Mechanism for mounting solar modules
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An assembly for mounting solar modules to a surface, the assembly comprising:
- two or more compressed rail assemblies to retain one or more solar modules, each rail assembly comprising;
an upper rail including an upper support structure and one or more upper flange members;
a lower rail including a base, one or more lower flange members that each extend upward from the base, and a lower support structure that extends from at least one of the flange members;
wherein one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members is disposed within and adjacent to the other of the one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members, so that the upper rail and the lower rail are interleaved to provide an adjustable spacing between the upper support structure and the lower support structure for receiving an end of an individual solar module; and
a compression mechanism comprising a plurality of components that combine to extend the compression mechanism vertically through the upper support structure and the base of the lower rail, so as to extend out of the lower rail, the compression mechanism being structured to engage the interleaved upper and lower rail in order to compress the upper support structure and lower support structure in grasping the end of at least one solar module.
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Abstract
A mounting system is provided for solar modules with a compressable retention structure for solar modules. The retention structure may interleave a upper and lower rail that provides a shelf or other support structure in order to hold a solar module or panel in an operative position. The upper and lower rails may be compressed towards one another in order to cause the support structure to retain the solar modules or panels.
147 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An assembly for mounting solar modules to a surface, the assembly comprising:
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two or more compressed rail assemblies to retain one or more solar modules, each rail assembly comprising; an upper rail including an upper support structure and one or more upper flange members; a lower rail including a base, one or more lower flange members that each extend upward from the base, and a lower support structure that extends from at least one of the flange members; wherein one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members is disposed within and adjacent to the other of the one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members, so that the upper rail and the lower rail are interleaved to provide an adjustable spacing between the upper support structure and the lower support structure for receiving an end of an individual solar module; and a compression mechanism comprising a plurality of components that combine to extend the compression mechanism vertically through the upper support structure and the base of the lower rail, so as to extend out of the lower rail, the compression mechanism being structured to engage the interleaved upper and lower rail in order to compress the upper support structure and lower support structure in grasping the end of at least one solar module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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16. An assembly for mounting solar modules to a surface, the assembly comprising:
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an upper rail on which an upper support structure for at least partially retaining one or more of the solar modules is provided, wherein the upper rail includes one or more upper flange members; a lower rail on which a lower support structure for at least partially retaining one or more of the solar modules is provided, the lower rail comprising a base, and one or more lower flange members that each extend upward from the base, wherein the lower support structure extends from at least one of the flange members; wherein at least one of the upper support structure and the lower support structure are structured to support one or more solar modules; an interleaving means for coupling the upper rail and the lower rail to one another so that at least one of the upper rail and the lower rail is moveable relative to the other of the upper rail and the lower rail, wherein the interleaving means includes one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members disposed within and adjacent to the other of the one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members; a compression mechanism that extends through the upper support structure and through the base of the lower rail, wherein the compression mechanism is adjustable to axially compress or loosen the interleaved and coupled upper rail and lower rail so as to enable adjustment and retention of one or more solar modules between the upper support structure and the lower structure.
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21. An assembly for mounting a plurality of solar modules onto a surface, the assembly comprising:
a plurality of rail assemblies, each rail assembly including; an upper rail on which an upper support structure is provided, wherein the upper rail comprises one or more upper flange members; a lower rail comprising a base, one or more lower flange members that each extend upward from the base, and a lower support structure that extends from at least one of the flange members a compression mechanism; wherein the upper rail, the lower rail, and the compression mechanism are assemblable on site of the surface to operatively support the plurality of solar modules on the surface, the upper and lower rail being structured and dimensioned with respect to the compression mechanism so that the compression mechanism is assembled to extend through the upper support structure and through the base of the lower rail to compress each of the upper and lower rail against one another; wherein when the assembly is at least partially assembled on site of the surface, (i) the upper rail extends downward towards the lower support structure, and the lower rail extends upwards towards the upper support structure;
(ii) one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members is disposed within and adjacent to the other of the one of the one or more upper flange members or the one or more lower flange members, so that the upper rail and the lower rail are interleaved to be slideably engaged in order to enable the upper rail and the lower rail to axially adjust positions;
(iii) the compression mechanism is adjustable to axially compress or loosen the interleaved engagement of the upper rail and lower rail so as to enable adjustment and retention of one or more solar modules retained between the upper support structure and the lower structure; andone or more strut runners that interconnect the rail assembly to the surface, wherein each of the plurality of rail assemblies is coupled to the one or more strut runners to be adjustable in position along a lateral direction. - View Dependent Claims (22)
Specification