THE THREE-BEAD KINEMATIC COUPLING

摘要

As part of a concentrating photovoltaic solar power project, there was a requirement to create a ton-capable ruggedized kinematic coupling to accommodate temperature differentials and to enable fast field replacement of power heads, at a solar-acceptable price point. This mount is described in this paper. The kinematic coupling comprises thee conical depressions and three beads, the beads being partially spherical bodies with specially formed holes, capable of travelling on shafts that lie in the plane of the coupling and whose axes intersect approximately at its center. The components of the coupling are comprised almost exclusively of turned features and have no flat-ground surfaces. The coupling is preloaded to allow operation at any attitude, and keyed to prevent accidental rotation.