Solar tracker damper sight gauge
OwnerDavid Kresse, Raghavendra Praveen Maddulapalliinventors
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Abstract
A method for inspecting an oil volume at a damper assembly at a solar tracker includes rotating a torque tube of the solar tracker from a first rotational position to a predefined rotational position, that is different than the first rotational position, to reveal an oil sight gauge at the damper assembly. This method also includes, when the torque tube is at the predefined rotational position and the oil sight gauge is revealed, inspecting an oil volume within the damper assembly using the oil sight gauge.
Claims20
A damper assembly comprising:
- an upper damper mount, the upper damper mount configured to operably couple to a torque tube of a solar tracker;
- a lower damper mount, the lower damper mount configured to operably couple to a pier of the solar tracker;
- and
- a strut, the strut configured to operably couple to the upper damper mount at a first end portion of the strut and to operably couple to the lower damper mount at a second, opposite end portion of the strut such that rotation of the upper damper mount effectuates a compression or an extension of the strut between the upper damper mount and the lower damper mount,
- wherein the strut comprises an oil sight gauge located at a position along the strut such that the oil sight gauge is covered when the upper damper mount is at a first rotational position and uncovered when the upper damper mount is at a second, different rotational position.
A method for inspecting an oil volume at a damper assembly at a solar tracker, the method comprising the steps of:
- rotating a torque tube of the solar tracker from a first rotational position to a predefined rotational position, that is different than the first rotational position, to reveal an oil sight gauge at the damper assembly;
- and
- when the torque tube is at the predefined rotational position and the oil sight gauge is revealed, inspecting an oil volume within the damper assembly using the oil sight gauge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.