Concentrator photovoltaic system with tracking motor bearing support
AssigneeSuncore Photovoltaics, Inc.
InventorRobert J. Villegas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drive apparatus for a concentrator photovoltaic array including a gearbox case, a motor body housed within the gearbox case and a motor shaft coupled to and extending though a motor bearing of the motor body and having an axis of rotation. A front shaft mount bearing is coupled to one distal end of the motor shaft and a rear shaft mount bearing coupled to the other distal end of the motor shaft, and the front and rear shaft mount bearings are constrained by the gearbox case. A driver gear can be coupled to the motor shaft to drive the photovoltaic array. The front and rear shaft mount bearings transfer loads from the motor bearing to the gearbox case.
Claims19
A concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) array drive system comprising:
- one or more concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) arrays, wherein each CPV array of the one or more CPV arrays is configured to be tilted about at least one axis of rotation;
- a tilt mechanism coupled to the one or more CPV arrays, wherein the tilt mechanism is configured to tilt each CPV array of the one or more CPV arrays about the at least one axis of rotation;
- and
- a drive coupled to the tilt mechanism, the drive comprising:
- a gearbox case;
- a motor body housed within the gearbox case;
- a motor shaft coupled to and extending through a motor bearing of the motor body and having an axis of rotation;
- a front shaft mount bearing coupled to one distal end of the motor shaft and a rear shaft mount bearing coupled to the other distal end of the motor shaft, wherein the front and rear shaft mount bearings are constrained by the gearbox case;
- a driver gear coupled to the motor shaft;
- and
- a driven gear coupled to the driver gear and to a drive shaft, the drive shaft being coupled to the tilt mechanism to tilt of the one or more CPV arrays;
- wherein the front and rear shaft mount bearings transfer loads from the motor bearing to the gearbox case to reduce stress on the motor bearing caused by the loads.
A concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) array drive for use in tilting one or more CPV arrays comprising:
- a gearbox case;
- a motor body housed within the gearbox case;
- a motor shaft coupled to and extending through the motor body from a front end to a rear end along an axis of rotation;
- a front shaft mount bearing rotatably coupled to the motor shaft proximate the front end and a rear shaft mount bearing rotatably coupled to the motor shaft proximate the rear end, wherein the front and rear shaft mount bearings are configured to allow the motor shaft to rotate about the axis of rotation and to transfer a radial geartrain force that is transverse to the axis of rotation from the motor shaft to the gearbox case to reduce stress on motor bearings within the motor body.
A concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) array drive for use in driving one or more CPV arrays comprising:
- a gearbox case;
- a motor body housed within the gearbox case, wherein the motor body extends from a first side to a second side along an axis of rotation;
- a motor shaft coupled to and extending through the motor body along the axis of rotation;
- a front shaft mount bearing rotatably coupled to the motor shaft on the first side of the motor body and a rear shaft mount bearing rotatably coupled to the motor shaft proximate the second side of the motor body, wherein the front and rear shaft mount bearings are configured to allow the motor shaft to rotate about the axis of rotation and to transfer a radial geartrain force that is transverse to the axis of rotation from the motor shaft to the gearbox case to reduce stress on motor bearings within the motor body, wherein the front shaft mount bearing is rotatably coupled to the motor shaft such that the radial geartrain force is between the front shaft mount bearing and the motor body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.