Anchor for support structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11414827-B2
Application number	US-202117474163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 14, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A first embodiment of an anchor system may include a ballast, rods projecting through the ballast such that the rods extend away from the ballast and into the ground when deployed, and a mounting hardware atop the ballast. The anchor system may include an anchor deployable into the ground with a line providing tension between the ballast and the anchor when deployed into the ground. Another embodiment of the anchor may include a ground plate coupled to a spade in which the spade may be pressed into the ground when deployed. The anchor system may include an earth anchor shaped to be deployed in a first position and resist removal from the ground in a second position. and a line running from the ground plate to the earth anchor. The tension on the line may cause the earth anchor to transition from the first position to the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anchor system, comprising:
a base member that includes one or more stabilizing shafts extending from a surface of the base member such that in a deployed position, the stabilizing shafts extend away from the base member and into the ground, each of the stabilizing shafts including:
a first panel oriented in a first direction; and
a second panel oriented in a second direction,
wherein the first direction corresponds to a direction of one or more forces experienced by a photovoltaic module support structure coupled to the anchor system, the one or more forces being caused by tilting of one or more photovoltaic modules coupled to the photovoltaic module support structure;

an anchor deployable into the ground with a line for providing tension between the base member and the anchor when deployed into the ground; and
mounting hardware atop the base member configured to interface with the photovoltaic module support structure.

2. The anchor system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing shafts are selected from a group consisting of: rods and spades.

3. An anchor system, comprising:
a base member with a stabilizing shaft coupled to the base member, the stabilizing shaft including:
a first panel oriented in a first direction; and
a second panel oriented in a second direction,
wherein the first panel is larger than the second panel and oriented in a direction of a rotational force imposed on a photovoltaic module support structure coupled to the anchor system, the rotational force being caused by tilting of one or more photovoltaic modules associated with the photovoltaic module support structure;

an earth anchor shaped to be deployed in a first position and resist removal from the ground in a second position; and
a line shaped to run from the base member to the earth anchor,
wherein tension on the line when run from the base member to the earth anchor causes the earth anchor to transition from the first position to the second position.

4. The anchor system of claim 1 , wherein the base member is selected from a group consisting of: a ballast and a ground plate.

5. The anchor system of claim 1 , wherein:
the anchor includes an earth anchor shaped to be deployed in a first position and resist removal from the ground in a second position; and
tension on the line causes the earth anchor to transition from the first position to the second position.

6. The anchor system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more truss arms attached to the mounting hardware atop the base member, wherein the each of the truss arms is configured to be attached to one or more support structures of a photovoltaic module.

7. The anchor system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first panel intersects the second panel such that a cross-section of the stabilizing shaft includes a cross-shape; and
the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to one another.

8. The anchor system of claim 3 , wherein the second direction in which the second panel is oriented is orthogonal to the first direction in which the first panel is oriented.

9. The anchor system of claim 3 , wherein the stabilizing shaft is selected from a group consisting of: a rod and a spade.

10. The anchor system of claim 3 , wherein the base member is selected from a group consisting of: a ballast and a ground plate.

11. The anchor system of claim 3 , wherein the first panel intersects the second panel such that a cross-section of the stabilizing shaft includes a cross-shape.

12. The anchor system of claim 3 , wherein the second panel includes a smaller surface area than the first panel.

13. The anchor system of claim 3 , further comprising a neck component between the base member and the stabilizing shaft, wherein the base member, the neck component, and the stabilizing shaft each include a hollow body, wherein the hollow bodies of the base member, the neck component, and the stabilizing shaft are coextensive with respect to each of one another and are sized and shaped to accommodate the earth anchor.

14. An anchor system, comprising:
a base member with a stabilizing shaft coupled to the base member, the stabilizing shaft configured to engage with the ground when in a deployed position, the stabilizing shaft including:
a first panel oriented in a first direction; and
a second panel oriented in a second direction,
wherein the first direction corresponds to a direction of one or more forces experienced by a photovoltaic module support structure coupled to the anchor system, the forces being caused by tilting of one or more photovoltaic modules coupled to the photovoltaic module support structure;

a line running from the base member to a threaded portion of the line, the threaded portion of the line shaped to be driven into the ground by rotating a portion of the line above the threaded portion to affect rotation of the threaded portion of the line.

15. The anchor system of claim 14 , wherein the stabilizing shaft is selected from a group consisting of: a rod and a spade.

16. The anchor system of claim 14 , wherein the base member is selected from a group consisting of: a ballast and a ground plate.

17. The anchor system of claim 14 , wherein the stabilizing shaft includes a major panel oriented in a first direction and a minor panel oriented in a second direction.

18. The anchor system of claim 17 , wherein the minor panel includes a smaller surface area than the major panel.

19. The anchor system of claim 17 , wherein the second direction in which the minor panel is oriented is orthogonal to the first direction in which the major panel is oriented.

20. The anchor system of claim 14 , further comprising a neck component between the base member and the stabilizing shaft, wherein the base member, the neck component, and the stabilizing shaft each include a hollow body, wherein the hollow bodies of the base member, the neck component, and the stabilizing shaft are coextensive with respect to each of one another and are sized and shaped to accommodate the threaded portion of the line.

Assignees

• Array Tech Inc

Inventors

• De Fresart Benjamin C
• Kumar Nikhil
• Tandon Anubhav
• Creasy Lucas
• Schuknecht Nathan

Classifications

• E04H12/2261

  on a flat base (E04H12/08, E04H12/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02S20/32

  specially adapted for solar tracking · CPC title

• E02D5/803 Primary

  with pivotable anchoring members · CPC title

• E04H12/2215

  driven into the ground (ground anchors E02D5/80) · CPC title

• H02S20/10 Primary

  Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) · CPC title