Thin mirror with truss backing and mounting arrangement therefor

Abstract

A thin-sheet panel assembly. In one embodiment, a substantially rigid thin-sheet panel assembly having a non-rigid thin-sheet component includes the thin-sheet component which has selected plan area and shape, a backer having a plan shape and area substantially similar to the thin-sheet component, and plural riser elements of selected height and configuration each extending from the backer to distal ends connected to a reverse surface of the thin-sheet component, the riser elements being configured and disposed in an array which causes the assembly to have substantial rigidity in a selected direction in the thin-sheet component, and the thin-sheet panel assembly further includes a bar coupled to the backer and extending between at least one pair of adjacent riser elements of the plural riser elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substantially rigid thin-sheet panel assembly configured as a truss and having a non-rigid thin-sheet component, the thin-sheet panel assembly comprising the thin-sheet component which has selected plan area and shape and is a first chord of the truss, a backer having a plan shape and area substantially similar to the thin-sheet component and being a second chord of the truss, and plural riser elements of selected height and configuration each extending from the backer to distal ends connected to a reverse surface of the thin-sheet component, the riser elements being diagonal elements of the truss and configured and disposed in an array which causes the assembly to have substantial rigidity in a selected direction in the thin-sheet component, wherein the thin-sheet panel assembly further comprises a bar coupled to the backer and extending between at least one pair of adjacent riser elements of the plural riser elements. 
     
     
         2 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the riser elements are of substantially uniform height from the backer so that the thin-sheet component and the backer have essentially concentric curvature. 
     
     
         3 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 2  in which an obverse surface of the thin-sheet component has parabolically cylindrical concave curvature. 
     
     
         4 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the thin-sheet component includes a glass layer. 
     
     
         5 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the backer is defined by a backer sheet, and the riser elements are defined by portions of the backer sheet that are bent away from the backer sheet and have integral connections to the backer sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 5  in which the portions of the backer sheet that define the riser elements have substantially hourglass-shaped configurations and the integral connections to the backer sheet are at bases of the hourglass-shaped configurations. 
     
     
         7 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 6  in which the integral connections of the riser elements to the backer sheet are spaced along substantially parallel lines, and the riser elements are in substantially parallel planes. 
     
     
         8 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the bar extends between the substantially parallel planes. 
     
     
         9 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 5  in which the riser elements at their distal ends define connection tabs disposed laterally of the heights of the risers. 
     
     
         10 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 5  in which the riser elements at their distal ends define respective pairs of connection tabs disposed laterally of the heights of the risers, the connection tabs of each pair of connection tabs extending in opposite directions from the distal end of the riser element. 
     
     
         11 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 5  in which the backer sheet comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         12 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the connections of the distal ends of the riser elements to the reverse surface of the thin-sheet component are bonded connections. 
     
     
         13 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the thin-sheet component includes a substrate layer composed principally of a selected synthetic resin material. 
     
     
         14 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the thin-sheet component is reflective of electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         15 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1  in which the thin-sheet component is reflective of solar radiation. 
     
     
         16 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the thin-sheet component opposite the reverse surface includes at least a portion of a curved reflective surface having a selected curvature for directing and concentrating sunlight onto a receiver of a solar power generation facility. 
     
     
         17 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the bar is attachable to a trough frame supporting the curved reflective surface. 
     
     
         18 . The thin-sheet panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bar has a hexagonal cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         19 . A support structure for supporting a thin panel to have a substantially rigid configuration, the support structure comprising a backer sheet, and a plurality of riser elements having heights extending in a first direction from proximal ends coupled to the backer sheet to distal ends and having lengths along rows in substantially parallel riser planes, the distal ends of the riser elements being attachable to the thin panel for supporting the thin panel and increasing rigidity of the thin panel in a second direction substantially parallel to the riser planes, wherein the backer sheet is configured to be a first chord of a truss and the riser elements are configured to be diagonal elements of the truss, the thin panel being a second chord of the truss, wherein the support structure further comprises a bar extending between at least one pair of adjacent riser elements of the plurality of riser elements, the pair of adjacent riser elements being in a same one of the rows. 
     
     
         20 . The support structure of  claim 19 , wherein the bar extends between the rows in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions.