Roof cover type solar cell module

• US 7,138,578 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Komamine, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): DIAMOND, ALAN D
• Application Number:
  US10/962,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 136/251, 136/244, 136/291, 521/733, 257/433
• US Class Current: 136/251
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/25 Roof tile elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/291 Applications

Abstract

A roof cover type solar cell module includes a roof cover base member and a power generating unit. The roof cover base member has a mounting surface to which the power generating unit is mounted, and an underlap that can mate with an adjacent roof cover. The power generating unit is mounted to the mounting surface, leaving a part of the mounting surface uncovered. Thus, a roof cover type solar cell module for which a variety of materials can be used for the roof cover base member, which can be produced at low cost, and which is excellent in stability when placed on the roof surface, and also excellent in workability, weather resistance and design property, is provided.

Claims

1. A roof cover solar cell module, comprising:

a roof cover base member having a mounting surface and a structure allowing mating with an adjacent roof cover; and

a power generating unit mounted to said mounting surface so as to leave an exposed part of said mounting surface not covered by the power generating unit;

a projection formed on said exposed part of said mounting surface, and said projection having a height greater than a thickness of said power generating unit;

at least one hole provided in the projection for accommodating a nail or a screw for securing said roof cover base member to an adjacent roof; and

a U-shaped reinforcing angle inserted at a back of the hole of the roof cover base member.

2. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said power generating unit is mounted to said mounting surface, with a part of said mounting surface exposed in the vicinity of at least one vertex of a polygon constituting a contour of said mounting surface.

3. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said mounting surface has a contour of an n-gon, wherein said power generating unit has a contour of an (n+1)-gon or (n+2)-gon, and wherein n is a natural number of at least 3.

4. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said mounting surface has a contour of a tetragon, and said power generating unit has a contour of a pentagon or hexagon formed by truncating one or two vertices of a tetragon that is congruent with the mounting surface tetragon.

5. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein an intermodule fixing tool is attached to said exposed part of said mounting surface, and said intermodule fixing tool is configured such that, when a plurality of said roof cover solar cell modules are placed on a roof surface, roof cover solar cell modules located at an eaves side and a ridge side are secured to each other.

6. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 5, wherein said roof cover solar cell module located at the ridge side is provided with a rib on the eaves side of its roof cover base member, and said rib is configured to be hooked on said intermodule fixing tool of a roof cover solar cell module located at the eaves side.

7. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said roof cover base member is provided with a notch that is open to a ridge side, and said notch is configured to make a terminal box provided at said power generating unit exposed to a roof surface side.

8. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said roof cover base member and said power generating unit are secured by adhesion.

9. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said roof cover base member is provided with a concave portion configured to receive an adhesive therein.

10. The roof cover solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein said roof cover base member has a facing cover attached on an eaves side, and said facing cover covers the eaves side end portion of said roof cover base member when said roof cover solar cell module is placed on a roof surface.

11. The roof cover type solar cell module according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped angle is adjustable in height.