Solar Powered Navigation Buoy Generator

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is to be used as an add on to small existing navigation buoys.

This invention relates in general to the use of mini solar panels which in turn convert sunlight into usable electricity to charge a rechargeable gelled electrolyte battery located inside of an existing navigation buoy caisson. The battery in turn operates the existing buoy electronics system.

2. Prior Art

In the past, lighted navigation buoys have been powered with disposable batteries that had to be replaced several times in a boating season and then disposed of into the environment, very costly in dollars, and more importantly costly to the environment.

Solar generators using solar panels to convert sunlight into electricity are already known to power larger navigation beacons. See, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,735, issued July 26, 1988. They are complicated and expensive to build.

No device is known, however, to charge small navigation buoys at an economical cost, and to eliminate the enormous quantity of disposable batteries being disposed of into the environment.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a device that is practical, dependable, and inexpensive to build and easy to adapt to existing lighted navigation buoys.

Another object is to provide such a device in lightweight rugged form that can be stored easily withought being disconnected from the buoy when not in use. When not in use and stored in a lighted environment the gelled electrolyte battery will remain charged and will have a life expectancy of several years.

The foregoing objects can be accomplished by providing a flat, light weight platform with solar panels mounted on it. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the platform is formed from a flat piece of stainless steel that is formed and fitted to a caisson of an existing buoy.

The flat and formed stainless steel platform with solar panels mounted on it has a round hole of sufficent size punched in the center of it to allow the unit to fit down over the existing buoy. A wiring harness is routed from each solar panel mounted on the flat stainless steel platform through a hole in the side of the buoy caisson and internally connected to the battery that in turn is connected to the existing electronics of the buoy.

FIG. 1. Is an overall schamatic of the device as it adapts to an existing navigation buoy.

FIG. 2, is an overall view of the device including the wiring harness and battery.

As shown in the drawing figs., the preferred solar powered navigation buoy generator in accordance with the present invention includes a formed platform 5 of rectangular shape which preferably is stainless steel. The platform 5 is punched with a round hole 16 in the center corresponding to the size of the existing buoy caisson.

Two mini solar panels 6 are connected onto the top on each end of the platform 5 by means of four mounting bolts 8 and secured by four locking nuts 9. A whip antenna 7 is fastened to the platform 5 through a pre-drilled hole 15 and secured by a locking nut 14. The wiring harness 12 is then connected to the solar panels 6 and then routed through a small hole in the wall of the existing buoy caisson 1. The wiring harness 12 with a blocking diode 11 series connected to the positive side of the wiring harness 12 is then connected to the gelled electrolyte battery 10 which in turn is connected to the existing internal electronics 13 of the existing buoy. The unit is then fitted down over the existing buoy light lens 2 and on to the collar of the existing buoy caisson 1. Then the existing buoy light lens locking nut 3 is placed down over the platform 5 and locked onto the existing buoy caisson 1 by means of two existing buoy lens locking security bolts 4.