Outdoor awning with panels for using solar energy

Abstract

An outdoor awning with panels for using solar energy, comprising a fixed supporting structure for a plurality of cross-members which can move longitudinally along guides formed within the fixed structure in order to open and close the awning; each cross-member is rigidly connected to the lower face of a canopy. The canopy comprises a plurality of transverse portions, each of which is delimited by a pair of consecutive cross-members and is associated with a plurality of panels which are exposed to sunlight in order to receive the radiation and convert it into energy of another kind. The awning comprises areas of discontinuity, on each transverse portion, so as to mutually space the panels in order to allow the folding of the canopy; the upper face of the canopy, with the awning in the open configuration, allows the draining of rainwater along preset directions.

1 . An outdoor awning with panels for using solar energy, comprising a fixed supporting structure for a plurality of cross-members which can move longitudinally along guides formed within said fixed structure in order to open and close the awning, each of said cross-members being rigidly connected to the lower face of a canopy, wherein said canopy comprises a plurality of transverse portions, each of said transverse portions being delimited by a pair of said consecutive cross-members and being associated with a plurality of panels which are exposed to sunlight in order to receive the radiation and convert it into energy of another kind, said awning comprising areas of discontinuity, on each of said transverse portions, so as to mutually space said panels in order to allow the folding of said canopy, the upper face of said canopy, with said awning in the open configuration, allowing the draining of rainwater along preset directions. 
     
     
         2 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , wherein said panels, in each of said transverse portions, are mutually aligned along at least two transverse rows, are arranged substantially so as to cover in an upper region said canopy, and are mutually spaced so as to form longitudinal passages in order to constitute a channel for draining rainwater and transverse gaps, said areas of discontinuity being constituted by said transverse gaps, each of said transverse portions folding along said transverse gaps in order to close said awning. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , wherein said canopy is thicker than said panels, said panels being substantially embedded within said canopy, the upper surface of each of said panels and the upper face of said canopy being coplanar. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , further comprising a deformable sheet-like element which is at least partially transparent, said canopy and said panels being covered in an upper region by means of said sheet-like element. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , wherein each of said panels comprises a photovoltaic module for receiving solar energy and converting it into electric power by means of the photovoltaic effect. 
     
     
         6 . The outdoor awning of  claim 5 , wherein each of said modules has a variety of photovoltaic cells, which are mutually connected electrically, each of said photovoltaic cells comprising a double layer of semiconductor material which is connected electrically to an external conductor. 
     
     
         7 . The outdoor awning of  claim 6 , wherein said semiconductor material is constituted by monocrystalline silicon. 
     
     
         8 . The outdoor awning of  claim 6 , wherein said semiconductor material is constituted by polycrystalline silicon. 
     
     
         9 . The outdoor awning of  claim 6 , wherein said double layer is constituted by a thin film of semiconductor material. 
     
     
         10 . The outdoor awning of  claim 9 , wherein said semiconductor material is constituted by amorphous silicon. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor awning of  claim 5 , wherein each of said modules of each of said transverse portions is connected electrically to the others so as to form a photovoltaic generator for a photovoltaic system. 
     
     
         12 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , wherein each of said panels is constituted by a thermal solar panel for receiving solar energy and converting it into heat energy, in order to transfer it to a different user element. 
     
     
         13 . The outdoor awning of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one gutter, which is fixed to said fixed structure in order to collect and drain the rainwater conveyed along said preset directions.