SPRING COUNTER-BALANCE ASSEMBLIES AND SOLAR TRACKERS INCORPORATING SPRINGS TO BALANCE ROTATION
A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly.
1 . A solar tracker assembly comprising:
a support column;
a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column;
a mounting mechanism for mounting a solar module, the mounting mechanism being attached to the torque tube or torsion beam;
a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam; and
a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, the spring counter-balance assembly including:
a bearing housing,
a bushing disposed within the bearing housing, the bushing being configured to be mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and
one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material, the compressible cords located between the bushing and the bearing housing.
2 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible material is an elastomer.
3 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the compressible cords provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly.
4 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bushing has a substantially circular outer cross-section with four lobes.
5 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 4 , wherein the spring counter-balance assembly allows up to at least plus or minus 45 degrees of rotation of the torque tube or torsion beam.
6 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bushing has a substantially triangular outer cross-section with three lobes.
7 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 6 , wherein the spring counter-balance assembly allows up to at least plus or minus 60 degrees of rotation of the torque tube or torsion beam.
8 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the bearing housing is one of: substantially square shaped, substantially hexagonal shaped, or substantially circular shaped with at least three lobes.
9 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the bushing is made of an elastomeric material.
10 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bushing defines at least a portion of one or more air spaces.
11 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spring counter-balance assembly further comprises at least one rotational stop.
12 . The solar tracker assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the bearing housing is made of an elastomeric material and further comprising at least one rotational stop.