Hybrid solar panel mounting assembly with a tilted ledge

• US 10,340,838 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unirac Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unirac Incorporated
• Inventors: Schuit, Nathan, Mayfield, Jason, Gallegos, Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Cajilig, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US15/352,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20170155356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/801 having hollow parts with closed cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/35 by means of profiles with a cross-section defining separate supporting portions for adjacent modules
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/632 Side connectors; Base connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/65 for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/67 for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements F24S25/63
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/10 Frame structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A trim-rail for use in a solar panel mounting assembly is disclosed. The trim-rail includes a tilted spring support ledge on a side of the trim-rail. A photovoltaic module is elastically supportable on the tilted spring support ledge when the photovoltaic module is installed on the tilted spring support ledge.

Claims

1. A trim-rail for use in a solar panel mounting assembly, comprising:

a first vertical wall;

a horizontal wall intersecting with the first vertical wall;

a second vertical wall intersecting with the horizontal wall and extending downwardly from the horizontal wall, the second vertical wall having a free end that terminates a distance apart from the horizontal wall, and the second vertical wall being spaced apart from the first vertical wall such that a gap exists therebetween, the gap sized to receive a portion of a footer;

a proximal support portion extending horizontally from the free end of the second vertical wall in a direction away from the gap; and

a tilted spring support ledge integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the proximal support portion,

wherein a photovoltaic module is elastically supportable on the tilted spring support ledge when the photovoltaic module is installed on the tilted spring support ledge.

2. The trim-rail of claim 1, wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle ranging from 10-30 degrees to a horizontal plane when the photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

3. The trim-rail of claim 1, wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to a horizontal plane when the photovoltaic module is not mounted on the tilted spring support ledge.

4. The trim-rail of claim 1, wherein the tilted spring support ledge includes a tilted portion and a horizontal distal portion.

5. The trim-rail of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the proximal support portion is at least 3 times greater than a thickness of the tilted spring support ledge.

6. The trim-rail of claim 1, wherein the tilted spring support ledge has a width (W) and a thickness (t) sufficient to provide an elastic, spring-like force that pushes upward on a photovoltaic module when the photovoltaic module is installed on the tilted spring support ledge so as to minimize a gap between an upper bracket of the trim-rail and the photovoltaic module.

7. The trim-rail of claim 6, wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than or equal to 10.

8. The trim-rail of claim 6, wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than or equal to 15.

9. A solar panel mounting assembly, comprising:

a trim-rail including;

a first vertical wall,

a horizontal wall intersecting with the first vertical wall,

a second vertical wall intersecting with the horizontal wall and extending downwardly from the horizontal wall, the second vertical wall having a free end that terminates a distance apart from the horizontal wall, and the second vertical wall being spaced apart from the first vertical wall such that a gap exists therebetween, the gap sized to receive a portion of a footer,

a proximal support portion extending horizontally from the free end of the second vertical wall in a direction away from the gap, and

a tilted spring support ledge integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the proximal support portion, and

a slot defined by the tilted spring support ledge on a lower side of the slot, the second vertical wall on a middle portion of the slot, and a wing on an upper side of the slot.

10. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle ranging from 10-30 degrees to a horizontal plane when the photovoltaic module is not supported on the tilted spring support ledge.

11. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the tilted spring support ledge is tilted at an angle of approximately 20 degrees to a horizontal plane when the photovoltaic module is not supported on the tilted spring support ledge.

12. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the tilted spring support ledge includes a tilted portion and a horizontal distal portion.

13. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, further comprising a photovoltaic module configured to be mounted in the slot upon installation of the solar panel mounting assembly.

14. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein the tilted spring support ledge is deflected when the photovoltaic module is installed in the slot, and

wherein the deflected tilted spring support ledge provides a vertical force that pushes upward on the installed photovoltaic module so as to minimize a gap between the wing and the photovoltaic module.

15. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the tilted spring support ledge has a width (W) and a thickness (t) and wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than or equal to 10.

16. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the tilted spring support ledge has a width (W) and a thickness (t) and wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than or equal to 15.

17. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a footer assembly including the footer, the footer being configured to be clamped in the gap by a tri-drive nut when installed; and

a base track configured to be clamped to the footer assembly when installed.

18. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 17, further comprising a photovoltaic module configured to be is mounted in the slot upon installation of the solar panel mounting assembly.

19. A method of mounting a photovoltaic module in a trim-rail, the trim-rail including:

a vertical wall intersecting with, and extending downwardly from, a horizontal wall, the vertical wall having a free end terminating a distance apart from the horizontal wall

a proximal support portion extending from, and transversely to, the free end of the vertical wall,

a tilted spring support ledge integrally joined to, and cantilevered from, the proximal support portion, a thickness of the proximal support portion being greater than a thickness of the tilted spring support ledge, and

a slot defined by the tilted spring support ledge on a lower side of the slot, the vertical wall on a middle portion of the slot, and a wing on an upper side of the slot;

the method comprising steps of;

inserting the photovoltaic module into the slot at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane; and

rotating the photovoltaic module back to the horizontal plane and deflecting the tilted spring support ledge by the photovoltaic module,

wherein the deflecting generates a vertical upward force on the photovoltaic module by the tilted spring support ledge so as to minimize a gap between the wing and the photovoltaic module.