Patent Application
20240429854
The present invention relates to a solar tracker support system and an installation apparatus.
Many large-scale solar farms utilise solar trackers so that the photovoltaic solar panels move during the day to remain more closely aligned with the position of the sun. This increases electricity production from the solar panels.
Solar trackers in large-scale solar farms typically comprise an array of solar panels or a series of solar panels mounted to a long torque tube or a series of torque tubes that are in alignment with each other. A drive motor rotates the torque tube(s), which, of course, causes the solar panels to rotate with the torque tube to closely follow the sun as the sun moves across the sky during the day. The torque tube is normally supported on or suspended from a number of spaced support members and it is necessary to accurately position the support members in order to ensure that the torque tube is in alignment and that rotation of the torque tube can occur.
There are a variety of piles that have been utilized for the support of solar trackers, particularly single axis solar trackers. In some instances, I or H-beams are employed, and these beams are driven into the ground to a desired depth. An example of such a beam can be seen in
In other instances, screw piles have been devised that with the use of special screw machinery can be screwed into the earth to a desired depth. These screw piles typically employ a helical screw thread that wraps around a portion of the centre post of the pile.
While both traditional I or H-beam piles and screw piles are generally they do create challenges for the industry. For I or H-beam piles there is quite a bit of effort and labour expended on proper installation and then subsequent mounting and alignment of the bearings. For screw piles alignment can also be a challenge, particularly where two or more screw piles are employed to support a single bearing. Each of these must be aligned with each other, and then with the remaining piles of the solar tracker. Moreover, the bearing still needs to be fitted and aligned with other bearings in the solar tracker.
One of the present inventors devised a support being system and structure for supporting solar trackers and intended for use in a solar farm that was being developed in Moree in the Australian state of New South Wales in 2014.
A number of other supports are also provided to support the torque tube. These other supports are spaced from each other and are essentially identical. The other supports, one of which is shown at 20, includes a first blade pile 21 screwed into the ground at an angle to vertical and a second blade pile 22 screwed into the ground at an angle to vertical. The tops of the blade piles 21, 22 are spaced very close to each other or even in abutment with each other. A top gusset plate 23 is connected to the tops of the blade piles 21, 22. An upright 24 holds the bearing 11 which, in turn, receives the beam 10. Thus, support structure 20 forms an A-frame structure that resists bending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the beam 10, which is very desirable in solar trackers, as wind forces on the solar panels tend to produce strong forces transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tracker.
Although this design showed great promise at the conceptual stage, testing revealed several difficulties with this design. The piles were installed on an angle in-ground. This has the potential to cause difficulties in ensuring that the piles are properly aligned and have the correct angle. There was concern that the top of pile connections and adjustments would be pushed beyond their connection/fasting range capability due to installation tolerance issues with this design. Further, the angled piles will be structurally stressed and compromised by the seasonal forces of vertical heaving and shrinking hydraulic soils. This issue will be greater in sites that are subject to frost heave forces.
Consequently, there remains a need to provide an improved support structure for solar trackers.
It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.
The present invention is directed to a support system for solar trackers, which may at least partially overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a support system for a solar tracker including a plurality of supports spaced from each other and extending along a longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, the supports including two screw piles or blade piles inserted into the ground, the two screw piles or blade piles being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, a first support mounted to a first pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, a second support mounted to a second pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, an upper region of the first support extending inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, an upper region of the second support extending inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, and a connector connecting the upper end of the first support to the upper end of the second support.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a support for a solar tracker support system, the support including two screw piles or blade piles inserted into the ground, the two screw piles or blade piles being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, a first support mounted to a first pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, a second support mounted to a second pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, an upper region of the first support extending inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, an upper region of the second support extending inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, and a connector connecting the upper end of the first support to the upper end of the second support.
In one embodiment, the screw piles or blade piles are inserted substantially vertically into the ground.
In one embodiment, the upper region of the first support and the second support comprises an essentially straight region. The upper region of the first support and the second support may comprise a significant extent of the first support and the second support.
In one embodiment, the first support comprises a lower region having an open lower end, the lower region extending in a generally vertical direction, the lower region being located over an upper end of the first pile, the first support extending upwardly and inwardly from the lower region, and the second support comprises a lower region having an open lower end, the lower region extending in a generally vertical direction, the lower region being located over an upper end of the second pile, the second support extending upwardly and inwardly from the lower region. In this embodiment, the lower region may have a cross sectional opening area that is slightly larger than an outer area of the first pile and second pile, and the first support and the second support having a region extending from an upper part of the lower region and extending upwardly and inwardly, the region extending from an upper part of the lower region having a smaller diameter or cross-sectional area than the lower region.
In one embodiment, the first support and the second support comprise a hollow leg having a hollow sleeve joined thereto, the hollow leg extending at a different angle to the hollow sleeve, the hollow sleeve being of larger diameter or cross-sectional area than the hollow leg, the hollow sleeve forming the lower region of the first support and the second support. The hollow sleeve may comprise a steel sleeve that is welded to a hollow steel leg.
In one embodiment, the first support has a lower end that can be received within an open upper end of the first pile and the second support has a lower end that can be received within an open upper end of the second pile. In this embodiment, the first support may comprise a leg having a lower end received within the open upper end of the first pile and the second support may comprise a leg having a lower end received within the open upper end of the second pile. In this embodiment, the first support is oriented so that it extends upwardly and inwardly and the second support is oriented so that it extends upwardly and inwardly. In one embodiment, the lower region of the leg may extend vertically when in the assembled position and the leg extends upwardly and inwardly above the lower region. In one embodiment, a protective boot is placed over the junction between the first pile and the first support and a protective boot is placed over the junction between the second pile and the second support.
In one embodiment, the first support is affixed to the first pile by use of a bolt or a pin and the second support is affixed to the second pile by use of a bolt or a pin.
In one embodiment, the connector comprises a hoop or a loop of material, the hoop or loop carrying a bearing that can receive or support a solar tracker or receive or support a pin for carrying a solar tracker. In one embodiment, the hoop or loop of material is forged. This allows for a strong loop of material to be obtained at a minimum material thickness or material weight.
In one embodiment, the connector comprises a first leg extending at an angle to vertical, the first leg being received within an upper portion of the first support, and a second leg extending at an angle to vertical, the second leg being received within an upper portion of the second support. In this embodiment, the first leg may be crimped or bolted or affixed by other fasteners to the first support and the connector may be crimped or bolted or affixed by other fasteners to the second support.
In one embodiment, the first leg of the connector has a lower region that tapers inwardly or the first leg has an outer part of a lower region removed therefrom, or the first leg has an outer part of a lower region having reduced cross-sectional area at an outer region thereof and the second leg has a lower region that tapers inwardly or the second leg has an outer part of a lower region removed therefrom, or the second leg has an outer part of a lower region having reduced cross-sectional area at an outer region thereof. In this embodiment, insertion of the angled first leg and second leg of the connector into the top portions of the respective first and second supports is facilitated by the tapering lower region or the lower region that has an outer part removed therefrom or the outer part of the lower region having reduced cross-sectional area at an outer region thereof.
In one embodiment, the first leg and the second leg of the connector have one or more ribs thereon, or the first leg and the second leg have alternating regions of larger diameter or cross-sectional area and smaller diameter or cross-sectional area, with shoulders located therebetween. In these embodiments, affixing of the connector to the first and second supports by crimping is enhanced by the ribs or alternating regions of larger diameter/area and smaller diameter/area. It will also be appreciated, that fasteners, such as bolts, screw or rivets, can be used to connect the legs of the connector to the upper parts of the first and second supports.
In one embodiment, the connector comprises a solar tracker support, a base portion connected to or formed with the solar tracker support, and two opposed ears or plates extending downwardly from the base portion, a first ear or plate located to one side of a top portion of the first and second supports, a second ear or plate located to another side of a top portion of the first and second supports, and fasteners extending through the first ear or plate and the second ear or plate to affix the top portion of the first support to the first ear or plate and to the second ear or plate and to affix the top portion of the second support to the first ear or plate and to the second ear or plate. In one embodiment, the fasteners comprise bolts and nuts. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise screws. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise rivets. In one embodiment, the first ear or plate and the second ear or plate may be provided with aligned openings for receiving one or more fasteners. The aligned openings may be positioned in alignment with one or more openings formed in the top portions of the first support pile and the second support.
In one embodiment, the connector comprises a solar tracker support, a first sleeve extending downwardly at an angle, a second sleeve extending downwardly at an angle, the first sleeve extending over a top portion of the first support, the second sleeve extending over a top portion of the second support, and fasteners for connecting the first sleeve to the first support and for connecting the second sleeve to the second support. In one embodiment, the solar tracker support comprises a base portion with the first sleeve extending downwardly at an angle from the base portion and the second sleeve extending downwardly at an angle from the base portion. The base portion may comprise a base plate. One or more reinforcing gussets or reinforcing plates may also be provided. The first sleeve and the second sleeve may be provided with aligned openings for receiving fasteners that also pass through openings formed in the top portion of the first and second screw piles or blade piles. In one embodiment, the fasteners comprise bolts and nuts. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise screws. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise rivets.
In one embodiment, the connector carries a bracket, the bracket adapted to carry a torque tube mounting arrangement. In one embodiment, the bracket is fastened to the connector and a torque tube mounting arrangement is suspended from a pin or fastener passing through the bracket.
In another embodiment, the connector carries or includes a mounting means for a torque tube mounting arrangement. The mounting means may comprise a hole or an opening. The hole or opening may be formed in the connector or the hole or opening may be formed in a tab or plate attached to the connector. The tab or plate may be welded to the connector.
In another embodiment, the connector is adapted to carry a torque tube mounting arrangement. In one embodiment, the connector includes receiving means for receiving a torque tube swing arm pin. In one embodiment, the connector includes spaced and aligned apertures to receive a torque tube swing arm pin. In one embodiment, the apertures may be provided with bushes, such as nylon bushes, or bearings, to reduce friction between the connector and the torque tube mounting arrangement, or between the connector and the torque tube swing arm pin.
In one embodiment, the screw piles or blade piles comprise a hollow tube having one or more screws or blades affixed thereto. The screw piles or blade piles may include internal drive hubs that receive a drive tool or driveshaft to facilitate installation of the screw piles or blade piles into the ground. Pile lengths, screw sizes, blade sizes and steel thickness will be governed by the given site-specific geotechnical environment and specified loads, as will be understood by persons skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the piles comprise blade piles available from Blade Pile Pty Ltd.
The piles will suitably be made from metal, such as heavy duty metal, such as steel. The steel may be galvanised or rust proofed. The supports are suitably made from metal, such as steel. The steel may be galvanised or rust proofed.
In use, the first support, the second support and the connector may form an A-frame support that is mounted to the ground by the first pile and the second pile.
In one embodiment, the lower end of the first support may allow limited relative rotation between the first support and the first pile in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the solar tracker. In one embodiment, this may be achieved by having the open lower end on the first support having an opening having a larger dimension in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis than an outside diameter or outside dimension of the shafts of the piles, and the opening of the lower end of the first support having an inner dimension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker that is similar to the outer dimension of the first pile. (For convenience and brevity of description, the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker will be referred to throughout this specification as the “east-west direction” and the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker will be referred to as the “north-south direction”. This naming convention does not require or imply that the longitudinal direction of the solar tracker is running north-south in accordance with the compass.) The second support and second pile may be similarly arranged. For example, the lower openings may comprise tubes that are flattened on the north-south faces, or the openings are of generally oval shape or the openings are of rectangular shape and the north-south dimension is smaller than the east-west dimension.
In one embodiment, the first support is hingedly mounted to the first screw pile. In one embodiment, the first support is pivotally mounted to the first screw pile.
In one embodiment, the first support is pivotally mounted to the first pile by a pin or a bolt that extends along a north-south direction. The second support may be similarly mounted to the second pile. In this manner, limited movement or rotation of the first support and the second support in the east-west direction can be achieved. This can provide a degree of dampening during peak wind loads.
In one embodiment, a lower end of a first support has flattened north and south faces and the flattened north and south faces of the lower end have substantially the same dimension as the diameter of the shaft of a pile such that an interference fit is established and the east and west faces of the lower end of the first support have a larger dimension than a diameter of the shaft of the pile, wherein the ends of first support enable east-west movement of the first support relative to the shaft of the pile. The second support may be similarly arranged.
In another embodiment, the lower end of the first support is received within the open upper end of the first pile and the first pile has a larger dimension in the east-west direction than in the north-south direction. The first support may have an outer dimension in the north-south direction that is very close to the inner dimension in the north-south direction of the first pile. This also allows for limited rotational movement to be achieved between the first support and the first pile. The second support and the second pile may be similarly arranged.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the support system for the solar tracker may comprise a motor support, the motor support including three or four piles inserted into the ground and three or four support extending upwardly from the piles, upper ends of the three or four supports adapted to enable a motor drive for the torque tube to be mounted thereto.
In one embodiment, the upper ends of the three or four supports are flattened and, in an installed position, the motor drive for the torque tube is mounted to the flattened ends. In another embodiment, a mounting plate is mounted to the upper ends of the three or four supports.
In one embodiment, a connector is used to connect the upper ends of the three or four supports to each other. The connector may comprise a plate having three or four legs extending downwardly at an angle to vertical, the three of four legs being adapted for insertion into respective upper proportions of the three or four supports. In this embodiment, the legs may be crimped or bolted or affixed by other fasteners to the supports.
In one embodiment, each leg has a lower region that tapers inwardly or each leg has an outer part of a lower region removed therefrom, or the outer part of the lower region having reduced cross-sectional area at an outer region thereof. In this embodiment, insertion of the angled legs of the connector into the top portions of the respective supports is facilitated by the tapering lower region or the lower region that has an outer part removed therefrom.
In one embodiment, the legs have ribs thereon, or the legs have alternating regions of larger diameter or area and smaller diameter or area, with shoulders located therebetween. In these embodiments, affixing of the motor connector to the three or four supports by crimping is enhanced by the ribs or alternating regions of larger diameter and smaller diameter/area.
In one embodiment, the motor support comprises a base portion, three or four sleeves extending downwardly at an angle to vertical, the sleeves extending over a top portion of respective ones of the three or four supports, and fasteners for connecting the sleeves to the piles. The base portion may comprise a base plate. One or more reinforcing gussets or reinforcing plates may also be provided. The sleeves may be provided with aligned openings for receiving fasteners that also pass through openings formed in the top portion of the supports. In one embodiment, the fasteners comprise bolts and nuts. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise screws. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise rivets.
In some embodiments of the present invention, rather than having a first support and a second support that are connected at the upper ends by the connector, a single A-frame support or arched support having two legs that connect to the first pile and the second pile may be provided.
Accordingly, in a third aspect, the present invention provides a support for a solar tracker support system, the support including two screw piles or blade piles inserted into the ground, the two screw piles or blade piles being spaced from the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, and an upper support having a first leg and a second leg and an upper region interconnecting the first leg to the second leg, the first leg mounted to a first pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, the second leg mounted to a second pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom.
In one embodiment, the upper region of the support comprises an arcuate portion or an arched portion.
The upper support may be formed from a unitary piece of material. The upper support may be formed by bending a tube.
In this aspect of the present invention, the support may further include a solar tracker mount connected to the upper region of the support. The solar tracker mount may be similar to the connector used in the first and second aspects of the present invention.
In one embodiment, the lower region of the first leg and the lower region of the second leg extend in a substantially vertical direction. In this embodiment, the lower region of the first leg and the second leg can be easily fitted to the upper regions of the first pile and the second pile. The lower regions of the first leg and the second leg may comprise separate components that are joined to the first leg and the second leg, or the lower regions of the first leg and second leg may be integrally form with the first leg in the second leg. In one embodiment, the lower regions of the first leg and the second leg extend in a substantially vertical direction and are formed by bending or otherwise shaping the lower parts of the first leg and the second leg.
In one embodiment, the support has a lower region of the first leg that is positioned over an upper region of the first pile and the support has a lower region of the second leg that is positioned over an upper region of the second pile. In another embodiment, the support has a lower region of the first leg that is positioned inside an upper region of the first pile and the support has a lower region of the second leg that is positioned inside an upper region of the second pile. The first leg and the second leg may be affixed to the respective first and second piles by use of a bolt or a pin.
In one embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the solar tracker mount comprises a solar tracker support, a base portion connected to or formed with the solar tracker support, and two opposed ears or plates extending downwardly from the base portion, a first ear or plate located to one side of the upper region of the upper support, a second ear or plate located to another side of the upper region of the upper support, and fasteners to fasten the first ear and the second ear to the upper region of the upper support. In one embodiment, the fasteners extend through the first ear or plate and the second ear or plate to affix the upper region of the upper support to the first ear or plate and to the second ear or plate. In one embodiment, the fasteners comprise bolts and nuts. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise screws. In another embodiment, the fasteners comprise rivets. In one embodiment, the first ear or plate and the second ear or plate may be provided with aligned openings for receiving one or more fasteners. The aligned openings may be positioned in alignment with one or more openings formed in the top portions of the first support pile and the second support.
In some embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, the first leg and the second leg of the upper support may be mounted for limited relative rotation between the first leg and the first pile in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the solar tracker and for limited relative rotation between the second leg and the second pile. This may be achieved in a manner similar to that described in paragraphs [0032] to [0036] of this specification.
In one embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, a motor mount is mounted to two adjacent supports of the third aspect. The motor mount may include a motor mounting plate having bolt holes for receiving mounting bolts to mount a motor thereto.
In another embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, a motor mount is mounted to two adjacent supports of the third aspect, each support comprising two screw piles or blade piles inserted into the ground, the two screw piles or blade piles being spaced longitudinally from the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker, and an upper support having a first leg and a second leg and an upper region interconnecting the first leg to the second leg, the first leg mounted to a first pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, the second leg mounted to a second pile of the two screw piles or blade piles and extending upwardly therefrom, the first leg extending upwardly and inwardly towards a longitudinal axis of a solar tracker mounted thereto and also extending towards the adjacent support. The motor mount may comprise a bracket having an upper surface for mounting the motor thereto and downwardly extending side surfaces, one side surface extending down over a first leg and a second leg and an opposed side surface extending over an adjacent first leg and an adjacent second leg. The side surfaces may include openings or slots to enable the side surfaces to be connected to the legs, such as by bolting or riveting.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a blade pile comprising a hollow shaft, a first blade mounted near a lower end of the hollow shaft and a second blade mounted at near the lower end of the hollow shaft, the first blade having a plurality of tabs extending through respective openings in a side wall of the hollow shaft, the second blade having a plurality of tabs extending through respective openings in a side wall of the hollow shaft, the first blade and the second blade being affixed to the hollow shaft.
In one embodiment, the first blade has two tabs and the second blade has two tabs.
In one embodiment, the first blade comprises a plate and the second blade comprises a plate. In one embodiment, the first blade and the second blade have a recessed region or cut out region that is complimentary in shape to an outer surface of the hollow shaft, with the plurality of tabs being located in or adjacent to the recessed region or cut out region.
In one embodiment, the hollow shaft comprises a generally cylindrical hollow shaft.
In one embodiment, the first blade and the second blade are welded to the hollow shaft to affix the first blade and the second blade to the hollow shaft.
In one embodiment, the lower end of the hollow shaft is shaped to sweep away rocks and soil as the blade pile is rotatably driven into the ground.
In the completed shaft, the plurality of tabs on the first blade and the second blade extend into the interior volume of the hollow shaft. Accordingly, the tabs stand inwardly proud of the inner surface of the hollow shaft. Therefore, the tabs can provide engagement surfaces for a drive tool which is inserted into the hollow shaft to engage the tabs and to enable the blade pile to be driven into the ground. The drive tool will typically comprise an elongated shaft having a splined lower region, whereby recesses in the splined lower region are of complementary shape to the tabs extending into the hollow shaft so that recesses in the splined lower region of the drive tool engage with the tabs.
In one embodiment, the drive tool has a lower end that is shaped as a bit to enable the drive tool to break rock as it is driven into the ground.
The blade piles of this aspect of the present invention can be used in the solar array support arrangement of other aspects of the present invention.
In another aspect, the pile may comprise a shaft having a through-ring affixed within a shaft of the pile, the through-ring being located at, near or adjacent to two opposed blades or plates, the through-ring having an opening to receive a drive tool and to be engaged by the drive tool.
Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.
The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.
Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:
The skilled person will understand that the drawings have been provided for the purposes of describing preferred embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, it will be understood that the present invention should not be considered to be limited to the features as shown in the attached drawings.
To provide clarity to some of the nomenclature used in this specification, the “north-south direction” of the solar tracker and support structure shown in
The support structure 40 shown in
Piles 41 and 42 are mounted in the ground in spaced relationship and in a vertical orientation. The first pile 41 has a first support 43 mounted thereto and the second pile 42 has a second support 44 mounted thereto. The first support 43 comprises a support leg 45 and a sleeve 46 of larger diameter welded to the support leg 45. The second support 44 comprises a support leg 47 and a sleeve 48 of larger diameter welded to the support leg 47. As can be seen from
The sleeve 46 is positioned over the top of pile 41 such that the sleeve 46 is essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pile 41 (and such that the sleeve is essentially vertical). In other words, the sleeve 46 extends in a vertical orientation. Due to the angle between the sleeve 46 and the leg 45, the leg 45 extends upwardly and inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the solar tracker array. Sleeve 48 and leg 47 are similarly located and arranged on second pile 42. Respective bolts 49, 49A are used to affix the supports 43, 44 to their respective piles 41, 42. As will be described hereunder, the connection between the supports 43, 44 and their respective piles 41, 42 allows limited rotation of the supports in the east-west direction.
The assembly is arranged such that the upper ends of legs 45 and 47 are located close to each other. In order to complete the support structure 40, a connector 50 is connected to the upper ends of legs 45 and 47. The connector 50 will be described in more detail hereunder. The connector 50 rigidly connects the upper ends of the legs 45, 47 to each other to form an A-frame support structure.
The connector 50 has two legs 53, 54. As can be seen from
As can also be seen from
The connector 50 may be in the form of an NXT BHA hoop, which is used to support torque tubes in Nextracker solar arrays. The loop of material 60 may be formed from forged steel to provide maximum strength with minimum cross-sectional area of material.
The support structures 40 have the lower ends of the supports 43, 44 joined by an interconnection to the top of the piles 41, 42, providing hinges to release or reduce induced moment loads, whilst maintaining strength, capacity and tracker system tolerances for east-west, north-south, uplift, horizontal and mechanical loads. Some of these loads are shown schematically by the arrows in
As shown in
A connector 71 comprises a base plate 72 having a generally U-shaped loop 73 welded there too. The loop 73 carries a hanger 74A for a solar array torque tube, in a similar manner to that as described with reference to
In order to fit the connector 71 to the upper portion of the support legs 45, 47, once the piles have been installed in the ground and the supports 43, 44 connected thereto, the connector 71 is positioned such that the opposed ears 74, 75 are positioned on either side of the upper parts of the support legs 45, 47, as shown in
A connector 81 comprises a base plate 82 having a generally U-shaped loop 83 welded thereto. The loop 83 carries a hanger 84A for a solar array torque tube, in a similar manner to that as described with reference to
Once the piles 41, 42 have been inserted into the ground, the connector 81 is positioned so that the sleeves 84, 85 are fitted over the upper portions of the piles 41, 42. The apertures 87, 88 in the sleeves are brought into alignment with apertures formed in the upper portion of the piles 41, 42 and bolts and nuts 89 are used to affix the sleeves 84, 85 to the upper portions of the piles 41, 42. This provides an A-frame support.
Alternatively, motor mount 97 has a base plate 98 and downwardly depending sleeves 99 that are similar to the sleeves 84, 85 of the connector 81 shown in
The base plates 95, 98 may provide a four-point slotted bolthole mounting plate, as shown in
The four A-frame leg structure shown in
In order to assemble the support structure 110, the piles 41, 42 are screwed into the ground in a vertical orientation and the unitary A-frame is positioned on the piles by placing the sleeves 46, 48 over and on top of the upper part of the piles 41, 42. Bolts 49, 49A are then used hingedly connect the legs 112, 113 to their respective piles 41, 42.
In order to enable a solar tracker or a torque tube to be supported by the support structure 110, a connector 71A, which is essentially identical to connector 71 shown in
The unitary A-frame 111 may be formed by bending a circular tube to the desired shape. This is likely to cause work hardening in the arched region 114, which improves the strength of the unitary A-frame 111. The connector 70A may be formed in the form of a folded steel plate having slotted holes for added vertical adjustment relative to the support structure. The legs 112, 113 have oversized sleeves welded thereto, with the sleeves having hinging bolt holes therein. As with other embodiments of this invention, the connection between the unitary A-frame 111 and the piles may allow limited rotational movement in the east-west direction.
Motor mount 130 includes a plate 133 having connector legs 134, 135 extending downwardly therefrom. Legs 134, 135 are similar to legs 96 in motor mounting plate 94 of
A connector 120 having a motor mount plate 121 is used to connect the two adjacent support structures to each other and to thereby support the motor mount plate. The connector 120 has a first bracket 122 located at one side of the motor mount plate 121 and a second bracket 123 located at the other side of the motor mount plate 121. Bracket 122 is formed by a first ear 124 and a spaced second ear 125, both ears extending downwardly from the motor bracket. This is shown in
In order to mount the connector 120 to the tops of the respective support structures shown in
The motor mount arrangement shown in
The motor mount support arrangement 300 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The motor mounting bracket 302 is shown in
As can be seen from
It will be appreciated that the motor mounting bracket could be formed from other materials and manufacture two different processes, such as forging, casting, stamping, or even moulding from heavy duty synthetic materials or heavy-duty polymers. Other processes or materials may improve the shape of the mounting plate, for different methods of bracing and strengthening, for improved connection and for improved performance to the supporting members or foundation members.
In order to mount the blades 504, 506 to the shaft 502, blade 504 is arranged such that tabs 522, 524 extend into the openings 508, 510 in the lower end of the shaft. The remainder of the peripheral region 521 of the cut out 520 of plate 504 abuts on or is adjacent to the outer surface of the shaft 502. The blade 504 is then welded to the shaft. In the completed blade pile, each blade has two tabs that extend into the internal volume of the shaft 502. This is best shown in
As can also be seen in
The tabs 522, 524, 522A, 524A that extend from respective blades 504, 506 into the inner volume of the shaft 502 of the completed blade pile 500 provide a drive region that allows the blade pile 500 to be driven into the ground using an appropriate drive tool that can be inserted into the hollow shaft 502 of the blade pile 500.
The lower end 530 of the drive tool has four longitudinally extending grooves, two of which are shown at 532, 534, machined or otherwise formed therein. The grooves in the drive tool are shaped to be of complementary shape to the tabs 522, 524, 522A, 524A. As can be seen in
In order to assist in driving the blade pile 500 into the ground, the lowermost end 536 of the drive tool 530 is shaped as an attack bit which can break through rock and soil. As can be seen from
The arrangement of the blade pile 500 and drive tool 530 allows the blade pile 502 to have force applied to it at the blades as it is driven into the ground. This is in contrast to conventional screw piles where the pile is rotated by drive tool that engages with the top part of the pile and the torsional forces are transmitted through the shaft of the pile, which may require use of a heavier shaft to handle the forces associated with driving the pile into the ground.
The drive tool 520 comprises a lower region 522 having a hexagonal outer shape. The lower region 522 is sized to fit through the opening 512 in the through-ring 510 and for the lower region 522 to engage with the inner surface of the through-ring 510 whereby rotation of the drive tool 520 causes rotation of the pile 500 to thereby drive the pile into the ground. The drive tool 520 has a shaft 524 extending upwardly from the lower region 522 and the shaft 524 can be fitted with an engagement region at its upper end to enable the drive tool to engage with and be rotatably driven, such as by a motor or an auger drive. The drive tool 500 also has a shoulder 526 located above the lower region 522, with the shoulder 526 acting as a stop member to limit insertion of the drive tool into the pile 500. The lower end 528 of the drive tool 500 is formed as an attack bit to enable it to drill into the ground.
Throughout the drawings, ground level is designated by “GL”. Although the embodiment shown in the drawings all have the junction between the tops of the piles and the support legs being above ground, it will be appreciated that this junction may also be located below ground. However, this is not preferred as the limited rotation in the east-west direction will be restricted if the junction point is below ground.
In the present specification and claims (if any), the word ‘comprising’ and its derivatives including ‘comprises’ and ‘comprise’ include each of the stated integers but does not exclude the inclusion of one or more further integers.
Reference throughout this specification to ‘one embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/AU2022/051234 | 10/14/2022 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63256169 | Oct 2021 | US | |
| 63290738 | Dec 2021 | US |
