Hybrid Solar Panel Mounting Assembly with a Tilted Ledge

• US 20170155356A1
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Published: 06/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unirac Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unirac Incorporated
• Inventors: SCHUIT, Nathan, MAYFIELD, Jason, GALLEGOS, Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 10,340,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 tilted spring support ledge on a side of the trim-rail, 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 the tilted spring support ledge is integrally joined to, and is cantilevered from, a proximal support portion.

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

7. 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 such that there is essentially no clearance gap between an upper bracket of the trim-rail and the photovoltaic module.

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

9. The trim-rail of claim 7, wherein a ratio of the width to the thickness (W/t) is greater than or equal to 15.

10. A solar panel mounting assembly, comprising:

a trim-rail, wherein the trim-rail comprises;

a tilted spring support ledge on a side of the trim-rail, wherein a photovoltaic module is elastically supportable on the tilted spring support ledge; and

a slot, wherein the photovoltaic module is insertable into the slot and wherein the slot is defined by the tilted spring support ledge on a lower side of the slot, a vertical wall segment on a middle portion of the slot, and a wing on an upper side of the slot.

11. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, 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.

12. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, 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.

13. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, wherein the tilted spring support ledge includes a tilted portion and a horizontal distal portion.

14. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10 in combination with a photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module is mounted in the slot.

15. The solar panel mounting assembly and the photovoltaic module of claim 14, 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 such that there is essentially no gap between the wing and the photovoltaic module.

16. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, 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.

17. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, 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.

18. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a footer assembly clamped to the trim-rail by a tri-drive nut; and

a base track clamped to the footer assembly.

19. The solar panel mounting assembly of claim 18 in combination with a photovoltaic module, wherein the photovoltaic module is mounted in the slot.

20. A method of mounting a photovoltaic module in a trim-rail, wherein the trim-rail comprises:

a tilted spring support ledge on a side of the trim-rail, wherein a photovoltaic module is elastically supportable on the tilted spring support ledge; and

a slot, wherein the photovoltaic module is insertable into the slot and wherein the slot is defined by the tilted spring support ledge on a lower side of the slot, a vertical wall segment on a middle portion of the slot, and a wing on an upper side of the slot;

the method comprising the 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 such that there is essentially no gap between the wing and the photovoltaic module.