Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to mounting rails and mounting bracket assemblies. The present disclosure further relates to open bottom, clip-on mounting assemblies for connecting mounting rails to torque tubes.

In photovoltaic (PV) module mounting clamp designs for framed modules, the module mounting clamp is best slid over the end of the torque tube prior to installation of the tube. These standard-module mounting clamps are relatively small, usually <NUM>-<NUM> in width. The short clamps are easy to slide onto the end of the torque tube and transport well while mounted onto the torque tube across the field and therefore result in an efficient installation process.

Frameless PV modules, especially glass modules which incorporate glass as both the front and back sheets of the module are becoming more popular due to benefits such as better fire protection, improved moisture barriers, and because they exhibit less overall lifetime degradation. To mount unframed PV modules, a longer structure is required to support the unframed glass of the module. One such unframed module supporting structure consists of module mounting rails. These rails are typically fabricated from roll formed steel and may be multiple meters in length. The module mounting rails need to be attached to the torque tubes of the solar tracker. Additionally, it may be desirable to mount multiple framed modules in landscape to achieve a different aspect ratio for the array or to achieve better support for the modules in high load scenarios onto module mounting rails.

However, it is not practical to have a mount in which the installer needs to thread long mounting rails over the end of the torque tube and then transport them across the field to install as can be done with the short (<NUM> meter) module mounting clamps for framed modules. The long length (<NUM>-<NUM> meters) of the module mounting rails would hang from the torque tube and would likely get damaged during assembly and tracker installation.

In addition, while torque tubes can be any shape, octagonal is a common and advantageous shape. The octagon is a unique shape and resembles a round tube with eight flat sides. However, it is not readily suitable to attachment by a straight bolt or simple standard hardware.

<CIT> discloses a device for attaching a photovoltaic module to a torque tube. <CIT> discloses a mounting bracket assembly. <CIT> discloses a clamp for solar panel array.

Accordingly, there is a need for a mounting bracket assembly that can be placed over a torque tube at any position along the length of the tube. There is also a need for a torque tube mounting bracket that fits over an octagonal tube. In addition, a need exists for a mounting bracket assembly that facilitates attachment of mounting rails for frameless solar modules to a torque tube.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure alleviate to a great extent the disadvantages of known mounting bracket assemblies by providing a clip-on or snap-on two-piece torque tube mounting bracket. A mounting bracket assembly according to the invention is defined in claim <NUM> and comprises an upper clamp piece with an open bottom space that can be clipped or snapped onto a torque tube and a lower clamp piece attachable to the upper clamp piece. Exemplary embodiments advantageously allow the installer to snap module mounting rails for framed or unframed solar modules onto the torque tube anywhere along the length of the tube after it is installed in the field.

Exemplary embodiments of a mounting bracket assembly comprise an upper clamp piece and a lower clamp piece. The upper clamp piece has a first member defining a tube insertion aperture and an open bottom space. The upper clamp piece has an upper partial fastener. The lower clamp piece has a second member with a lower partial fastener configured to mate with the upper partial fastener such that the lower clamp piece is attachable to the upper clamp piece. In exemplary embodiments, the lower clamp piece further comprises two opposing support members, which may be configured to attach to a mounting rail. In exemplary embodiments, the mounting bracket assembly further comprises at least one angled reinforcement feature formed on the upper clamp piece.

In exemplary embodiments, when the lower clamp piece attaches to the upper clamp piece the open bottom space is closed. The first member may have a slight return such that the upper clamp piece forms a clip or snap attachment on a torque tube. The first member may comprise five octagonal sides, and the second member may comprise three octagonal sides. In exemplary embodiments, one or both of the upper clamp piece and lower clamp piece provide a conductive ground path to a torque tube. In exemplary embodiments, the upper partial fastener is a slot and the lower partial fastener is a hinge part.

A solar tracker assembly according to the invention is defined in claim <NUM> and comprises at least one support column, a torque tube connected to the support column, at least one mounting rail attached to the torque tube, one or more solar modules mounted to the mounting rail, and at least one mounting bracket assembly securing the at least one mounting rail to the torque tube. The mounting bracket assembly comprises an upper clamp piece and a lower clamp piece. The upper clamp piece has a first member defining a tube insertion aperture and an open bottom space. The upper clamp piece has an upper partial fastener. The lower clamp piece has a second member with a lower partial fastener configured to mate with the upper partial fastener such that the lower clamp piece is attachable to the upper clamp piece. In exemplary embodiments, the lower clamp piece further comprises two opposing support members, which may be configured to attach to the mounting rail.

In exemplary embodiments of a solar tracker assembly, when the lower clamp piece attaches to the upper clamp piece the open bottom space is closed. The first member may have a slight return such that the upper clamp piece forms a clip or snap attachment on a torque tube. One or both of the upper clamp piece and lower clamp piece may provide a conductive ground path to a torque tube. In exemplary embodiments of a solar tracker assembly, the upper partial fastener is a slot and the lower partial fastener is a hinge part. The solar tracker assembly may further comprise at least one angled reinforcement feature connected to the upper clamp piece. The solar tracker assembly may further comprise one or more solar modules mounted to the mounting rail.

A method of mounting unframed solar modules according to the invention is defined in claim <NUM> and comprises the steps of attaching at least one mounting rail to an upper clamp piece of a mounting assembly, snapping the upper clamp piece onto a torque tube, and attaching a lower clamp piece of the mounting assembly to the upper clamp piece. The upper clamp piece defines a tube insertion aperture and an open bottom space and may include an upper partial fastener. The lower clamp piece is attached to the upper clamp piece by mating a lower partial fastener of the lower clamp piece with the upper partial fastener such that the open bottom space is closed and the at least one mounting rail is secured to the torque tube. In exemplary embodiments, the lower clamp piece further comprises two opposing support members, which may be configured to attach to the mounting rail.

Exemplary embodiments further comprise tightening a bolt and nut fastener to cinch the upper and lower clamp pieces around the torque tube. Exemplary embodiments further comprise installing at least one solar module on the at least one mounting rail. The first member may have a slight return such that the upper clamp piece forms a snap attachment on a torque tube. One or both of the upper clamp piece and lower clamp piece may provide a conductive ground path to a torque tube.

Accordingly, it is seen that mounting bracket assemblies, clip-on or snap-on mounting brackets, mounting rails, and related mounting methods are provided. The disclosed assemblies and methods provide attachment of mounting rails for solar modules to a torque tube at any position along the length of the tube. These and other features and advantages will be appreciated from review of the following detailed description, along with the accompanying figures in which like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout.

The foregoing and other objects of the disclosure will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

In the following paragraphs, embodiments will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale, and the illustrated components are not necessarily drawn proportionately to one another. Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than as limitations of the present disclosure. As used herein, the "present disclosure" refers to any one of the embodiments described herein, and any equivalents. Furthermore, reference to various aspects of the disclosure throughout this document does not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced aspects.

Referring to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of a mounting bracket assembly will be described. <FIG> shows a mounting bracket assembly <NUM> incorporated into an unframed solar module supporting structure <NUM> comprising a module mounting rail <NUM>. In exemplary embodiments, mounting bracket assembly <NUM> is an octagonal device that includes an upper clamp piece <NUM> comprised of a first member <NUM> and an upper partial fastener <NUM> and a lower clamp piece <NUM> comprised of a second member <NUM> that has a lower partial fastener <NUM>. As best seen in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> the upper partial fastener <NUM> may be a slot <NUM> and the lower partial fastener <NUM> may be a corresponding hinge part <NUM>. An extra fastening and tightening mechanism may be provided such as a bolt and nut fastener <NUM> to cinch the upper and lower clamp pieces <NUM>, <NUM> around the torque tube.

Advantageously, the first member <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM> has an open bottom space <NUM>, best seen in <FIG>. As discussed in more detail herein, the open bottom space <NUM> may have a slight return <NUM> to facilitate the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> to be retained over a torque tube prior to installing the lower clamp piece <NUM>. More particularly, slight return <NUM> serves the function of writing around two corners of the octagonal torque tube to effectively snap over the tube and stay on the tube prior to mounting the lower clamp piece <NUM> of the bracket assembly <NUM>. The assembled mounting bracket assembly <NUM> defines a tube insertion aperture <NUM> suitable for a torque tube.

As best seen in <FIG>, the first member <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM> is a component that constitutes the top five sides 30a-30e of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly <NUM> with an open bottom space <NUM>. The upper clamp piece <NUM> may have angled reinforcement features <NUM> to reinforce the mounting bracket. In exemplary embodiments, a first angled reinforcement feature 28a is formed at the top left octagonal side 30a of the upper clamp piece <NUM>, and a second angled reinforcement feature 28b is formed at the top right octagonal side 30b of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. The upper partial fastener <NUM> may be formed on either right or left octagonal sides 30d, 30e of the upper clamp piece. In exemplary embodiments, as best seen in <FIG>, upper partial fastener <NUM> is a slot <NUM> formed at the bottom of the left octagonal side 30d of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. A first flange <NUM> defining a first aperture <NUM> may be provided as part of a bolt and nut fastener assembly <NUM>. In exemplary embodiments, the first flange <NUM> is formed on the bottom of the right octagonal side 30e of the upper clamp piece <NUM>.

The left octagonal side 30d of the upper clamp piece <NUM> may also have a first support fastener or slot 38a adjacent to the upper partial fastener <NUM>. The first support fastener 38a provides an attachment mechanism so the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> can be attached to a mounting rail <NUM>. Similarly, a second support fastener 38b formed on the right octagonal side 30e of the upper clamp piece <NUM> allows attachment of one or more support rails <NUM> on the opposite side of mounting bracket assembly <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, two support rails <NUM> may be attached to each of the respective first and second support fasteners 38a, 38b to facilitate incorporation of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> into a solar tracker or other mechanical system.

Turning to <FIG>, the second member <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> is a component that constitutes the bottom three sides 30f, <NUM>, <NUM> of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly <NUM>. The lower clamp piece <NUM> has a lower partial fastener <NUM>, which may be formed at the top end of the lower left octagonal side 30f. In exemplary embodiments, the lower partial fastener <NUM> is a hinge piece <NUM> that matingly corresponds to the slot <NUM>, or upper partial fastener <NUM>, of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. As discussed in more detail herein, hinge piece <NUM> can be clipped, snapped or slid into slot <NUM> to facilitate mounting of solar modules onto the torque tube of a solar tracker. A second flange <NUM> defining a second aperture <NUM> may be formed at the top end of the lower right octagonal side <NUM>. The second flange <NUM> mates with first flange <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM> as part of the bolt and nut fastener assembly <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, and <FIG>, it can be seen that the upper clamp piece <NUM>, with its five octagonal sides, together with the three octagonal sides of the lower clamp piece <NUM> form a full octagonal mounting bracket assembly. When the upper and lower clamp pieces <NUM>, <NUM> are attached, the lower partial fastener <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> mates with the upper partial fastener <NUM>. More particularly, hinge piece <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> is slid, clipped, or snapped into slot <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. Exemplary mounting brackets <NUM> are designed so that when the lower clamp piece <NUM> attaches to the upper clamp piece <NUM> the open bottom space <NUM> is closed. In the assembled or closed configuration, as shown in <FIG>, the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> comprising the attached upper and lower clamp pieces <NUM>, <NUM> defines a tube insertion aperture <NUM> suitable for a torque tube.

In exemplary embodiments, the upper clamp piece <NUM> and/or the lower clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> also provide a conductive ground path to a torque tube. More particularly, the module mounting bracket assembly <NUM> may provide a conductive ground path to the torque tube without any extra components because it is made from conductive material such as aluminum. In exemplary embodiments, the mounting bracket assembly is fabricated from extruded aluminum, but it may also be fabricated from formed or cast metal, or possibly high strength plastic by way of injection molding or extrusion. If coatings are used on the aluminum, to retard corrosion for example, a metal ground clip or other electrically conductive grounding means may be incorporated to pierce through the coating in to create a reliable bonded conducting path.

With reference to <FIG>, exemplary embodiments of a mounting bracket assembly <NUM> will now be described. These embodiments differ from the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> described above in that the lower clamp piece <NUM> here is a long beam that has two opposing support members 150a, 150b which extend and attach to the mounting rail <NUM>, taking the place of the separate support rails <NUM>. The upper clamp piece <NUM> is similar to upper clamp piece <NUM> in that its first member <NUM> is a component that constitutes the top five sides 130a-130e of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly <NUM> with an open bottom space <NUM>. In exemplary embodiments, the open bottom space <NUM> may have a slight return to facilitate the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> to be retained over a torque tube prior to installing the lower clamp piece <NUM>.

The upper clamp piece <NUM> may have angled reinforcement features <NUM> to provide reinforcement to the mounting bracket. In exemplary embodiments, the upper clamp piece <NUM> has four reinforcement features <NUM> for attachment to the mounting rail <NUM> and additional support. First angled reinforcement feature 128a is formed at the top left octagonal side 130a, a second angled reinforcement feature 128b is formed at the top right octagonal side 130b, a third reinforcement feature 128c is formed at the left octagonal side 130d, and a fourth reinforcement feature is formed at the right octagonal side 130e. As best seen in <FIG>, there is an upper partial fastener 118a formed in the third reinforcement feature 128c adjacent to the left octagonal side 130d of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. Another upper partial fastener 118b is formed in the fourth reinforcement feature 128d adjacent to the left octagonal side 130d of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. In exemplary embodiments, upper partial fasteners 118a, 118b are part of a bolt and nut fastener assembly <NUM>, and may be slide-on nuts.

With reference to <FIG>, an exemplary embodiment of an upper clamp piece <NUM> has two reinforcement features 128c and 128d. More particularly, reinforcement feature 128c is formed at the left octagonal side 130d of the upper clamp piece <NUM>, and reinforcement feature 128d is formed at the right octagonal side 130e. Without angled reinforcement features 128a and 128b, the upper clamp piece <NUM> and the top portions of the reinforcement features 128c and 128d provide attachment to mounting rail <NUM> and additional support, as best seen in <FIG> and <FIG>. In the assembled or closed configuration, as shown in <FIG>, the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> comprising the attached upper and lower clamp pieces <NUM>, <NUM> defines a tube insertion aperture <NUM> suitable for a torque tube.

In exemplary embodiments, the second member <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> is a component that comprises the bottom three sides 130f, <NUM>, <NUM> of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly <NUM>. In addition to the bottom three sides 130f, <NUM>, <NUM>, the lower clamp piece <NUM> comprises two opposing support members 150a, 150b which extend and attach to the mounting rail <NUM> by one, two or more rivet studs or any other suitable fastener. In exemplary embodiments, the lower clamp piece <NUM> has two lower partial fasteners 120a and 120b, which may be bolts that mate with upper partial fasteners 118a and 118b, respectively, of the upper clamp piece <NUM>, as part of two bolt and nut fastener assemblies 136a, 136b. In exemplary embodiments, lower partial fastener 120a is formed adjacent to the top end of the lower left octagonal side 130f, and upper partial fastener 120b is formed adjacent to the top end of the lower right octagonal side <NUM>. When the lower hinge piece <NUM> is attached to the upper clamp piece <NUM> the open bottom space <NUM> is closed. In the assembled or closed configuration, the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> comprising the attached upper and lower clamp pieces <NUM>, <NUM> defines a tube insertion aperture suitable for a torque tube.

Turning to <FIG>, exemplary mounting bracket assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> may be used with mounting rails for solar trackers mounting framed or frameless solar modules. A solar tracker assembly <NUM> includes a support column <NUM>, a torque tube <NUM> connected to the support column, and one or more mounting rails <NUM> attached to the torque tube <NUM>. An exemplary gear drive system <NUM> comprises a gear assembly <NUM> including at least one gear wheel <NUM>. A motor (not shown) may be provided to drive the gear drive system <NUM>, which in turn rotates the torsion tube <NUM>, directly, or drives a gear rack <NUM>, which in turn drives the torsion tube <NUM>. The mounting rail <NUM> may be a support structure designed for unframed solar modules. In exemplary embodiments, the rail is a roll-formed steel module mounting rail and may be fabricated from roll formed steel and may be multiple meters in length. One or more solar modules <NUM> may be mounted to the mounting rail <NUM>, and disclosed mounting bracket assemblies used to secure one more mounting rails to the torque tube <NUM>. In exemplary embodiments, mounting clips <NUM> may be provided to facilitate mounting of the solar modules.

The torque tube <NUM> of the solar tracker <NUM> may be any shape. In exemplary embodiments, the torque tube has an octagonal cross section. However, the torque tube cross section could be round or partially rounded, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, D-shaped, or any other regular or irregular shape. Accordingly, embodiments of the mounting bracket assembly may be any shape corresponding to the torque tube cross section, such as round or partially rounded, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, D-shaped, or any other regular or irregular shape. As discussed above, the open bottom space <NUM> of the module mounting bracket <NUM> may be designed to have a slight return <NUM> in order to snap over the vertical sides of an octagonal torque tube or a torque tube of another cross-sectional shape.

In operation, methods of assembling a solar tracker are provided, including methods of attaching a mounting bracket assembly <NUM>, <NUM> with or without support rails <NUM> to a torque tube <NUM>. Advantageously, the open bottom space <NUM>, <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM>, <NUM> allows the installer to attach module mounting rails <NUM> for unframed solar modules <NUM> onto the torque tube <NUM> anywhere along the length of the tube after it is installed in the field. First, the installer attaches a support rail <NUM> to the upper clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM>. More particularly, the installer connects a first support rail <NUM> to the first support fastener or slot 38a on the left octagonal side 30d of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. Similarly, the installer may connect a second support rail <NUM> to the second support fastener 38b on the right octagonal side 30e of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. The support rails <NUM> could be secured to the upper clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> by any suitable fastening mechanism such as a bolt and nut fastener.

Next, the installer clips or snaps upper clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> onto the torque tube <NUM>. More particularly, the slight return of the open bottom space <NUM> allows the installer to clip or snap the upper clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> over the vertical sides of the octagonal torque tube <NUM> to stay in position on the tube until full assembly is completed. The installer then attaches the lower clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> to the upper clamp piece <NUM>. The lower clamp piece <NUM> is attached to the upper clamp piece <NUM> by mating the lower partial fastener <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> with the upper partial fastener <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. More particularly, hinge piece <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> is slid or snapped into slot <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM>. This results in the open bottom space <NUM> being closed to form a tube insertion aperture <NUM> and the support rails <NUM> being secured to the torque tube <NUM>.

The bolt and nut fastener assembly <NUM> may then be tightened to cinch the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> around the torque tube <NUM> and further secure the support rails <NUM> to the toque tube <NUM>. More particularly, the second flange <NUM> and second aperture <NUM> at the top end of the lower right octagonal side <NUM> of the lower clamp piece <NUM> is positioned to mate with first flange <NUM> and first aperture <NUM> of the upper clamp piece <NUM>, the bolt inserted through the apertures <NUM>, <NUM>, and the nut tightened.

As discussed above, the upper clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> may have angled reinforcement features to provide reinforcement for the mounting bracket. The installer may secure the first angled reinforcement feature 28a at the top left octagonal side 30a of the upper clamp piece <NUM> and the second angled reinforcement feature 28b at the top right octagonal side 30b of the upper clamp piece <NUM> to the mounting rail <NUM> by any suitable fastening mechanism such as a bolt and nut fastener. In exemplary embodiments, the installer would install one or more solar modules on the mounting rail <NUM>.

In operation of mounting bracket assembly <NUM>, the installer snaps upper clamp piece <NUM>, <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> onto the torque tube <NUM>. More particularly, the slight return of the open bottom space <NUM> allows the installer to snap the upper clamp piece <NUM>, <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> over the vertical sides of the octagonal torque tube <NUM> to stay in position on the tube until full assembly is completed. The installer then attaches the lower clamp piece <NUM> of the mounting bracket assembly <NUM> to the upper clamp piece <NUM>. The lower clamp piece <NUM> is attached to the upper clamp piece <NUM>, <NUM> by connecting the lower partial fasteners 120a, 120b to the upper partial fasteners 118a, 118b using the slide-on bolt and nut fasteners or other suitable fastening mechanism.

The installer secures the first angled reinforcement feature 128a at the top left octagonal side 130a of the upper clamp piece <NUM> and the second angled reinforcement feature 128b at the top right octagonal side 130b of the upper clamp piece <NUM> to the mounting rail <NUM> by any suitable fastening mechanism such as a bolt and nut fastener. The installer would also secure the lower clamp piece <NUM> to the mounting rail <NUM>. More particularly, the two opposing support members 150a, 150b are connected to the mounting rail <NUM> by attaching the end of each respective support member 150a, 150b to the mounting rail <NUM> by one, two or more rivet studs or any other suitable fastener. In exemplary embodiments, the installer would install one or more solar modules on the mounting rail <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An eight-sided mounting bracket assembly (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) for securing at least one mounting rail (<NUM>) to a torque tube (<NUM>) in a solar tracker assembly (<NUM>), the mounting bracket assembly comprising:
an upper clamp piece (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) for being attached to the at least one mounting rail, the upper clamp piece having a first member (<NUM>, <NUM>) and an open bottom space (<NUM>, <NUM>), the upper clamp piece including an upper partial fastener (<NUM>, 118a, 118b); and
a lower clamp piece (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a second member (<NUM>, <NUM>) with a lower partial fastener (<NUM>, 120a, 120b) configured to mate with the upper partial fastener such that the lower clamp piece is attachable to the upper clamp piece,
wherein
the first member comprises five octagonal sides (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 30e, 130a, 130b, 130c, 130d, 130e) and constitutes top five sides (30a-30e) of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly,
the second member comprises three octagonal sides (30f, <NUM>, <NUM>, 130f, <NUM>, <NUM>) and constitutes the bottom three sides (30f, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the octagonally shaped mounting bracket assembly (<NUM>),
the upper partial fastener (<NUM>, 118a, 118b) being formed on one of an octagonal side (30d; 30e) of the upper clamp piece,
the lower partial fastener (<NUM>, 120a, 120b) being formed at a top end of one of an octagonal side (30f) of the lower clamp piece (<NUM>, <NUM>) that corresponds to the octagonal side of the upper clamp piece of the upper partial fastener,
wherein the upper and lower partial fasteners matingly engage so as to form a hinge that, when closed about the hinge, the lower clamp piece and the upper clamp piece define a tube insertion aperture (<NUM>, <NUM>) suitable for retaining a torque tube.