초록 ▼

A sun tracking solar energy collection system can include torque tubes that can be configured to allow the cylindrical body of one torque tube to nest with projections extending from an adjacent torque tube. The torque tubes can be formed with a plurality of rotatable shafts connected to each other

A sun tracking solar energy collection system can include torque tubes that can be configured to allow the cylindrical body of one torque tube to nest with projections extending from an adjacent torque tube. The torque tubes can be formed with a plurality of rotatable shafts connected to each other in an end to end fashion. The torque tubes may be connected with coupling flanges, shaped with a plurality of radially extending lobes. The coupling flanges can include a plurality of concave portions disposed between adjacent lobes. The rotatable shafts can be round and the concave portions can be curved with a radius of curvature that is about the same as a radius of curvature of outer surface of the rotatable shafts. The torque tubes can also have saddle mounts which can include a concave portion configured to nest with an adjacent torque tube.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A torque transmission member comprising: a rotatable shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first radius of curvature of an outer surface thereof;a mounting portion fixed to an end of the rotatable shaft and configured for transmission of rotational force around the longitudinal a

1. A torque transmission member comprising: a rotatable shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first radius of curvature of an outer surface thereof;a mounting portion fixed to an end of the rotatable shaft and configured for transmission of rotational force around the longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft;at least six lobes extending radially outwardly away from the mounting portion and away from a central axis of the torque transmission member, the plurality of lobes being distributed around the circumferentially extending portion, each of the lobes having a hole; andat least six concave portions disposed between respective adjacent pairs of lobes; wherein each of the at least six concave portions comprises a concave surface facing outwardly away from the central axis, the concave surface having a second radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is approximately the same as the first radius of curvature. 2. The torque transmission member of claim 1, wherein each of the at least six lobes has a tapering width with increasing distance from the center of the central region. 3. The torque transmission member of claim 2, wherein each of the at least six lobes has a rounded end. 4. The torque transmission member of claim 3, wherein each of the rounded ends has a radius of curvature centered in the hole in each of the respective lobes. 5. The torque transmission member of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lobes are equally spaced around the circumferentially extending portion. 6. The torque transmission member of claim 1, wherein the torque transmission member is substantially planar. 7. A torque tube comprising: a unitary cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis, the cylindrical body having a first cross sectional shape and first and second ends;a torque transmission member fixed to the first end of the unitary cylindrical body, the torque transmission member comprising a plurality of lobes extending radially outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of lobes including a hole extending therethrough, and a plurality of concave portions disposed between adjacent lobes; anda saddle mount fixed relative to an outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body at a position between the torque transmission member and the second end and extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis, the saddle mount comprising: a lower surface secured to the outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body,a planar upper surface spaced apart from the lower surface, anda concave portion formed in the planar upper surface, wherein at least one of the concave portions of the torque transmission member is aligned with the concave portion of the saddle mount. 8. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the concave portion of the saddle mount faces away from the unitary cylindrical body. 9. The torque tube of claim 8, wherein the concave portion of the saddle mount has a contoured region, the contoured region comprising a circular shape with a radius of curvature substantially equal to a radius of curvature of an outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body. 10. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the torque transmission member has a substantially smooth surface on a vertical face which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the unitary cylindrical body. 11. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein the unitary cylindrical body comprises a substantially circular cross sectional shape, and wherein each of the plurality of lobes include holes radially equidistant from a center of the substantially circular cross sectional shape of the unitary cylindrical body. 12. The torque tube of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of lobes has a radius of curvature centered in the hole in each of the respective lobes. 13. The torque tube of claim 11, wherein the concave portions of the torque transmission member comprise a substantially smooth surface extending along a radius of curvature that is the same as the radius of curvature as the outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body. 14. The torque tube of claim 7, the lower surface comprising a hole therethrough, and further comprising a bolt securing the saddle mount to the unitary cylindrical body via the hole in the lower surface of the saddle mount. 15. The torque tube of claim 7, wherein an outer edge of two of the plurality of lobes on either side of one of the concave portions of the torque transmission member aligned with the concave portion of the saddle mount extend a first distance away from the outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body that is less than a second distance, the second distance between the outer surface of the unitary cylindrical body and the planar upper surface. 16. A plurality of stacked torque tubes, comprising: a first torque tube comprising a first cylindrical body having a first outer surface, extending along a first longitudinal axis between first and second ends, and having a first circular cross sectional shape;at least one saddle mount fixed on the first cylindrical body between the first and second ends, the saddle mount comprising a first mounting surface extending outwardly from the first cylindrical body in a first direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical body, a second mounting surface extending outwardly from the first cylindrical body in a second direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical body and opposite to the first direction, and a lower surface secured to the outer surface of the first torque tube;wherein the saddle mount further comprises a concave portion disposed between the first and second mounting surfaces, the concave portion facing radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis;a torque transmission member fixed to the first end of the first cylindrical body, the torque transmission member comprising a plurality of outwardly extending projections which extend in a direction away from the longitudinal axis, each of the plurality of outwardly extending projections having a hole extending therethrough; andwherein the torque transmission member further comprises at least one concave portion disposed between two adjacent outwardly extending projections, the concave portion of the torque transmission member being aligned with the concave portion of the saddle mount; anda second torque tube comprising a second cylindrical body extending along a second longitudinal axis and having a second outer surface, the second cylindrical body being stacked on the first torque tube such that the second longitudinal axis is generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis and the second outer surface contacts and is supported by both the concave portion of the torque transmission member and the concave portion of the saddle mount. 17. The plurality of stacked torque tubes of claim 16, wherein the second outer surface extends along a first radius of curvature, wherein the concave portion of the torque transmission member and the concave portion of the saddle mount extend along a radius of curvature that is substantially equal to the first radius of curvature. 18. The nested arrangement of a plurality of torque tubes of claim 16, wherein the second torque tube comprises a second saddle mount having a second concave portion facing away from the second longitudinal axis, the first outer surface of the first cylindrical body contacting the second concave portion.