Actuator systems for solar trackers
AssigneeNextracker LLC
InventorAndrew Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar tracking system includes a solar array, support beams that support the solar array, a torque tube coupled to the support beams, a base that rotatably supports the torque tube, and an articulation system that rotates the torque tube relative to the base. The articulation system includes an outer tube, a screw rod, and a nut and/or inner tube that rotates and translates along a length of the screw rod as the screw rod rotates. The interior portion of the outer tube includes helical grooves and the exterior portion of the nut or inner tube includes ridges or rollers that mate with the helical grooves, which cause the nut and/or inner tube to rotate as the nut and/or inner tube is translated along a length of the screw rod when the screw rod is rotated by the motor.
Claims6
An articulation assembly comprising:
- an outer tube having helical grooves in an inside portion of the outer tube;
- a screw rod disposed within the outer tube;
- a nut having threads configured to mate with threads of the screw rod such that rotation of the screw rod drives translation of the nut along a length of at least a portion of the screw rod, and having ridges configured to directly mate with and slide through the helical grooves of the outer tube such that the helical grooves rotate the nut as the nut translates along the length of the at least a portion of the screw rod;
- and
- an inner tube fixedly coupled to the nut and configured to fixedly couple to a torque tube coupled to a solar array such that the rotation of the screw rod drives the translation and rotation of the nut, which drives the translation and rotation of the solar array through the inner tube and the torque tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.