Patent Application
20220411151
The present invention generally relates to wire and cable management, and more specifically to a solar wire management system. Ground-Mount Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems are a common energy generation means for Utility-Scale Energy production providing both Transmission and Distribution level power to the US and Global Electrical Grids. Utility-Scale ground-mount solar PV systems utilize specific equipment from many producers of Fixed Tilt (FT) and Single Axis Tracking (SAT) structural racking systems as well as solar modules in which the solar modules are mechanically attached to FT or SAT racking structures in specific configurations. These solar modules are then electrically connected to each other as strings. The electrical conductors that comprise these strings run across the solar modules or along the racking structure and typically parallel to the racking structure and are secured or supported to prevent the conductors from loosely hanging off the structure and becoming damaged through the course of the PV system's lifetime.
A typical configuration of a single row of modules will be arranged in portrait or landscape orientation with 26-28 modules per module string and 3 strings per row. A typical structural row of solar modules is made of steel and approximately 300 ft long.
Module frames are typically constructed of aluminum, are secured to the structural racking systems using module interface brackets with accompanying hardware. Typically, mounting holes in the bottom of the module frame rails are commonly used as the mechanical fastening surface to perform module lead and dc homerun level wire management, preventing wiring from hanging down off the structure as the wiring traverses the structure of the solar tracker or fixed tilt row towards the combiner boxes or solar inverters. DC Homerun wiring is a commonly used term where the end of a module string is connected to higher voltage PV wire and the wiring that runs from end of module string to the combiner box or inverter is referred to as the DC homerun.
It is common practice that cable ties, clips, solar e-clips, and straps are utilized as the means to support and secure the module to module (string) leads and the dc homerun wiring traversing underneath the modules of the row to the point of entering the ground as underground cable, or on an above grade cable management (CAB) system or directly into a combiner box or string inverter cabinet. The runs of cabling on each row are typically the length of the row sometimes up to 300 ft.
Cable ties are commonly looped through the holes in the bottom frame rail of the module to perform the cable management of the module to module strings and the dc homerun wiring. Utilizing a sole cable tie passing through the hole of the module frame is problematic for cable management as the frame edge of the hole tends to serrate and cut through the cable tie due to wind loading, harmonics on the solar row due to wind, and other mechanical forces over time.
Cable ties can be secured tightly against the cabling and the module frame. By tightly securing a bundle of cables, a common field failure of breakage occurs as the bundle of cables thermally cycles and applies axial and torsional loads on the tightened cable tie throughout the seasons. Other securing means such as press on frame clips, that use a cable tie as its securing means for the cables, share a similar problem. These press on frame clips will rip off the frame rail if the cable tie that bundles the dc homerun wiring is completely secured or the cable becomes hung up and thermal cycling occurs. Fir trees (a commonly used term describing the shape of these components) that are pressed into the holes of the solar module have a similar issue as the others, all resulting in failure through thermal cycling.
One known proper installation method to prevent failure due to thermal cycling of the DC homerun cable is to support the cabling without completely tightening the cable tie around the bundle of the pv wires, leaving a gap so that the cable can expand and contract without putting an unintended mechanical load on the cable ties. Dowels and other tools are commonly used to create a standardized gap between the cabling and the inner diameter of the cable management strap or tie.
Construction and field installation of the wire management and the utilization of serrated cable ties causes issues with over tightening thereby leading to failure of the part. A cable tie with a serrated tie running the entire length of the part introduces the ability for variability in installation from worker to worker and is very difficult to control for thousands of these components being installed on a typical PV system. It is likely that if one cable tie on a single row fails, it can lead to failure of the other cable ties in the row due to increased loading that occurs on the remaining ties in the row.
During construction there is commonly installation in multiple phases where the DC homerun wiring is installed but not terminated. This mock-up installation or pre-installation commonly means that cable ties are installed and then cut off during final termination of the wiring in which the part is wasted and another is required. This leads to materials waste as a typical cable tie is not reusable once secured. Companies have started to leave them loose to try and get multiple uses out of them, but this has been problematic due to variability in training and installation of the cable tie. Therefore, a cable tie is typically viewed as a single use item in the utility scale solar industry leading to added a lot of waste and cost for stakeholders of the PV systems.
Assemblies of parts are common in the industry where multiple separate components are required for cable management. Some examples of these include the solar e-clip and cable tie, hellerman tyton's button and cable tie, the fir tree and cable tie, and so on and so forth.
The present invention overcomes the problems cited above by providing an improved wire management device and system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system comprising a locking head and an elongated strap extending downwardly from a bottom of the locking head and configured to feed through a locking mechanism in the locking head to form a first fixed loop.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system where the elongated strap comprises a length of material extending from a bottom of the body, a plurality of stops spaced evenly along the length of material and configured to prevent the elongated strap from moving through the through hole, and a plurality of ridges spaced evenly between the plurality of stops.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system where the locking mechanism is configured to engage the plurality of ridges to allow the elongated strap to move in one direction through the locking mechanism and prevent the elongated strap from moving in an opposite direction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system where the plurality of stops are configured to prevent the elongated strap from moving further through the locking head such that the strap forms a first fixed loop.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system where the elongated strap can be cut and reinserted into the locking mechanism for form a second fixed loop.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wire management device and system where the first fixed loop and the second fixed loop are configured to encircle a bundle of wires where the diameters of the first fixed loop and second fixed loop are larger than the diameter of the bundle of wires.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of using a wire management device comprising the steps of inserting a wire management device into a hole in a structural frame member of a structural solar racking system; looping the elongated strap of the wire management device around a bundle of wires located below the structural frame member; and feeding the elongated strap through the through hole until the plurality of ridges engage the locking mechanism and the plurality of stops prevents the elongated strap from moving further through the through hole to form a first fixed loop around the bundle of wires.
The particular objects and features of the invention as well as the advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
The following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is intended to enable someone skilled in the prior art to make and use this invention but is not intended to limit the invention to these preferred embodiments.
Now referring to the attached drawings,
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In one embodiment, as further shown in
In another embodiment, the locking mechanism 120 preferably further comprises a second flap 124 flexibly attached to a lower surface 136 of the through hole 130 opposite the first flap 122. In this embodiment, the second flap 124 extends at an angle upwardly from the lower surface 136 of the through hole 130. In this embodiment, the second flap 124 preferably extends towards the first flap 122 and in the same direction as the first flap 122. In this embodiment, the elongated strap 140 preferably further comprises a plurality of upper ridges and a plurality of lower ridges configured to interact with the first and second flaps respectively.
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In one embodiment, the body 114 further comprises a recess at an opening to the through hole 130. The recess is preferably configured to match the shape of the plurality of stops 144. The recess is configured to allow at least one of the plurality of stops 144 to partially enter the recess and then prevent the elongated strap 140 from moving further through the through hole 130.
The plurality of ridges 146 are preferably spaced evenly along the length of material 142 of the elongated strap 140. Additionally, the plurality of stops 144 are also spaced evenly along the length of material 142 in between the plurality of ridges 146. As shown in
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Additionally, the wire management device 110 is configured to allow the elongated strap 140 to be used multiple times by cutting the length of material 142 between each of the plurality of ridges 146 and each of the plurality of stops 144, then reinserting the elongated strap 140 through the through hole 130 until a second individual stop buts up against the body 114 thus providing a second fixed loop 154 around the bundle of wires 184. This second fixed loop 154 is also configured to be larger than the bundle of wires 184 to allow movement of the bundle of wires 184 within the second fixed loop 154 and without cinching the elongated strap 140 tight around the bundle of wires 184. However, the second fixed loop 154 will be smaller in diameter than the first fixed loop 152.
A method of using a wire management device to control a bundle of wires between solar modules, comprising the steps of inserting a wire management device, as described in the above paragraphs, into a hole in a structural frame member of the solar module, where the wire management device comprises a locking head configured to fit in the hole; looping the elongated strap around the wire bundle located below the structural frame member; and feeding the elongated strap through the through hole until the plurality of ridges engage the locking mechanism and the plurality of stops prevents the elongated strap from moving further through the through hole to form a first fixed loop around the bundle of wires.
The method further comprises the step of cutting the elongated strap to remove the first fixed loop and release the bundle of wires; looping the elongated strap around the bundle of wires a second time; and feeding the elongated strap through the through hole until the plurality of ridges engage the locking mechanism and the plurality of stops prevents the elongated strap from moving further through the through hole to form a second fixed loop around the bundle of wires.
The step of cutting the elongated strap further comprises cutting the strap on both sides of the previous stop such that the next ridge of the plurality of ridges is available to engage the locking mechanism when the elongated strap is fed through the through hole.
The steps of cutting the elongated strap and looping the elongated strap around the bundle of wires can be repeated as many times as there are sets of the plurality of ridges and the plurality of stops along the length of material. Thus, the wire management system creates a reusable wire management device and elongated strap that does not have to be replaced every time a solar module is worked on.
Although the present invention has been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, where known equivalents exist to specific features, such equivalents are incorporated as if specifically referred to in this specification.
The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/215,436 filed on Jun. 26, 2021, entitled “WIRE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM”, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by this reference and are not admitted to be prior art with respect to the present invention by the mention in this cross reference section.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63215436 | Jun 2021 | US |
