Foldable truss structure, in particular for solar tracker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139912-B2
Application number	US-202017625669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2020
Priority date	Jul 15, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

The invention concerns a truss structure including a plurality of longitudinal members extending parallel to one another in a main extension direction and crossmembers ( 9 ) distributed in the main extension direction to connect the longitudinal members mechanically two-by-two, forming a plurality of polygons ( 11 ) each contained in a plane perpendicular to the main extension direction.
According to the invention, each crossmember ( 9 ) connecting two longitudinal members includes a first half-crossmember ( 9 a ) with a first end connected to one of the two longitudinal members so as to be able to pivot about a first axis (X 1 -X′ 1 ) and a second half-crossmember ( 9 b ) a first end of which is connected to the other of the two longitudinal members so as to be able to pivot about a second axis (X 2 -X′ 2 ). The two half-crossmembers are connected to one another by an articulation hinge ( 13 ) allowing relative rotation of the two half-crossmembers ( 9 a, 9 b ) about a third axis (X 3 -X′ 3 ). The first, second and third axes are parallel to one another and orthogonal to the main extension direction, allowing the truss structure and each crossmember ( 9 ) to pass from a deployed position to a folded position in which the first and the second half-crossmembers ( 9 a, 9 b ) of each crossmember ( 9 ) extend substantially parallel one alongside the other in said main extension direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A truss structure including:
an assembly constituted of a number greater than or equal to two of longitudinal members extending parallel to one another in a main extension direction; and
crossmembers distributed along the main extension direction and configured to connect the longitudinal members mechanically two by two so that the crossmembers are able to form a plurality of polygons each contained in a plane perpendicular to said main extension direction;
wherein each crossmember connecting two longitudinal members includes:
a first half-crossmember that has a first end connected in a pivoting manner to one of the two longitudinal members so as to be able to pivot about a first rotation axis and a second end opposite the first end; and
a second half-crossmember that has a first end connected in a pivoting manner to the other of the two longitudinal members so as to be able to pivot about a second rotation axis and a second end connected to the second end of the first half-crossmember by an articulation hinge allowing relative rotation of the two half-crossmembers about a third rotation axis, the first, second and third rotation axes being parallel to one another and orthogonal to said main extension direction so as to allow the truss structure and each crossmember to pass from a deployed position to a folded position and vice versa,
said deployed position corresponding to a position in which the first and the second half-crossmembers of each crossmember extend in line with one another in a direction orthogonal to said main extension direction so that the crossmembers form said plurality of polygons, and said folded position corresponding to a position in which the first and the second half crossmembers of each crossmember extend substantially parallel one alongside the other along said main extension direction,
the articulation hinge of each crossmember being able to be locked in the deployed position and unlocked to allow folding of the crossmembers and of the truss structure, and the articulation hinge of each half-crossmember including a first sleeve fixed to one end of one of the two half-crossmembers and a second sleeve fixed to an end of the other of the two crossmembers, each sleeve comprising at its periphery:
a first and a second lateral lug extending facing and radially relative to the sleeve and each pierced by an orifice;
a third lateral lug extending radially relative to the sleeve and diametrically opposite the first and second lateral lugs, said third lateral lug being also pierced by an orifice.

2. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein said assembly is constituted of three longitudinal members, the polygons formed by the crossmembers in the deployed position being triangles.

3. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein the end of one of the two half-crossmembers has a male cone shape that can be received in a female counter-cone shape provided at the end of the other of the two half-crossmembers in the deployed position.

4. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein said truss structure constitutes a support structure able to support at least partly a table of a solar tracker equipped with at least one solar energy collector device.

5. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein said truss structure is included in a solar tracker,
said solar tracker comprising:
a mobile device comprising a table equipped with at least one solar energy collector device, a support structure extending longitudinally over a length L to support said table, a first support arch and a second support arch configured to support said support structure;
a first ground support and a second ground support respectively configured to support the first support arch and the second support arch; and
a kinematic driving device configured to drive the mobile device in rotation relative to the first ground support and to the second ground support;

wherein said support structure of said solar tracker, includes said at least one truss structure.

6. The truss structure according to claim 5 , wherein said support structure of said solar tracker is composed of a plurality of said truss structures, connected end-to-end.

7. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein:
the third lateral lug of the first sleeve can come to be placed between the first and second lateral lugs of the second sleeve with their corresponding orifices aligned to receive a first locking pin; and
the third lateral lug of the second sleeve can come to be placed between the first and second lateral lugs of the first sleeve with their corresponding orifices aligned to receive a second locking pin.

8. The truss structure according to claim 7 , wherein said third rotation axis is defined by the longitudinal axis of the first locking pin when the latter is received through the corresponding orifices in the absence of the second locking pin.

9. The truss structure according to claim 7 , wherein said third rotation axis is defined by the longitudinal axis of the second locking pin when the latter is received through the corresponding orifices in the absence of the first locking pin.

10. The truss structure according to claim 7 , wherein the first locking pin and/or the second locking pin include(s) a conical elastic flange for rapid assembly by clipping.

11. The truss structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first ends of the half-crossmembers are connected in a pivoting manner to the longitudinal members by means of plates fixed to the longitudinal members.

12. The truss structure according to claim 11 , wherein in the deployed position it includes at least one tie-rod mechanically connecting two plates of two longitudinal members between two apexes of two successive polygons.

13. The truss structure according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one tie-rod comprises two ends each connected in an articulated manner to one of the two plates, one of the two ends being able to be disconnected so as to allow the passage of the structure from its deployed position to its folded position.

14. The truss structure according to claim 13 , wherein, in the folded position, said at least one tie-rod extends substantially in said main extension direction.

Assignees

• Nexans

Inventors

• Tordo Jérome
• Viennois Fabien
• Micoli Christophe

Classifications

• E04C2003/0491

  the truss elements being located in one single surface or in several parallel surfaces · CPC title

• E04C2003/0469

  triangular-shaped · CPC title

• F24S30/40

  for rotary movement · CPC title

• H02S20/32

  specially adapted for solar tracking · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title