Support for solar energy collection
View Patent ↗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.
1. A sun-tracking photovoltaic solar collector array, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic devices;
a support assembly supporting the plurality of photovoltaic devices so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, the support assembly comprising:
at least a first pivot supporting the plurality of photovoltaic devices and having an outer surface;
at least a first bearing supporting the first pivot so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis; and
at least one pier supporting the first bearing at a position above a support surface, the first bearing comprising at least a first reduced friction member comprising a convex inner surface positioned so as to slide against the outer surface of the first pivot when the first pivot pivots about the pivot axis, the convex inner surface being at least partially toroidal and defining an innermost surface of the first bearing that extends at least partially around the pivot axis, the first reduced friction member defining a central axis;
wherein the at least partially toroidal inner surface comprises a cross section having a central flat portion and first and second side portions that are curved, wherein a length of the central flat portion is less than a length of each of the first and second curved side portions,
wherein a space between the first pivot and the convex inner surface of the first reduced friction member defines a clearance such that the first pivot contacts the first curved side portion when the pivot axis is disposed at a first angle relative to the central axis and such that the first pivot contacts the central flat portion when the pivot axis is disposed at the central axis.
2. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein the first reduced friction member extends around a first arc of at least about 180 degrees.
3. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the at least partially toroidal inner surface is sufficiently larger than an outer diameter of the outer surface of the first pivot such that the pivot axis of the first pivot can be axially offset from the central axis of the first reduced friction member by about nine degrees.
4. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein the first reduced friction member comprises an outer surface that is at least partially toroidal.
5. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 4 wherein the first bearing comprises a bearing seat having an outer surface that is at least partially toroidal and supports the outer surface of the first reduced friction member.
6. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein the first bearing comprises a bearing seat supporting the first reduced friction member, additionally comprising a connector connecting the first reduced friction member directly to the bearing seat.
7. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 6 , wherein the connector is tool-less connector.
8. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 7 , wherein the connector comprises a protrusion on an outer surface of the first reduced friction member that is configured to form a snap fit with an aperture on the bearing seat.
9. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 8 additionally comprising at least a second reduced friction member, the bearing further comprising a second bearing seat fixed relative to the first bearing seat and supporting the second reduced friction member, the first and second reduced friction members being arranged so as to extend around a circumference of the outer surface of the first pivot.
10. A bearing assembly configured to provide rotation about a pivot axis, the bearing assembly comprising:
a bearing housing, the bearing housing having a fixture portion configured to be secured so as to be fixed relative to the ground, the bearing housing further comprising at least a first bearing seat configured to support the first bearing member;
a shaft configured to rotate about the pivot axis;
a first bearing member having an outer surface adapted to be supported by the bearing seat and a convex inner surface configured to slidably support a shaft, the convex inner surface being at least partially toroidal and defining an innermost surface of the first bearing member that extends at least partially around the pivot axis, the first bearing member defining a central axis,
wherein the at least partially toroidal inner surface comprises a cross section having a central flat portion and first and second side portions that are curved, wherein a length of the central flat portion is less than a length of each of the first and second curved side portions,
wherein a space between the shaft and the convex inner surface of the first bearing member defines a clearance such that the shaft contacts the first curved side portion when the pivot axis is disposed at a first angle relative to the central axis and such that the shaft contacts the central flat portion when the pivot axis is disposed at the central axis.
11. The bearing assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first bearing member comprises an outer surface that is at least partially toroidal.
12. The bearing assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the first bearing seat comprises an inner surface that is at least partially toroidal and adapted to be received within the at least partially toroidal outer surface of the first bearing member.
13. The bearing assembly according to claim 12 additionally comprising a connector directly connecting the first bearing member to the first bearing seat.
14. The bearing assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the connector comprises a tool-less connector configured to cooperate with partially toroidal inner surface of the first bearing seat and partially toroidal outer surface of the first bearing member to capture the first bearing member against the first bearing seat.
15. The bearing assembly according to claim 10 , additionally comprising a connector connecting the first bearing member directly to the first bearing seat.
16. The bearing assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the connector is tool-less connector.
17. The bearing assembly according to claim 10 additionally comprising at least a second bearing member having an inner surface that is at least partially toroidal, the bearing housing further comprising a second bearing seat fixed relative to the first bearing seat and supporting the second bearing member, the first and second bearing members being arranged so as to extend around a circumference of an outer surface of the shaft.
18. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein the first bearing comprises a bearing housing assembly having a face portion disposed adjacent the at least one pier, wherein a center line of the first reduced friction member is offset from the face portion along the pivot axis.
19. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 1 , wherein the at least partially toroidal inner surface comprises first and second curved, convex side areas and a cylindrical central area between the first and second side areas, wherein the cylindrical central area is less than each of the first and second side areas.
20. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 19 , wherein the first and second side areas have the same radius of curvature.
21. The sun tracking photovoltaic solar collector array according to claim 19 , wherein the first and second side areas and the cylindrical central area act as a bearing surface for the first pivot.
22. A sun-tracking photovoltaic solar collector array, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic devices;
a support assembly supporting the plurality of photovoltaic devices so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, the support assembly comprising:
at least a first pivot supporting the plurality of photovoltaic devices and having an outer surface;
at least a first bearing supporting the first pivot so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis; and
at least one pier supporting the first bearing at a position above a support surface, the first bearing comprising at least a first reduced friction member comprising a convex inner surface positioned so as to slide against the outer surface of the first pivot when the first pivot pivots about the pivot axis, the convex inner surface being at least partially toroidal and defining an innermost surface of the first bearing that extends at least partially around the pivot axis, the first reduced friction member defining a central axis;
wherein the at least partially toroidal inner surface comprises a curved surface, and
wherein a space between the first pivot and the inner convex surface of the first reduced friction member defines a clearance such that the first pivot contacts the curved surface when the pivot axis is disposed at a first angle relative to the central axis.