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US 9,819,301 B2Granted
Support for solar energy collection
AssigneeSunPower Corporation
InventorVicent Ripoll Agullo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar energy collection system can include support devices made with bearings. Such bearings can include an inner partially toroidal surface for sliding contact and support of an outer surface of a torque tube. The toroidal surface can be made with a single radius of curvature or multiple radiuses of curvature and cylindrical portions. The bearings can include connectors for connecting the bearing members to a support housing. The connectors can be tool-less connectors.
Claims15
A sun-tracking photovoltaic solar collector array, comprising:
- a plurality of photovoltaic devices;
- a support assembly supporting the photovoltaic devices so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, the support assembly comprising:
- at least a first pivot configured to support the plurality of photovoltaic devices and having an outer surface;
- at least a first bearing configured to support the first pivot to be pivotable about the pivot axis, the first bearing comprising at least a first reduced friction member that extends in an arc at least partway around a central axis of the first reduced friction member, the first reduced friction member comprising an inner surface positioned to slide against the outer surface of the first pivot when the first pivot pivots about the pivot axis, the inner surface including a central portion and outer portions curving away from the central portion along a direction of the central axis, wherein the outer portions have different radii of curvature than the central portion, and a width of the central portion is less than a width of the outer portions;
- and
- at least one pier supporting the bearing at a position above a support surface.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.