US-12624864-B1 - Automated wedge alignment for solar table assembly

US12624864B1US 12624864 B1US12624864 B1US 12624864B1US-12624864-B1

Abstract

In a typical on-site solar table assembly process, multiple solar modules are securely aligned and attached to a shaft or torque tube to form a row of solar panels. An installer uses a fastener to attach a mounting bracket to a panel frame securely. A typical installation is implemented manually by an installer. To implement automatic fastener installation, fasteners must be loaded into an automatic installation tool in the correct orientation. Embodiments of automatic wedge alignment are disclosed to improve solar table assembly efficiency. Fasteners are aligned longitudinally and separated into forward-oriented and backward-oriented fasteners output from different pairs of output rails. Applying the described embodiments may improve solar table assembly efficiency so that the overall construction process for large solar plants may be completed more efficiently.

Inventors

Johann Fritz Karkheck

Assignees

Terabase Energy, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241108

Claims (20)

1 . A method of automatic fastener alignment for solar table assembly, the method comprising: receiving, at a fastener receiving section of an automatic fastener alignment apparatus, multiple fasteners, each fastener has a fastener width and a fastener length; driving the multiple fasteners exiting the fastener receiving section longitudinally through an opening that is wider than the fastener width but less than the fastener length; separating, in a sliding section, the exiting fasteners into forward-oriented fasteners and backward-oriented fasteners, the sliding section comprises one or more rail protrusions and a pair of sliding rails that also removes downward-oriented fasteners and keeps upward-oriented fasteners; outputting the forward-oriented fasteners from a first pair of output rails at an output section of the automatic fastener alignment apparatus and the backward-oriented fasteners from a second pair of output rails at the output section of the automatic fastener alignment apparatus.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatic fastener alignment apparatus is vibrated to drive the multiple fasteners to exit the fastener receiving section.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each fastener comprises a tapered fastener head and a fastener body that has a first longitudinal wing and a second longitudinal wing extending outward and have a wing distance in between the longitudinal wings.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the pair of sliding rails are parallel to each other and have a rail distance that same as the wing distance.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein each sliding rail comprises a first rail segment and a second rail segment that has a downward slope more than the first rail segment.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more rail protrusions are placed on an entry edge of the output section and above the second rail segment of the pair of sliding rails, the one or more rail protrusions extend toward the first rail segment with a gap to allow the backward-oriented fasteners to escape down to the second pair of output rails.
7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more rail protrusions comprise a pair of rail protrusions for a balanced support, the pair of rail protrusions has a slope the same as the first rail segment.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the gap is set to ensure that when the tapered fastener head of a forward-oriented fastener reaches the one or more rail protrusions, the one or more rail protrusions catches an underside of the tapered fastener head and forces the forward-oriented fastener up onto the first pair of output rails.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the gap is set to ensure that when a back end of a backward-oriented fastener approaches the one or more rail protrusions, the one or more rail protrusions catches the back end and forces the backward-oriented fastener toward onto the second pair of output rails.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second pair of output rails are positioned beneath the first pair of output rails.
11 . An automatic fastener alignment apparatus comprising: a fastener receiving section that receives multiple fasteners, each fastener has a fastener width and a fastener length, the fastener receiving section has an opening wider than the fastener width but less than the fastener length such that the multiple fasteners exit the fastener receiving section longitudinally through the opening; a sliding section that comprises a pair of sliding rails that removes downward-oriented fasteners and keeps upward-oriented fasteners from the exiting fasteners, the sliding section further comprises one or more rail protrusions to separate the upward-oriented fasteners into forward-oriented fasteners and backward-oriented fasteners; and an output section that comprises a first pair of output rails to output the forward-oriented fasteners and a second pair of output rails to output the backward-oriented fasteners.
12 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the multiple fasteners are driven to exit the fastener receiving section by vibration of the automatic fastener alignment apparatus.
13 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each fastener comprises a tapered fastener head and a fastener body that has a first longitudinal wing and a second longitudinal wing extending outward and have a wing distance in between the longitudinal wings.
14 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the pair of sliding rails are parallel to each other and have a rail distance that same as the wing distance.
15 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each sliding rail comprises a first rail segment and a second rail segment that has a downward slope more than the first rail segment.
16 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rail protrusions are placed on an entry edge of the output section and above the second rail segment of the pair of sliding rails, the one or more rail protrusions extend toward the first rail segment with a gap.
17 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more rail protrusions comprise a pair of rail protrusions for a balanced support for sliding transition, the pair of rail protrusions has a slope the same as the first rail segment.
18 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the gap is set to ensure that when the tapered fastener head of a forward-oriented fastener reaches the one or more rail protrusions, the one or more rail protrusions catches an underside of the tapered fastener head and forces the forward-oriented fastener up onto the first pair of output rails.
19 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the gap further ensures that when a back end of a backward-oriented fastener approaches the one or more rail protrusions, the one or more rail protrusions catches the back end and forces the backward-oriented fastener toward onto the second pair of output rails.
20 . The automatic fastener alignment apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second pair of output rails arc positioned beneath the first pair of output rails.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to solar table assembly for solar power plant installation. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to automatic wedge alignment to improve solar table assembly efficiency for large solar plant installations. BACKGROUND The importance of solar power systems is well understood by one skilled in the art. Government agencies and companies are scaling the size and number of solar solutions within their energy infrastructure. This transition from traditional fossil fuel energy systems to solar energy solutions presents several challenges. One challenge is the cost-effective management of the construction process and the ability to improve installation efficiency during the construction process. A large-scale solar power plant typically includes thousands of solar modules that are located across a multi-acre terrain and that are electrically coupled to provide a source of energy. These large-scale systems are often located in remote areas and require a significant investment in materials, resources, and labor for on-site installation. It can be very challenging to maintain consistent installation processes at each point of installation within a construction site across large areas. These issues further contribute to an increase in the cost and complexity of what is already a very cost-sensitive process. In a typical on-site solar table assembly process, multiple solar modules are securely aligned and attached to a shaft or torque tube to form a row of solar panels. Such a row of solar modules may be supported by ground piles with the torque tube securely fastened to ground piles at a desired rotational angle such that the solar modules are oriented for maximum energy production efficiency. During installation, an installer needs to attach the module frames of a solar panel to mounting brackets on the torque tube. Both the mounting brackets and the panel frames may have slots such that the mounting brackets may be aligned to a desired mounting position. An installer may use a fastener, e.g., a wedge, through the slots to attach a mounting bracket to a panel frame securely. A typically prior-art installation is implemented manually by an installer, who may need to load a fastener individually for installation. Tools used by workers to install these fasteners include hammers, mallets, slide hammers, pneumatic or electric impact hammers, clamps, powder-actuated drivers, etc. The manual fastener installation method requires workers to align the fastener and tool before installation. The alignment and installation process can vary widely between workers for reasons such as experience, ergonomics, height, quality of vision, exhaustion, physical strength, etc. Differences between users in the alignment and installation process can lead to increased installation time, poor quality control of installed fasteners and potential damage to fasteners or module glass or backsheet. Evaluation of fastener installation quality is typically performed by the worker or supervisor through visual inspection, another process that can vary significantly between evaluators for the same reasons that cause variance in fastener installation. Automatic fastener installation is desired to improve the efficiency of fastener installation and facilitate the installation of large-scale solar panel systems. To enable automatic fastener installation, fasteners need to be loaded into an automatic installation tool in a correct orientation. If the fasteners are misaligned, subsequent automatic fastener installation would not be implemented or have to be paused until the fasteners are correctly aligned. What is needed are systems, devices and methods that enable automatic wedge alignment to improve solar table assembly efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS References will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that the description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments. Items in the figures may be not to scale. FIG. 1 shows a solar table installed on a construction site. FIG. 2 depicts a centralized solar table assembly and installation for large-scale solar systems according to various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of a fastener in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 4 depicts a perspective view of a fastener alignment apparatus in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of fasteners aligned in the fastener alignment apparatus in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 6 depicts a top view and a side view of two sections of a fastener alignment apparatus in accordance with various