Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A solar tracker provides sun tracking to solar panels, and includes several gearboxes for one single motor. In an embodiment, the solar tracker includes a torsion beam. defining a longintudinal direction of rotation and rotating the solar panels; motor, with motor shaft; first gearbox, at torsion beam at first position, and connected to motor shaft for transmitting to torsion beam rotation of motor shaft; second (Tarbox, mounted to torsion beam at second position further from motor than first position; and primary shaft, coaxial to motor shaft, and connected to second gearbox, for transmitting to second gearbox rotation of the motor shaft. Gearboxes define embedments withstanding torsion moment caused by wind loads for restricting rotation of torsion beam. It provides higher resistance to wind loads and allows for longer solar trackers.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

A solar energy system includes a photovoltaic (PV) assembly and a drive system. The PV assembly comprises a support subassembly and an array of PV panels pivotable therewith about a longitudinal axis of the PV assembly. The drive system comprises a motor assembly comprising an electric motor and a gearing arrangement, and a pivot wheel comprising a hoop-portion and joined to the PV assembly. The hoop portion includes an outer circumferential channel, and two opposing catches defining a maximum pivot range. A chain resides partly within the circumferential channel, is engaged with the two opposing catches, and is also in geared communication with the motor assembly such that the motor is operable to rotate the pivot wheel. In some embodiments, the opposing catches define a maximum pivot range through an arc of more than π radians and less than 2π radians.

Solar trackers that may be advantageously employed on sloped and/or variable terrain to rotate solar panels to track motion of the sun across the sky include bearing assemblies and other mechanical features configured to address mechanical challenges posed by the sloped and/or variable terrain that might otherwise prevent or complicate use of solar trackers on such terrain.

The present invention relates to a photovoltaic plant including a plurality of units each having at least one respective photovoltaic panel, a support structure of the plurality of units designed to support the latter at a distance from the ground (GR).

A solar tracker assembly is provided which includes a support column, a torque tube or torsion beam connected to the support column, a mounting mechanism attached to the torque tube or torsion beam, a drive system connected to the torque tube or torsion beam, and a spring counter-balance assembly connected to the torque tube or torsion beam. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam, and one or more compressible cords made of a flexible material. The compressible cords are located between the bushing and the bearing housing and provide damping during rotational movement of the solar tracker assembly. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly is provided including at least one top bracket and at least one bottom bracket, at least one spring, a damper, and a bracket. An exemplary spring counter-balance assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bushing disposed within the bearing housing and configured to be slideably mounted onto the torque tube or torsion beam. The spring counter-balance assembly may include at least one coil spring and a rotational stop. The bushing may be made of an elastomeric material and define one or more air spaces.

A horizontal solar tracker (1) with a configuration that ensures the transmission of the turning movement generated by the drive element to the rotating beam and to the connecting rod-crank mechanism, prevents possible breaks and weaknesses in the joining areas, and is easy to transport. It comprises at least one front rotating beam (3) and at least one rear rotating beam (12) that can turn, joined by means of a connecting rod-crank mechanism (4). A drive assembly (2) generates the turning movement in a mobile element (22). The front rotating beam (3) has a first joining sector (31) that can be coupled to the mobile element (22) and the connecting rod-crank mechanism (4) comprises a tubular portion (42) that clasps the rotating beam (3) and a second joining sector (43) that can be coupled to the mobile element (22).

A dual drive shaft solar tracker system comprises a photovoltaic (PV) structure, which includes at least one solar panel, a support structure and first and second drive shafts. The first and second drive shafts comprise first and second belt mechanisms wherein movement of the PV structure occurs by wrapping belts of the first belt mechanism onto the first drive shaft and by wrapping belts of the second belt mechanism onto the second drive shaft so as to provide a non-linear wrapping rate to accommodate the non-linearity of the belt wrapping onto the first and second drive shafts. A linkage, which ties two rows that are unbalanced in opposite directions, cancels out the imbalance as long as both rows have identical components. This allows trackers to use PV modules of any size and weight and the perfect balance is unaffected.

Solar tracking installation includes first movement assembly which functionally engages with the primary axis shaft to cause rotation of the primary axis shaft around the primary axis for moving the plurality of planar modules of solar collector elements in a first rotational direction around the primary axis. The installation further includes a second movement assembly which functionally engages with the secondary movement member to cause tilting of each of the plurality of planar modules of solar collector elements around each respective pivotal mount. In this way the movement of the multitude of solar collection elements is a combination of the rotation of first movement assembly and the tilting motion caused by the second movement assembly.