A spherical bearing with damping and a photovoltaic tracking bracket

Abstract

The present invention provides a damped spherical bearing and a photovoltaic tracking bracket. The damped spherical bearing includes a spherical bearing body, a damping inner ring, a damping outer ring, a first damping plate, and a second damping plate. The damping inner ring and the spherical bearing body are fixed in circumferential relative position. A closed damping chamber is formed between the damping outer ring and the damping inner ring, and the damping chamber is used to be filled with a viscous fluid. The first damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping inner ring, and the second damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping outer ring. The first damping plate and the second damping plate are arranged in the damping chamber with relative spacing along the axial direction. When the first damping plate and the second damping plate are subjected to wind pressure and rotate relative to each other, the viscous fluid between the first damping plate and the second damping plate generates viscous resistance, which blocks the relative movement of the first damping plate and the second damping plate, thereby resisting the wind pressure. Moreover, the viscous resistance can vary with the wind speed to adapt to the wind pressure resistance requirements under various wind conditions, and is highly efficient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of bearing structures, and in particular to a spherical bearing with damping and a photovoltaic tracking bracket. Background Art

[0002] Certain rotating machinery used outdoors is highly susceptible to wind damage. For example, photovoltaic trackers are particularly susceptible to wind damage in areas of high wind pressure. The longer the span of the tracker, the greater the impact. Wind-induced vibrations such as buffeting, vortex vibration, and flutter can severely damage the tracker and PV modules, resulting in significant economic losses.

[0003] Currently, there are no effective preventative measures for these hazards. For example, in photovoltaic tracking systems, the current approach is to add a set of damping rods to each side of the main square tube. Each set of damping rods can contain two damping rods. When strong winds strike, the damping rods provide a counterforce to counter the wind pressure. However, using damping rods to resist wind pressure is inefficient and slow to respond, making them prone to instability and failure under excessive wind loads. Furthermore, the damping rods are subjected to different forces depending on the wind pressure direction, making their ability to resist wind pressure unstable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention includes providing a spherical bearing with damping, which can generate damping to resist wind pressure through the damping structure on the spherical bearing when subjected to wind load, adapt to various wind conditions, have stable wind pressure resistance and high efficiency.

[0005] The present invention also aims to provide a photovoltaic tracking bracket that can respond to wind loads in real time, has stable wind pressure resistance and high efficiency.

[0006] The embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in the following ways:

[0007] A spherical bearing with damping, having circumferential and axial directions, comprising:

[0008] Spherical bearing body;

[0009] a damping inner ring, wherein the damping inner ring is sleeved on the spherical bearing body, and the relative positions of the damping inner ring and the spherical bearing body in the circumferential direction are fixed;

[0010] a damping outer ring, the damping outer ring being sleeved on the damping inner ring, and forming a closed damping cavity between the damping outer ring and the damping inner ring, the damping cavity being used to be filled with a viscous liquid; and

[0011] A first damping plate and a second damping plate, wherein the first damping plate and the second damping plate are both arranged in the damping cavity, and the first damping plate and the second damping plate are arranged relatively spaced apart along the axial direction; the first damping plate is fixedly installed on the damping inner ring, and the second damping plate is fixedly installed on the damping outer ring.

[0012] Optionally, a plurality of first damping plates are mounted on the damping inner ring, a plurality of second damping plates are mounted on the damping outer ring, and the plurality of first damping plates and the plurality of second damping plates are arranged alternately.

[0013] Optionally, the first damping plate has a first mating bevel, and the second damping plate has a second mating bevel; the first mating bevel and the second mating bevel are spaced apart to form a radially inclined gap relative to the damped spherical bearing.

[0014] Optionally, the first damping plate is provided with a first stop opening, and the damping inner ring is provided with a first groove, the first groove cooperates with the first stop opening to limit the movement of the first damping plate relative to the damping inner ring in the circumferential direction; and / or,

[0015] The second damping plate is provided with a second stop opening, and the damping outer ring is provided with a second groove. The second groove cooperates with the second stop opening to limit the movement of the second damping plate relative to the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction.

[0016] Optionally, the damped spherical bearing further includes a first side cover and a second side cover, wherein the first side cover and the second side cover are both arranged between the damping inner ring and the damping outer ring, and the first side cover and the second side cover are arranged at intervals along the axial direction, and the damping chamber is defined by the first side cover, the damping inner ring, the second side cover and the damping outer ring.

[0017] Optionally, a limiting protrusion is provided on the first side cover and the second side cover, and a limiting groove is provided on the damping outer ring. The limiting protrusion engages with the limiting groove to limit the relative movement of the first side cover and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction and the relative movement of the second side cover and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction.

[0018] Optionally, the first side cover has a first side wall for defining the damping cavity, the second side cover has a second side wall for defining the damping cavity, and the second damping plate is clamped between the first side wall and the second side wall to define the position of the second damping plate in the axial direction.

[0019] Optionally, a step portion is provided at one end of the first side wall and the second side wall close to the damping inner ring, and a step space is formed between the step portion and the outer circumferential surface of the damping inner ring;

[0020] The damped spherical bearing also includes a steel sleeve and a spacer sleeve, and the steel sleeve and the spacer sleeve are arranged in the step space on both sides of the first damping plate; one end of the steel sleeve is abutted against the first side cover or the second side cover, and the other end of the steel sleeve is abutted against the spacer sleeve, and the end of the spacer sleeve away from the steel sleeve is abutted against the first damping plate to limit the movement of the first damping plate in the axial direction.

[0021] Optionally, a valve hole communicating with the damping chamber is provided on the first side cover, and the damped spherical bearing further comprises a retaining valve installed at the valve hole, and the retaining valve is used to open or close the valve hole.

[0022] Optionally, the outer peripheral surface of the spherical bearing body is a spherical surface, and the damping inner ring has a pressure surface that matches the spherical surface, and the pressure surface is in linear contact with the spherical surface.

[0023] Optionally, a mating protrusion is provided on the spherical surface, and a movable groove extending along the axial direction is provided on the pressure surface. The mating protrusion is embedded in the movable groove. The cooperation between the movable groove and the mating protrusion is used to limit the movement of the spherical bearing body in the circumferential direction relative to the damping inner ring, and the movable groove is used to provide the mating protrusion with movable space in the axial direction.

[0024] Optionally, the mating protrusion is cylindrical and has a convex spherical surface; the bottom of the movable groove has a concave spherical surface, and the convex spherical surface cooperates with the concave spherical surface so that the spherical bearing body can rotate around the axis of the mating protrusion relative to the damping inner ring.

[0025] Optionally, a bearing seat is further included, the damping outer ring is installed in the bearing seat, and the relative positions of the bearing seat and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction are fixed.

[0026] A photovoltaic tracking bracket comprises a column, a main square tube and the above-mentioned spherical bearing with damping. The main square tube is used to install photovoltaic components, and the main square tube is rotatably mounted on the column through the spherical bearing with damping.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the damped spherical bearing and photovoltaic tracking bracket provided by the embodiments of the present invention include:

[0028] An embodiment of the present invention provides a damped spherical bearing, comprising a spherical bearing body, a damping inner ring, a damping outer ring, a first damping plate, and a second damping plate. The damping inner ring is sleeved onto the spherical bearing body, and the damping inner ring and the spherical bearing body are fixed in circumferential relative position. The damping outer ring is sleeved onto the damping inner ring, and a closed damping chamber is formed between the damping outer ring and the damping inner ring, which is filled with a viscous fluid. The first damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping inner ring, and the second damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping outer ring. The first and second damping plates are axially spaced relative to each other in the damping chamber. When subjected to wind pressure and the damping inner ring and the damping outer ring rotate relative to each other, the first and second damping plates also rotate relative to each other. The viscous fluid between the first and second damping plates generates viscous resistance, which blocks the relative movement of the first and second damping plates, thereby counteracting the wind pressure. Furthermore, this viscous resistance can vary with wind speed, adapting to various wind conditions and achieving high wind pressure resistance.

[0029] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a photovoltaic tracking bracket, which uses the above-mentioned damped spherical bearing to rotatably mount the main square tube on the column. In this way, when subjected to wind pressure, on the one hand, the damping generated by the damped spherical bearing can correspond to the wind pressure, adapting to the wind pressure resistance requirements under various wind conditions with high efficiency. On the other hand, the wind load can be directly borne on the main square tube, thereby improving the system oscillation frequency and realizing real-time response. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The above features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the following drawings. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components with similar related properties or characteristics may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a spherical bearing with damping provided according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exploded structure of a damped spherical bearing provided according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 3 A schematic longitudinal section view of a damped spherical bearing according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0034] Figure 4 A partial structural schematic diagram of a cross section of a spherical bearing with damping provided according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of a damping cavity of a spherical bearing with damping according to one aspect of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the matching structure between the damping inner ring and the spherical bearing body in a damped spherical bearing provided according to one aspect of the present invention is shown.

[0037] Reference numerals:

[0038] 100 - damped spherical bearing; 110 - spherical bearing body; 111 - spherical body; 112 - mating protrusion; 113 - convex spherical surface; 120 - damping inner ring; 121 - movable groove; 122 - concave spherical surface; 123 - first groove; 130 - damping outer ring; 131 - second groove; 132 - protrusion structure; 133 - limit groove; 141 - damping cavity; 142 - first damping plate; 143 - first mating inclined surface; 144 - second damping plate; 145 - second mating inclined surface; 146 - gap; 147 - first stopper; 148 -Second stopper; 151-First side cover; 152-First side wall; 153-Valve hole; 154-Second side cover; 155-Second side wall; 156-Step space; 157-First step space; 158-Second step space; 159-Third step space; 160-Limiting protrusion; 161-First steel sleeve; 162-Second steel sleeve; 163-First spacer; 164-Second spacer; 165-First sealing ring; 166-Second sealing ring; 167-Third sealing ring; 168-Fourth sealing ring; 170-Bearing seat; 171-Groove. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Note that the various aspects described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper", "lower", "inner", "outer", "vertical" and the like appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or is the orientation or position relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed when in use, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0041] At the same time, it should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. are only used to distinguish and describe, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0042] It should also be noted that, in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they may refer to fixed connection, integral connection, or detachable connection; mechanical connection or electrical connection; direct connection or indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] Figure 1 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a spherical bearing 100 with damping provided in this embodiment. Figure 2 FIG. 1 shows an exploded structural diagram of a damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment. Figure 3 The longitudinal section of the damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment is shown. It should be noted that the "longitudinal section of the damped spherical bearing 100" is the surface of the damped spherical bearing 100 cut by the plane where its axis is located. Figure 1-Figure 3 This embodiment provides a damped spherical bearing 100, which integrates a spherical bearing body 110 with a damping structure to reduce the impact of wind pressure. The following description uses the damped spherical bearing 100 as applied to a photovoltaic tracking bracket. Accordingly, this embodiment also provides a photovoltaic tracking bracket including the damped spherical bearing 100. Obviously, in other embodiments, the damped spherical bearing 100 can also be applied to other rotating devices.

[0044] The photovoltaic tracking bracket also includes a column (not shown) and a main square tube (not shown, but also referred to as a main beam in other embodiments). The main square tube is rotatably mounted on the column via a damped spherical bearing 100 and is used to mount the photovoltaic modules. During operation, the column is fixed to the ground, supporting the main square tube. The main square tube rotates relative to the column, driving the photovoltaic modules to adjust their solar orientation, ensuring efficient photovoltaic power generation.

[0045] The damped spherical bearing 100 has circumferential and axial directions, and includes a spherical bearing body 110 and a damping structure. Optionally, in this embodiment, the damped spherical bearing 100 further includes a bearing seat 170, and the damping structure is installed between the spherical bearing body 110 and the bearing seat 170.

[0046] When the damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment is used in a photovoltaic tracking bracket, the bearing seat 170 is fixedly connected to the column, and the spherical bearing body 110 has a square through-hole that matches the cross-section of the main square tube. The main square tube is inserted into the square through-hole and rotates synchronously with the spherical bearing body 110 relative to the column. It is understood that in other embodiments, the shape of the through-hole on the spherical bearing body 110 can also be specifically set according to the cross-sectional shape of the component that mates with the spherical bearing body 110, for example, a circular shape.

[0047] In this embodiment, the damping structure includes a damping inner ring 120, a damping outer ring 130, a first damping plate 142, and a second damping plate 144. The damping inner ring 120 is sleeved outside the spherical bearing body 110, and the relative positions of the damping inner ring 120 and the spherical bearing body 110 in the circumferential direction are fixed, so that the damping inner ring 120 and the spherical bearing body 110 can rotate synchronously around the axis of the damped spherical bearing 100. The damping outer ring 130 is rotatably sleeved outside the damping inner ring 120, and a space is formed between the damping outer ring 130 and the damping inner ring 120. Figure 3 The figure shows a closed damping chamber 141, which is filled with a viscous fluid. A first damping plate 142 is fixedly mounted on the damping inner ring 120, thereby rotating synchronously with the damping inner ring 120. A second damping plate 144 is fixedly mounted on the damping outer ring 130, thereby rotating synchronously with the damping outer ring 130. When the damping outer ring 130 rotates relative to the damping inner ring 120, the first damping plate 142 rotates relative to the second damping plate 144. The first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144 are axially spaced relative to each other in the damping chamber 141, so that at least a portion of the viscous fluid in the damping chamber 141 is located in a gap 146 formed between the first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144.

[0048] The damping outer ring 130 is mounted within the bearing seat 170, and the relative circumferential positions of the bearing seat 170 and the damping outer ring 130 are fixed. Specifically, the bearing seat 170 is provided with a through hole for mounting the damping outer ring 130. Once mounted on the bearing seat 170, the damping outer ring 130 and the bearing seat 170 are coaxially arranged. A groove 171 is provided on the inner side of the bearing seat 170, and a protrusion 132 is provided on the outer side of the damping outer ring 130. The protrusion 132 engages with the groove 171 to limit the circumferential position of the bearing seat 170 and the damping outer ring 130. Optionally, the bearing seat 170 may be provided with multiple circumferentially distributed grooves 171 on the inner side, and the damping outer ring 130 may be provided with multiple protrusions 132 that mate with the grooves 171.

[0049] It should be noted that the damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment is suitable for Figure 1In the position shown, the spherical bearing body 110, the damping inner ring 120, the damping outer ring 130 and the bearing seat 170 are all coaxially arranged. Therefore, in the description of this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the "axial direction of the damped spherical bearing 100" and the "axial direction" of each component in the damped spherical bearing 100 can be regarded as the same direction ( Figure 1 The "circumferential direction of the damped spherical bearing 100" and the "circumferential direction" of the components of the damped spherical bearing 100 can be considered to be the same direction. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, references to "axial direction," "circumferential direction," and "radial direction" in this embodiment refer to the axial, circumferential, or radial directions of the damped spherical bearing 100.

[0050] Optionally, the viscous liquid includes but is not limited to silicone oil. It is understandable that in other embodiments, other liquid oils that can generate viscous resistance may also be used.

[0051] Figure 4 The schematic diagram of the cross section of the damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment is shown. It should be noted that the "cross section of the damped spherical bearing 100" is the surface obtained by cutting the surface perpendicular to the axis of the damped spherical bearing 100. Figures 1-4 Optionally, in this embodiment, the first damping plate 142 is provided separately from the damping inner ring 120. The first damping plate 142 has an annular sheet structure and is sleeved around the outer circumference of the damping inner ring 120 and coaxially arranged with the damping inner ring 120. A first stopper 147 is provided on the inner circumference of the first damping plate 142. The first stopper 147 protrudes radially inward from the first damping plate 142. A first groove 123 is provided on the damping inner ring 120, and the first groove 123 cooperates with the first stopper 147 to limit the circumferential movement of the first damping plate 142 relative to the damping inner ring 120. In this way, when the damping inner ring 120 rotates about its own axis, the first damping plate 142 rotates synchronously with the damping inner ring 120.

[0052] Specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the damping inner ring 120 is provided with annular segment-shaped protrusions extending along the circumference of the damping inner ring 120, with adjacent annular segment-shaped protrusions spaced apart to form first grooves 123. Optionally, a plurality of first stop openings 147 are provided along the circumference of the first damping plate 142, and correspondingly, the damping inner ring 120 is provided with a plurality of first grooves 123 that engage with the first stop openings 147.

[0053] Similarly, in this embodiment, the second damping plate 144 is provided separately from the damping outer ring 130. The second damping plate 144 is an annular, thin sheet-like structure, mounted inside and coaxially with the damping outer ring 130. A second stopper 148 is provided on the outer circumference of the second damping plate 144, projecting radially outward from the outer ring 130. A second groove 131 is provided on the damping outer ring 130, which cooperates with the second stopper 148 to limit the circumferential movement of the second damping plate 144 relative to the damping outer ring 130. Consequently, when the damping outer ring 130 rotates about its axis, the second damping plate 144 rotates synchronously with the damping outer ring 130. Accordingly, when the damping outer ring 130 and the damping inner ring 120 rotate relative to each other about their axes, the first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144 rotate relative to each other.

[0054] Specifically, the inner circumferential surface of the damping outer ring 130 is provided with annular segment-shaped protrusions extending along the circumference of the damping outer ring 130, with adjacent annular segment-shaped protrusions spaced apart to form second grooves 131. Optionally, a plurality of second stop openings 148 are provided along the circumference of the second damping plate 144, and correspondingly, the damping outer ring 130 is provided with a plurality of second grooves 131 that engage with the second stop openings 148.

[0055] Figure 5 The enlarged structural diagram of the damping cavity 141 of the spherical bearing 100 with damping provided in this embodiment is shown. Figure 1-Figure 5 A plurality of first damping plates 142 are installed on the damping inner ring 120, and a plurality of second damping plates 144 are installed on the damping outer ring 130. The plurality of first damping plates 142 and the plurality of second damping plates 144 are arranged alternately, and gaps 146 for accommodating viscous liquid are formed between adjacent first damping plates 142 and second damping plates 144.

[0056] The inventors have discovered that the magnitude of the viscous resistance generated by the viscous fluid depends on the mating area, relative velocity, and gap 146 between the first and second damping plates 142, 144. The mating area of the first and second damping plates 142, 144 is the area of overlap between the axial projections of the first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144. Furthermore, given a constant circumferential dimension of the first and second damping plates 142, 144, the mating area of the first and second damping plates 142, 144 varies based on the dimension of gap 146 along the direction from the inner damping ring 120 to the outer damping ring 130. A larger mating area between the first and second damping plates 142, 144 generates greater viscous resistance, while a higher relative velocity between the first and second damping plates 142, 144 also generates greater viscous resistance. Preferably, the width of the gap 146 is 1 mm to 2 mm, and the “width of the gap 146 ” refers to the distance between the first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144 .

[0057] Furthermore, the first damping plate 142 has a first mating bevel 143, and the second damping plate 144 has a second mating bevel 145. The first and second mating bevels 143, 145 are spaced apart to form a gap 146 that is inclined radially relative to the damped spherical bearing 100. In other words, the "width of gap 146" is the distance between adjacent first and second mating bevels 143, 145. Providing bevels to form gaps 146 between adjacent first and second damping plates 142, 144 helps ensure that the width of gaps 146 is within a predetermined range. Furthermore, while the distance between the damping inner ring 120 and the damping outer ring 130 is fixed, using bevels to form gaps 146 allows for a longer gap 146 along the direction from the damping inner ring 120 to the damping outer ring 130. Consequently, the mating area between the first and second damping plates 142, 144 is larger.

[0058] Since in this embodiment, there are multiple first damping plates 142 and second damping plates 144, second damping plates 144 are provided on both sides of the first damping plate 142. Accordingly, both side surfaces of the first damping plate 142 are first mating inclined surfaces 143, and the inclination directions of the two first mating inclined surfaces 143 are opposite. Therefore, the longitudinal section of the first damping plate 142 is triangular or a truncated triangle (or trapezoidal). After multiple first damping plates 142 are axially installed side by side on the damping inner ring 120, a serrated structure is formed; similarly, both side surfaces of the second damping plate 144 are second mating inclined surfaces 145, and the inclination directions of the two second mating inclined surfaces 145 are opposite. Therefore, the longitudinal section of the second damping plate 144 is triangular or a truncated triangle (or trapezoidal). Multiple second damping plates 144 are axially installed side by side on the damping outer ring 130 to form a serrated structure. The sawtooth structure formed by the plurality of first damping plates 142 is engaged with the sawtooth structure formed by the plurality of second damping plates 144 , thereby forming a sawtooth-shaped gap 146 .

[0059] Please refer to it again Figure 1-Figure 3 In this embodiment, the damped spherical bearing 100 further includes a first side cover 151 and a second side cover 154. Both the first side cover 151 and the second side cover 154 are disposed between the damping inner ring 120 and the damping outer ring 130. The first side cover 151 and the second side cover 154 are spaced apart in the axial direction, and the damping chamber 141 is defined by the first side cover 151, the damping inner ring 120, the second side cover 154, and the damping outer ring 130. Optionally, in this embodiment, the first side cover 151 and the second side cover 154 have the same structure and are symmetrically disposed along a cross section of the damped spherical bearing 100. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the structures of the first side cover 151 and the second side cover 154 may be specifically configured, for example, the structures of the first side cover 151 and the second side cover 154 may be different.

[0060] Furthermore, if Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first side cover 151 has a first side wall 152, which is the end wall of the first side cover 151 close to the second side cover 154. Correspondingly, the second side cover 154 also has a second side wall 155, which is the end wall of the second side cover 154 close to the first side cover 151. The damping chamber 141 is defined between the first side wall 152 and the second side wall 155, that is, the first damping plate 142 and the second damping plate 144 are both arranged between the first side wall 152 and the second side wall 155. At the same time, the first side wall 152 is used to abut the second damping plate 144 closest to the first side cover 151, and the second side wall 155 is used to abut the second damping plate 144 closest to the second side cover 154. In this way, the axial positions of the plurality of second damping plates 144 in the damping chamber 141 are limited by clamping the first side wall 152 and the second side wall 155.

[0061] The first side cover 151 is provided with a limiting protrusion 160, and the damping outer ring 130 is provided with a limiting groove 133. The limiting protrusion 160 engages with the limiting groove 133, thereby limiting the relative movement of the first side cover 151 and the damping outer ring 130 in the circumferential direction. In other words, the damping outer ring 130, the first side cover 151, and the bearing seat 170 rotate synchronously relative to the damping inner ring 120. Correspondingly, the second side cover 154 is also provided with a limiting protrusion 160, and the damping outer ring 130 is provided with a limiting groove 133 corresponding to the second side cover 154, thereby enabling the second side cover 154 and the damping outer ring 130 to rotate synchronously.

[0062] Furthermore, a first sealing ring 165 is provided between the first side cover 151 and the damping outer ring 130. The first sealing ring 165 seals the gap between the first side cover 151 and the damping outer ring 130, thereby preventing leakage of the viscous liquid filling the damping chamber 141. Similarly, a second sealing ring 166 is provided between the second side cover 154 and the damping outer ring 130. The second sealing ring 166 seals the gap between the second side cover 154 and the damping outer ring 130, thereby preventing leakage of the viscous liquid filling the damping chamber 141.

[0063] Specifically, the first sealing ring 165 is located on the side of the limiting protrusion 160 on the first side cover 151 that is closer to the second side cover 154, and the second sealing ring 166 is located on the side of the limiting protrusion 160 on the second side cover 154 that is closer to the first side cover 151. The first side cover 151 is provided with a sealing groove for mounting the first sealing ring 165, and the second side cover 154 is provided with a sealing groove for mounting the second sealing ring 166.

[0064] Furthermore, the first side wall 152 and the second side wall 155 are both provided with a step portion at one end close to the damping inner ring 120, and a step space 156 is formed between the step portion and the outer peripheral surface of the damping inner ring 120. The damped spherical bearing 100 also includes a steel sleeve and a spacer. The steel sleeve and the spacer are both provided in the step space 156 on both sides of the first damping plate 142. In other words, in this embodiment, the number of the spacer and the number of the steel sleeve are both two, the two spacers are respectively the first spacer 163 and the second spacer 164, and the two steel sleeves are respectively the first steel sleeve 161 and the second steel sleeve 162. The steel sleeve 162, the first spacer 163 and the first steel sleeve 161 are arranged in the step space 156 on one side of the first damping plate 142, and the second spacer 164 and the second steel sleeve 162 are arranged in the step space 156 on the other side of the first damping plate 142. The matching structure of the first spacer 163, the first steel sleeve 161 and the first side cover 151 and the matching structure of the second spacer 164, the second steel sleeve 162 and the second side cover 154 are the same. The matching structure of the first side cover 151, the first steel sleeve 161 and the first spacer 163 is taken as an example for explanation below.

[0065] Step space 156 comprises a first step space 157 and a second step space 158. First step space 157 is radially larger than second step space 158 and is located closer to first damping plate 142 than second step space 158. A first steel sleeve 161 is disposed within second step space 158, and its longitudinal cross-sectional dimensions match those of first steel sleeve 161, thereby locking first steel sleeve 161 within second step space 158. One end of the sleeve abuts first side cover 151, while second steel sleeve 162 abuts second side cover 154. A first spacer 163 is disposed within first step space 157, with one end abutting first steel sleeve 161 and the end of the sleeve 163, distal from the first sleeve 161, abutting first damping plate 142. Thus, the axial movement of first damping plate 142 is restricted by the steel sleeves and spacers disposed on either side of the sleeve.

[0066] In this embodiment, a third sealing ring 167 is disposed between the first side cover 151 and the damping inner ring 120, and a fourth sealing ring 168 is disposed between the second side cover 154 and the damping inner ring 120. These third and fourth sealing rings 167 and 168 seal the damping chamber 141 on the side of the damping inner ring 120, preventing leakage of the viscous fluid filled in the damping chamber 141. Specifically, the stepped space 156 further includes a third step space 159, which is located on the side of the second step space 158 facing away from the first step space 157. In other words, the first step space 157, the second step space 158, and the third step space 159 are disposed in sequence along the axial direction. The third and fourth sealing rings 167 and 168 are respectively disposed within the third step space 159 of the two stepped spaces 156.

[0067] In this embodiment, a valve hole 153 communicating with the damping chamber 141 is further provided on the first side cover 151. The damped spherical bearing 100 further includes a retaining valve installed at the valve hole 153. The retaining valve opens or closes the valve hole 153. When the valve hole 153 is open, viscous liquid can be filled into the damping chamber 141 through the valve hole 153. When the valve hole 153 is closed,

[0068] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the matching structure of the damping inner ring 120 and the spherical bearing body 110 in the damped spherical bearing 100 provided in this embodiment. Figures 1-6 In this embodiment, the outer circumference of the spherical bearing body 110 is spherical, and the damping inner ring 120 has a pressure surface that mates with the spherical surface. This pressure surface is the inner circumference of the damping inner ring 120, and the pressure surface and the spherical surface are in linear contact. Optionally, the spherical bearing body 110 is made of POM (polyoxymethylene). Due to POM's excellent plasticity, in high wind conditions, the linear contact is transformed into surface contact after being subjected to force, achieving good torque transmission.

[0069] Furthermore, a mating protrusion 112 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the spherical bearing body 110, and a movable groove 121 extending in the axial direction is provided on the pressure surface. The mating protrusion 112 is embedded in the movable groove 121. The engagement between the movable groove 121 and the mating protrusion 112 restricts the circumferential movement of the spherical bearing body 110 relative to the damping inner ring 120, or in other words, transmits rotational power, thereby enabling the damping inner ring 120 to rotate in real time with the spherical bearing body 110. At the same time, the movable groove 121 extends along the axial direction of the damping inner ring 120 and penetrates both axial end surfaces of the damping inner ring 120. The movable groove 121 provides space for the mating protrusion 112 to move relative to the damping inner ring 120 in this direction.

[0070] Specifically, the spherical bearing body 110 has two independent spherical bodies 111, and the two spherical bodies 111 are respectively located at different positions in the circumference of the damping inner ring 120. The two spherical bearing bodies 110 are respectively provided with a matching protrusion 112, and the two matching protrusions 112 are arranged along the Figure 1 The middle Z-axis is set, and the mating protrusion 112 limits the spherical body 111 from rotating relative to the damping inner ring 120 around the X-axis, while allowing the spherical body 111 to have the freedom to rotate relative to the damping inner ring 120 around the Y-axis. When the spherical body 111 rotates relative to the damping inner ring 120 around the Y-axis, the mating protrusion 112 can be regarded as moving relative to the movable groove 121 along the extension direction of the movable groove 121.

[0071] Furthermore, the mating protrusion 112 is cylindrical and has a convex spherical surface 113 on it. The bottom of the movable groove 121 has a concave spherical surface 122. The spherical surface and the concave spherical surface 122 cooperate with each other to enable the spherical bearing body 110 to rotate relative to the damping inner ring 120 around the axis of the mating protrusion 112. Moreover, the convex spherical surface 113 and the concave spherical surface 122 are designed to be consistent in size, ensuring real-time transmission of torque without delay. Figure 1 The Z-axis arrangement shown in FIG, accordingly, the axis of the mating protrusion 112 can be regarded as Figure 1 In this way, the damped spherical bearing 100 has the damping capability and also has the rotational freedom around the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis.

[0072] The damped spherical bearing 100 and photovoltaic tracking bracket provided by the embodiment of the present invention have the following characteristics: when the photovoltaic tracking bracket is operating under normal working conditions, the rotation speed of the main square tube is very low, so the damping force (i.e., viscous resistance) generated by the damped spherical bearing 100 is very small, and the motor of the photovoltaic tracking bracket can overcome the damping force to drive the main square tube to operate normally. When strong winds come, the photovoltaic tracking bracket shuts down for protection, and the photovoltaic components are subjected to wind force, causing the main square tube to have a very high starting speed. At this time, the rotation speed of the first damping plate 142 is larger than that of the second damping plate 144, so the damping force generated by the damping structure is larger, thereby preventing the main square tube and the photovoltaic components thereon from swaying with the wind, thereby achieving the purpose of resisting wind pressure and preventing wind-induced disasters.

[0073] The damped spherical bearing 100 and photovoltaic tracking bracket provided by the embodiments of the present invention integrate a damping structure into the spherical bearing. When the photovoltaic tracking bracket is subjected to wind load, the damping structure absorbs a portion of the wind load energy, thereby reducing the rotation frequency of the photovoltaic tracking bracket. Furthermore, the rotation frequency of the photovoltaic tracking bracket is difficult to reach the resonant frequency, thereby improving the photovoltaic tracking bracket's anti-vibration effect and achieving real-time response. The damping force generated by the damping structure can also vary with the wind speed. When the wind speed is high, the damping force increases, and when the wind speed is low, the damping force decreases. This structure is applicable to a variety of wind conditions and is highly efficient. Furthermore, when the photovoltaic tracking bracket is in normal use, the damping force generated is relatively small, ensuring that the photovoltaic tracking bracket can be used normally. The unique structure of the spherical bearing body 110 can both transmit torque and ensure that it has rotational freedom around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The damping structure and the spherical bearing body 110 are well integrated.

[0074] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by any technician familiar with the technology in this field within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A spherical bearing with damping, having circumferential and axial directions, characterized in that: The damped spherical bearing is used for a photovoltaic tracking bracket; the damped spherical bearing includes: Spherical bearing body; a damping inner ring, wherein the damping inner ring is sleeved on the spherical bearing body, and the relative positions of the damping inner ring and the spherical bearing body in the circumferential direction are fixed; a damping outer ring, the damping outer ring being sleeved on the damping inner ring, and forming a closed damping cavity between the damping outer ring and the damping inner ring, the damping cavity being used to be filled with a viscous liquid; and a first damping plate and a second damping plate, wherein the first damping plate and the second damping plate are both disposed in the damping cavity and are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction; the first damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping inner ring, and the second damping plate is fixedly mounted on the damping outer ring; The outer peripheral surface of the spherical bearing body is a spherical surface, and the damping inner ring has a pressure surface that matches the spherical surface, and the pressure surface is in linear contact with the spherical surface; A mating protrusion is provided on the spherical surface, and a movable groove extending along the axial direction is provided on the pressure surface. The mating protrusion is embedded in the movable groove. The cooperation between the movable groove and the mating protrusion is used to limit the movement of the spherical bearing body relative to the damping inner ring in the circumferential direction, and the movable groove is used to provide a movable space for the mating protrusion in the axial direction. The mating protrusion is cylindrical and has a convex spherical surface; the bottom of the movable groove has a concave spherical surface, and the convex spherical surface cooperates with the concave spherical surface so that the spherical bearing body can rotate relative to the damping inner ring around the axis of the mating protrusion.

2. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of first damping plates are mounted on the damping inner ring, a plurality of second damping plates are mounted on the damping outer ring, and the plurality of first damping plates and the plurality of second damping plates are arranged alternately.

3. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first damping plate has a first matching bevel, and the second damping plate has a second matching bevel; the first matching bevel and the second matching bevel are spaced apart to form a radially inclined gap relative to the spherical bearing with damping.

4. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first damping plate is provided with a first stop opening, and the damping inner ring is provided with a first groove, the first groove cooperates with the first stop opening to limit the movement of the first damping plate relative to the damping inner ring in the circumferential direction; and / or, The second damping plate is provided with a second stop opening, and the damping outer ring is provided with a second groove. The second groove cooperates with the second stop opening to limit the movement of the second damping plate relative to the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction.

5. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The damped spherical bearing also includes a first side cover and a second side cover, wherein the first side cover and the second side cover are both arranged between the damping inner ring and the damping outer ring, and the first side cover and the second side cover are arranged at intervals along the axial direction, and the damping chamber is defined by the first side cover, the damping inner ring, the second side cover and the damping outer ring.

6. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first side cover and the second side cover are both provided with a limiting protrusion, and the damping outer ring is provided with a limiting groove. The limiting protrusion is engaged with the limiting groove to limit the relative movement of the first side cover and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction and the relative movement of the second side cover and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction.

7. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first side cover has a first side wall for defining the damping cavity, the second side cover has a second side wall for defining the damping cavity, and the second damping plate is clamped between the first side wall and the second side wall to define the position of the second damping plate in the axial direction.

8. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first side wall and the second side wall are both provided with a step portion at one end close to the damping inner ring, and a step space is formed between the step portion and the outer peripheral surface of the damping inner ring; The damped spherical bearing also includes a steel sleeve and a spacer sleeve, and the steel sleeve and the spacer sleeve are arranged in the step space on both sides of the first damping plate; one end of the steel sleeve is abutted against the first side cover or the second side cover, and the other end of the steel sleeve is abutted against the spacer sleeve, and the end of the spacer sleeve away from the steel sleeve is abutted against the first damping plate to limit the movement of the first damping plate in the axial direction.

9. The damped spherical bearing according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first side cover is provided with a valve hole communicating with the damping chamber. The damped spherical bearing further comprises a retaining valve installed at the valve hole, and the retaining valve is used to open or close the valve hole.

10. The damped spherical bearing according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: It also includes a bearing seat, the damping outer ring is installed in the bearing seat, and the relative positions of the bearing seat and the damping outer ring in the circumferential direction are fixed.

11. A photovoltaic tracking bracket, characterized in that: The photovoltaic tracking bracket includes: A column, a main square tube and a spherical bearing with damping as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the main square tube is used to install a photovoltaic module, and the main square tube is rotatably mounted on the column through the spherical bearing with damping.

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