Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Spring counter-balance assemblies and solar trackers incorporating spring counter-balance assemblies
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Application No.: US15909142Application Date: 2018-03-01
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Publication No.: US10771007B2Publication Date: 2020-09-08
- Inventor: Ronald P. Corio
- Applicant: Array Technologies, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US NM Albuquerque
- Assignee: Array Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Array Technologies, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US NM Albuquerque
- Agency: Maschoff Brennan
- Main IPC: H02S20/32
- IPC: H02S20/32 ; F16M11/12 ; F24S25/12 ; F24S30/452 ; F24S30/425 ; F24S30/00

Abstract:
A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly is provided including at least one top bracket and at least one bottom bracket, at least one spring, a damper, and a bracket. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam. The spring counter-balance assembly may include at least one coil spring and a rotational stop. The bushing may be made of an elastomeric material and define one or more air spaces.
Public/Granted literature
- US20180254740A1 SPRING COUNTER-BALANCE ASSEMBLIES AND SOLAR TRACKERS INCORPORATING SPRING COUNTER-BALANCE ASSEMBLIES Public/Granted day:2018-09-06
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