Patent ID: 11949370
Assignee: NEXTRACKER LLC
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  F  Y | IPC F  H

Claim 0:
1. A damper assembly for use with a solar tracker, comprising:
an upper damper mount, the upper damper mount operably coupled to a portion of a torque tube of the solar tracker;
a lower damper mount, the lower damper mount operably coupled to a portion of a pier of the solar tracker, the lower damper mount including an upper plate, a lower plate, and a split collet interposed between the upper plate and the lower plate, the upper plate and the lower plate each having a tapered surface thereon, the tapered surfaces of the upper plate and the lower plate configured to abut corresponding tapered surfaces of the split collet; and
a strut, the strut operably coupled to the upper damper mount at a first end portion thereof and operably coupled to the lower damper mount at a second, opposite end portion thereof,
wherein rotation of the upper damper mount effectuates a compression or an extension of the strut between the upper damper mount and the lower damper mount, and
wherein drawing the upper plate and the lower plate towards one another causes the tapered surfaces of the upper plate and the lower plate to abut the tapered surfaces of the split collet and effectuate a perpendicular translation of the split collet relative to the upper plate and the lower plate.