RU203021U1 - SUN ENERGY CANOPY FOR CARS - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to a solar-powered carport that generates renewable energy for business, domestic use and / or for charging electric vehicles. According to the invention, a sun-powered carport comprises at least one support structure and a roof supported by it, which is configured to support at least one solar panel. The at least one support structure is made of fiber-reinforced plastic and has a hollow structure defining a cavity therein. The canopy also contains at least one component located within said cavity for connection to at least one said solar panel. 12 ill.

Description

Technology area

The utility model relates to an improved solar-powered carport providing renewable energy generation for business, domestic use and / or charging electric vehicles.

State of the art

Carports are known as roof structures that provide a roof or canopy under which one or more vehicles can be parked to provide some degree of vehicle cover. It is also known to use the roof of such structures to accommodate solar panels, for example, for power generation, and such structures can be designed to accommodate a small number of vehicles or can span large parking spaces that can accommodate a large number of vehicles. Known solar-powered carports are usually made of steel and have support structures connected to and supporting the roof, with a solar photovoltaic panel mounted on the roof to generate electricity. Any additional associated components, such as electrical components (eg cables and / or inverters) or drainage equipment, are either mounted outside the sun-powered carport or located separately from the carport.

There is a need for carports that can reliably support solar photovoltaic or solar thermal panels over long spans and that can contribute to sustainable development, in particular for new properties, by meeting the needs for renewable materials, generating renewable energy and promoting collection and reuse. waste water.

Disclosure of a utility model

The first object of the utility model is a carport, in particular, a carport using the energy of the sun according to claim 1 of the utility model claims. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a carport is provided in which the support structure (s) is a hollow fiber-reinforced plastic / fiber-reinforced resin structure) that is reliable and easy to manufacture and has interior space that can be advantageously used for placement of the various components related to the functionality of the system, as described below. In one embodiment of the invention, a sun-powered carport is provided, comprising at least one support structure, wherein at least one said support structure has a core portion located on the surface of the earth and a branch portion connected to the core portion, when thus, both the rod section and the branch section have an internal cavity, so that when connected to each other, they form a cavity within the support structure; and at least one tray located on a branching portion of the support structure, wherein at least one tray comprises at least one solar panel for absorbing solar energy, wherein at least one electrical component associated with at least one solar panel located inside the cavity of the support structure. The utility model makes it possible to advantageously place at least one component, for example, an electrical component associated with power generation, such as an inverter, inside at least one said support that protects the component from the external environment and restricts access to at least one component.

Each support structure may include a substantially vertical center pivot portion for ground positioning and a branch portion for supporting a roof, the branch portion comprising at least one laterally extending branch member shaped to have a substantially flat top surface for supporting roofs. The term "ground" in this document may refer to surfaces other than the ground itself, such as the elevated level of a multi-storey car park or a roof or other platform on which vehicles can be parked and a carport installed.

In one embodiment, both the shaft section and the branch section have at least one ventilation opening allowing air to pass between the cavity inside the support structure and the external environment, wherein air is sucked into the cavity through the first ventilation opening of the support structure and passes through at least one component before exiting the support structure through the second vent. This air flow can be used in particular to cool electrical components inside the support structure. This improves heat dissipation from these electrical components, optimizing their performance and preventing overheating. This is especially useful when the at least one electrical component is an inverter. Air can be drawn into the support structure and passed through at least one component due to natural or forced convection.

In one preferred embodiment, the branch portion and the core portion are one-piece molded continuous fiber structures. This ensures ease of assembly and avoids design vulnerabilities when connecting components. The branching section may comprise two branching elements extending in opposite lateral directions. In a preferred embodiment, the implementation section and the core section are made of continuous fiber-reinforced plastic.

In one preferred embodiment, the branch section has a variable moment of inertia. This increases the overall strength and achievable swing of the branch section, and also reduces deflection along its length. In some embodiments, the branching section may be reinforced with carbon fiber to further enhance the aforementioned parameters.

The roof may comprise a plurality of roof elements, each of which extends in a direction such that it forms a span between two spaced support elements, each roof element being parallel and connected to an adjacent roof element. Each roof element may have a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from it, forming a U-shaped cross-section, with the roof elements (also called "trays" herein) arranged so that the side walls of adjacent roof elements abut each other friend and connected together along the length of the span. This arrangement has been found to stiffen the roof and allow large spans (eg 15-18 m) to be used between adjacent substructures. At least one roof element, and preferably every second (i.e. alternating) roof element, is provided with a laterally extending flange extending from the distal edge of the at least one side wall and positioned so that it presses tightly against the distal edge of the side wall adjacent roof element. This further increases the rigidity of the roof and can also be used to provide a watertight seal between adjacent roof elements. Roof elements can be made of fiber-reinforced plastic such as fiberglass, with a foamed or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) core, or other lightweight core material. This arrangement has been found to provide a lightweight yet rigid roof structure that is also water resistant.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a solar photovoltaic panel. In one preferred embodiment, the solar photovoltaic panel is connected to the electrical grid through a cavity within the support structure. This synergistically protects the grid connection from the external environment, while at the same time shielding the environment from the point of connection to the grid.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a solar thermal panel.

In some embodiments, a battery system may be housed within the cavity of the support structure. In one preferred embodiment, the battery system has a charging point for an electric vehicle. In embodiments comprising both solar photovoltaic panels and a battery system, the energy generated by the solar photovoltaic panels can be used to charge the battery system. In some embodiments, the rod portion and / or branch portion of the support structure comprises a battery having an anode, a cathode, a separator / insulator, and a liquid electrolyte. In such embodiments, it is necessary to coat the cavity within the support structure with an acid-resistant coating, or to form the core portion and the branch portion from an acid-resistant fiber-reinforced plastic / fiber-reinforced polymer.

In some embodiments, the solar powered carport further comprises water collection means for collecting and directing rainwater into a storage tank located within a cavity of the support structure. This allows rainwater falling on the sun-powered carport to be reused. In some embodiments, the solar powered carport may further include a main reservoir external to the support structure connected to the storage reservoir via a connecting pipe. This allows the water collected in the storage tank within the cavity of the support structure to be supplied to the main tank, which may be larger than the storage tank. In some cases, the main tank may be supplied with water from multiple storage tanks within the support structures. The main tank can be located underground or on the ground.

In embodiments comprising both solar thermal panels and a storage tank, the solar thermal panels can be used to heat water in the storage tank. The heated water from the storage tank can then be transferred to another location (for example, to the main tank external to the supporting structure) and used for other purposes.

Next, by way of example, embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a sun-powered carport;

in fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of trays used as structural elements for the roof of a sun-powered carport;

in fig. 3 is a side view of the support structure, and a projection of the base of the support structure, top view;

in fig. 4 - a beam with a variable moment of inertia, perspective view;

in fig. 5 - fiber-reinforced beam with variable moment of inertia, perspective view;

in fig. 6 is a perspective view of a support structure reinforced with continuous fiber;

in fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of attaching additional supporting components to a support structure;

in fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of a support structure arrangement;

in fig. 9 is a schematic illustration of a support structure arrangement;

in fig. 10 is a schematic illustration of a support structure with a built-in rechargeable battery;

in fig. 11 schematically shows a support structure with a water collection system; and

in fig. 12 is a car standing under a carport support structure.

Implementation of the utility model

Various modifications, adaptations and variations of the embodiments described in this document will be apparent to those skilled in the art, familiar with the advantages of the utility model, and such modifications, adaptations and variations resulting in additional embodiments of the utility model are also within the scope of the attached utility model formulas.

The sun-powered carport described in the following embodiments of the utility model enables the generation of renewable energy for business, home use and / or for charging electric vehicles. The system features many new and innovative design benefits, detailed below.

FIG. 1 shows a carport 10 comprising a plurality of support structures 12 spaced at intervals along the length of the carport and divided by a span between the support structures. The supporting structures support the roof, which is designed to support or house solar panels or solar thermal boxes for generating electricity or heating water, etc. Substructures are usually separated by intervals (i.e. spans) of 10 to 12 m, and generally these spans correspond to the number of adjacent parking spaces below them on the ground. The spans between the supporting structures can be of different lengths and in some cases can be up to 18 m. Depending on the object, the roof may be supported by a single supporting structure and a building rather than several supporting structures.

Each support structure 12 is designed such that the roof is supported at an angle (usually several degrees) to the horizontal, depending on the location, preferably in such a way as to maximize exposure to sunlight. Means may be provided to adjust the angle of inclination of the solar panels relative to the roof or the angle at which the roof is supported by the supporting structures relative to the ground. The support structure 12 is a hollow structure, usually molded from fiberglass-reinforced plastic or fiber-reinforced plastic, to form a base or rod portion 14 and support a roof or branch portion 13. The rod portion is substantially vertical and is a key component of the support structure and extends vertically around a central vertical the axis of the support structure (not shown in the drawings). As shown in FIG. 1 and 3, the rod section is fixed to the ground to secure the carport structure. In the embodiment shown, a branch section 13 extends from the core section 14 to form two branches 13a, 13b extending in opposite directions outwardly from the core section and providing a flat top surface 13c that supports the roof 20 (shown in an exploded view in FIG. 1 separate from the supporting structures on which the assembled carport structure rests). In some embodiments, as shown in the drawing, the branches 13a, 13b are substantially the same length in the direction of their lateral passage from the rod, while in other embodiments (not shown) they may differ in length, so that the branch section can run mainly in the direction of only one or the other branch. The location of the branches is typically such that the roof covers the length of one or two parking spaces perpendicular to the direction of the span plus a small additional area to provide additional weather protection for vehicles parked in such parking spaces (also FIG. 12).

The use of materials such as fiberglass / fiber-reinforced plastic to form a hollow structure allows support structures to be repaired when damaged by, for example, collisions with vehicles using a carport, by cutting and replacing damaged portions of the structure's shell. Parts of the structure can also be replaced in a similar manner for other reasons, such as replacing or updating charging ports for electric vehicles as needed, thereby providing flexibility in the functionality of the carport.

The support structure can be composed of a single component or, as shown in FIG. 3, the shaft portion 14 and the branch portion 13 can be separate components that are connected to each other, for example by bolts. At least some portions of the support structure can be provided with a composite core to increase structural rigidity and can be formed from, for example, PVC or PET foam.

As shown in FIG. 1 and 2, the roof itself may be formed from one or more roof members extending between adjacent support structures in the span direction, and preferably a plurality of such roof members extending in parallel between adjacent support structures. Each roof element may be in the form of a tray 22, 24 having a flat base 25 and side walls 26a, b extending substantially perpendicularly from the base, as shown in cross-section in FIG. 2. In FIG. 1 and 2 show a roof section 20, the section shown comprises three parallel trays, the long side of which extends between two adjacent support structures 12. In some embodiments, the completed roof may comprise nine parallel trays, for example, each of which typically has a length spans between adjacent support structures, although it should be borne in mind that other placement options are possible (for example, roof elements having a length of two or more spans) or roof elements connected to each other along the span between the support elements).

As shown in FIG. 2, in one preferred embodiment, the roof trays are arranged side by side and connected to each other by their side walls 26a to form a roof. Trays 22, 24 may be bolted or otherwise secured to form a rigid roof structure. Typically, the trays are joined together to form a complete roof span and then bolted at their ends to vertical support structures to form a carport. Trays can be made of fiber-reinforced plastic / fiberglass and can have a foam or PET core (made from recycled plastic bottles, for example) or other lightweight foam.

As shown in FIG. 2, each second tray 22, 25 may be provided with an occlusion flange 27, typically 50 mm wide, along the distal edges of its projecting side walls 26a, b. Alternative trays 24 can then fit snugly onto the flanges of adjacent trays. This provides increased rigidity and can also be used to form a watertight seal between adjacent trays. In some embodiments, such a waterproof seal may also form a path for rainwater to drain into the storage tank within the support structure 12 that supports the roof. This tray arrangement has been found to provide a strong roof structure that can support more solar panel weight than conventional carport roof structures. Alternatively, each tray may be identical, and a seal flange may be formed on one side wall of each tray, so that the side wall of each tray, which is provided with a seal flange, abuts against the side wall of an adjacent tray that is not flanged and fits snugly against flange of an adjacent tray.

When roof elements are formed as trays (as shown in FIG. 2), such trays can be installed in one of two orientations, ie (i) in a "vertical" configuration with base 25 at the bottom and side walls extending upward; or (ii) in an "inverted" configuration (shown in FIG. 2) in which the base 25 is at the top and the side walls 25 extend downward. The choice of orientation may depend on the type of rooftop solar panels, such as solar photovoltaic panels, solar thermal panels, or other types of panels. For solar PV panels, an inverted configuration may be preferred to provide a flat surface allowing airflow under the solar PV panels to provide cooling. In this case, the solar PV panels can be fixed to the trays with bolts or clamps. In an installation that includes solar thermal panels, it may be preferable to place such panels in vertical trays such that the panels are positioned within the trays and the walls 26a, b help position the panels in place, although the panels can also be bolted or fastened to the trays. ...

FIG. 3, the support structure 12 is shown in more detail. As mentioned above, the support member 12 extends between the distal ends of the two legs 13a, 13b at a distance usually slightly greater than the length of one or two parking spaces, depending on the configuration of the carport in relation to the spaces between parking spaces below it. The width of the support structure 12 in the perpendicular direction (i.e. in the direction of the span) can typically be about 400 mm.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the shaft portion 14 and the branch portion 13 are formed as separate components and are bolted or otherwise connected. The lower part of the rod portion 14 is fixed to the ground, in this case by bolts 16. FIG. 3 also shows a top plan view 30 of the shaft portion 14 of the support structure 12, showing that the shaft portion has a hollow structure of substantially elliptical cross-section. In one embodiment, the rod portion is anchored to the ground by a flange (not shown) extending inwardly from the periphery of the lower portion of the rod portion where it touches the ground to provide a substantially horizontal ground abutting surface within the hollow rod portion. In such a case, the flange can be secured to the surface of the ground, for example, using a plurality of bolts before the branch section is connected to the stem section (to allow access to the inside of the stem section before joining the branch section), or, alternatively, to the inside of the flange. can be accessed through an access panel or inspection hatch provided on the core section. This arrangement provides a mechanism for securing the support structure to the ground, invisible from the outside of the support structure.

In an end view not shown in the drawings, the bases of the branches 13a, 13b have an elliptical shape that turns into a concave shape at the confluence with the shaft portion. The upper part 13c of the branching portion 13 is flat, but generally inclined at an angle of several degrees to the horizontal, as shown in FIG. 3.

Access doors may be provided on the side of the support structure to provide access to bolts, cables, and other equipment located within the support structure, which may include inverters, datalogger, cellular transceivers, Wi-Fi boosters, and other electronic equipment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the branches 13a, 13b of the branch section 13 form a beam with a variable inertial characteristic, in which each branch tapers towards its distal end, so that the weight of each branch (and its moment of inertia) decreases towards its end, reducing the load on the ends of the cantilever branches. In particular, this is achieved with the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 by means of a chamfered bottom side of the branching portion opposite the flat top surface 13c.

FIG. 4 shows this principle more generally, showing a structural beam 40 of rectangular cross-section having a flat top surface of constant width but curved bottom side to obtain a beam whose depth varies from a Y value at each end to a maximum value greater than Y. , at the midpoint of the beam. In some embodiments of the beam shown in FIG. 4 types, can be used to bridge the span between adjacent substructures in order to support a roof with solar panels mounted to it, or to support solar panels directly on the beams. In such a case, the beam is supported at each end rather than at the center, and the curved shape of the underside of the beam allows the use of a low tensile material (e.g. carbon based material such as fiber) to reduce deflection in long spans that cannot be covered with other materials. FIG. 5 shows such a structure of a beam 50, similar to that shown in FIG. 4 to the beam 40, but provided with carbon fibers 52 used to reinforce the beam at its lower and / or upper surfaces. In particular, long continuous carbon fibers reinforcing the underside of the beam can significantly increase the load capacity of the beam and reduce deflection, thereby allowing large spans to be bridged in this configuration.

FIG. 6-12 show various additional support structures and other elements that may be used in the carport of FIGS. one.

FIG. 6 shows a support structure 60 different from that shown in FIG. 1 and 3 in that the support structure 60 has flat, parallel faces (one of which 61 is visible in FIG. 6) and the same cross-section in the direction of the span of the carport. As a result, the flanks 62, 64 are flat surfaces perpendicular to the faces, rather than the contours shown in FIG. 1. In such a case, the structure can be reinforced with continuous unidirectional composite fibers 66, 68 extending along each of the lateral sides 62, 64, i. extending along the first side 62 from end A of one leg to end B of the base of the structure on the first side; and along the second side 64 from the end C of the second leg to the end D of the base of the structure on the second side.

FIG. 7 shows a support structure 70 similar to that shown in FIG. 6, but additionally provided with a reinforcing structure in the form of a shroud 73 having a substantially V-shaped cross-section that is fitted over the end 72a of the leg 72 of the support structure 70.

The enclosure can be a molded structure of GRP / fiber-reinforced plastic or the like and can be positioned to extend along the span of the carport structure between adjacent support structures, providing additional rigidity to the overall structure. One or more casings can run along the carport and, if necessary, can be connected to each other, depending on the length of the span. The shroud 73 is preferably mounted on the recessed portion 74, 75 of the outer surface of the end 72a of the leg 72 of the support structure 70 so that the outer surface of the shroud 73 is flush with the outer surface of the leg 72. The shroud may be bonded to the support structure using an adhesive, in particular epoxy ... It should be noted that such adhesives can be used to bond various components and structural elements of a carport, especially when using fiberglass or other fiber-reinforced materials, while offering a convenient manufacturing process that can be faster and easier than conventional carport manufacturing. ... The adhesives used can be environmentally friendly adhesives such as resins and plant-based adhesives to minimize the design's environmental impact.

As shown in FIG. 8, the design of the support structure 80 may include ventilation holes in the hollow structure to facilitate convection cooling of electrical or other components housed within the hollow structure. In particular, the carport support structures 80 may contain various types of electrical components associated with generating and storing electrical energy and / or charging electric vehicles, including, for example, inverters and batteries, and potentially other components associated with the use of the support structure. for electronic displays (for example, to install user interfaces, advertisements or other signs). The hollow structure of the support structure advantageously provides, on the one hand, space for such components, on the other hand, the possibility of cooling the components by convection.

One or more air inlets 82 may be provided at the base of the support structure 80, and one or more outlets 84 may be provided on the top of the support structure. This arrangement allows heat generated by any electrical components 86 contained in the support structure 80 to rise up and out. from the outlets 84 of the support structure, whereby air is sucked in from the outside through the inlet vents 82, and a convection flow 88 is created to cool the components 86. This is particularly preferred in a sun-powered carport because it allows the electrical components associated with generating electricity or charging electric vehicles, inside the structure and away from users or the public, and at the same time uses a hollow structure to advantageously cool such hidden components using the described ventilation holes ...

FIG. 9 shows yet another preferred arrangement in which the hollow structure of the support structure 90 is used as a battery compartment for storing one or more batteries 92 used to store electricity from solar photovoltaic panels in a carport and / or for use in charging electric vehicles, and / or as back-up batteries to maintain the electrical functions of the carport in the event of a lack or failure of another power source. The battery system can have connection means on the outside of the support structure (for example, in the form of a charging point for electric vehicles or other type of terminal to power any of a variety of known applications), or the battery can be used to provide power to other functions of the carport, such as charging points for mobile devices, or for powering electronic indicators used as information displays, advertising surfaces, user interfaces, payment points for charging electric vehicles or parking, etc. Said storage battery can be charged by one or more solar photovoltaic panels located on the roof of the carport above the support structure.

Alternatively, a charging point for electric vehicles from the electrical grid can be provided in the support structure, in which case any necessary components, if necessary, can be placed inside a storage compartment within the support structure.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 9, in which the battery is integrally formed with a hollow structure of the support structure 100. In such an embodiment, the inner cavity of the support structure 100 may be a housing for housing: anode 102, cathode 104, electrolyte 106 and separator / insulator 108 separating the anode and cathode, which together form a battery. In one embodiment, the electrolyte can be housed within the acid-resistant fiber-reinforced plastic of the hollow support structure 100 without having to place the preformed batteries within the structure, thereby maximizing the space allocated for the batteries and therefore maximizing the battery capacity.

FIG. 11 shows a support structure 110, within the hollow support structure of which one or more reservoirs 112 are placed for storing fluid, in particular rainwater, falling onto the roof of a carport for reuse. The connecting pipe 114 may connect the storage tank 112 to the underground tank 116. Alternatively, the structure may provide storage tanks without being connected to the underground tank, or water can be directed through the interior of the support structure into the underground tank and the storage tanks inside the support designs may be missing. Where one or more storage tanks are provided within the hollow support structure, they may be located in different parts of the support structure 110 as the case may be, and, for example, may be located in the legs of the support structure.

A collector gutter can be installed to collect water from the roof span (which can be part of the roof elements / trays that form the roof structure, or a separate component on the roof). The collecting trough can supply the collected water to a drain that extends into the cavity of the support structure and can extend inside the hollow support structure. The drain can direct the collected water either to the storage tank 112 within the cavity of the support structure, or directly to another location (eg, to a tank located outside the support structure, or to a buried tank 116). The collected water can be stored and reused (eg in a nearby building). In one preferred embodiment, the support structure is shaped such that water flowing from any point on the roof continuously falls downward from end 111 of the lower branch of the support structure to the ground or enters a storage tank if water is directed into the support structure from end 111 and flows inside the support structure. Thus, the shape of the inner surface of the support structure can be used to drain water from the collection trough into a storage tank located at the bottom inside the support structure without collecting in the branches of the support structure.

FIG. 12 shows an end view of a carport, and in particular the face of a support structure 120, including air inlets 122 and air outlets 124 for cooling components located within the support structure, as described with reference to FIG. 8. In FIG. 12 further shows the vehicle 125 parked in a parking space under an awning, and it can be seen that in this example the lateral extent of the legs of the support structure is approximately equal to the length of the two parking spaces.

As can be seen from FIG. 12, the outer surface of the support structure 120 can be used as a place for advertising and / or to accommodate other means of communication with the user, such as display screens for providing information or instructions, flexible TFT panels embedded flush with the surface of the support structure, or user interfaces, such as touch screens to pay for charging electric vehicles, parking, etc. The profiled support structures (shown in more detail in FIG. 1) can be covered with PVC foil for advertising or branding or information purposes.

From the above description, it is clear that a carport can be formed from support structures with various useful features, and the devices described with reference to the drawings can be implemented in any combination.

The hollow structure allows the following elements to be incorporated into the structure of structures without any restrictions: cables, cable ducts, electrical components, water pipes, a water storage tank, an integrated battery. Carport and hollow support structures can also be used for Wi-Fi or cell phone signal amplification devices, since the support structures are preferably formed without the use of conductive materials (and preferably formed from fiberglass or other fiber-reinforced plastic) and therefore will not act as an antenna or interfere with Wi-Fi or other signal amplification device located inside the cavity of the supporting structures. This provides a significant advantage over traditional carport designs, which are typically made of steel and which furthermore do not have internal space to accommodate such equipment. In some embodiments, the interior of the support structures can be used to house cellular or Wi-Fi antennas or amplifiers instead of conventional antennas located elsewhere in the vicinity.

While reference is made in the above description to the use of fiberglass or other fiber-reinforced plastics to form carport support structures, other suitable preferably non-electrically conductive materials can also be used, especially where they can be used to form a hollow support structure of the type shown to achieve advantages similar to those described above.

Thus, the advantages of the described system include:

economical provision of renewable energy on site;

providing electricity to local users and / or supplying electricity to the grid;

possibility of hot water supply when used in conjunction with roof-mounted heat exchangers (solar thermal panels);

charging electric vehicles;

assistance in reducing harmful emissions;

improved visual perception (due to the curvilinear nature of the structure);

use of higher quality materials than in conventional steel carport structures, with improved visual and structural characteristics;

using environmentally friendly, improved plant-based resins and adhesives to bond materials such as GRP / fiber-reinforced plastics;

the use of new, simpler ways to connect parts of the system using epoxy adhesives;

multifunctional use: power generation, advertising space, charging points, hot water supply, water storage, battery storage space, etc .;

can be made from recyclable materials;

the use of fiber-reinforced plastic in solar-powered carports allows for a longer lifespan than conventional steel structures and is more environmentally friendly;

fiberglass / fiber-reinforced plastic panels can be repaired by cutting and replacing damaged areas;

the use of one-piece or two-piece continuous fiber molded support structures in solar-powered carports offer an easy-to-manufacture structure;

use of beams with variable inertial moment to achieve the required span lengths and deflection characteristics. This improves the deflection characteristics of currently available products;

collection of waste water and its storage inside the housing of the supporting structure;

an innovative air intake system for exhaust ventilation to cool electrical components and circulate air inside the enclosure;

Supports amplification of Wi-Fi and cellular data signals.

Claims (19)

1. A sun-powered carport comprising at least one support structure having a substantially vertical center pivot portion for installation on the ground and a branching portion for supporting a roof that is configured to support at least one solar panel; wherein the at least one support structure is made of fiber-reinforced plastic and has a hollow structure defining a cavity therein, the branch section comprises at least one laterally extending branch element, the shape of which has a substantially flat top surface for supporting the roof, and at least one component located within the cavity for connecting to at least one solar panel. 2. The canopy of claim 1, wherein the component is an electrical component, particularly an inverter, for connection to a solar photovoltaic panel. 3. The canopy of claim 2, wherein the branch portion comprises two branch members extending in opposite lateral directions and is formed from a one-piece fiber-reinforced plastic. 4. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, in which the roof comprises a plurality of roof elements, each of which extends in such a direction as to form a span between two spaced support elements, each roof element being parallel and connected to an adjacent roof element. 5. The canopy of claim 4, wherein each roof element has a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicularly from it, forming a U-shaped cross-section, and the roof elements are located so that the side walls of adjacent roof elements abut each other to a friend and connected together along the length of the span. 6. A canopy according to claim 5, wherein at least one roof element, preferably each alternating roof element, is provided with a laterally extending flange extending from the distal edge of the at least one side wall and positioned so that it presses tightly against the distal edge side wall of an adjacent roof element. 7. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 4-6, in which the roof elements are made of fiber-reinforced plastic such as fiberglass, with a foamed or PET core. 8. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 1-7, further comprising at least one solar panel, in particular a solar photovoltaic panel or a solar thermal panel, mounted on a roof. 9. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 1-8, in which at least one support structure has at least one lower ventilation opening and at least one upper ventilation opening located above the at least one lower ventilation opening, with each ventilation opening forming a duct for the passage of air between the internal cavity of the support structure and the external environment, and the ventilation openings provide a passage for air, allowing it to be drawn into the cavity through at least one lower ventilation opening by convection and pass through at least one component before exiting the support structure through at least one an upper ventilation opening for cooling at least one of said component. 10. The canopy of claim. 9, wherein the at least one support structure is configured to draw air into the support structure by natural or forced convection. 11. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 1-10, further comprising rainwater collection means configured to collect and direct rainwater into a storage tank located in an interior cavity of the support structure. 12. The canopy of claim 11, further comprising a main tank external to the support structure, optionally located underground and connected to a storage tank located within the support structure via a connecting conduit. 13. The canopy of claim 12, wherein the main reservoir is configured to collect water from a plurality of storage reservoirs located in respective support structures. 14. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 11-13, in which the support structure is shaped such that water flowing down from the roof is directed into the inner cavity of the support structure and flows along the inner surface of the support structure into the storage tank, continuously falling down from the top of the support structure into the storage tank. 15. The canopy of claim 1, wherein at least one said component is a battery. 16. The canopy of claim. 15, wherein the battery is adapted to store electrical energy generated by the at least one solar photovoltaic panel mounted on the roof. 17. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 15 or 16, wherein the battery is integral with the inner cavity of the support structure, the hollow structure of the support structure forming a battery case comprising an anode compartment and a cathode compartment filled with liquid electrolyte and separated by a separator. 18. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 15-17, wherein the at least one support structure comprises a battery-powered charging point for electric vehicles. 19. Canopy according to any one of paragraphs. 1-18, further comprising at least one solar thermal panel mounted on a roof, and a storage tank disposed within a cavity of at least one support structure, said at least one solar thermal panel adapted to heat water to storage in a storage tank.

Images