# US 12,119,782 B2 · Systems for constructing a solar module array > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,782 B2 - Document ID: US12119782B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/053,687 - Filed: 2022-11-08 - Published: 2023-03-23 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-01 - Assignees: Planted Solar, Inc. - Applicants: Planted Solar, Inc. - Inventors: Richard Erb; Gilad Almogy; Nathan Beckett - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119782B2 ## CPC - H02S 10/00: PV power plants; Combinations of PV energy systems with other systems for the generation of electric power - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - B25J 9/1687: {Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement} - B60P 1/00: Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading (vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G) - E04H 12/347: {Arrangements for setting poles in the ground} - G01L 5/0033: {applying a pulling force} - G05D 1/0088: {characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00)} - G05D 1/227: Handing over between remote control and on-board control; Handing over between remote control arrangements - H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H02S 30/00: Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion (semiconductor device aspects of modules of electrolytic light sensitive devices H01G9/20, of inorganic PV modules H10F10/00, H10F19/00, of organic PV modules H10K30/00) - H02S 40/10: Cleaning arrangements - H02S 20/32: specially adapted for solar tracking - Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract In an aspect, the present disclosure describes a system for constructing a solar module array. The system can comprise one or more mobile platforms; one or more carriers operatively coupled to the one or more mobile platforms, wherein the one or more carriers support a plurality of posts and/or a plurality of solar modules; one or more robotic components for retrieving one or more posts from the plurality of posts and one or more solar modules from the plurality of solar modules from the one or more carriers; and at least one controller in operative communication with the one or more mobile platforms and the one or more robotic components, wherein the at least one controller (i) directs the one or more mobile platforms to transport the one or more carriers over a terrain and (ii) controls the one or more robotic components to (1) autonomously position and install the one or more posts on the terrain, and (2) autonomously position and assemble the one or more solar module to the one or more posts installed on the terrain to thereby construct the solar module array on the terrain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for constructing a solar module array, the system comprising: one or more mobile platforms; one or more carriers operatively coupled to the one or more mobile platforms, wherein the one or more carriers support a plurality of posts and/or a plurality of solar modules; one or more robotic components for retrieving one or more posts from the plurality of posts and one or more solar modules from the plurality of solar modules from the one or more carriers; and at least one controller in operative communication with the one or more mobile platforms and the one or more robotic components, wherein the at least one controller (i) directs the one or more mobile platforms to transport the one or more carriers over a terrain and (ii) controls the one or more robotic components to (1) autonomously position and install the one or more posts on the terrain, and (2) autonomously position and assemble the one or more solar module to the one or more posts installed on the terrain to thereby construct the solar module array on the terrain. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more robotic components comprise a driving bit for driving the one or more posts into ground on the terrain. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the driving bit comprises a hammer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the driving bit is movable along a plurality of rails in a vertical direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the driving bit slides along the plurality of rails via bearings. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the driving bit comprises a retention mechanism that prevents the one or more posts from displacing or decoupling from the driving bit as the one or more posts are being installed into the ground. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the retention mechanism comprises one or more shear features. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the driving bit comprises one or more shear features. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more shear features dually function as retention features. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the driving bit has a driving force length that is less than a full longitudinal length of the one or more posts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a testing tool for performing a force test after the one or more posts have been installed on the terrain. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the testing tool performs the force test at least in part by applying a pull force on the one or more posts in at least one of a lateral direction or a vertical direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more robotic components autonomously position the one or more solar modules over the one or more posts at least in part by aligning (i) one or more clips on the one or more solar modules with (ii) one or more tabs on the one or more posts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors for detecting a relative position between the one or more posts and the one or more solar modules to facilitate autonomous positioning and assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors comprises an image sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors are are used to locate and move an installer load head on the one or more mobile platforms relative to the solar module array as the solar module array is being constructed. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more solar modules are assembled to the one or more posts installed on the terrain without use of fasteners. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more robotic components are operatively coupled to the one or more mobile platforms. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more mobile platforms comprises a first platform for positioning and installing the plurality of posts onto the terrain, and a second platform for positioning and assembling the plurality of solar modules onto the plurality of posts.