Array Technologies, Inc.

Array Tech, Inc.

Nathan Schuknecht

Lucas Creasy

Benjamin C De Fresart

Andrew Chase

Todd DarVel Andersen

Jason Addink

Jon Sharp

Nikhil Kumar

John Nagyvary

Kevin Krautbauer

Kyumin Lee

Robert Jinks

Alex Cisneros

Bhanu Prasad Tuniki

Anubhav Tandon

Ronald Corio

Graeme Hoste

A mounting rail for securing photovoltaic (PV) modules to an underlying support structure, such as a torque tube. The mounting rail may include a body and a bracket that is attached to the body and configured to be secured around at least a portion of the support structure.

Mounting rail

A photovoltaic (PV) module clamp may be configured to interface with a torque tube and a PV module rail fixedly coupled to a PV module. The PV module clamp may include a seating portion made of two or more lateral walls and a base surface. A clamp body of the PV module clamp may be coupled to the seating portion. The clamp body may include a shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the torque tube. The PV module clamp may include a fastening feature for interlocking the PV module clamp with the PV module rail responsive to the PV module rail being seated in the seating portion of the PV module clamp.

Snap-lock photovoltaic module mounting system

A photovoltaic module mounting system may include a module clamp that includes a central section that includes two first walls connected at the top of each first wall by a first connecting surface. The central section may have a first cross-sectional height corresponding to a height of each of the first walls and a first width corresponding to a distance between the two first walls. The module clamp may have ends that include two second walls connected at the top of each second wall by a second connecting surface in which each of the ends has a second cross-sectional height that is shorter than the first cross-sectional height and a second width that is wider than the first width. The central section may be connected to each of the ends such that the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface are bridged and form a bowtie shape.

Photovoltaic module mount

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure address problems experienced in conventional solar panel tracking systems, including problems associated with wear and damage that can be caused at load bearing interfaces between a bearing and a bearing housing. Embodiments disclosed herein address this issue by positioning a wear guard at the interface between the bearing and the bearing housing. The wear guard may include a smooth controlled surface that minimizes damage between the bearing and the bearing housing.

Torque tube interface wear guard

An alignment bracket suitable for facilitating the connection of solar components in a PV system may include a first surface, a second surface, and an attachment member. The first surface may be configured to physically interface with a corresponding surface of a solar component of the PV system. The second surface may be configured to physically interface with a corresponding surface of a support column. The attachment member may include an engagement surface configured to engage with a part of the support column to facilitate a position of the second surface relative to the corresponding surface of the support column.

Alignment bracket

A torque tube coupler may include a sleeve. The sleeve may include an outer surface, a first opening, and a second opening. The outer surface may be configured to physically engage with portions of internal surfaces of a first torque tube segment and a second torque tube segment. The first opening may be configured to be positioned proximate a first countersunk opening of the first torque tube segment. The second opening may be configured to be positioned proximate a second countersunk opening of the second torque tube segment. The first opening and the second opening may be configured to receive fasteners via the first countersunk opening and the second countersunk opening to couple the first torque tube segment and the second torque tube segment to the sleeve to form a torque tube comprising a flush external surface.

Torque tube coupler

A method of forming a module clamp of a photovoltaic module support structure may include cutting a folding pattern into a sheet of metal. The folding pattern may include one or more width-wise slits relative to the sheet of metal, one or more length-wise slits relative to the sheet of metal, and a hole. The method may include stamping one or more first features onto the sheet of metal to form a stamped sheet and folding the stamped sheet along the one or more width-wise slits and the one or more length-wise slits to form a preliminary module clamp. The method may include stamping one or more second features onto the preliminary module clamp to form the module clamp.

Low-profile backrail module clamp

A method may include positioning one or more PV module mounting devices along a length of a structural component. The method may include specifying one or more parameters related to fastening the PV module mounting devices to the structural component, the one or more parameters indicating a spacing between the PV module mounting devices. The method may include fastening, by an automated attachment equipment, the PV module mounting devices to the structural component based on the specified parameters and moving the PV module mounting devices fastened to the structural component to an assembly platform.

Automated attachment of solar components

A mounting assembly may include an arced connecting member that includes a first drive chain along a bottom surface of the arced connecting member, a second drive chain positioned adjacent to the first drive chain, and a third drive chain in a gap between the first and the second drive chains. The mounting assembly may include an intermittent-motion drive system that has a drive wheel with a nub extending from a lateral surface of the drive wheel, the nub being shaped to interface with notches included along the third drive chain. The intermittent-motion drive system may include a first and a second protrusion shaped to interface with surfaces of the first and second drive chains, respectively. Rotation of a drive axle extending through the drive wheel may affect rotation of the drive wheel, rotational movement of the nub extending from the drive wheel, and movement of the arced connecting member.

Geared drive system providing intermittent motion

Module clamp

A mounting system may include a frame associated with a power-generating device, the frame including an opening. The mounting system may include a bracket mounting assembly. The bracket mounting assembly may include a top member having a first surface, a clamp, and a single bolt passing through both the top member and the clamp such that the clamp moves along an interface between the first and a second surfaces as the single bolt is tightened. The clamp may include the second surface corresponding to the first surface, an arm projecting away from the top member, and a flange at least proximate a top of the arm. The flange may include an ear at the top of the arm and a tab on a bottom side of the ear projecting back towards the top member, the tab positioned to interface with the opening on the frame.

Modified clamp

Mounting hardware

Torque limiters prevent the transmission of excessive torque between moving components of one or more gears in a tracker drive assembly. When an amount of torque between these moving components exceeds a threshold, the torque limiter may slip, thus allowing the components to move relative to each other. Embodiments disclosed herein may include a drive motor configured to rotate a drive shaft, at least one gear configured to translate rotation of the drive shaft into rotation of a PV module mounting structure, and a torque limiter interposed between an interior surface of a first component of the at least one gear and an exterior surface of a second component of the at least one gear to allow the first component to slip relative to the second component when an amount of torque between the first and second components exceeds a threshold.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Nathan Schuknecht