power generated by the photovoltaic power generation sheet is supplied to a secondary battery provided separately from the photovoltaic power generation device and charged, and charging efficiency can be improved. Moreover, even when the photovoltaic power generation sheet is installed in a state where it hangs down from a rotating drum attached to the top of a building or the like, excessive pulling force is not applied to the photovoltaic power generation sheet, and damage to the solar cell elements can be effectively prevented. Furthermore, in an emergency when no power is stored in the secondary battery, it is possible to supply power from an external power source to the drive motor by connecting the outlet of the input unit to an external power source, and it is possible to unroll and unfold the photovoltaic power generation sheet wound around the rotating drum.

It is also preferable that the device further includes an output unit that outputs the power of the secondary battery to the outside.

With this configuration, the power stored in the secondary battery can be effectively utilized because the power can be output from the output unit to an external device such as a personal computer when necessary.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the center of gravity of the drive motor, secondary battery, and control unit is located on the central axis of the rotating drum.

This configuration has the advantage that when the rotating drum is rotated, the drive motor, secondary battery, and control unit can be rotated smoothly, effectively preventing the generation of vibrations and abnormal noise caused by these rotating in an eccentric state.

The solar power generation device according to the present invention makes it easier to carry the solar power generation device, improving its convenience, and also prevents excessive tensile force from acting on the solar power generation sheet, preventing damage to the solar cell elements.

1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a solar power generation device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the rotating drum. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the rotating drum. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a support structure for the rotating drum. FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the solar power generation device.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention based on the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the form shown in the attached drawings, and includes all embodiments that satisfy the requirements described in the claims. In addition, components with the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same components, and their description will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the solar power generation device 10 according to the present invention comprises a flexible solar power generation sheet 1, a rotating drum 2 around which the solar power generation sheet 1 is wound, and a pair of left and right support brackets 31, 32 that support the rotating drum 2. A shape retention part 11 made of a cylindrical or rod-shaped body is provided at the tip of the solar power generation sheet 1.

The photovoltaic sheet 1 is configured such that the solar cell element is enclosed in a transparent resin sheet made of a flexible material by lamination or the like. As the solar cell element, for example, a bendable solar cell element such as an amorphous silicon type thin-film solar cell is used. Note that the solar cell element is not limited to the amorphous silicon type, and various solar cells such as compound solar cells, organic thin-film solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells can be used. In addition, the photovoltaic sheet 1 does not include a glass plate like a typical solar cell panel installed on a roof, and does not require a base plate to maintain the strength of the panel, so it can be formed to be lightweight.

The rotating drum 2 has a cylindrical body 22 made of a plastic molded body or an aluminum extrusion material having a cylindrical cross-sectional structure, and a pair of blocking plates 23, 24 that block both ends. The base end of the photovoltaic sheet 1 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating drum 2. In addition, a number of holding projections 21 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the rotating drum 2, protruding toward the center of the rotating drum 2 (see Figure 3).

As shown in FIG. 2, a drive motor 4 is disposed on one end of the rotating drum 2 to rotate the rotating drum 2 and wind the photovoltaic sheet 1 thereon. The drive motor 4 has an output shaft 41 that passes through an opening 25 formed in the closure plate 23 and protrudes outward from the rotating drum 2, and a motor housing 42 that is fixed to one end of the rotating drum 2.

The output shaft 41 of the drive motor 4 is supported non-rotatably by a support bracket 31 provided on one end side of the rotating drum 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip of the output shaft 41, which is formed in a square shape, is inserted into an opening 35, which is a square hole formed in the support bracket 31, and the output shaft 41 of the drive motor 4 is supported by the support bracket 31 in a state in which the rotation of the output shaft 41 is restricted.

As a result, when driving power is supplied to rotate the drive motor 4 in the forward direction, the motor housing 42 of the drive motor 4 and the rotating drum 2 rotate together, and the solar power generation sheet 1 wound around the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 2 is unrolled, for example. When driving power is supplied to rotate the drive motor 4 in the reverse direction, the motor housing 42 of the drive motor 4 and the rotating drum 2 rotate in the opposite direction, and the solar power generation sheet 1 in the unfolded state is wound around the rotating drum 2.

A rotating support member 3 is disposed on the other end of the rotating drum 2. The rotating support member 3 has a bearing member 33 made of a ball bearing and a support shaft 34 held by the inner ring of the bearing member 33. The outer ring of the bearing member 33 is fixed to the other end of the rotating drum 2, and the support shaft 34 passes through an opening 26 formed in the closure plate 24 and protrudes outward from the rotating drum 2. The support shaft 34 of the rotating support member 3 is supported non-rotatably by a support bracket 32 provided on the other end of the rotating drum 2. This allows the other end of the rotating drum 2 to be rotatably supported with the axis of the support shaft 34 as a fulcrum.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotating drum 2 contains the drive motor 4, a number of secondary batteries 5 that charge the power generated by the solar power generation sheet 1, and a control unit 6 that controls the supply of power to the drive motor 4. This configuration eliminates the need to provide a control unit at the end of the case as in conventional products, and eliminates the need for space for the control unit, etc., so that a wider solar power generation sheet 1 can be provided for a case of the same size, resulting in a larger screen surface. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the holding protrusion 21 protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum 2 abuts against the outer peripheral surfaces of the drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6, restraining them, so that the center of gravity of the drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6 is located on the central axis C of the rotating drum 2.

The control unit 6 has a function as a battery management system (BMS) that controls charging of the secondary battery 5 to prevent overcharging and over-discharging, a function as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) that supplies backup power to safely shut down the device in the event of a power outage or other power failure, a function to supply power from the secondary battery 5 to the drive motor 4 to operate the drive motor 4, and a function to control the output of power to the outside.

The secondary battery 5 may be any of the well-known batteries such as lead acid batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and lithium ion batteries, and commercially available batteries may be used. Lead acid batteries are a suitable example because their charge/discharge curve is more linear than other batteries, making charge/discharge control easier, and they are inexpensive and safe.

The power generated by the photovoltaic sheet 1 is guided into the rotating drum 2 by a pair of lead wires 61, 62 extending from the base end (see FIG. 2), and then supplied to the secondary battery 5 via the control unit 6 for charging. At the other end of the rotating drum 2, a pair of electrodes 63, 64 that are conductive to the lead wires 61, 62 are attached along the outer periphery of the rotating drum 2, respectively, and a pair of brushes 71, 72 that abut against the electrodes 63, 64 are provided.

Brushes 71 and 72 are connected to output section 7, which is a USB outlet or the like, via lead wires 73 and 74. Lead wires 81 and 82 are connected to lead wires 73 and 74, which are connected to emergency input section 8, which has an outlet connected to an external power source (not shown) and an AC adapter that converts the external power source into the required DC power.

When a power output command signal to an external power source is input to the control unit 6 from an input operation unit such as a remote controller or smartphone (not shown), the power stored in the secondary battery 5 is output to the output unit 7 via leads 73 and 74. Then, the power of the secondary battery 5 is taken out to the outside by, for example, connecting a USB connector electrically connected to an external device to a USB outlet of the output unit 7.

When an operation command signal for the drive motor 4 is input from the input operation unit to the control unit 6, the power of the secondary battery 5 is supplied to the drive motor 4, thereby driving and rotating the rotating drum 2. Note that, in an emergency in which the solar power generation device 10 is not in use for a long period of time and no power is stored in the secondary battery 5, the drive motor 4 can be operated by connecting the outlet of the emergency input unit 8 to an external power source, and the power of the external power source is supplied to the drive motor 4 via the AC adapter of the input unit 8 and the control unit 6. As a result, the solar power generation sheet 1 is unrolled from the rotating drum 2 and deployed.

When using the above-mentioned solar power generation device 10, with both ends of the rotating drum 2 supported by support brackets 31, 32 attached to the upper edge of a window, for example, the drive motor 4 is operated to rotate the rotating drum 2, and the solar power generation sheet 1 wound around the rotating drum 2 is unrolled and deployed to cover the window of the building. As a result, power is generated using sunlight shining through the window, and this generated power is charged into the secondary battery 5. Then, by outputting the power stored in the secondary battery 5 to the output unit 7 as necessary, the power of the secondary battery 5 can be taken out and used effectively.

When storing the solar power generation device 10 in the above-mentioned usage state or transporting it to another location, the drive motor 4 is reversed to rotate the rotating drum 2 in the opposite direction, and the solar power generation sheet 1 is wound around the rotating drum 2, thereby compactly packing up the solar power generation device 10 including the solar power generation sheet 1, rotating drum 2, drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6.

The installation location of the solar power generation device 10 is not limited to a window of a building, but can be any location where sunlight shines. For example, the casing containing the rotating drum 2 can be installed outdoors, the solar power generation sheet 1 can be pulled out from inside the casing, and the shape retention part at the tip of the sheet can be engaged with a predetermined engagement part, thereby installing the solar power generation sheet 1 outdoors. It is also possible to hold the rotating drum 2 on the roof rail of a vehicle parked outdoors, and install the solar power generation sheet 1 unrolled from the rotating drum 2 along the side of the vehicle, etc.

The solar power generation device 10 according to the present invention comprises a flexible solar power generation sheet 1 as described above, a rotating drum 2 on which the solar power generation sheet 1 is wound, a drive motor 4 that rotates and drives the rotating drum 2 to wind the solar power generation sheet around its circumferential surface, a secondary battery 5 that charges the power generated by the solar power generation sheet 1, and a control unit 6 that controls the supply of power to the drive motor 4 and controls the input and output of power to the secondary battery 5. As the drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6 are housed within the rotating drum 2, the solar power generation device 10 can be easily stored and transported in a compact state, improving its convenience.

Furthermore, because the heavy secondary battery 5 and the like are housed inside the rotating drum 2, there is no charging loss as occurs when the power generated by the photovoltaic sheet 1 is supplied to a secondary battery provided separately from the photovoltaic power generation device 10 for charging, and charging efficiency can be improved. Moreover, even if the photovoltaic sheet 1 is installed in a hanging state from the rotating drum 2 attached to the top of a building or the like, excessive pulling force is not applied to the photovoltaic sheet 1, and damage to the solar cell elements can be effectively prevented.

As shown in the above embodiment, if an output unit 7 is provided that outputs the power of the secondary battery 5 to the outside, and an external device such as a personal computer is connected to this output unit 7 so that the power of the secondary battery 5 can be taken out from the output unit 7 as needed, the power stored in the secondary battery 5 can be effectively used.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the drive motor 4 is provided with an emergency input unit 8 that inputs power from an external power source. In an emergency when no power is stored in the secondary battery 5, for example, the input unit 8 can be plugged into an external power source to supply power from the external power source to the drive motor 4, thereby enabling the solar power generation sheet 1 wound around the rotating drum 2 to be unrolled.

In the above embodiment, the drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6 are restrained by the retaining protrusions 21 protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum 2, and the center of gravity of these is positioned on the central axis C of the rotating drum 2. This has the advantage that when the rotating drum 2 is rotated, the drive motor 4, secondary battery 5, and control unit 6 can be rotated smoothly, and the generation of vibrations and abnormal noise caused by these rotating in an eccentric state can be effectively prevented. Note that instead of the above configuration, a spacer for adjusting the gap may be disposed between the secondary battery 5, etc. and the rotating drum 2, so that the center of gravity of the secondary battery 5, etc. is positioned on the central axis C of the rotating drum 2.

As shown in FIG. 5, the solar power generating sheet 1 may be provided at its tip with a cylindrical shape retaining body 13 housing a lightweight secondary battery 12, and an output unit 14 consisting of a USB outlet or the like for outputting the power of the secondary battery 13 to the outside. With this configuration, the power generated by the solar power generating sheet 1 can be supplied to the secondary battery 13 from the leads 15, 16 to charge it. Therefore, the power charged in the secondary battery 13 can be taken out from the output unit 14 to the outside or supplied to the drive motor 4, thereby making effective use of the power. Note that various types of batteries such as silver oxide batteries, alkaline batteries, or lithium batteries can be used as the lightweight secondary battery 13, but a nickel-metal hydride battery is preferably used because it is lightweight and has a large electrical capacity.

In addition, in a photovoltaic sheet 1 having a base sheet and solar cells attached to a first surface side thereof, a video screen surface for projecting an image projected from a projection device such as a projector may be provided on a second surface side of the base sheet located opposite the first surface. This configuration has the advantage that the second surface can be used as a video screen while generating electricity using the photovoltaic sheet 1.

Furthermore, instead of the video screen surface, a screen surface for chromakey compositing, which is used when compositing captured moving images, may be provided on the second surface of the base sheet. This configuration has the advantage that while power is generated by the solar power generation sheet 1, the second surface can be used as a screen surface for compositing moving images.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Photovoltaic power generation sheet 2 Rotating drum 3 Rotation support member 4 Drive motor 5 Secondary battery 6 Control unit 7 Output unit 8 Input unit 10 Photovoltaic power generation device 11 Shape retention unit 12 Lightweight secondary battery 13 Cylindrical shape retention body 14 Output unit 21 Retaining projection 22 Cylindrical body 23, 24 Closure plate 31, 32 Support bracket 33 Bearing member 34 Support shaft 41 Output shaft 42 Motor housing 61, 62 Lead wire 63, 64 Electrode 71, 72 Brush 73, 74 Lead wire 81, 82 Lead wire

Claims (3)

A flexible photovoltaic sheet;
a rotating drum on which the photovoltaic sheet is wound;
a drive motor that rotates the rotary drum to wind the photovoltaic sheet thereon;
A secondary battery that charges the power generated by the solar power generation sheet;
a control unit that controls the supply of power to the drive motor and controls the input and output of power to the secondary battery ;
an emergency input unit for inputting electric power from an external power source to the drive motor ;
The solar power generation device has the drive motor, the secondary battery, and the control unit housed within the rotating drum. The solar power generating device according to claim 1 , further comprising an output section that outputs the electric power of the secondary battery to an outside. 3. The solar power generating device according to claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the drive motor, the secondary battery and the control unit is disposed on the central axis of the rotating drum.

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