Swivel Mount Solution for Solar Tracker Shaft Alignment
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Summary
Problems
Existing solar trackers face challenges in orienting solar tracker shafts on uneven or irregular terrain, particularly with multi-post systems, where excessive time is required to correctly align the shafts, limiting efficiency and installation speed.
Innovation solutions
A swivel mount with spherical-shaped external parts and a reciprocal inner clamp design allows the solar tracker shaft to be oriented in any spatial position, using a clamp with a lower base and upper tightening part, and adjustable U-shaped sections for support posts, ensuring secure attachment and adjustment.
TRIZ Analysis
Specific contradictions:
General conflict description:
Principle concept:
If cylindrical clamps are used to attach shafts to support posts, then the shaft can rotate for panel tilting, but the shaft cannot be oriented in any spatial position and excessive time is required to correctly orient the shaft on irregular terrain
Why choose this principle:
The invention replaces the cylindrical clamp shape with a spherical mounting structure. The shaft ends are shaped as spherical segments that fit into corresponding spherical sockets in the clamp assembly. This spherical geometry allows the shaft to be oriented in any spatial direction while remaining securely attached, eliminating the orientation limitations of cylindrical clamps and significantly reducing alignment time on irregular terrain.
Principle concept:
If cylindrical clamps are used to attach shafts to support posts, then the shaft can rotate for panel tilting, but the shaft cannot be oriented in any spatial position and excessive time is required to correctly orient the shaft on irregular terrain
Why choose this principle:
The mounting structure incorporates a dynamic adjustment mechanism that allows the shaft to be quickly reoriented from any starting position. The spherical joint design enables continuous rotation and tilting movements, allowing installers to rapidly adapt the shaft orientation to match the terrain slope and desired panel angle without time-consuming alignment procedures.
Application Domain
Data Source
AI summary:
A swivel mount with spherical-shaped external parts and a reciprocal inner clamp design allows the solar tracker shaft to be oriented in any spatial position, using a clamp with a lower base and upper tightening part, and adjustable U-shaped sections for support posts, ensuring secure attachment and adjustment.
Abstract
A swivel mount for solar tracker shafts having a clamp having an inner surface with a spherical shape and first and second parts forming a brace adapted to hold a solar tracker shaft, wherein the brace formed by the first and second parts has an external surface having a spherical shape, such that the solar tracker shaft is axially retained by the clamp and can be oriented in any required spatial position.