Rapid clamping systems for solar trackers
AssigneeNextracker LLC
InventorsJitendra Morankar, Abhimanyu Sable, Raghavendra Praveen Maddulapalli
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Abstract
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker includes a support rail defining a channel for receipt of a solar module therein, the support rail including an aperture defined therein that is in open communication with the channel and a clamp assembly selectively coupled to the support rail, a first portion of the clamp assembly configured to receive a portion of a torque tube therein and a second portion of the clamp assembly configured to selectively extend through the aperture of the support rail when the clamp assembly is transitioned from a first, unlocked position, to a second, locked position.
Claims15
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker, comprising:
- a support rail, the support rail defining a channel for receipt of a solar module therein, the support rail including an aperture defined therein that is in open communication with the channel;
- and
- a clamp assembly, comprising:
- a saddle selectively coupled to a portion of the support rail, a portion of the saddle configured to selectively extend through the aperture of the support rail;
- and
- a pair of straps selectively coupled to a portion of the saddle and configured to selectively receive a portion of a torque tube therebetween,
- wherein the pair of straps is configured to transition from a first, unlocked position, to a second, locked position, wherein the pair of straps effectuate extension of the portion of the saddle through the aperture of the support rail to abut a portion of a solar module disposed within the channel to selectively secure the solar module within the channel.
A coupling system for use with a solar tracker, the coupling system comprising:
- a support rail, the support rail defining a channel for receipt of a solar module therein, the support rail including a pair of apertures in open communication with the channel, the support rail further including a pair of through-holes corresponding to the pair of apertures;
- and
- a clamp assembly, the clamp assembly comprising:
- a saddle selectively coupled to a portion of the support rail via a pair of pins configured to extend through the pair of through-holes of the support rail, a portion of the saddle configured to selectively extend through at least one of the pair of apertures of the support rail;
- and
- a pair of straps selectively coupled to the saddle via the pair of pins, the pair of straps configured to selectively receive a portion of a torque tube therebetween,
- wherein the pair of straps is configured to transition from a first unlocked position to a second locked position, wherein the pair of straps is configured to effectuate extending the portion of the saddle through at least one of the pair of apertures of the support rail to thereby abut a portion of the solar module disposed within the channel to selectively secure the solar module within the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.