Rolling protective cover

Abstract

A rolling protective cover for installation over structures provides a means to deploy one or more alternative protective membranes controlled by computer and actuated on various environmental conditions. Using an environmental sensor, the computer system can deploy a protective cover, retract a cover, or alternate between covers. The system can be used to increase the energy efficiency of the structure, solar panels, or to provide protection from elements such as fire, snow, hail, dust and debris accumulation. The system could further be used for application of fluid to the structure for use as a cleaner, fire retardant, or other such application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rolling protective cover comprising:
 a mounting bracket;   a proximal end included in the mounting bracket adapted to be mounted on a structure;   a distal end included in the mounting bracket;   a membrane storage roller carried by the distal end;   an axis included in the membrane storage roller about which the membrane storage roller rotates;   a membrane;   a first end included in the membrane and connected to the membrane storage roller;   a second end included in the membrane and connected to a cover extender roller;   a torsion spring carried by the cover extender roller and configured to rotate the cover extender roller; and;   wherein rotation of the membrane storage roller in a first direction releases the membrane from the membrane storage roller and the cover extender roller retracts the membrane, and rotation of the membrane storage roller in a second direction retracts the membrane onto the membrane storage roller and the cover extender roller releases the membrane.   
     
     
         2 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  wherein the membrane is a material selected from the group consisting of photo-active film, wavelength altering film, optical concentrating film, polyimide film, aluminized fiberglass, flame retardant, vinyl, poly, plastic, fabric, tambour, display screen, screen and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  wherein the membrane storage roller is driven by a motor. 
     
     
         4 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 3  wherein the motor is actuated, directly or indirectly, by one or more sensors from the group consisting of thermostats, thermal sensors, water sensors, photo sensors, snow sensors, hail sensors, humidity sensors, wind sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors, ionizing radiation sensors, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  including an edge control guide carried by the membrane storage roller and configured to align the membrane received onto the membrane storage roller. 
     
     
         6 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  including a cover extender having a cover extender first end and a cover extender second end, wherein the second end of the membrane is connected to the cover extender first end and the cover extender second end is connected to the cover extender roller. 
     
     
         7 . The protective cover of  claim 6  wherein the cover extender allows precipitation, light, and any combination thereof to pass through and is selected from the group consisting of a cable, rope, string, strap, ribbon, net, other such structure and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 6  including:
 a fluid applicator attached to the second end of the membrane; and 
 a fluid supply line in fluid communication between the fluid applicator and a fluid source. 
 
     
     
         9 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 8  wherein the fluid source contains a fluid selected from the group consisting of water, steam, air, salt solution, flame retardant, soap solution, fertilizer, deicer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  including a guide roller in operable communication with the membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 1  wherein the membrane includes a first section of material connected to a second section of material. 
     
     
         12 . A rolling protective cover comprising:
 a continuous loop membrane carried by a drive roller and a second roller;   a mounting structure adapted to secure the drive roller, second roller, and continuous loop membrane above a structure;   a motor to power the drive roller; and   a computer in operable communication with the motor and one or more environmental sensors selected from the group consisting of thermostats, thermal sensors, water sensors, photo sensors, snow sensors, hail sensors, humidity sensors, wind sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors, ionizing radiation sensor, and any combination thereof, and can be configured to actuate the motor based on an environmental condition;   wherein the continuous loop membrane is a material selected from the group consisting of photo-active film, wavelength altering film, optical concentrating film, polyimide film, aluminized fiberglass, flame retardant, vinyl, poly, plastic, fabric, tambour, display screen, screen and any combination thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 12  wherein the continuous loop membrane comprises a first section of material and a second section of material, and wherein the computer can alternate exposure between the first section of material and the second section of material by actuating the motor. 
     
     
         14 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 12  including:
 wherein the drive roller is a first drive roller, the motor is first motor, and the continuous loop membrane is a first continuous loop membrane, 
 a second continuous loop membrane carried by a second roller and a second drive roller powered by a second motor; 
 wherein the computer actuates the second motor. 
 
     
     
         15 . A rolling protective cover comprising:
 a mounting bracket;   a proximal end included on the mounting bracket adapted to be mounted on a structure;   a distal end included in the mounting bracket and adapted to carry a membrane storage roller;   an axis about which the membrane storage roller rotates;   a membrane;   a first end included in the membrane and adapted to be connected to the membrane storage roller;   a second end included in the membrane and adapted to be connected to a cover extender roller; and,   wherein rotation of the membrane storage roller in a first direction releases the membrane from the membrane storage roller, and rotation of the membrane storage roller in a second direction retracts the membrane onto the membrane storage roller.   
     
     
         16 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 15  wherein the membrane storage roller is driven by a motor and the motor is actuated, directly, indirectly, and any combination thereof, by a sensor selected from the group consisting of thermostats, thermal sensors, water sensors, photo sensors, snow sensors, hail sensors, humidity sensors, wind sensors, motion sensors, smoke detectors, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 16  including a computer in communication with the sensor which actuates the motor to deploy and retract the membrane, according to information received from the sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 17  wherein the computer is adapted to receive input from a user to manually engage the membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 17  wherein the computer is adapted to override an instruction to adjust a response to a perceived environmental factors. 
     
     
         20 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 17  wherein the computer is adapted to provide a function selected from the group consisting of maintaining, repairing, adjusting and any combination thereof of the rolling protective cover. 
     
     
         21 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 17  including:
 at least one fluid applicator carried by the membrane; 
 a fluid supply line in fluid communication between the fluid applicator and a fluid source; 
 wherein the fluid applicator can move with the membrane above the structure; and 
 wherein the computer is adapted to control an application of a fluid to the structure in response to information received from a sensor. 
 
     
     
         22 . The rolling protective cover of  claim 21  wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, steam, air, salt solution, flame retardant, soap solution, fertilizer, deicer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . A rolling protective cover comprising:
 a mounting bracket having a proximal end adapted to be mounted on a structure and a distal end;   a first membrane storage roller carried by the distal end;   an axis included in the first membrane storage roller about which the first membrane storage roller rotates;   a membrane having a first end and connected to the first membrane storage roller and having a second end connected to a second motorized membrane storage roller;   a torsion spring carried by second motorized membrane storage roller and configured to rotate the second motorized membrane storage roller; and;   wherein rotation of the first membrane storage roller in a first direction releases the membrane from the first membrane storage roller and rotation of the first membrane storage roller in a second direction retracts the membrane onto the first membrane storage roller and a cover extender roller releases the membrane.