Mounting frame for supporting sheet-type solar panels

• US 20090320826A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideematec Deutschland GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ideematec Deutschland Gmh
• Inventors: Kufner, Johann
• Granted Patent: US 8,720,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/573
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2030/11 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2030/15 Bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/10 extending in directions away from a supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/12 using posts in combination with upper profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/13 Profile arrangements, e.g. trusses F24S25/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/452 Vertical primary axis
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting frame for supporting sheet-type solar panels (12) comprising, fitted substantially vertically for anchoring by its lower end (13a) in the ground or by a fixed anchoring location (13b), a supporting mast (13) at which the solar panels (12) resting on a plane panel support (8-11) are supported by means of a supporting structure (14) and which are rotatable about the axis of the mast for azimuthal tracking.

Claims

1. A mounting frame for supporting sheet-type solar panels comprising:

a supporting mast fitted substantially vertically for anchoring by its lower end in the ground or by a fixed anchoring location;

a supporting structure coupled to the supporting mast and supporting the solar panels resting on a plane panel support, the supporting structure rotatable about an axis of the mast for azimuthal tracking, the supporting structure including at the upper end of the mast a central supporting part for securing three central struts forming a supporting delta in a plane located substantially perpendicular to the axis of the mast, wherein one of the central struts forms the hypotenuse of this supporting delta and is oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the panel support, the one central strut being securable substantially in the middle of the rear side of the central supporting part facing away from the panel support, wherein the two other central struts are substantially equal in length and form sides of the supporting delta, the two other central struts being securable by their ends to the front side of the central supporting part facing the panel support;

an inclined supporting strut disposed between the two ends of the one central strut and a supporting location at the lower end of the mast, the supporting strut supplemented by two additional supporting struts extending between the central supporting part and the supporting location, the front supporting strut forming by its upper end a support for the lower middle rear portion of the panel support, wherein two lower side portions are supported at the rear side of the panel support by two additional inclined struts extending from these two portions to the supporting location, wherein each additional strut cooperates with a retaining strut, each retaining strut oriented between the associated side portion at the rear side of the panel support and the opposite end of the one central strut; and

a plurality of supporting struts configured to support the panel support, the supporting struts disposed between the upper rear portion of the panel support and the one central strut.

2. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein, to achieve a fixed set angle of elevation of the solar panels resting on the panel support, the supporting struts have a fixed length and are fixedly connectable by their one end to the one central strut and by their other end to the upper rear portion of the panel support.

3. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 2, wherein the additional supporting struts of the supporting structure engaging the two lower side portions and the lower middle portion of the panel support are fixedly connectable to the panel support.

4. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fixed length supporting elements are the three supporting struts which in the substantially horizontal plane of the supporting delta via the upright projecting straight elongations extend between the central struts forming the hypotenuse of the supporting delta and the supporting location at the lower end of the mast.

5. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein, to achieve a variable angle of elevation of the solar panels resting on the panel support, the additional supporting struts of the supporting structure engaging the two lower side portions and the lower middle portion of the panel are hingeable to these portions, and the supporting elements are pivotally mounted by their two ends at the upper rear portion of the panel support respectively at the central struts and are extensible telescopically and arrestable in each wanted position.

6. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 5, wherein the mounting frame includes at least two telescopically extensible supporting elements pivotally mounted by their one end at the two ends of the one central strut and hinged by their other ends at the upper rear portion of the panel support, wherein each supporting element is moveable when setting the angle of elevation in a substantially vertical plane parallel to the axis of the mast.

7. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 6, including a manually adjustable angle of elevation, wherein each supporting element includes a manually telescopically extensible and arrestable supporting strut.

8. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 6, including a servo powered adjustable angle of elevation, wherein each supporting element comprises a module each comprising a servo motor and a tubular telescoping assembly extendably cooperating with the supporting mast.

9. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel support comprises an upper transverse rail and a lower transverse rail mutually interspaced and extending substantially horizontally over substantially the full width of the solar panel and to which the struts and supporting elements of the supporting structure are connectable, the transverse rails being securable to each other by a plurality of longitudinal rails located in line in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the panel support, wherein the panel support is reinforceable by four additional reinforcement struts, wherein two of the reinforcement struts are arrangeable to form a reinforcing cross, the two reinforcing crosses when in place being located in the extension direction of the panel support and are securable by their four end points to the upper and lower transverse strut.

10. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein, to achieve azimuthal tracking of the solar panels, the supporting mast is anchorable at its lower end, the supporting mast being axially rotatably and fixedly connectable at its upper mast end to the central supporting part, wherein the supporting location is anchorable at the lower end of the mast non-rotatably to the supporting mast.

11. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 10, wherein the supporting location at the lower end of the mast is fixedly attachable to the supporting mast by a connecting flange to which the inclined struts of the supporting structure are securable by their lower ends.

12. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein, to achieve azimuthal tracking of the solar panels, the supporting mast is anchorable non-rotatably at its lower end, the central supporting part is mountable at the upper mast end, and the supporting location is mountable at the lower end of the mast axially freely rotatable at the supporting mast.

13. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 12, wherein a worm drive is provided for driving azimuthal tracking of the solar panels, the worm drive is fixedly connectable to the central supporting part, the drive worm mates with a rim gear of a gear wheel anchorable non-rotatably axially at the upper end of the supporting mast.

14. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 12, wherein, for additional support of the supporting location at the lower end of the mast, two retaining struts are located on both sides of the supporting mast between the central supporting part and the supporting location, each end of which is securable to the central supporting part and to the supporting location respectively.

15. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 12, wherein the supporting location includes a flanged plate with a center hole configured to receive the lower end of the mast with the flanged plate remaining freely rotatable, the lower ends merging at the flanged plate and securable to the edge portions of the flanged plate protruding from the outer circumference of the supporting mast.

16. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 15, wherein the center hole of the flanged plate surrounds the supporting mast circumferentially with a radial spacing which is fillable by a mounting ring push-mounted at the edge of the center hole and serving as a rotation mount for the flanged plate.

17. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 16, comprising a nose jutting inwards from the inner edge of the center hole substantially in the radial direction located in the plane of the flanged plate, the radial length of the nose less than or equal to the radial spacing between the outer circumference of the mast and inner edge of the center hole, the mounting ring including a gap corresponding to the width of the nose, wherein the mounting ring is non-rotatably restrained by the nose.

18. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 16, wherein the mounting ring has a U-shaped cross-section with an inner width between the two legs of the mounting ring substantially corresponding to the thickness of the flanged plate, wherein the opening defined by the free leg ends is located at the outer circumference of the ring, wherein, when the mounting ring is pivotally mounted, its two legs extend on both sides of the side edges of the center hole, wherein the yoke part connecting the lower leg ends fills out the space between the inner edge of the center hole and the outer circumference of the supporting mast.

19. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 16, wherein the mounting ring is made of an elastic polymeric material.

20. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 15, wherein the flanged plate is made up of two intersecurable half-shells for mounting on the outer circumference of the supporting mast.

21. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central supporting part comprises a mountable base plate configured to mount at the upper end of the supporting mast, the base plate comprising connecting flanges configured to secure the struts of the supporting structure, the connecting flanges integrally formed with the base plate and inclined to the plane of the plate.

22. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 21, comprising a substantially rectangular base plate including an inclined connecting flange at each side edge of the base plate.

23. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting structure is formed from one of galvanized iron, hard aluminum or stainless steel.

24. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 1, comprising a supporting structure held together by bolted or welded connections.

25. The mounting frame as set forth in claim 24, wherein the bolted connections include bolts, nuts, and washers.