LEVELER FOR SOLAR MODULE ARRAY

• US 20160344334A1
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Published: 11/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Danning, Matthew G.
• Granted Patent: US 10,224,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/002 Means for preventing rotation of screw-threaded elements F16B39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/004 and using C-shaped clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0233 allowing for adjustment perpendicular to the plane of the plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6008 by using toothed elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/20 Peripheral frames for modules
• 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 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• 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: F24S 25/70 with means for adjusting the final position or orientation of supporting elements in relation to each other or to a mounting surface; with means for compensating mounting tolerances
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A leveler for a solar module can include a base, a rotatable adjuster, and a follower. The rotatable adjuster can be mounted to the base with a swaging process, or other techniques. The follower can be embedded within a coupler configured to be connectable to solar modules. Turning the rotatable height adjuster changes the relative spacing between the solar module and the base.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A photovoltaic module mounting assembly for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module mounting assembly comprising:

a base portion including an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;

a height adjustment member connected with the base portion, the height adjustment member configured to support the photovoltaic module at a plurality of heights;

a coupling member mechanically coupled with the height adjustment member, wherein the coupling member can freely swivel relative to the base portion during installation of the photovoltaic module, the coupling member including;

a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion,

an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and

a fastener securing the upper portion to the lower portion; and

a first photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a lower surface of the first photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages an upper surface of the first photovoltaic module frame.

3. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the upper portion is divided into a first portion and a second portion.

4. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the first lip includes a retention ridge.

5. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the second lip is hook-shaped.

6. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the height adjustment member is rotatable relative to the base portion.

7. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the height adjustment member is a jack screw.

8. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the height adjustment member comprises a threaded member received in a sleeve having internal threads, the threaded member having an unthreaded portion disposed in a receiver of the base portion.

9. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, further comprising a second photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a lower surface of the second photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages an upper surface of the second photovoltaic module frame.

10. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein:

the lower portion further includes a third lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the first lip, and

the upper portion further includes a fourth lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the second lip.

11. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 10, further comprising a third photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the third lip supports a lower surface of the third photovoltaic module frame and the fourth lip engages an upper surface of the third photovoltaic module frame.

12. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the upper portion is the only component of the photovoltaic module mounting assembly that extends above a top surface of the first photovoltaic module frame.

13. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, further comprising an anti-rotation feature that inhibits relative rotation between the coupling member and the height adjustment member.

14. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein the anti-rotation feature comprises an anti-rotation recess in the lower portion and an anti-rotation aperture in the height adjustment member.

15. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 2, wherein the base portion comprises a receiver which receives the height adjustment member.

16. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 15, wherein a wall of the receiver extends into a necked portion of the height adjustment member to allow relative rotation between the height adjustment member and the base portion.

17. A photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module assembly comprising:

a photovoltaic module including a photovoltaic laminate and a photovoltaic module frame receiving the photovoltaic laminate, wherein the photovoltaic module frame includes;

a first edge with a first proximate end and a first distal end, and

a second edge opposite the first edge with a second proximate end and a second distal end; and

a plurality of photovoltaic module mounting assemblies including a first photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a second photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a third photovoltaic module mounting assembly, and a fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly, each photovoltaic module mounting assembly including;

a base portion including an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;

a height adjustment member connected with the base portion, the height adjustment member configured to support a corresponding photovoltaic module at a plurality of heights;

a coupling member coupled with the height adjustment member, wherein the coupling member can freely swivel relative to the base portion during installation of the corresponding photovoltaic module, the coupling member including;

a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion,

an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and

a fastener securing the upper portion to the lower portion;

wherein the coupling member of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first proximate end, the coupling member of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first distal end, the coupling member of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second proximate end, and the coupling member of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second distal end.

18. The photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface of claim 17, wherein the first lip of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly extend out further than the first lip of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly.

19. A height-adjustable roof anchor assembly for solar modules, the roof anchor assembly comprising:

a brace configured to support at least one solar module;

a height adjustable base assembly comprising;

a base member portion having a hole therein, the hole sized and shaped to receive a roof fastener to fasten the base to a roof; and

a height adjustment assembly comprising a height adjustment member having a lower portion extending from the base and an upper portion configured to engage the brace, the height adjustment member extending upwardly away from the base, the height adjustment member configured to support the brace and the at least one solar module at a plurality of heights relative to the roof,

wherein the brace can freely rotate relative to the base member during installation of the at least one solar module.

20. The roof anchor assembly of claim 19, wherein the height adjustment assembly comprises an anti-rotation assembly preventing rotation between the brace and a portion of the height adjustment assembly.

21. The roof anchor assembly of claim 19, wherein the brace comprises a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion and an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion.