Strut runner member and assembly using same for mounting arrays on rooftops and other structures

• US 7,721,492 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FTC Solar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pvt Solar Inc.
• Inventors: Plaisted, Joshua Reed, West, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr.; Richard E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wendell; Mark R
• Application Number:
  US11/851,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 136/206, 136/230, 136/244, 136/251, 526/33, 526/561, 526/562, 526/565, 526/569, 521/732, 521/733
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/021 Sealing means between support elements and mounting surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/33 forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/40 using plate-like mounting elements, e.g. profiled or corrugated plates; Plate-like module frames extending in directions away from a supporting surface F24S25/10
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/632 Side connectors; Base connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 40/44 Draining rainwater or condensation
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof 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 strut runner includes a member extending lengthwise in a first direction, where the member includes an underlying panel and one or more walls that extend from the panel. The member may be configured to at least partially support the panel array while being integrated or directly connected to the underlying structure. Additionally, the strut runner may include one or more peripheral extensions that extend a distance outward from the body.

Claims

1. A strut runner for mounting a module array to an underlying structure, the strut runner comprising:

a member extending lengthwise in a first direction, the member including an underlying panel and one or more walls that extend from the panel, the member being configured to at least partially support the module array while being integrated to the underlying structure; and

one or more peripheral extensions that extend widthwise from the member beneath a thickness of the underlying structure in order to integrate the strut runner with the underlying structure.

2. The strut runner of claim 1, wherein the one or more peripheral extensions are shaped to facilitate a water flow across a width of the member when the member is integrated or directly connected to the underlying structure at an incline that enables the water flow.

3. The strut runner of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more peripheral extensions are shaped to extend underneath a surface of the underlying structure to facilitate transition of the water flow from the underlying structure to over the member or panel.

4. The strut runner of claim 3, wherein the member includes at least two flanges as the peripheral extensions, wherein a first of the two flanges extends under a first surface of the underlying structure that is upstream from the member, and a second of the two flanges extends over a second surface of the underlying structure that is downstream from the member.

5. The strut runner of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more walls includes a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures being positioned to receive water from a water flow when the member is mounted onto the underlying structure.

6. The strut runner of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures are positioned to receive water from the water flow when the member is surface mounted onto the underlying structure.

7. The strut runner of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures are positioned to receive water from the water flow when the member is sunken in the underlying structure.

8. A mounting system for a solar module array, the mounting system comprising:

a plurality of rail structures that combine to compress and retain a plurality of solar modules in position relative to one another and the plurality of rail structures;

one or more strut runner members that combine to support the plurality of rail structures by being configured to integrate or directly connect to an underlying structure so as to interconnect the plurality of rail structures to the underlying structure at an incline,

wherein each of the one or more strut runner members extends lengthwise in a first direction, and each of the one or more strut runner members includes an underlying panel and one or more walls that extend from the panel,

wherein at least one of the one or more strut runner members includes a peripheral extension that extends, in a widthwise direction, a distance outward from the body and beneath a thickness of the underlying structure.

9. The mounting system of claim 8, further comprising multiple strut runner members, wherein the multiple strut runner members each extend primarily in a common first direction, and wherein the plurality of rail structures extend primarily in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.

10. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein the one or more peripheral extensions of the at least one strut runner member are shaped to facilitate a water flow across a width of the strut runner member when the strut runner member is integrated or directly connected to the underlying structure.

11. The mounting system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more peripheral extensions of the at least one strut runner member are shaped to extend underneath a surface of the underlying structure to facilitate transition of the water flow from the underlying structure to over the strut runner member or panel.

12. The mounting system of claim 11, wherein the at least one strut runner member includes at least two flanges as the peripheral extensions, wherein a first of the two flanges extends under a first surface of the underlying structure that is upstream from the strut runner member, and a second of the two flanges extends over a second surface of the underlying structure that is downstream from the strut runner member.

13. The mounting system of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more walls of the at least one strut runner member includes a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures being positioned to receive water from a water flow when the at least one strut runner member is mounted onto the underlying structure.

14. A mounted solar module array comprising:

a plurality of strut runner members that are connected to an underlying structure;

a plurality of rail structures that are connected to the underlying structure by the plurality of strut runner members, wherein the plurality of rail structures combine to compress and retain a plurality of solar modules in position on the underlying structure;

wherein the plurality of strut runner members combine to support the plurality of rail structures by integrating or interconnecting to the underlying structure so as to interconnect the plurality of rail structures to the underlying structure at an incline,

wherein each of the plurality of strut runner members extends lengthwise in a first direction, and wherein each of the plurality of strut runner members includes an underlying panel and one or more walls that extend from the panel,

wherein at least one of the plurality of strut runner members includes one or more peripheral extensions that extend, in a widthwise direction, a distance outward from the body and beneath a thickness of the underlying structure, so as to flash the one strut runner member with the underlying structure.

15. The mounted solar module array of claim 14, wherein multiple strut runner members each extend primarily in a common first direction, and wherein the plurality of rail structures extend primarily in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.

16. The mounted solar module array of claim 14, wherein the at least one strut runner member includes at least two flanges as the peripheral extensions, wherein a first of the two flanges extends under a first surface of the underlying structure that is upstream from the strut runner member, and a second of the two flanges extends over a second surface of the underlying structure that is downstream from the strut runner member.

17. The mounted solar module array of claim 14, wherein the plurality of strut runner members combine to support the plurality of rail structures by being integrated into a thickness of the underlying structure.

18. The mounted solar module array of claim 14, wherein the plurality of strut runner members combine to support the plurality of rail structures by being directly or indirectly surface mounted to the underlying structure, and integrated or connected with an underlayment of the underlying structure so as to enable water flow to pass over a portion of the underlying structure that includes the underlayment.