A supporting and fixing structure and a photovoltaic tracking and mounting system. The supporting and fixing structure includes a main support rod, a mounting rod, a rotary power device and a plurality of auxiliary support rods. The mounting rod is rotatably mounted on the main support rod through the rotary power device. The auxiliary support rods are rotatably matched with the mounting rod. The auxiliary support rod is configured to support the mounting rod. It further includes a valve stem, a housing, an inner housing plate and a plunger rod. The inner housing plate is disposed in the housing, and separates a space in the housing to be two chambers. The plunger rod is movably installed on a housing wall of the housing, and is configured for blocking or communicating the first housing chamber. The valve stem is in sliding and sealing fit with the second housing chamber.

A support mechanism includes a fixed body, a rotating unit, a moving unit and a driving unit. The rotating unit is rotationally mounted to the fixed body. The moving unit, disposed at the fixed body, includes a ball screw spline shaft, a ball screw nut and a ball spline nut. The ball screw nut and the ball spline nut are both rotatably disposed at the ball screw spline shaft moved together with the rotating unit. The driving unit, disposed at the fixed body, includes a first driving member and a second driving member to rotate the ball screw nut and the ball spline nut, respectively. With different rotation pairs of the ball screw nut and the ball spline nut to the ball screw spline shaft, the ball screw spline shaft is driven to move, and the ball screw spline shaft is further to move the rotating unit.

Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.

Described herein is a mount assembly for mounting a device to a surface, including: a socket assembly; a mounting element including a unitary mounting ball receivable by the socket assembly to pivotally couple the mounting element to the socket assembly to position the mounting element relative to the socket assembly, where the socket assembly includes a resilient member configured to define a socket to receive and engage the unitary mounting ball, the resilient member configured to permit the unitary mounting ball to be urged into the socket against a resilient bias; and the socket including at least one formation and the unitary mounting ball including at least one complementary formation, the at least one formation and at least one complementary formation configured to interact to inhibit rotational movement about a roll axis of the mounting element relative to the socket assembly.

Described herein is a mount assembly for mounting a device to a surface, including: a socket assembly; a mounting element including a mounting ball receivable by the socket assembly to pivotally couple the mounting element to the socket assembly to position the mounting element relative to the socket assembly; where the socket assembly includes: a resilient member configured to define a socket to receive and engage the mounting ball, the resilient member configured to permit the mounting ball to be urged into the socket against a resilient bias; a biasing element to bias the resilient member into the socket; and a retention element to inhibit deflection of an end of the resilient member away from the socket.

A head for supporting an imaging device and being supported by a tripod.

A mechanical hard stop for a sensor system includes a base for fixation to a gimbal or static structure, a movable stop member for engagement with a fixed stop member, and an actuator. The movable stop member has a disengaged position, proximate the base, and an engaged position, spaced apart from the base. The actuator is operably connected to the movable stop member to displace the movable stop member between the disengaged position and the engaged position according to a sensor selection received by the sensor system. Sensor systems and imaging methods are also described.

Surgical instruments with rotation stop devices and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for providing limited rotation between first and second components of the surgical instrument in a range greater than 360 degrees. Exemplary rotation stop devices can have a low profile and can include various features to facilitate packaging of the device within a larger instrument.

A pivotal supporting system includes a pivotal supporting device disposed on a supporting base for supporting a remote member on the supporting base, the pivotal supporting device includes a housing having two apertures, a shank engaged into the housing and includes two pathways aligned with the apertures of the housing, the pathways of the shank include arc lengths different from each other, two spring biasing members are engaged onto the housing and each include a tongue engaged into the apertures of the housing for engaging with the pathways of the shank, and a control ferrule is rotatably engaged onto the housing and includes two protrusions for forcing the tongues of the spring biasing members to engage with the pathways of the shank.

Surgical instruments with rotation stop devices and related methods are disclosed herein, e.g., for providing limited rotation between first and second components of the surgical instrument in a range greater than 360 degrees. Exemplary rotation stop devices can have a low profile and can include various features to facilitate packaging of the device within a larger instrument.