The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 31, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 09, 2011
Stephan K. Barsun, Davis, CA (US);
Brian Wares, Sacramento, CA (US);
Charles Almy, Berkeley, CA (US);
Reuben Sandler, Berkeley, CA (US);
Nathaniel Schiesher, Berkeley, CA (US);
Jason Maxey, San Pablo, CA (US);
Stephan K. Barsun, Davis, CA (US);
Brian Wares, Sacramento, CA (US);
Charles Almy, Berkeley, CA (US);
Reuben Sandler, Berkeley, CA (US);
Nathaniel Schiesher, Berkeley, CA (US);
Jason Maxey, San Pablo, CA (US);
SunPower Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A torque arm assembly, used with a solar collector mounted to a drive shaft, comprises a torque arm with first and second ends and a torque arm coupling assembly including a drive shaft enclosure defining an open-ended channel sized to house the drive shaft. The channel has a circumferentially extending substantially continuous drive surface between the ends that lies adjacent to the drive shaft so the drive shaft and the drive shaft enclosure rotate together. In some examples, contiguous abutment structure, such as weld lines, shims and/or adhesive, connects each side of the drive shaft to the drive shaft enclosure. The invention may also be carried out as a connection improvement method.