Solar table clamp
AssigneeTerabase Energy, Inc.
InventorsBrian Coleman, Adam Hansel, Soren Jensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clamp is described that couples a torque tube and at least one solar panel within a solar table. The clamp provides an efficient attachment when in a closed position that allows transportation of the solar table from a centralized assembly location to an installation point within a large-scale solar system. The clamp further provides an efficient process solar table mobile transport is described that moves a solar table to a point of installation. The clamp may be efficiently opened by personnel at the installation point to enable access to a section of the torque tube.
Claims20
A clamp that couples to a torque tube and a solar panel rail within a solar table, the clamp comprising:
- a solar panel attachment section comprising a first solar panel coupling element and a second solar panel coupling element, the first and second solar panel coupling elements form a slot that couples to the solar panel rail when the first and second solar panel coupling elements are proximate to each other within a first distance;
- a torque tube attachment section comprising a strap that is adjustable and defines an opening in which the torque tube is positioned, a size of the opening being dependent on relative positions of the first and second solar panel coupling elements;
- and
- a locking element that allows the clamp to be opened when the locking element is positioned within a first window and locked when the locking element is positioned within a second window.
A method of coupling a torque tube to a solar panel rail within a solar table, the method comprising:
- positioning the torque tube inside an opening defined by an adjustable strap of a clamp;
- coupling the solar panel rail to a slot that is formed when a first solar panel coupling element and a second solar panel coupling element are proximate to each other within a first distance, the first solar panel coupling element and the second solar panel coupling element are in a solar panel attachment section of the clamp;
- a size of the opening being dependent on relative positions of the first and second solar panel coupling elements;
- and
- positioning a locking element of the clamp from a first window into a second window to lock the clamp such that the solar panel and the torque tube are secured together, the clamp is opened when the locking element is positioned within a first window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.