Photovoltaic Roofing Elements And Photovoltaic Roofing Systems

• US 20180097471A1
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Published: 04/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certainteed, LLC (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain SA)
• Original Assignee: CertainTeed Corp. (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Livsey, Robert D., Gombarick, Joseph Charles, Chihlas, Peter, Kalkanoglu, Husnu M., Blackburn, Michael E., Steffes, Stephen W., Jacobs, Gregory F., Noone, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,454,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7069 by ventilating means for ventilating in floors E04B5/48, in ceilings E04B9/02, in building blocks E04C1/392, in building panels E04C2/521, in roofs E04D13/16; ventilating wall coverings E04F13/007
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/12 Roofing elements shaped as plain tiles or shingles, i.e. with flat outer surface E04D1/28, E04D1/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/2916 the fastening means taking hold directly on adjacent elements of the same row
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/30 Special roof-covering elements, e.g. ridge tiles, gutter tiles, gable tiles, ventilation tiles E04D3/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/00 Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage ; Sky-lights ventilation tiles E04D1/30; ventilation slabs E04D3/40; internal channels E04F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/04 Roof drainage; Drainage fittings in flat roofs, balconies or the likegutter tiles E04D1/30; gutter slabs E04D3/40; vessels for collecting rainwater E03B3/03; street gullies E03F5/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/1415 Junctions to walls extending above the perimeter of the roof trimming strips, edge strips or fascias retaining the roof sheathing E04D13/155
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/158 covering the overhang at the eave side, e.g. soffits, or the verge of saddle roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/16 Insulating devices or arrangements in so far as the roof covering is concerned, e.g. characterised by the material or composition of the roof insulating material or its integration in the roof structure
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 2001/308 for special purposes not otherwise provided for, e.g. turfing tiles, step tiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/048 Encapsulation of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0481 characterised by the composition of the encapsulation material
• 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 20/25 Roof tile elements
• 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 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic arrays for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. Aspects of the present invention provide a variety of photovoltaic roofing elements and systems that include, for example, interlocking geometries to provide for water handling and integration with conventional roofing materials; and wire management features that can protect wiring and associated electrical components from physical and/or environmental damage.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end and a bottom end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising

a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having a headlap zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the headlap zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure; and

one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, the photovoltaic roofing elements being contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels;

a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges; and

side flashing elements disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature disposed adjacent one of the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements and being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck.

2. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the headlap zone is an attachment zone in which the photovoltaic roofing element is attached to the roof deck.

3. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein each photovoltaic roofing element comprises:

a unitary frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an headlap zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the headlap zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the headlap zone having at its top end a first raised lip extending upward with respect to the upward-facing surface of the frame structure in the headlap zone; and

one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure.

4. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes sidelap portions disposed at the lateral edges of the frame structure and having geometries interlocking with adjacent photovoltaic roofing elements to provide water drainage channels.

5. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 4, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidelap portion at one lateral edge includes an upward-facing water drainage channel;

and the sidelap portion at the other lateral edge includes a downward-facing flange disposed in the upward-facing water drainage channel of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element.

6. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, at least one lateral side edge of the headlap zone does not include a ridge, such that water in the headlap zone can flow off of the side thereof.

7. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure is rigid.

8. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more top flashing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the one or more top flashing elements having a bottom end disposed over the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements;

and a top end disposed under one or more roofing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements.

9. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, further comprising a cant strip disposed under the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements and on top of an underlying course of roofing elements.

10. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements together are in a rectangular arrangement.

11. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic roofing elements of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements are disposed in a plurality of overlapping rows, with the headlap zones of the photovoltaic roofing elements of an overlapped row being covered by the exposure zones of an overlapping row.

12. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more photovoltaic elements are rigid photovoltaic elements.

13. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more photovoltaic elements are sealed to the frame with a sealant.

14. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein in each side flashing element, the flange extends at least 2 inches under the adjacent roofing material.

15. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic roofing elements of the array are electrically interconnected.

16. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 15, wherein the photovoltaic roofing elements of the array are interconnected with one or more inverters.

17. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidelap portion at one lateral edge includes an upward-facing water drainage channel;

and the sidelap portion at the other lateral edge includes a downward-facing flange disposed in the upward-facing water drainage channel of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element;

in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure is rigid;

the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements together are in a rectangular arrangement; and

the photovoltaic roofing elements of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements are disposed in a plurality of overlapping rows, with the headlap zones of the photovoltaic roofing elements of an overlapped row being covered by the exposure zones of an overlapping row;

the photovoltaic roofing system further comprising

one or more top flashing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the one or more top flashing elements having a bottom end disposed over the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements; and

a top end disposed under one or more roofing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements; and

a cant strip disposed under the bottom edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements and on top of an underlying course of roofing elements.

18. A method for installing a photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1, the method comprising

contiguously disposing on a roof deck a plurality of plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising

a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having a headlap zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the headlap zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure;

and

one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure, such that the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels;

disposing on the roof deck side flashing elements along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, each of the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature disposed adjacent one of the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature; and

disposing one or more one or more roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges, such that in each side flashing element the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements is at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck.