US 11,736,061 B2
Photovoltaic facility
Mike Van Iseghem, Thomery (FR); Romain Poivey, Paris (FR); and Etienne Mallo, Paris (FR)
Assigned to Electricite de France
Filed by Electricite de France, Paris (FR)
Filed on May 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/752,165.
Claims priority of application No. 2105423 (FR), filed on May 25, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0385230 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H02S 40/00 (2014.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01); E03B 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC H02S 40/00 (2013.01) [E03B 3/02 (2013.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.12)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photovoltaic facility comprising a solar tracker and at least one square or rectangular photovoltaic panel mounted on said solar tracker, the photovoltaic panel comprising two opposite horizontal edges, the solar tracker enabling the inclination of the photovoltaic panel to be varied with respect to the horizontal, so that the two horizontal edges of the photovoltaic panel are always horizontal whatever the inclination of said photovoltaic panel, wherein the photovoltaic facility comprises at least one gutter for recovering rainwater, wherein the gutter comprises a first longitudinal rim and a second longitudinal rim, wherein the gutter is mounted along one of the two horizontal edges of the photovoltaic panel using at least two anchoring devices, to which the gutter is suspended, so that the gutter can oscillate under the action of the weight of the gutter, about a horizontal axis of rotation, so as to remain horizontal, or substantially horizontal, whatever the inclination of said photovoltaic panel, wherein each anchoring device comprises:
a support provided with a horizontal pivot and a fastening device on said photovoltaic panel,
a first suspension cable provided with a first end and a second end, the first end of the first suspension cable being fastened to the first longitudinal rim of the gutter,
a second suspension cable provided with a first end and a second end, the first end of the second suspension cable being fastened to the second longitudinal rim of the gutter,
the second end of the first suspension cable and the second end of the second suspension cable being fastened to the horizontal pivot either directly or by a third suspension cable which connects the horizontal pivot to a connection point of the second end of the first cable and of the second end of the second cable,
and wherein the at least two anchoring devices are mounted on the photovoltaic panel so that the respective pivots of the anchoring devices are coaxial and define said horizontal axis of rotation.