JPH0377903A - Method and device for condensing sunlight - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow the direction of the condenser device to follow the sun and to allow easy and exact direction adjustment by disposing plural optical sensors around the optical axis between a condenser lens and an optical fiber and detecting the shift of the converged light by the movement of the sun. CONSTITUTION:The plural optical sensors 5a to 5d which receive the converged light projected from the condenser lens 2 to the optical fiber 3 to output the photodetection signal are disposed around the optical axis 4 between the condenser lens 2 which condenses the sunlight and the optical fiber 3 which receives the condensed sunlight. The shift of the converged light arising from the movement of the sun is detected as a change in the photodetection signal and the direction of the condenser lens 2 is controlled in accordance with this change in the photodetection signal. The direction of the lens 2 is easily and exactly controlled to follow the movement of the sun in this way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for concentrating sunlight.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, attempts have been made to bring in sunlight using various concentrators in order to improve sunlight in poorly lit areas and to maintain the natural brightness of sunlight inside buildings and other structures. Some of them have been put into practical use.

This type of concentrator is generally configured to condense sunlight with a lens, receive it with an optical fiber, and guide it to a predetermined location, but because the position of the sun changes every moment over time, In order to collect light reliably and efficiently,
It is necessary to constantly adjust the direction of the lens to follow the position of the sun, and since the sun moves in different directions depending on the season, it is necessary to be able to adjust the direction of the lens in all directions. Therefore, directional control was troublesome and the equipment was complicated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a light condensing method and device that can easily and accurately control the orientation of a lens following the movement of the sun.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the light collecting method of the present invention improves the optical axis between the light collecting lens that collects sunlight and the optical fiber that receives the collected sunlight. A plurality of optical sensors are placed around the surrounding area to receive the focused light projected from the condensing lens onto the optical fiber and output a received light signal, and the change in the focused light due to the movement of the sun is detected as a change in the received light signal at the optical sensor. Detected 2
The present invention is characterized in that the orientation of the condenser lens is controlled based on changes in the light reception signal.

In addition, the concentrating device includes a condensing lens that condenses sunlight, an optical fiber that receives the condensed sunlight, and these condensing lenses in a holder that can be tilted in any direction by a driving means such as a motor. and a plurality of optical sensors arranged around the optical axis between the optical fiber and the optical fiber to receive the focused light projected from the condenser lens onto the optical fiber and output a received light signal, and the optical sensor is connected to the solar light. The holder is characterized in that it is connected to a control device that detects a change in the focused light due to movement as a change in a light reception signal in an optical sensor, and controls the orientation of the holder by driving a driving means based on the change in the light reception signal. .

The optical sensor may be constructed of a solar cell, which may also be used as a power source for the driving means.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, l is a cylindrical holder, and the holder 1 includes a condenser lens 2 made of a Fresnel lens that condenses sunlight, an optical fiber 3 that receives the condensed sunlight, and a condenser lens 2 that condenses sunlight. Convergent light 7 is supported by a holding member 6 fixed to a holder and arranged in four directions around an optical axis 4 between the condenser lens 2 and the optical fiber 3, and is projected from the condenser lens 2 to the optical fiber 3. There are provided first to fourth optical sensors 5a to 5d that receive light and output predetermined light reception signals according to the amount of light, and as is clear from FIG. In addition, when the sun is located on the optical axis 4, the convergent light 7 is partially and evenly received, but a predetermined light reception signal is not output. Note that each of the optical sensors 5a to 5d may be arranged so that none of them receives the focused light 7 when the sun is located on the optical axis 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the holder 1 is tiltably supported inside a ring-shaped support frame 9 by a horizontal axis IO, and its tilt in the front-rear direction is controlled by rotation of the horizontal axis 10. A horizontal shaft motor 11 for driving the horizontal shaft 10 is attached to the support frame 3. On the other hand, the support frame 3 is tiltably supported by the apparatus main body 12 by a vertical shaft 13,
The horizontal tilt is controlled by the rotation of the vertical shaft 13, and the vertical shaft motor 1 drives the vertical shaft 13.
4 is attached to the device main body 12. Therefore, by rotating the horizontal axis 10 and the vertical axis 13 by a desired angle using the two motors 13 and 14, the inclination of the holder I can be freely adjusted in any direction.

Each of the optical sensors 5a to 5d and motors 13 and 14 are as follows:
As shown in FIG. 3, they are connected via a control device M15. This control device! 5 is a logic circuit 1G that outputs a drive signal for each motor 13, 14 based on the light reception signal from each optical sensor 5a to 5d, and a drive that drives the motor 13, 14 based on a drive signal from a logic circuit 18. circuit! 7, and the logic circuit 18 includes optical sensors 5a to 5.
a plurality of comparators 20a to 20d corresponding to d;
First and second OR circuits 21a, 21b, and the same number of AND circuits 22a to 22d as comparators 20a to 20d.
It is made up of. First to fourth comparators 20a
-20d have two input terminals, one of which is connected to the optical sensors 5a to 5d, and the other connected to the reference value setting power supply V via a variable resistor R, and the first off circuit 21a is , one input terminal is the first comparator 20
a and one input terminal of the first AND circuit 22a, and the other input terminal is connected to the output terminal of the second comparator 20b and one input terminal of the second AND circuit 22b. connected, and the first OR circuit 21a
The W power terminal of Ml and the second AND circuit 22a and 2
2b is connected to the remaining input terminals, and also.

The second OR circuit 21b has one input terminal connected to the output terminal of the third comparator 20c and one input terminal of the third AND circuit 22c, and the other input terminal connected to the fourth comparator 20d. and one input terminal of the fourth AND circuit 22d, and the output terminal of the second OR circuit 21b is connected to the remaining input terminals of the third and fourth AND circuits 22c and 22d. has been
A drive signal for the horizontal axis motor 11 is output from the first and second AND circuits 22a and 22b to the drive circuit 17, and the third
Drive signals for the vertical axis motor 13 are output from the fourth AND circuits 22c and 22d to the drive circuit 17, and the inclination of the holder l is controlled by these signals in the following manner.

That is, from the state where the sun is on the optical axis 4 as shown in FIG. 4(A), the sun moves and the focused light 7 is directed to the first optical sensor 5a side as shown in FIG. 4(B). (See Figure 3 for details)
, when the light reception signal from the first photosensor 5a that has received the focused light 7 becomes larger than the reference value of the comparator, the output level of the first comparator 20a and the first OR circuit 21a becomes "1". A drive signal for the horizontal axis motor 11 is output from the AND circuit 22a of No. 1 to the drive circuit 17, the horizontal axis motor 11 (see 21st!I) rotates in the positive direction, and the horizontal axis lO rotates in the C direction. The holder l is as shown in Fig. 4 (C).
As shown in FIG. 3, the inclination of the sun is controlled until the sun returns to the optical axis 4 and the drive signal becomes zero. On the contrary, when the focused light 7 moves toward the second photosensor 5b, the second
The horizontal axis motor 1 is driven by the drive signal from the AND circuit 22b.
1 rotates in the opposite direction, the horizontal axis 10 rotates in the direction of the arrow,
The tilt of the holder l is controlled so that the optical axis 4 of the condensing lens 2 points toward the sun. Furthermore, when the focused light 7 moves toward the third or fourth optical sensor 5c or 5d, the vertical axis motor 14 is rotated in the forward or reverse direction by the drive signal output from the third or fourth AND circuit 22c or 22d. The tilt of the holder 1 is adjusted from side to side via the support frame 9 by forward and reverse rotation of the vertical shaft 13. Furthermore, when the focused light 7 shifts diagonally due to the sun moving diagonally, two adjacent optical sensors receive the focused light 7 and output a light reception signal.
Two motors11. ．． 14 is driven, and the direction of the holder 1 is adjusted in a complex manner back and forth and left and right.

That is, for example, two optical sensors 5a, a first and a third.

5c receives the focused light 7, the light reception signals from these optical sensors 5a and 5c cause the first and third comparators 20a and 20c and the first and second OR circuits 21a to
, 21b are both "L", drive signals are output from the first and third AND circuits 22a and 22c, the two motors 11 and 14 are driven, and the horizontal axis 10 becomes C.
The vertical axis 13 is rotated in the C direction, and the inclination of the holder 1 is adjusted in a combined direction.

In order to make the explanation easier to understand, Fig. 4 is exaggerated to show that the direction adjustment is performed after the sun has moved to a position where the focused light 7 is removed from the receiving fiber 3, but in reality Needless to say, direction adjustment is performed by following the sun within the range where the focused light 7 is received by the light receiving fiber 3.

Each of the optical sensors 5a to 5d can be constructed of a solar cell, so that the optical sensors 5a to 5d can also be used as a power source for driving a motor. In this case, each solar cell is arranged so that when the sun is located on the optical axis 4, they partially and evenly receive the focused light 7 and generate an electromotive force, and the generated electrical energy is temporarily transferred to the battery. It is desirable to store the energy and then supply it to the motor via this battery.

In addition, although the case where four optical sensors are used was explained in the said Example, you may use more than four optical sensors.

In addition, the mechanism for supporting the condenser lens, optical sensor, and optical fiber, the mechanism for adjusting their direction, the configuration of the control device, etc. are not limited to the above embodiments, and other appropriate configurations may be adopted. Of course it is possible.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of optical sensors are arranged around the optical axis between the condensing lens and the optical fiber, and the direction of the concentrating device is determined by detecting the shift in the condensed light caused by the movement of the sun. Since it is arranged to be adjusted to y4, it is possible to reliably detect the focused light, that is, the sun, no matter which direction it moves, and to easily and accurately adjust the direction of the condensing device to follow the sun.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a main part of an embodiment of the condensing device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a connection diagram of the control system, Fig. 4 (A), ( B) and (c) are explanatory diagrams illustrating a direction control method. ! ... Holder, 2. Condensing lens, 3. Optical fiber, 4. Optical axis, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d e optical sensor, 7. Converging light, 11.14-- Motor, 15. ·Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Receiving focused light projected from the condensing lens onto the optical fiber around the optical axis between the condensing lens that condenses sunlight and the optical fiber that receives the condensed sunlight. A plurality of optical sensors that output received light signals are installed, and changes in the focused light due to the movement of the sun are detected as changes in the received light signals at the optical sensors, and the orientation of the condensing lens is determined based on the changes in the received light signals. A method of concentrating sunlight characterized by controlling. 2. A condensing lens that condenses sunlight, an optical fiber that receives the condensed sunlight, and a holder that can be tilted in any direction by a driving means such as a motor, and between these condensing lenses and the optical fiber. A plurality of optical sensors are arranged around the optical axis of the sun and receive the focused light projected from the condensing lens onto the optical fiber and output a light reception signal. What is claimed is: 1. A solar light condensing device, characterized in that it is connected to a control device that detects a change in the light as a change in a light reception signal in an optical sensor and controls the orientation of the holder by driving a driving means based on the change in the light reception signal. 3. The sunlight condensing device according to claim 2, wherein the optical sensor is constituted by a solar cell, which also serves as a power source for the driving means.