US 12,231,082 B2
Support frames for solar trackers
Phani Kumar, Hyderabad (IN); Abjimanyu Sable, Hyderabad (IN); Jitendra Morankar, Telangana (IN); Alexander W. Au, Oakland, CA (US); and David Kresse, Walnut Creek, CA (US)
Assigned to NEXTRACKER LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed by Nextracker LLC, Fremont, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/588,584.
Application 18/196,843 is a division of application No. 17/475,011, filed on Sep. 14, 2021, granted, now 11,949,370.
Application 18/588,584 is a continuation of application No. 18/196,843, filed on May 12, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/235,272, filed on Aug. 20, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/078,228, filed on Sep. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0195351 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. H02S 30/10 (2014.01); F16M 11/20 (2006.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01)
CPC H02S 30/10 (2014.12) [F16M 11/2021 (2013.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.12)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A support for a solar tracking system, the support comprising:
a bearing housing assembly, the bearing housing assembly configured to rotatably support a torque tube of the solar tracking system;
a pair of legs coupled to the bearing housing assembly, each leg of the pair of legs extending downwardly and outwardly from the bearing housing assembly; and
a damper assembly configured to provide resistance to rotation of the torque tube rotatably supported by the bearing housing assembly, the damper assembly comprising:
an upper damper mount, the upper damper mount operably coupled to the bearing housing assembly;
a pair of lower damper mounts, each of the lower damper mounts coupled to a corresponding leg of the pair of legs, at least one of the lower damper mounts including an upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plate having a lower surface including a tab extending downwardly from the lower surface, the tab including a post extending outwardly from the tab, the tab including a protuberance extending downwardly from a lower portion of the tab, the protuberance configured to be received within a corresponding dimple defined in an upper surface of the lower plate to inhibit movement of the upper plate relative to the lower plate; and
a pair of struts, each of the struts operably coupled to the upper damper mount at a first end portion of each respective strut, and each of the struts operably coupled to a corresponding lower damper mount of the pair of lower damper mounts at a second, opposite end portion of each respective strut, at least one of the struts configured to be operably coupled to the post of the at least one lower damper mount,
wherein rotation of the upper damper mount effectuates a compression of a first strut of the pair of struts and an extension of a second strut of the pair of struts.