Flexible photovoltaic support structure and its cable limiting structure

Abstract

A flexible photovoltaic support structure and its cable limiting structure are disclosed. The cable limiting structure includes a crossbeam, a clamp assembly, and a connecting assembly. The clamp assembly includes an upper clamp and a lower clamp, which are angled and surround the outer side of the crossbeam. The connecting assembly includes a limiting part and a connecting part. The limiting part includes a cavity for the cable to pass through, and the connecting part connects the upper clamp and the lower clamp. This application adopts a fixing method combining the clamp assembly and the connecting assembly. When the connecting assembly secures the clamp assembly to the outer side of the crossbeam, the installation angle of the clamp assembly on the crossbeam can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual angle of the cable, which helps to reduce or even eliminate the bending angle of the cable, making the cable less prone to breakage, and thus enabling the flexible photovoltaic support structure to operate stably for a long time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic technology, and more particularly to a flexible photovoltaic support structure and its cable limiting structure. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible photovoltaic brackets use prestressed cables instead of traditional steel. Only a few columns or anchors need to be set in suitable locations to achieve large-span suspension of photovoltaic panels. They can effectively adapt to environments with rugged terrain or large slope changes, such as mountains and hills.

[0003] Generally, the market uses direct fixing of the eye bolts to the beam to restrict the movement of the cable. Flexible supports are usually installed in environments with rugged terrain or large slope changes. The cable is prone to excessive local bending angles, resulting in high stress concentration. The contact point between the cable and the eye bolt is prone to breakage.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the technical defects existing in the prior art has always been a problem that ordinary people skilled in the art need to solve. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a flexible photovoltaic support structure and its cable limiting structure, which can effectively reduce or even eliminate the bending angle of the cable, making the cable less prone to breakage, and thus enabling the flexible photovoltaic support structure to operate stably for a long time.

[0006] The technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0007] A cable-stayed structure suitable for flexible photovoltaic mounting systems includes:

[0008] beam;

[0009] The clamp assembly includes an upper clamp and a lower clamp, which are angled together and surround the outside of the crossbeam;

[0010] A connecting assembly, the connecting assembly including a limiting part and a connecting part, the limiting part including a cavity for the cable to pass through, and the connecting part connecting the upper clamp and the lower clamp.

[0011] In some embodiments, the upper clamp includes a first enclosing portion that adapts to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam, and at least one end of the first enclosing portion is provided with a first mounting portion, the first mounting portion having a first connecting hole adapted for the connecting portion to pass through; and,

[0012] The lower clamp includes a second enclosure portion, which is adapted to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam, and at least one end of the second enclosure portion is provided with a second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is provided with a second connecting hole, and the second connecting hole and the first connecting hole are correspondingly provided.

[0013] The connecting part connects the first mounting part and the second mounting part through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole.

[0014] In some embodiments, the crossbeam is a circular tube, and both the first enclosure and the second enclosure are arc-shaped structures, with the arc-shaped opening depth of the first enclosure being less than the arc-shaped opening depth of the second enclosure.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first mounting portion is provided at both ends of the arc length of the first enclosure portion, and the second mounting portion is provided at both ends of the arc length of the second enclosure portion.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first mounting portion has a bending portion on the side away from the first enclosure portion, and the bending portion bends toward the arcuate opening direction of the first enclosure portion and away from the first mounting portion.

[0017] In some embodiments, the angle between the bent portion and the first mounting portion is 120° to 150°.

[0018] In some embodiments, the limiting portion is circular, the connecting portion is disposed at one end of the limiting portion, and the end of the connecting portion away from the limiting portion passes through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.

[0019] In some embodiments, the limiting part is an arc-shaped structure, and the limiting part and the first mounting part together form a cavity for the cable to pass through. A connecting part is provided at each end of the arc-shaped structure of the limiting part, and the end of the connecting part away from the limiting part passes through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.

[0020] In some embodiments, the clamp assembly is connected to both ends of the crossbeam in the axial direction.

[0021] This application also provides a flexible photovoltaic support structure, comprising:

[0022] Side columns, middle columns, component cables, and cable limiting structures provided in any of the above embodiments;

[0023] The number of side columns is two, and the two side columns are spaced apart; the middle column is arranged between the two side columns, and the top of the middle column is provided with the cable limiting structure; the component cable includes a cable, the two ends of the cable are respectively connected to the top of the two side columns, and the cable passes through the limiting part in the cable limiting structure.

[0024] The technical advantages of this application are as follows:

[0025] This application employs a fixing method combining a clamp assembly and a connecting assembly. The connecting assembly secures the clamp assembly to the outside of the crossbeam while also forming a limiting hole for the cable to pass through. When assembling the clamp assembly onto the crossbeam, the installation angle can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual angle of the cable, thereby reducing or even eliminating the bending angle of the cable and making it less prone to breakage. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the cable limiting structure provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a side view of a cable limiting structure provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the clamp assembly and connecting assembly provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the upper clamp provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the lower clamp provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the connection component provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the layout of the flexible photovoltaic support provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the intermediate column and cable limiting structure of the flexible photovoltaic support provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the side column structure of the flexible photovoltaic support provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the wind-resistant frame of the flexible photovoltaic support provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0037] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0038] 100. Crossbeam;

[0039] 200. Clamp assembly; 210. Upper clamp; 211. First enclosure; 212. First mounting part; 213. Bending part; 214. First connecting hole; 220. Lower clamp; 221. Second enclosure; 222. Second mounting part; 223. Second connecting hole;

[0040] 300. Connecting assembly; 310. Limiting part; 320. Connecting part; 330. Nut; 340. Cavity;

[0041] 400. Side column; 410. Side beam; 420. Side anchor cable;

[0042] 500, Central Column;

[0043] 600. Component cable; 610. Cable;

[0044] 700. Wind-resistant frame; 710. Lifting ring; 720. Connecting rod;

[0045] 810. First reinforcing component; 820. Second reinforcing component. Detailed Implementation

[0046] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application can also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0047] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the specific implementation methods of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings and other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative effort.

[0048] To keep the drawings concise, each drawing only schematically shows the parts relevant to this application, and they do not represent the actual structure of the product. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, in some drawings, only one of the components with the same structure or function is schematically shown, or only one is labeled. In this document, "one" not only means "only one," but can also mean "more than one."

[0049] It should also be further understood that the term “and / or” as used in this application specification and the appended claims means any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0050] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0051] In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, and back) used to explain the structure and movement of the various components of this application are relative rather than absolute. These descriptions are appropriate when these components are in the positions shown in the drawings. If the description of the positions of these components changes, these directional indications also change accordingly.

[0052] Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] Flexible photovoltaic (PV) support systems feature large spans and high clearance, enabling spans of 10-30 meters and effectively adapting to rugged terrain or environments with significant slope variations, such as mountains and hills. However, traditional flexible PV support systems require the cables to be threaded through the lifting ring bolts during installation, which is inconvenient. Furthermore, in rugged or uneven terrain, the cables are prone to excessive local bending angles, leading to high stress concentration and a high risk of breakage at the contact point between the cable and the lifting ring.

[0054] To address this issue, this application provides a cable limiting structure that replaces the traditional eye bolt, making installation more convenient and effectively reducing or even eliminating the bending angle of the cable, thus making the cable less prone to breakage and enabling the flexible photovoltaic support to operate stably for extended periods.

[0055] In one specific embodiment, see Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 6The cable limiting structure includes a crossbeam 100, a clamp assembly 200, and a connecting assembly 300. The clamp assembly 200 includes an upper clamp 210 and a lower clamp 220, which are angled and arranged around the outside of the crossbeam 100. The connecting assembly 300 includes a limiting part 310 and a connecting part 320. The limiting part 310 includes a cavity 340 for the cable 610 to pass through, and the connecting part 320 connects the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220. The upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220 are angled and arranged around the outside of the crossbeam 100. This means that the angle between the installation part of the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220 (the installation part is the part where the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220 are connected by the connecting part 320) and the horizontal plane can be adjusted according to the actual slope of the installation environment. This changes the angle between the connecting component 300 and its upper cavity 340 and the horizontal plane, making the installation angle of the cable 610 adjustable so that it can adapt to and meet the requirements of the terrain, thereby reducing or even eliminating the bending angle of the cable 610 and avoiding stress concentration.

[0056] Specifically, see Figures 3 to 6 The upper clamp 210 includes a first enclosing portion 211, which is adapted to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam 100. At least one end of the first enclosing portion 211 has a first mounting portion 212, which has a first connecting hole 214. Conversely, the lower clamp 220 includes a second enclosing portion 221, which is adapted to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam 100. At least one end of the second enclosing portion 221 has a second mounting portion 222, which has a second connecting hole 223. The second connecting hole 223 and the first connecting hole 214 are correspondingly provided, and the connecting portion 320 connects the first mounting portion 212 and the second mounting portion 222 through the first connecting hole 214 and the second connecting hole 223.

[0057] The crossbeam 100 is a round tube, and the first enclosure portion 211 and the second enclosure portion 221 are both arc-shaped structures. The arc-shaped openings of the first enclosure portion 211 and the second enclosure portion 221 are arranged opposite to each other so that the first enclosure portion 211 and the second enclosure portion 221 can respectively fit into the upper and lower parts of the crossbeam 100.

[0058] The arc-shaped opening depth of the first enclosure 211 is preferably less than that of the arc-shaped opening depth of the second enclosure 221. That is, when the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220 are fixed by the connecting component 300 and enclosed on the outside of the crossbeam 100, the installation position of the connecting component 300 can be more biased towards the side where the cable 610 is located. When the cable 610 passes through the cavity 340, it is not easy to cause interference with the outer wall of the first enclosure 211 of the upper clamp 210, which would lead to a larger bending angle. This is more conducive to reducing or even eliminating the bending angle of the cable 610, and the structural design is more reasonable and practical.

[0059] In one example embodiment, one end of the arc length of the first enclosure portion 211 is hinged to one end of the arc length of the second enclosure portion 221. The other end of the arc length of the first enclosure portion 211 and the other end of the arc length of the second enclosure portion 221 are respectively provided with the aforementioned first mounting portion 212 and second mounting portion 222. The connecting portion 320 of the connecting component 300 passes through the first mounting portion 212 and the second mounting portion 222 to achieve a locking connection between the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220, so that the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220 can be enclosed on the outside of the intermediate crossbeam 100.

[0060] Or, for example, see Figures 3 to 6 The first enclosing portion 211 has a first mounting portion 212 at both ends of its arc length, and the second enclosing portion 221 has a second mounting portion 222 at both ends of its arc length. At this time, the clamp assembly 200 can have two corresponding connecting components 300 to fix the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220. The cable 610 can pass through the two cavities 340 on the two connecting components 300, forming a two-point contact. Compared to a single-point contact where the cable 610 only passes through one cavity 340, the two-point contact has a better load-bearing capacity under the same strength, lower requirements on the quality of the connecting components 300, and the cable 610 is less prone to excessive local bending angles and breakage.

[0061] Preferably, see Figures 2 to 4 The first mounting portion 212 has a bent portion 213 on the side away from the first enclosure portion 211. The bent portion 213 bends towards the arc-shaped opening of the first enclosure portion 211 and away from the first mounting portion 212 to increase the distance between the cable 610 and the upper clamp 210. This prevents the cable 610 from tilting at an excessive angle in certain installation environments, especially uneven environments, thus avoiding contact with the edge of the upper clamp 210, which could cause cutting and damage to the cable 610. Moreover, even if the cable 610 contacts the edge of the upper clamp 210, it contacts the smooth surface of the bent portion 213, preventing cutting. The angle between the bent portion 213 and the first mounting portion 212 is preferably 120° to 150°.

[0062] In one example embodiment, the connecting assembly 300 adopts the structure of an eye bolt, that is, the limiting part 310 is circular, and its central circular hole can form the cavity 340 through which the cable 610 can pass. The connecting part 320 is provided at one end of the limiting part 310. The cable 610 passes through the cavity 340, and one end of the connecting part 320 passes through the first connecting hole 214 and the second connecting hole 223 in sequence, and is fastened by the nut 330, thereby realizing the connection between the cable 610 and the clamp assembly 200.

[0063] Or see Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 6 The connecting component 300 can also adopt a U-bolt structure, that is, the limiting part 310 is an open arc-shaped structure. The limiting part 310 and the first mounting part 212 together form a cavity 340 through which the cable 610 can pass. The open arc-shaped structure means that the two ends of the arc do not coincide, that is, the limiting part 310 is a non-complete circular structure. A connecting part 320 is provided at both ends of the arc-shaped structure of the limiting part 310. The end of the connecting part 320 away from the limiting part 310 passes through the first connecting hole 214 and the second connecting hole 223 in sequence, and is fastened by a nut 330.

[0064] In this embodiment, the cavity 340 restricts the movement of the cable 610. Furthermore, the cable 610 does not need to pass through the limiting hole 340 before installation. Instead, after the two ends of the cable 610 are tightened and installed, the clamp assembly 200 and the connecting assembly 300 (U-bolt) are assembled to the crossbeam 100. By assembling the connecting assembly 300 on the side of the cable 610 away from the crossbeam 100, the cable 610 can be confined within the cavity 340 (i.e., between the U-bolt and the upper clamp 210), making installation convenient. Moreover, the cavity 340 formed between the U-bolt and the upper clamp 210, compared to the central circular hole in a traditional eye bolt, is more strip-shaped. This not only restricts the movement of the cable 610 but also prevents excessive strain on the cable 610, helping to reduce the bending angle of the cable 610 and preventing damage due to excessive local stress.

[0065] Furthermore, two nuts 330 are screwed onto the connecting part 320, located on opposite sides of the first mounting part 212 and the second mounting part 222. On one hand, the two nuts 330 are screwed onto both sides of the clamp assembly 200, which is more conducive to the tight connection between the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220; on the other hand, it makes it easier for the user to adjust the installation height of the connecting assembly 300 and its upper cavity 340, so that the connecting assembly 300 can better adapt to the installation requirements and effectively reduce or even eliminate the bending angle of the cable 610.

[0066] Furthermore, see Figure 1 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 Both ends of the crossbeam 100 are connected to clamp components 200 in the axial direction. In this way, the crossbeam 100 can simultaneously connect to two cables 610. The two cables 610 can serve as component cables 600 to better support the photovoltaic panels and realize the large-span suspension arrangement of the photovoltaic panels.

[0067] In actual use, first pull the component cable 600 to determine the angle of the component cable 600, then determine the installation angle of the clamp component 200. After adjusting the installation angle of the clamp component 200, use the connecting component 300 to fix the upper clamp 210 and the lower clamp 220. The two nuts 330 located on the upper and lower sides of the clamp component 200 can adjust the installation height of the connecting component 300 to ensure that the component cable 600 does not bend.

[0068] See Figure 7 and Figure 8 This application also provides a flexible photovoltaic support structure, including side columns 400, intermediate columns 500, module cables 600, and the cable limiting structure provided in any of the above embodiments. There are two side columns 400, spaced apart. There is at least one intermediate column 500, arranged between the two side columns 400, and the top of the intermediate column 500 is provided with the aforementioned cable limiting structure. The module cable 600 includes a cable 610, with both ends of the cable 610 connected to the tops of the two side columns 400 and passing through the limiting portion (cavity 340) in the cable limiting structure, for supporting the photovoltaic panel.

[0069] Specifically, see Figure 1 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The top of the side column 400 is provided with a side crossbeam 410, and the two ends of the cable 610 are respectively connected to the side crossbeams 410 at the top of the two side columns 400. In order to improve the overall stability of the flexible photovoltaic support, the component cable 600 preferably includes two cables 610, which are respectively located at the two ends of the side crossbeam 410 in the axial direction; correspondingly, the two ends of the crossbeam 100 in the axial direction are also connected to clamping components 200, and the connecting component 300 locks the clamping components 200. The two cables 610 of the component cable 600 pass through the cavities 340 of the connecting components 300 at the two ends of the crossbeam 100 in the axial direction.

[0070] Further, see Figure 9 The flexible photovoltaic support also includes side anchor cables 420. One end of the side anchor cable 420 is connected to the side crossbeam 410, and the other end is connected to the ground and located on the side of the two side columns 400 that are far apart from each other. This can further improve the stability of the side columns 400, thereby improving the overall stability of the flexible photovoltaic support.

[0071] Furthermore, see Figure 7 and Figure 10The flexible photovoltaic (PV) support system also includes a wind-resistant frame 700. The wind-resistant frame 700 has a lifting ring 710 at its top, through which cables 610 pass to secure the wind-resistant frame 700 to the bottom of the module cable 600. The wind-resistant frame 700 connects two cables 610, increasing the overall stability of the flexible PV support system and improving its wind resistance. The wind-resistant frame 700 is typically a triangular pyramid, square pyramid, pentagonal pyramid, or other polygonal pyramidal structure, composed of multiple connecting rods 720 connected end-to-end. The lifting ring 710 is located at the corner of the top of the wind-resistant frame 700, allowing it to connect to the two cables 610.

[0072] See Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 If there are multiple flexible photovoltaic supports, in order to improve the stability of the photovoltaic system, a reinforcing member is further provided between two adjacent flexible photovoltaic supports. For example, a first reinforcing member 810 is provided between two adjacent side columns 400 at one end of the flexible photovoltaic support. The number of first reinforcing members 810 can be two, and the two first reinforcing members 810 are arranged in a cross manner. Alternatively, a second reinforcing member 820 is provided between two adjacent wind-resistant frames 700. Taking the wind-resistant frame 700 as a triangular pyramid structure, the number of second reinforcing members 820 can be two. One end of the two reinforcing members is connected to the bottom of one of the wind-resistant frames 700, and the other end of the two reinforcing members is respectively connected to the two corners of the top of the other wind-resistant frame 700 located on the same side.

[0073] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0074] It should be noted that the above embodiments can be freely combined as needed. The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A stay limiting structure suitable for a flexible photovoltaic support, characterized in that, include: beam; The clamp assembly includes an upper clamp and a lower clamp, which are angled together and surround the outside of the crossbeam; A connecting assembly, the connecting assembly including a limiting part and a connecting part, the limiting part including a cavity for the cable to pass through, and the connecting part connecting the upper clamp and the lower clamp.

2. The cable limiting structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper clamp includes a first enclosing portion, which is adapted to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam, and at least one end of the first enclosing portion is provided with a first mounting portion, which has a first connecting hole adapted for the connecting portion to pass through; and, The lower clamp includes a second enclosure portion, which is adapted to at least a portion of the outer periphery of the crossbeam, and at least one end of the second enclosure portion is provided with a second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is provided with a second connecting hole, and the second connecting hole and the first connecting hole are correspondingly provided. The connecting part connects the first mounting part and the second mounting part through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole.

3. The cable limiter structure according to claim 2, wherein The crossbeam is a circular tube, and both the first and second enclosing portions are arc-shaped structures, with the arc-shaped opening depth of the first enclosing portion being less than the arc-shaped opening depth of the second enclosing portion.

4. The cable limiting structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first mounting portion is provided at both ends of the arc length of the first enclosing portion, and the second mounting portion is provided at both ends of the arc length of the second enclosing portion.

5. The cable limiting structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first mounting portion has a bending portion on the side away from the first enclosure portion, and the bending portion bends toward the arc-shaped opening of the first enclosure portion and away from the first mounting portion.

6. The cable limiting structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The angle between the bent portion and the first mounting portion is 120°~150°.

7. The pull cable limiting structure of any of claims 2-6, wherein, The limiting part is circular, and the connecting part is located at one end of the limiting part. The end of the connecting part away from the limiting part passes through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.

8. The pull cable limiting structure of any of claims 2-6, wherein, The limiting part has an arc-shaped structure. The limiting part and the first mounting part together form a cavity for the cable to pass through. A connecting part is provided at each end of the arc-shaped structure of the limiting part. The end of the connecting part away from the limiting part passes through the first connecting hole and the second connecting hole in sequence.

9. The cable-locking structure according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Both ends of the crossbeam in the axial direction are connected to the clamp assembly.

10. A flexible photovoltaic support, characterized in that, include: Side column, middle column, component cable, and cable limiting structure as described in any one of claims 1-8; The number of side columns is two, and the two side columns are spaced apart; the middle column is arranged between the two side columns, and the top of the middle column is provided with the cable limiting structure; the component cable includes a cable, the two ends of the cable are respectively connected to the top of the two side columns, and the cable passes through the limiting part in the cable limiting structure.

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