US 12,218,624 B2
Solar tracker assembly with concentric drive journals
Andrew James Ballentine, Tempe, AZ (US); David J. Wilson, Glendale, AZ (US); and Matt Kesler, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Assigned to OMCO SOLAR, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed by OMCO SOLAR, LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/087,414.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/293,585, filed on Dec. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0208348 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. H02S 20/32 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 20/32 (2014.12) 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A solar tracker assembly comprising:
a) a drive mechanism including a rotating drive rotating about a drive mechanism axis of rotation, the rotating drive including a first side and a second side;
b) a table coupled to the rotating drive and pivoted by the rotating drive through a predetermined inclination angle range, the table including:
i) a first torque tube beam segment extending along a first central longitudinal axis and having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart by a middle portion, a second torque tube beam segment extending along a second central longitudinal axis and having a first end portion and a second end portion spaced apart by a middle portion;
ii) a first drive journal affixed to the first side of the rotating drive and a second drive journal affixed to the second side of the rotating drive, the first drive journal including a first receiver centered about a first longitudinal center line and receiving the first end portion of the first torque tube beam segment and the second drive journal including a second receiver centered about a second longitudinal center line and receiving the first end portion of the second torque tube beam segment, the first longitudinal center line of the first drive journal substantially coincident with the drive mechanism axis of rotation and the second longitudinal center line of the second drive journal substantially coincident with the drive mechanism axis of rotation, the first end portion of the first torque tube beam segment and the first end portion of the second torque tube beam segment rotating about the drive mechanism axis of rotation; and
iii) a first rotatable bearing assembly of a first bearing apparatus supported for rotation about a first bearing axis of rotation and a second rotatable bearing assembly of a second bearing apparatus supported for rotation about a second bearing axis of rotation, the second end portion of the first torque tube beam segment coupled to the first rotatable bearing assembly and rotating about the first bearing axis of rotation and the second end portion of the second torque tube beam segment coupled to the second rotatable bearing assembly and rotating about the second bearing axis of rotation; and
c) wherein the first bearing axis of rotation is vertically offset from the longitudinal center line of the first drive journal and the drive mechanism axis of rotation and the second bearing axis of rotation is vertically offset from the longitudinal center line of the second drive journal and the drive mechanism axis of rotation.