Precision drive for positioning solar energy apparatus

摘要

A precision drive for positioning azimuth and elevation angles of a solar energy collector apparatus includes a casing mounted for rotation about a vertical shaft. The casing carries a pair of motor driven gear trains. A primary stage reduction gearing of each train comprises a cyclo-gear or a harmonic drive, while the secondary stage includes a monoplanetary gear train having a planet gear mounted to an eccentric carrier. The planet gear teeth simultaneously engage a fixed ring gear and a rotatable ring gear. The output of the primary stage drives the carrier, and the rotatable ring gear provides output rotation. One gear train engages a pinion fixed to the vertical shaft for rotating the casing about the shaft, while the rotatable ring gear of the other gear train engages a horizontal shaft for adjustment of the elevation angle.