# US 10,768,266 B2 · Torque limiter devices, systems and methods and solar trackers incorporating torque limiters

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- Number: US 10,768,266 B2
- Document ID: US10768266B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/055,663
- Filed: 2018-08-06
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2014-02-19
- Assignees: Array Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Array Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Ronald P. Corio
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768266B2

## CPC

- G01S 3/7861: {Solar tracking systems}
- F24S 30/425: Horizontal axis
- F24S 40/00: Safety or protection arrangements of solar heat collectors; Preventing malfunction of solar heat collectors (control arrangements F24S50/00)
- F24S 2030/115: {Linear actuators, e.g. pneumatic cylinders}
- F24S 2030/134: {in the form of gearings or rack-and-pinion transmissions}
- F24S 2030/136: {for moving several solar collectors by common transmission elements}
- F24S 2030/15: {Bearings}
- Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar tracker assembly comprises a support column, a torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torsion beam, and a torsion limiter connected to an output of the drive system. When an external force causes a level of torsion on the drive system to exceed a pre-set limit the torsion limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly in the direction of the torsion, thereby allowing the external force to rotate about a pivot axis extending through the torsion beam. Exemplary embodiments also include methods of aligning a plurality of rows of solar trackers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar tracker assembly comprising:
one or more support columns;
one or more torque tubes or torsion beams connected to the support columns, the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams rotatable relative to the support columns;
a mounting mechanism attached to the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams, the mounting mechanism configured to connect one or more solar modules to the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams;
a drive system configured to rotate the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams;
a torque limiter connected to the drive system; and
a plurality of mechanical stops disposed at a maximum rotational position of the solar tracker assembly;
wherein when a hinge moment force causes a level of torque on the drive system to exceed a pre-set limit, the torque limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly in the direction of the torque, thereby allowing the hinge moment force to rotate the mounting mechanism about a pivot axis extending through the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams; and
wherein, when the torque limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker, the plurality of mechanical stops prevents rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly beyond the maximum rotational position at multiple locations.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the movement in the direction of the torque de-couples excess torque such that the external force is released and the level of torsion on the solar tracker assembly is reduced.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 2, wherein the movement in the direction of the torque comprises movement of the solar tracker assembly from a first rotational position to at least one second rotational position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 3,
wherein the solar tracker assembly is disposed at the maximum rotational position in the at least one second rotational position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 3, wherein the solar tracker assembly is constrained in its maximum rotational positions at multiple distributed locations along a torsional resisting structure of the solar tracker assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 5, wherein the solar tracker assembly includes a plurality of support columns and further comprises a stop of the plurality of mechanical stops at each support column.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the torsion limiter limits a hinge moment about the pivot axis extending through a torque tube or torsion beam of the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a gear assembly including at least one gear wheel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 8, wherein the gear assembly includes a one-way gearbox and the torque limiter is a torque limiting clutch contained within the gearbox.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 8, wherein the gear assembly includes a friction coupling engaging the gear wheel and the torque limiter is located at the friction coupling.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 8, wherein the torque limiter is located at the output of a first gear stage of the gear assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the solar tracker assembly is a push/pull linked tracker and the torque limiter is a linear slip device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the solar tracker assembly includes a hydraulic system and the torque limiter is a pressure relief valve.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, further comprising a damper to control release of torque force and slow motion of the solar tracker assembly.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque limiter acts as an overload relief from input force of the drive system when an external obstruction causes resistance on the solar tracker.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more torque tubes or torsion beams are configured with a balanced center of gravity such that a weight of the mounting mechanism and any components mounted thereto is rotated about a balance point such that torsional release force remains constant at all rotational positions of the solar tracker.

### Claim 17

An array of solar trackers comprising:
a plurality of solar modules;
a plurality of support columns;
a plurality of torque tubes, the torque tubes being supported by the support columns, the torque tubes, the support columns, and the solar modules being configured to form a plurality of rows of solar trackers, each row of the plurality of rows of solar trackers including a torque tube;
a drive system configured to simultaneously rotate each torque tube from the plurality torque tubes; and
a plurality of torsion limiters, a torsion limiter disposed between the drive system and each torque tube of the plurality of torque tubes, the plurality of torsion limiters allowing at least one row of the plurality of rows of solar trackers to not rotate while allowing rotation of other rows of solar trackers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 17, wherein an external force causes a level of torsion to exceed a preset limit the torsion limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 17, wherein the torsion limiter facilitates rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly to a different position until either a level of torsion no longer exceeds a preset limit, or the solar tracker is restrained from further rotation at multiple points by multiple stops.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 17, further comprising one or more stops connected to each support column of the plurality of support columns, the stops preventing rotation of the solar tracker beyond a maximum rotational position.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of stops, the plurality of stops preventing rotation of the solar tracker beyond a maximum rotational position at multiple locations.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The solar tracker assembly of claim 17, wherein the torque limiter is a torque limiting clutch, a slip clutch, a friction coupling, a linear slip device, a linear clutch linkage, a pressure relief valve, a motor brake, a clutch assembly, or a bi-directional gear drive.