FASTENING SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING SOLAR MODULES

• US 20140179133A1
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mounting Systems GmbH (Nordwest Industrie Group GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Mounting Systems GmbH (Nordwest Industrie Group GmbH)
• Inventors: Redel, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,147,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/121
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/04 internal, i.e. with spreading action F16B2/14 - F16B2/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6004 by clipping, e.g. by using snap connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/801 having hollow parts with closed cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/807 having undercut grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/30 using elongate rigid mounting elements extending substantially along the supporting surface, e.g. for covering buildings with solar heat collectors extending in directions away from the supporting surface F24S25/10; peripheral frames for modules F24S25/20
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/33 forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles
• 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 25/37 forming coplanar grids comprising longitudinal and transversal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/634 Clamps; Clips
• 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: H01R 25/142 Their counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/60 Biased catch or latch

Abstract

The invention relates to a profile rail, a clip holder, a cross-connector and an attachment system for mounting solar modules. The components are so designed and matched to each other that solar modules in many variations can be mounted quickly and easily and with the components having a low weight.

Claims

1. A profile rail comprising, in a cross-sectional view:

a support surface forming a flat bottom side of the profile rail,

a first and a second receiving space, each having a lateral opening, said openings facing in opposite directions,

a third receiving space in the form of a T-slot having an opening facing away from the bottom side of the profile rail, said opening being defined by two webs which are mirror-symmetrical relative to a mentally conceived center plane and which are each cranked inwards at their respective free end,

a first rectangular, central hollow space, enclosed on all sides, which is defined by the support surface and by the first, second and third receiving space, and

a first and a second hollow lateral space, enclosed on all sides, arranged on opposite sites of the third receiving space and each adjoining one of the first and second receiving spaces.

2. The profile rail according to claim 1, wherein the height of the first central rectangular hollow space above the support surface is greater than the height of the first and the second receiving space above the support surface, such that the first central hollow space overlaps the first and the second lateral hollow space on either side.

3. The profile rail according to claim 2, wherein the first and the second receiving space each being in the form of a T-slot.

4. The profile rail according to claim 3, having lateral external walls which have a toothed profile in whole or in part.

5. The profile rail according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second receiving space each being in the form of a T-slot.

6. The profile rail according to claim 1, having lateral external walls which have a toothed profile in whole or in part.

12. An attachment system for solar modules, comprising:

a number of profile rails, each rail in a cross-sectional view comprising;

a support surface forming a flat bottom side of the profile rail,

a first and a second receiving space, each having a lateral opening, said openings facing in opposite directions,

a third receiving space in the form of a T-slot having an opening facing away from the bottom side of the profile rail, said opening being defined by two webs which are mirror-symmetrical relative to a mentally conceived center plane and which are each cranked inwards at their respective free end,

a first rectangular, central hollow space, enclosed on all sides, which is defined by the support surface and by the first, second and third receiving space, and

a first and a second hollow lateral space, enclosed on all sides, arranged on opposite sites of the third receiving space and each adjoining one of the first and second receiving space, and

a plurality of clip holders according to claim 5, in which the hooks have shapes complementary to the cranks in the profile rails,

wherein the plurality of clip holders are inserted in the third receiving spaces of the profile rails and the hooks of the clip holders engage the cranks in the profile rails and wherein retention members are secured to the clip holders by means of screws inserted into the threaded holes.

13. The attachment system according to claim 12, wherein at least two profile rails are arranged perpendicular to each other in such a way that a cross-connector which, when viewed in a cross-sectional view, comprises:

a middle web having a right-angled end and a beveled end,

a first L-shaped extension attached to the middle web closer to the right-angled end than to the beveled end, and

a second L-shaped extension attached to the middle web closer to the beveled than to the right-angled end and attached to the side of the middle web opposite the first L-shaped extension,

has the first L-shaped extension received in the first or in the second receiving space of the one profile rail and is secured by use of the second L-shaped extension by a screw to a clip holder which for its part is inserted in the third receiving space of the second profile rail.

14. The attachment system according to claim 13, wherein at least two profile rails are connected to each other via a telescopic connector which is received in the first central hollow spaces of the two profile rails.

15. The attachment system according to claim 12, wherein at least two profile rails are connected to each other via a telescopic connector which is received in the first central hollow spaces of the two profile rails.

7. A clip holder, comprising:

a head plate having a threaded hole and

two legs laterally disposed on the head plate, wherein the ends of said legs, facing away from said head plate, have hooks which are designed to engage cranks.

8. The clip holder according to claim 7, wherein the hooks slope inwards to an inner side of the respective leg by an angle of 15°

to the horizontal.

9. The clip holder according to claim 8, in which the head plate is square in a plan view.

10. The clip holder according to claim 7, in which the head plate is square in a plan view.

11. A cross-connector which, when viewed in a cross-sectional view, comprises:

a middle web having a right-angled end and a beveled end,

a first L-shaped extension attached to the middle web closer to the right-angled end than to the beveled end, and

a second L-shaped extension attached to the middle web closer to the beveled end than to the right-angled end and attached to the side of the middle web opposite the first L-shaped extension.