Solar panel securing assembly for sheet metal sloping roofs

• US 8,387,319 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opsun Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Opsun Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Gilles-Gagnon, Francois, Gilbert, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): KATCHEVES, BASIL S
• Application Number:
  US13/224,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20130055662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 521/733, 527/12, 526/561, 527/14, 52/26
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/807 having undercut grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/33 forming substantially planar assemblies, e.g. of coplanar or stacked profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/615 for fixing to protruding parts of buildings, e.g. to corrugations or to standing seams
• 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 U-shaped spacer element supporting and retaining a photovoltaic panel assembly spacedly over a rooftop corrugated sheet; one shorter side leg thereof having an oblong bore, the other side leg having an intermediate ridge section. A screw engages into the ridge web and axially clears the shorter leg, anchoring the main body to the supporting rooftop frame elements through the corrugated sheet. The ridge section conformingly abuts against a longitudinal rib of the corrugated sheet. An L-shape bracket inner leg abuts against the main body short leg, the bracket outer leg abutting sideways against a registering portion of the photovoltaic panel assembly. A second oblong bore is made into the outer leg and extends parallel to the plane of the main body base leg. Two bolts engage the oblong bores and adjustably interlock the L-shape bracket to the spacer element main body and to the photovoltaic assembly.

Claims

1. Spacer element for supporting and retaining a peripheral edge portion of a photovoltaic panel assembly spacedly over a rooftop corrugated sheet supported by underlying rooftop frame elements, said spacer element including:

a) a unitary main body being generally U-shaped and defining a base leg and two opposite first and second legs, said first leg being shorter than said second leg and having an oblong bore, said second leg having an intermediate ridge section extending parallel to said oblong bore and toward the plane of said first leg and forming a web and two diverging walls, said web closely spaced from said first leg parallel thereto, a screw aperture made centrally into said web and axially clearing said shorter first leg, said first and second legs defining inner walls facing each other and opposite outer walls, said second leg intermediate ridge section outer wall for abutting in conformingly fit fashion against a longitudinal rib of the corrugated sheet, a fraction of said first leg outer wall for supporting a peripheral edge portion of the photovoltaic panel assembly;

b) a screw member engaging said main body screw aperture for anchoring said main body to the supporting rooftop frame elements through the corrugated sheet;

c) an L-shape bracket, defining inner and outer legs, said bracket inner leg abutting against said main body first leg outer wall, said bracket outer leg for abutting sideways against a registering portion of the peripheral edge portion of photovoltaic panel assembly, and

d) a first nut and bolt member engaging said first oblong bore and adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to said spacer element main body wherein said L-shape bracket is movable relative to said main body along an axis parallel to said main body ridge section for adjustment of the photovoltaic panel assembly in a plane parallel to the rooftop corrugated sheet.

2. A spacer element as in claim 1, further including a second oblong bore made into said bracket outer leg and extending parallel to the plane of said main body base leg, and a second nut and bolt member engaging said second oblong bore for releasably adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to a registering portion of the peripheral edge portion of photovoltaic panel assembly, wherein said second nut and bolt member is movable along an axis orthogonal to the plane of said main body shorter first leg, for providing adjustable displacement transversely between the photovoltaic panel assembly and the rooftop corrugated sheet.

3. A spacer element as in claim 2, further including a flexible waterproof membrane, fixedly applied to said second leg outer wall, said membrane having a bore registering with said screw aperture, said screw member further engaging said membrane bore.

4. In combination, a planar photovoltaic panel assembly having a peripheral frame, and a spacer element supporting and retaining said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly spacedly over a rooftop corrugated sheet supported by underlying rooftop frame elements, said spacer element including:

a) a unitary main body being generally U-shaped and defining a base leg and two opposite first and second legs, said first leg being shorter than said second leg and having an oblong bore, said second leg having an intermediate ridge section extending parallel to said oblong bore and toward the plane of said first leg and forming a web and two diverging walls, said web closely spaced from said first leg parallel thereto, a screw aperture made centrally into said web and axially clearing said shorter first leg, said first and second legs defining inner walls facing each other and opposite outer walls, said second leg intermediate ridge section outer wall for abutting in conformingly fit fashion against a longitudinal rib of the corrugated sheet, a fraction of said first leg outer wall supporting said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly;

b) a screw member engaging said main body screw aperture for anchoring said main body to the supporting rooftop frame elements through the corrugated sheet;

c) an L-shape bracket, defining inner and outer legs, said bracket inner leg abutting against said main body first leg outer wall, said bracket outer leg abutting sideways against a registering portion of the peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly, and

d) a first nut and bolt member engaging said first oblong bore and adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to said spacer element main body wherein said L-shape bracket is movable relative to said main body along an axis parallel to said main body ridge section for adjustment of the photovoltaic panel assembly in a plane parallel to the rooftop corrugated sheet.

5. A spacer element and photovoltaic panel assembly combination as in claim 4, further including a second oblong bore made into said bracket outer leg and extending parallel to the plane of said main body base leg, and a second nut and bolt member engaging said second oblong bore and releasably adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to a registering portion of said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly wherein said second nut and bolt member is movable along an axis orthogonal to the plane of said main body shorter first leg, for providing adjustable displacement between the photovoltaic panel assembly and the rooftop corrugated sheet.

6. A spacer element and photovoltaic panel assembly combination as in claim 5, further including a flexible waterproof membrane, fixedly applied to said second leg outer wall, said membrane having a bore registering with said screw aperture, said screw member further engaging said membrane bore.

7. In combination, a planar photovoltaic panel assembly having a peripheral frame, rooftop purlins for supporting a building rooftop corrugated sheet, and a number of spacer elements supporting and corner portions of said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly spacedly over the rooftop corrugated sheet, each of said spacer elements including:

a) a unitary main body being generally U-shaped and defining a base leg and two opposite first and second legs, said first leg being shorter than said second leg and having an oblong bore, said second leg having an intermediate ridge section extending parallel to said oblong bore and toward the plane of said first leg and forming a web and two diverging walls, said web closely spaced from said first leg parallel thereto, a screw aperture made centrally into said web and axially clearing said shorter first leg, said first and second legs defining inner walls facing each other and opposite outer walls, said second leg intermediate ridge section outer wall for abutting in conformingly fit fashion against a longitudinal rib of the corrugated sheet, a fraction of said first leg outer wall supporting said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly;

b) a screw member engaging said main body screw aperture and anchoring said main body to a corresponding said rooftop purlin and for engagement through the corrugated sheet;

c) an L-shape bracket, defining inner and outer legs, said bracket inner leg abutting against said main body first leg outer wall, said bracket outer leg abutting sideways against a registering portion of the peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly; and

d) a first nut and bolt member engaging said first oblong bore and adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to said spacer element main body wherein said L-shape bracket is movable relative to said main body along an axis parallel to said main body ridge section for adjustment of the photovoltaic panel assembly in a plane parallel to the rooftop corrugated sheet.

8. A combination as in claim 7, further including a second oblong bore made into said bracket outer leg and extending parallel to the plane of said main body base leg, and a second nut and bolt member engaging said second oblong bore and releasably adjustably interlocking said L-shape bracket to a registering portion of said peripheral frame of photovoltaic panel assembly wherein said second nut and bolt member is movable along an axis orthogonal to the plane of said main body shorter first leg, for providing adjustable displacement between the photovoltaic panel assembly and the rooftop corrugated sheet.

9. A spacer element and photovoltaic panel assembly combination as in claim 8, further including a flexible waterproof membrane, fixedly applied to said second leg outer wall, said membrane having a bore registering with said screw aperture, said screw member further engaging said membrane bore.