US 12,331,789 B2Granted

Torque tube coupler

AssigneeArray Tech, Inc.

InventorsLucas Creasy, Nikhil Kumar, James Fusaro, Kenyon Bradley, Daniel Smith

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

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Abstract

A torque tube coupler may include an outer body that includes a first abutting surface and a second abutting surface adjacent to the first abutting surface. Set screws may be inserted into one or more channels of the first abutting surface. Tightening the set screws may force the abutting surfaces away from each other and the outer body to press against an inner surface of a torque tube. Another embodiment of the torque tube coupler may include a central ring sized based on a size of a torque tube. The torque tube coupler may also include a set of fingers that extend away from a first side of the central ring and are shaped to flex radially outward. The torque tube coupler may include a core disposed within the set of fingers that, when drawn towards the central ring, causes the fingers to flex radially outwards.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A torque tube coupler, system for coupling torque tubes comprising:

a first torque tube segment having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface having a number of faces;
a second torque tube segment having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface having a number of faces;
a torque tube coupler comprising:
an elongated body having a number of faces that form an exterior surface of the elongated body, the elongated body including a first end and a second end, the first end being configured to fit within the first torque tube segment and the second end being configured to fit within the second torque tube segment, wherein the number of faces that form the exterior surface of the elongated body, the number of faces that form the interior surface of the first torque tube segment, and the number of faces that form the interior surface of the second torque tube segment are the same;
a first coupling feature positioned toward the first end of the elongated body that is configured to secure the first torque tube segment to the elongated body;
a second coupling feature positioned toward the second end of the elongated body that is configured to secure the second torque tube segment to the elongated body;
and
a recessed feature in the exterior surface of a first face in the number of faces of the elongated body, the recessed feature extending at least a portion of a length of the elongated body.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/589,045Filed 27 Feb 2024 · division
Priority: 14 Sep 2020
Published: US 2024/0200589 A120 Jun 2024
Granted: 17 Jun 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

F16D 1/05
With clamping hub; with hub and longitudinal key: with radial clamping due to axial loading of at least one pair of conical surfaces
F16D 1/0847
With clamping hub; with hub and longitudinal key: with radial clamping due to a radial screw
F16B 7/025
With conical parts: with the expansion of an element inside the tubes due to axial movement towards a wedge or conical element
F16B 7/182
Using screw-thread elements: for coaxial connections of two rods or tubes

Family

Application63/078,167Us provisional application · filed 14 Sep 2020
Application17/474,148Parent of this division · filed 14 Sep 2021
Application18/176,395Parent of this division · filed 28 Feb 2023
US 11,592,046 B2Parent of this division · filed 28 Feb 2023
US 2024/0200589 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Jun 2024
US 11,946,506 B2Parent of this division
US 2022/0082119 A1Published application
US 2023/0213050 A1Published application
US 12,331,789 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.