PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM AND HOLDER UNIT

• US 20150188483A1
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nishio, Yuuta
• Application Number:
  US14/404,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2020/14 Stepped arrangements, e.g. in parallel planes, without module overlapping
• 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 25/65 for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
• 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

Abstract

The photovoltaic system includes a solar cell module including first and second ends and first and second main surfaces, a first holder including a first groove portion, and a second holder including a second groove portion. The first groove portion includes a first front portion facing the first main surface, a first back portion facing the second main surface, and a first side portion connecting the first front portion and the first back portion. The second groove portion includes a second front portion facing the first main surface, a second back portion facing the second main surface, and a second side portion connecting the second front portion and the second back portion.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic system comprising:

a solar cell module including a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, a first main surface, and a second main surface behind the first main surface;

a first holder including a first groove portion into which the first end of the solar cell module is inserted; and

a second holder including a second groove portion into which the second end of the solar cell module is inserted,

wherein the first groove portion includes a first front portion facing the first main surface, a first back portion facing the second main surface, and a first side portion connecting the first front portion and the first back portion to each other,

wherein the second groove portion includes a second front portion facing the first main surface, a second back portion facing the second main surface, and a second side portion connecting the second front portion and the second back portion to each other,

wherein, in the first groove portion, an end of the first front portion on the second holder side is located nearer to the first side portion than an end of the first back portion on the second holder side, and the first groove portion has a first gap and a second gap in a thickness direction of the solar cell module, the first gap being a gap between the end of the first front portion on the second holder side and a part of the first back portion facing the end of the first front portion on the second holder side, the first gap being larger than a thickness of the solar cell module, the second gap being a gap between the first back portion and a part of the first front portion between the first side portion and the end of the first front portion on the second holder side,

wherein the second gap is larger than both of the first gap and a third gap that is smaller than the first gap in the thickness direction, the third gap being a gap between an imaginary extension surface extending from the first front portion toward the second holder and the end of the first back portion on the second holder side, and

wherein a first distance between the first end and the second end is larger than a second distance between the second side portion and the end of the first front portion on the second holder side and is smaller than a third distance between the first side portion and an end of the second front portion on the first holder side.

2. The photovoltaic system according to claim 1, wherein the first back portion includes an inclined portion, and a gap between the inclined portion and the first front portion increases toward the first side portion from a part of the inclined portion facing the end of the first front portion on the second holder side.

3. The photovoltaic system according to claim 1,

wherein, in the first groove portion, the first end is separated from the first side portion,

wherein the first front portion includes a protrusion between the end on the second holder side and a base thereof on the first side portion side, the protrusion protruding to a position that is nearer to the first back portion than an imaginary extension surface extending from the first main surface,

wherein a fourth distance between the protrusion and the end of the second front portion on the first holder side is smaller than the first distance, and

wherein the first back portion includes an elastic portion between a part thereof facing the protrusion and the end of the first back portion on the second holder side, the elastic portion being elastically deformable in a direction in which the protrusion protrudes.

4. The photovoltaic system according to claim 1,

wherein the second holder includes an extending portion and an overhanging portion, the extending portion extending from the end of the second back portion on the first holder side in a direction away from the second front portion, the overhanging portion sticking out from the extending portion toward the first holder.

5. A holder unit comprising:

a first holder including a first groove portion that allows a first end of a solar cell module to be inserted thereinto in a first direction; and

a second holder including a second groove portion that allows a second end of the solar cell module opposite to the first end to be inserted thereinto in a second direction,

wherein the first groove portion includes a first front portion facing a first main surface of the solar cell module, a first back portion facing a second main surface behind the first main surface, and a first side portion connecting the first front portion and the first back portion to each other,

wherein the second groove portion includes a second front portion facing the first main surface, a second back portion facing the second main surface, and a second side portion connecting the second front portion and the second back portion to each other,

wherein, in the first groove portion, an end of the first front portion on the second holder side is located nearer to the first side portion than an end of the first back portion on the second holder side, and the first groove portion has a first gap and a second gap in a third direction from the first front portion toward the first back portion, the first gap being a gap between the end of the first front portion on the second holder side and a part of the first back portion facing the end of the first front portion on the second holder side, the first gap being larger than a thickness of the solar cell module, the second gap being a gap between the first back portion and a part of the first front portion between the first side portion and the end of the first front portion on the second holder side,

wherein the second gap is larger than both of the first gap and a third gap that is smaller than the first gap in the third direction, the third gap being a gap between an imaginary extension surface extending from the first front portion toward the second holder and the end of the first back portion on the second holder side, and

wherein a first depth of the first groove portion from the end of the first front portion on the second holder side to the first side portion in the first direction is larger than a second depth of the second groove portion from the end of the second front portion on the first holder side to the second side portion in the second direction.

6. The holder unit according to claim 5, further comprising:

a connection member that connects the first holder and the second holder to each other.

7. The holder unit according to claim 5, wherein the first back portion includes an inclined portion, and a gap between the inclined portion and the first front portion increases toward the first side portion from a part of the inclined portion facing the end of the first front portion on the second holder side.

8. The holder unit according to claim 5,

wherein the first front portion includes a protrusion between the end on the second holder side and a base thereof on the first side portion side, the protrusion protruding in the third direction, and

wherein the first back portion includes an elastic portion between a part thereof facing the protrusion and the end on the second holder side, the elastic portion being elastically deformable in a direction in which the protrusion protrudes.

9. The holder unit according to claim 5, wherein the second holder includes an extending portion and an overhanging portion, the extending portion extending from the end of the second back portion on the first holder side in a direction away from the second front portion, the overhanging portion sticking out from the extending portion toward the first holder.