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US 12,372,117 B2Granted
Torque tube interface wear guard
AssigneeArray Tech, Inc.
InventorsKevin Krautbauer, Nathan Schuknecht
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure address problems experienced in conventional solar panel tracking systems, including problems associated with wear and damage that can be caused at load bearing interfaces between a bearing and a bearing housing. Embodiments disclosed herein address this issue by positioning a wear guard at the interface between the bearing and the bearing housing. The wear guard may include a smooth controlled surface that minimizes damage between the bearing and the bearing housing.
Claims12
A torque tube interface comprising:
- a bearing configured to be coupled to a torque tube;
- a bearing housing coupled to the bearing to allow at least some rotational movement of the bearing within the bearing housing, wherein:
- the bearing housing has a terminating edge where an outer surface of the bearing housing that faces away from the bearing and an inner surface of the bearing housing that faces toward the bearing end, and
- the terminating edge is at an interface between the bearing and the bearing housing;
- and
- a wear guard having a cross sectional C shape, wherein a top portion of the wear guard is positioned on at least a portion of the outer surface of the bearing housing, a bottom portion of the wear guard is positioned between at least a portion of the inner surface of the bearing housing and an outer surface of the bearing, and a side portion of the wear guard is positioned at the interface between the bearing and the terminating edge of the bearing housing.
3 more elements
A torque tube interface comprising:
- a bearing configured to be coupled to a torque tube, the bearing including a stop tab;
- a bearing housing coupled to the bearing such that axial movement of the bearing within the bearing housing is substantially restricted but at least some rotational movement of the bearing within the bearing housing is permitted, wherein the stop tab limits an amount of rotational movement of the bearing within the bearing housing and the bearing housing includes a slot that defines an enclosed aperture through which a portion of the stop tab extends;
- and
- a wear guard having a cross sectional C shape, wherein a top portion of the wear guard is positioned on an outer surface of the bearing housing, a bottom portion of the wear guard is positioned between an inner surface of the bearing housing and an outer surface of the bearing, and a side portion of the wear guard is positioned at an interface between the bearing and a terminating edge of the bearing housing that defines the slot.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.