TECHNICAL FIELD
The subject matter described herein relates to solar parabolic reflectors and more particularly to improvements in connection of components of the solar parabolic reflectors to achieve a modular and load resistant structure.
BACKGROUND
The increasing energy consumptions and depleting fossil fuels have tossed up the need of some alternate source of energy such as solar energy. The need of such alternate sources resulted in the development of various solar collecting devices like solar parabolic reflectors.
The solar parabolic reflectors essentially include plurality of tubes and pipes arranged in criss-cross structures for a pre-defined function. Preferably, the tubes and pipes are welded together to make the arrangement capable for the pre-defined function. However, welded structure increases the problem of transporting these huge structures to the sites. It also worsens the possibility of a lengthy structure required for very long solar parabolic reflectors. Also, due to the fact that during welding, the strength of the structures is dependent only on the amount of materials used, such structures are comparatively weak and inefficient in sustaining long stresses such as wind load. Further, such structures increase the overall weight of the solar parabolic reflectors.
Various methods have been proposed in prior arts (exemplary prior arts include US 4175308, US 5661942, US 20020064420, US 20100005752 and EP 0268413A2) to assemble the components of the solar parabolic reflectors in an optimum manner. However, conventional technologies fail in providing suitable modes of connection for tubes of solar parabolic reflectors as these pose difficulties in on-site assemblies, material handling and assembly accuracy.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved structure of a solar parabolic reflector that overcomes the above and other shortcomings present in the current technologies.

SUMMARY
The subject matter described herein is directed to a modular frame connector joint for a solar parabolic reflector provided with connector members configured to be assembled with a plurality of tubes via connector components.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the tubes of the solar parabolic reflector are oriented in different directions and at different angles relative to each other.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the connector members when assembled enclose a main connector.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the connector members are provided with various provisions for securing ends of plurality of tubes of the solar parabolic reflectors.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, at least two connector members are positioned parallel to each other during assembly.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the main connector passes through the center of a force nullify point of the modular frame connector joint.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the tubes of the solar parabolic reflector are connected to the connector component through fasteners.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the connector component is connected with the connector member through fasteners.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the fasteners include nuts and bolts, rivets, cotter pin, or the like.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the at least two connector members comprise a circular cross section.

In an embodiment of the present subject matter, the cross section of tubes of the solar parabolic reflector include circular, square, ellipse, oval, or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The aforementioned aspects and other features of the present disclosure will be explained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 illustrates a three dimensional view of a modular frame connector joint during assembly, according to one embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the modular frame connector joint of Figure 1.
Figure 3 illustrates a three dimensional view of the frame connector joint of Figure 1 depicting orientation of tubes of the solar parabolic reflector at different angles.
Figure 4 illustrates a front perspective view of a connector member of the modular frame connector joint, according to one embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 5 illustrates a rear perspective view of a connector member of the modular frame connector joint, according to another embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 6 illustrates a rear perspective view of a connector member of the modular frame connector joint, according to yet another embodiment of the present subject matter.
Figure 7 to Figure 11 illustrate three dimensional views of connector components in accordance with different embodiments of the present subject matter.
Figure 12 & Figure 13 illustrate free body diagrams showing forces acting on the modular frame connector joint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The embodiments of the present subject matter are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present subject matter is not limited to these embodiments which are only provided to explain more clearly the present subject matter to the ordinarily skilled in the art of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate like components.
In an embodiment of the present subject matter, FIG. 1 illustrates a modular frame connector joint 100 which includes at least two connector members 102 configured to be assembled with a plurality of tubes 104 of a solar parabolic reflector. In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the two connector members 102 are positioned parallel to each other and enclose a main connector 106 during assembly. As shown herein, the connector members 102 are provided with pre-defined provisions for connecting tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector, which are arranged in different orientations and at different angles relative to each other. The orientation of tubes 104 at different angles and their arrangement with other individual detachable components such as connector members 102 and the main connector 106 makes the design modular and thus easy to assemble on sites. FIG. 1 further shows the connection of tubes 104 to connector members 102 via connector components 108. In one embodiment of the present subject matter, a connector component 108 is connected with a connector member 102 through standard fasteners 110, such as nuts and bolts, rivets, cotter pin, and the like, as is evident from FIG. 2. In a similar manner, the tubes 104 are connected to the connector component 108 by similar or dissimilar standard fasteners 110. In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the cross section of tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector include circular, square, ellipse, oval, or the like.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the modular frame connector joint 100 depicting connector components 108 provided to assemble tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector with connector members 102 of the modular frame connector joint 100. FIG. 2 shows various components that are assembled to form the present subject matter as also explained with reference to FIG. 1. In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the main connector 106 acts as a force balancing component for the structure and creates a force nullify point (not

shown) at the centre of the modular frame connector joint 100 to maintain equilibrium between various forces being applied on the modular frame connector joint 100.
FIG. 3 illustrates a three dimensional view of the frame connector joint 100 of Figure 1. As shown herein, the tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector are configured at different angles. The frame connector joint 100 of the present subject matter ensures that the structure is under equilibrium under all operating conditions. Free body diagrams (refer FIG. 12 & FIG. 13) clearly depict various forces acting on the frame connector joint 100. As shown herein, the structure remains in equilibrium under the action of coplanar concurrent forces or where a, p, y are the separated angles between remaining forces not involved in a particular ratio. As the net force acting on the frame connector joint 100 is zero, forces represent three sides of a closed triangle, which indicates three balanced concurrent forces are coplanar. This means that forces form a balanced system as shown in FIG. 12.
The present subject matter ensures onsite assembly of all the components of the modular frame connector joint 100. This enables a very long structure of a solar parabolic reflector. Additionally, since the modular frame connector joint 100 can be oriented at any required angle, the tubes 104 of the frame connector joint itself can orient to its own axis during assembly.
FIG. 4, 5 & 6 illustrate a front perspective view, a rear perspective view and a rear view of the connector member 102 of the frame connector joint 100 depicting a hub for enclosing the main connector 106 and provisions for attaching tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector at different angles through connector components 108. As can be seen, such modular frame connector joint 100 ensures minimum welding in the structure.
In a preferred embodiment of the present subject matter, connector members 102 are provided with circular cross section. This is because the structures with circular cross section takes higher amount of torsion load as compared to those with other shapes such square, ellipse, oval, and the like. However, as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art, connector members 102 can be provided with any shape or cross section in different embodiments of the present subject matter. FIG. 7 to FIG. 11 shows various forms of the connector components 108

according to the different embodiments of the present subject matter. These forms can be easily adopted in the modular frame connector joint 100 and can be advantageously manufactured for ease during assembly especially where the structural lengths are longer.
The modular frame connector joint 100 according to present subject matter advantageously facilitates connection of connector members 102 with main connector 106 to for a defined functional dimension which acts as an integrated load withstanding member in the solar parabolic reflector. The modular frame connector joint 100 further minimizes the component variants, thereby ensuring decrease in the complexity during manufacturing and transportation of the structure. Furthermore, the modular frame connector joint 100 requires minimum assembly time on the site which consecutively results in decreasing the overall start up time of the solar collecting devices too. Moreover, the modular frame connector joint 100 as per the present subject matter is pertinent to very long structures of solar parabolic reflectors which demand high stability. Additionally, the frame connector joint 100 reduces the overall structural weight of the solar parabolic reflector without affecting the performance and cost of the solar parabolic reflector.
FIGS. 1 through 11 illustrate the modular frame connector joint 100 in accordance with the present subject matter being used in a simplified solar parabolic reflector. The details of the features of the solar parabolic reflector are not important to the present subject matter. Therefore, the present subject matter can be used in various other similar applications subject to combinations of different material and thickness.
Although the subject matter has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the subject matter, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the subject matter. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present subject matter as defined.

I/We claim:
1. A modular frame connector joint 100 for a solar parabolic reflector, the modular frame
connector joint 100 comprising:
at least two connector members 102 configured to be assembled with a plurality of tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector, the at least two connector members 102 being capable of orienting at different angles relative to each other and enclose a main connector 106 during assembly;
a connector component 108 provided to assemble each tube 104 of the solar parabolic reflector with the connector members 102.
2. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two connector members 102 comprise various provisions for securing ends of the plurality of tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector.
3. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 & 2, wherein the at least two connector members 102 are positioned parallel to each other during assembly.
4. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector are oriented in different directions.
5. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main connector 106 passes through the center of the force nullify point of the modular frame connector joint 100.
6. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein each tube 104 of the solar parabolic reflector is connected to the connector component 108 through fasteners 110.

7. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the
connector component 108 is connected with the connector member 102 through fasteners
110.
8. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 6 & 7, wherein the fasteners 110 comprise nuts and bolts, rivets, cotter pin, or the like.
9. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least two connector members 102 comprise a circular cross section.
10. The modular frame connector joint 100 as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the
cross section of tubes 104 of the solar parabolic reflector comprises circular, square,
ellipse, oval, or the like.
11 .The modular frame connector joint 100 for solar parabolic reflectors substantially as herein above described in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.