Support system for solar panels

• US 8,316,590 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexrack By Qcells LLC
• Original Assignee: Northern States Metals
• Inventors: Cusson, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, PHI DIEU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US12/383,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20100237028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 521/733, 521/731, 52/64, 52/29, 52/65, 52/73, 521/713, 527/450.6, 136243-245, 136/206, 126/621, 126/623
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/014 Methods for installing support elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/12 using posts in combination with upper profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/63 for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/70 Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/10 Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground H02S20/30 takes precedence
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

An array of photovoltaic panels is supported in rows and columns spaced from one another using a foldable bi-directional span of support members. The support members include a plurality of support joists and support rails braced at an incline. Each support rail is tubular and generally rectangular, having a lower wall section with a T-slot channel for acceptance of the head of a bolt for adjustable attachment with the support joist. Also, the support rail may have a C-slot channel for retaining electrical wires. Clips are used to secure each panel to upper wall portions of underlying support rails. Each clip has a generally U-shaped gasket and is retained to a corresponding support rail through a threaded hole in a top wall of the support rail that receives a bolt or similar threaded fastener.

Claims

1. A two-tier, foldable panel support system constituted by a plurality of intersecting upper panel rails and lower support joists, configured to support an array of solar panels, said two-tier, foldable panel support system comprising:

a) connectors at intersections of said upper panel rails and lower support joists to facilitate unitary folding and unfolding of said two-tier, foldable panel support system, wherein, in a folded position all of said panel rails and said support joists are aligned in a substantially compacted arrangement to facilitate rigging for transport in a motorized road transport vehicle; and

,

b) at least one non-conductive washer between said support joists and said panel rails at each said intersection to facilitate unitary folding and unfolding of said panel support structure in unison, and wherein said two-tier foldable panel support system is configured in said folded position to facilitate rigging for transport by a motorized road transport vehicle, and said upper panel rails are tubular with a top wall, bottom wall and side walls, and said top walls have a varied thickness with the thickest portion being at a central position between said two opposing side walls.

2. The two-tier, foldable support panel system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of panel clips located at said thickest portion of said top walls of said upper panel rails.

3. The two-tier foldable panel support system as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said panel clips accommodates two panels and includes first and second top flanges extending in opposite directions perpendicular to the length of an upper panel rail on which said panel clip is mounted and, wherein the first top flange is at least twice as long as the second top flange.

4. The two-tier, foldable panel support system as defined in claim 3, wherein said two-panel clip comprises a U-shaped gasket having a pivot point ridge arranged to operate as a pivot fulcrum, and wherein said U-shaped gasket further includes a saw-tooth profile with a retaining rib to contact a peripheral portion of a corresponding panel secured therewith.

5. The two-tier foldable panel support system as defined in claim 1, wherein:

at least one said upper panel rail further comprising a C-slot channel for electrical wiring adjacent said tubular structure of said upper panel rail.

6. The two-tier, foldable panel support system as defined in claim 5, wherein each lower support joist defines a substantially rectangular cross-section.

7. The two-tier, foldable panel support system as defined in claim 1, wherein the washers are nylon.

8. A method of assembling a two tier support system for an array of photovoltaic panels in columns and rows, comprising the steps of:

assembling at a first location a bi-directional span by attaching support members including lower support joists and upper panel rails using a plurality of attachment fasteners, wherein the assembling includes pivotally connecting at least two of said lower support joists, at longitudinally spaced locations relative to each other, to said upper panel rails;

folding the assembled bi-directional span as a unit by pivoting said upper panel rails relative to the connected lower support joists about said attachment fasteners, wherein all the upper panel rails are pivoted toward the lower support joists and the span is unitarily compacted for storage and shipping by a motorized road transport vehicle, and wherein said compacted span is adapted for subsequent unitary unfolding;

shipping the assembled and folded bi-directional span to a second location by said motorized road transport vehicle for removal, unfolding and installation;

at said second location, unpacking and unitarily unfolding the shipped bi-directional span for attachment of photovoltaic panels;

securing the shipped unfolded bi-directional span to at least one of a roof, a free-field ground rack support base, and a tracking unit; and

,

attaching a plurality of photovoltaic panels to the unpacked, unfolded and secured bi-directional span at the second location using a plurality of panel clips.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, wherein the folding step includes the substep of grasping at least two lower support joists and pushing one grasped joist away relative to the other to force the assembly to fold into the compact, folded form for shipping.

10. A two-tier, foldable panel support system constituted by a plurality of intersecting upper panel rails and lower support joists, configured to support an array of solar panels, said two-tier, foldable panel support system comprising:

a) connectors at intersections of said upper panel rails and lower support joists to facilitate unitary folding and unfolding of said two-tier, foldable panel support system, wherein, in a folded position all of said panel rails and said support joists are aligned in a substantially compacted arrangement to facilitate rigging for transport in a motorized road transport vehicle; and

b) at least one non-conductive washer between said support joists and said panel rails at each said intersection to facilitate unitary folding and unfolding of said panel support structure in unison, and wherein said two-tier foldable panel support system is configured in said folded position to facilitate rigging for transport by a motorized road transport vehicle, and further wherein;

i) each upper panel rail is both pivotally connected and slidably connected to the plurality of lower support joists by fasteners at intersections of said upper panel rails and said lower support joists; and

ii) each said upper panel rail comprises a bottom wall having a longitudinal fastener-head channel; and

iii) each fastener-head channel is approximately T-shaped.

11. The two-tier, foldable panel support system as defined in claim 10, wherein said fasteners comprise bolts having bolt heads configured to be slidably received in respective fastener-head channels for pivotally and slidably connecting the upper panel rails to the lower support joists.

12. A method of assembling a two-tier support structure of intersecting upper panel rails and lower support joists to support an array of solar panels, said method comprising the steps of:

a) identifying characteristics of said two-tier support structure in a desired, installed configuration;

b) assembling said two-tier support structure in accordance with said characteristics of said desired, installed configuration at a staging site, further comprising the substeps of;

i) forming first holes in said upper panel rails and lower support joists to receive fasteners;

ii) placing and sliding washers on said fasteners between said upper panel rails and said lower support joists; and

iii) forming second holes in said panel rails to correspond to placement of panel holding clips;

c) unitarily folding said panel rails and said support joists of said assembled two-tier support structure into a collapsed, interconnected compact assembly for shipment on a motorized road transport vehicle, and wherein said collapsed, interconnected compact assembly is adapted for subsequent removal from said motorized road transport vehicle, and unitary unfolding and installation at an installation site, further comprising the substeps of;

i) packaging said folded two-tier support structure for transport by road motor vehicle; and

ii) securing said folded two-tier support structure to said road motor vehicle;

d) placing panel holding clips at predetermined locations of said second holes on said panel rail; and

,

e) sliding solar panels through said panel holding clips in a direction parallel to the longitude of said upper panel rails.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein:

each said upper panel rail has a bottom wall section with a longitudinal channel adapted for receiving heads of the attachment fasteners;

each said longitudinal channel is approximately T-shaped; and

the fasteners are bolts.