US-20260124754-A1 - Support Clamp Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System

US20260124754A1US 20260124754 A1US20260124754 A1US 20260124754A1US-20260124754-A1

Abstract

A solar panel installation system comprising a support clamp installation vehicle capable of being placed on a torque tube of a solar panel support assembly, and operating on the torque tube to install one or more torque tube clamps onto the torque tube from an overhead position. The solar panel installation system comprises a hopper, a drive system operable to engage a torque tube and to facilitate locomotion of the installation vehicle on the torque tube, and a clamp dispensing system comprising a clamp feed system and a clamp placement system. The solar panel installation system further comprises a control system in communication with the support clamp installation vehicle, and operable to control operation of the drive system and the clamp dispensing system. The solar panel installation system further comprises a solar panel installation vehicle that can be operated in a coordinated manner with the support clamp installation vehicle.

Inventors

Fraser M. Smith
Matthew Torok

Assignees

Sarcos Corp.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20260102

Claims (20)

1 . A solar panel installation system comprising: a support clamp installation vehicle comprising: a chassis; a hopper; a drive system operable to engage a torque tube and to facilitate locomotion of the installation vehicle on the torque tube; and a clamp dispensing system comprising a clamp feed system and a clamp placement system; and a control system in communication with the support clamp installation vehicle, and operable to control operation of the drive system and the clamp dispensing system.
2 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more torque tube clamps supported in the hopper of the installation vehicle, wherein the torque tube clamps are configured to be installed onto the torque tube by the installation vehicle from an overhead position.
3 . The solar panel installation system of claim 2 , wherein the clamp placement system comprises a clamp applicator moveably supported within the hopper, and actuatable by an actuator, the clamp placement system being operable to dispense a lead torque tube clamp of the one or more torque tube clamps from the hopper, and to seat the lead torque tube clamp onto the torque tube.
4 . The solar panel installation system of claim 2 , further comprising a clamp manipulator supported by at least one of the hopper or the chassis, the clamp manipulator being actuatable in one or more degrees of freedom, and comprising: an end effector comprising an interface portion, and being configured to interface with a moveable component of the torque tube clamp; and an actuator associated with the end effector, and configured to facilitate movement of the end effector in at least one degree of freedom.
5 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising an automation system, the automation system comprising one or more automation assets supported by the installation vehicle.
6 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , wherein the control system comprises one or more processors and one or more memory devices operable to store instructions thereon that are executable by the one or more processors.
7 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising a communications module.
8 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising a navigation system.
9 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising a power source operable to supply power to the installation vehicle.
10 . The solar panel installation system of claim 9 , wherein the power source is supported on the installation vehicle.
11 . The solar panel installation system of claim 9 , wherein the power source is independent of and external to the installation vehicle, and connected to the installation vehicle via an umbilical.
12 . The solar panel installation system of claim 11 , wherein the umbilical comprises at least one of a power distribution line, a data distribution line, or a fluid distribution line, the umbilical being operable to carry at least one of power, data, or pressurized fluid to the solar panel presentation system from respective sources independent of and external to the solar panel presentation system.
13 . The solar panel installation system of claim 1 , further comprising a solar panel installation vehicle configured to install one or more solar panels into a panel retention system comprising one or more torque tube clamps previously installed by the support clamp installation vehicle.
14 . The solar panel installation system of claim 13 , wherein the solar panel installation vehicle is operable on the torque tube, and wherein operation of the solar panel installation vehicle is coordinated with the operation of the support clamp installation vehicle.
15 . A method for facilitating installation of one or more support clamps onto a torque tube, the method comprising: configuring a support clamp installation vehicle with a hopper for receiving one or more torque tube clamps; configuring the support clamp installation vehicle with a drive system operable to engage a torque tube and to facilitate locomotion of the installation vehicle on the torque tube; configuring the support clamp installation vehicle with a clamp dispensing system comprising a clamp feed system and a clamp placement system; and facilitating communication of the support clamp installation with a control system operable to control operation of the drive system and the clamp dispensing system.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the clamp dispensing system to dispense a lead torque tube clamp of the one or more torque tube clamps from the hopper, and to seat the lead torque tube clamp onto the torque tube.
17 . The method of claim 15 , configuring the clamp dispensing system to perform overhead installation of the one or more torque tube clamps onto the torque tube from an overhead position.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the support clamp installation vehicle to comprise a clamp manipulator supported by at least one of the hopper or a chassis, the clamp manipulator being actuatable in one or more degrees of freedom, and comprising: an end effector comprising an interface portion, and being configured to interface with a moveable component of the torque tube clamp; and an actuator associated with the end effector, and configured to facilitate movement of the end effector in at least one degree of freedom.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the clamp placement system to comprise a clamp applicator moveably supported within the hopper, and actuatable by an actuator, the clamp placement system being operable to dispense a lead torque tube clamp of the one or more torque tube clamps from the hopper, and to seat the lead torque tube clamp onto the torque tube
20 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the support clamp installation vehicle to comprise an automation system, the automation system comprising one or more automation assets supported by the installation vehicle.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,045, filed Jan. 8, 2025, entitled “Support Clamp Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/618,827, filed Jan. 8, 2024, and entitled, “Support Clamp Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System”; each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 19/013,839, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Mounting Systems and Methods”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,038, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Torque Tube Clamps for Automated Solar Panel Installation”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,057, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Dispensing Hopper and Presentation System for Overhead Installation of Solar Panels for A Solar Tracking System”; U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,062, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Installation Alignment Systems”; and U.S. application Ser. No. 19/014,152, filed Jan. 8, 2025, and entitled, “Solar Panel Installation Vehicles as Part of a Solar Panel Installation System for A Solar Tracking System”, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. BACKGROUND In recent years, electricity generation through the use of solar panels has become much more common and widespread. Solar panels and solar panel arrays are commonly installed in both commercial and residential settings. Furthermore, large-scale or utility-scale solar systems consisting of a large number of solar panel arrays are being deployed on large areas of land at increasing rates across the globe. One type of common system comprising one or more solar panel arrays is known as a solar tracking system. A solar tracking system comprises one or more rows of solar panels mounted or otherwise operable with a torque tube (also referred to as a drive shaft) that is driven by one or more motors. The solar tracking system facilitates dynamic, changing orientation or positioning of an installed solar panel array payload relative to the sun so as to optimize the solar energy collected by the various individual solar panels (namely to maximize the proportion of energy derived from direct radiation onto the panels) within the solar panel array. This is accomplished by driving the torque tube so as to rotate the solar panel array(s) at a rate that tracks the movement of the Sun as it traverses across the sky within its path as the Earth orbits around the Sun. One example of a solar tracking system is a single-axis horizontal tracker having a long horizontal torque tube that is supported on bearings mounted upon support pylons or frames. The axis of the torque tube is oriented so as to be on a north-south line. Individual solar panels are mounted on the torque tube using a clamp or other mounting bracket, and the torque tube is caused to rotate about its longitudinal axis at a rate so as to track the apparent motion of the Sun throughout the day. With solar panel arrays and solar panel installation becoming more common, quicker and more efficient ways of installing solar panels within their supporting systems are being developed in order to increase rates and decrease costs. However, despite various advancements in systems, mounts, and supports for facilitating installation of solar panels, current installation methods continue to be associated with significant manual labor requirements in order to install individual solar panels within or onto a mount to achieve an installed and operating solar panel array. This is true with solar tracking systems as well as other types of solar panel arrays, such as those supported by a non-tracking fixed-mount type of system. For example, with a solar tracking system, workers are often required to install each individual solar panel within the solar panel array by hand by mounting the individual solar panel to its mounting bracket. This is often done using a power tool and suitable fasteners. The manual efforts involved to complete installation can mean tedious, slow work for the workers, as well as significant costs. This is particularly true when large or utility-scale solar panel arrays are being installed. Moreover, installations are typically carried out in the day time so workers can see, thus eliminating a significant number of hours of the day where installation efforts could be taking place, and delaying time to completion. If installation is carried out at night, large lights are required to be deployed, which further increases costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention; and, wherein: FIG. 1 illu