Module rail for photovoltaic system

• US 8,726,587 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Nuernberger, Eric Roland, McCarthy, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chi Q
• Application Number:
  US13/310,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 527/05, 526/67, 521/733, 522/35, 524/60, 524/70, 524/65, 524/63, 524/66, 524/69, 525/060.8, 522/44, 522/45, 136/244, 136/243, 136/206, 257/433, 126/621, 126/622, 126/623, 248/121, 248/237
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/12 using posts in combination with upper profiles
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/35 by means of profiles with a cross-section defining separate supporting portions for adjacent modules
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/65 for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/70 with means for adjusting the final position or orientation of supporting elements in relation to each other or to a mounting surface; with means for compensating mounting tolerances
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/00 Supporting structures for PV modules
• 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: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A module rail for a photovoltaic system includes a module-supporting surface, and upper portion, and opposing vertical sidewalls. A first set of openings are spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail. Each of the openings in the first set extend through the upper portion for receiving a first set of fasteners for use in securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail. A second set of openings are spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail. Each of the openings in the second set extending through at least one of the module-supporting surface and one of the sidewalls for receiving a second set of fasteners for use in securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail.

Claims

1. A module rail for a photovoltaic system, the module rail having a length and comprising:

a module-supporting surface extending along the length of the module rail for supporting at least one photovoltaic module thereon;

an upper portion apart from and generally adjacent the module-supporting surface and extending along the length of the module rail, wherein the module-supporting surface comprises first and second module supporting surfaces on opposite sides of said upper portion;

opposing first and second vertical sidewalls, the first vertical sidewall extending downward from adjacent the first module-supporting surface, and the second vertical sidewall extending downward from adjacent the second module-supporting surface;

a first set of openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail, each of the openings in the first set extending through the upper portion for receiving a first set of fasteners for use in securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail; and

a second set of openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail, each of the openings in the second set extending through at least one of the first module-supporting surface and the first sidewall for receiving a second set of fasteners for use in securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail.

2. The module rail set forth in claim 1, wherein the openings of the second set are generally adjacent to a juncture of the first module-supporting surface and the first sidewall.

3. The module rail set forth in claim 2, wherein the openings of the second set extend through respective portions of both the first module supporting portion and the second sidewall.

4. The module rail set forth in claim 2, wherein the openings of the second set are generally slot-shaped and have lengths extending generally along the length of the rail.

5. The module rail set forth in claim 1, wherein the upper portion comprises an upper, inverted U-shaped portion having a top and opposing sides extending downward from the top, and wherein the first and second module-supporting surfaces comprise opposite shoulders extending laterally outward from lower ends of the respective sides of the inverted U-shaped portion.

6. The module rail set forth in claim 1, further comprising lower flanges extending laterally outward from lower ends of the respective first and second sidewalls.

7. The module rail set forth in claim 6, further comprising slot-shaped openings in the lower flanges for receiving fasteners for use in securing the rail to at least one pier cap of the photovoltaic system.

8. The module rail set forth in claim 1, further comprising a locator extending upward from at least one of the first and second module-supporting surfaces at a mid-point along the length of the rail for use in locating photovoltaic modules on the rail.

9. The module rail set forth in claim 1, in combination with the second set of fasteners, wherein the second set of fasteners comprises a plurality of clip fasteners for securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail, each of the clip fasteners includes upper and lower clip jaws partially defining a press-fit channel, wherein the lower clip jaw is sized and shape for insertion into any one of the openings of the second set to allow the first module-supporting surface and a lower flange of the photovoltaic module to be press-fit into the press-fit channel.

10. The module rail set forth in claim 9, wherein each of the clip fasteners includes a piercing member extending into the press-fit channel, the piercing member configured to pierce an electrically non-conductive outer layer of the lower flange so that the piercing member is in contact with an electrically-conductive material below the outer layer.

11. The module rail set forth in claim 9, in combination with the first set of fasteners, wherein the first set of fasteners comprises a plurality of top-down fasteners, each of the top-down fasteners including a body for engaging at least one photovoltaic module being supported by at least the first module-supporting surface, and a connector extending downward from the body and insertable into any one of the openings of the first set for securing the top-down fastener to the rail.

12. The module rail set forth in claim 1, further comprising third set of openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail, each of the openings in the third set extending through at least one of the second module-supporting surface and the second sidewall for receiving a third set of fasteners for use in securing at least one photovoltaic module to the module rail.

13. A photovoltaic system comprising:

an elongate pier extending upward from the ground, the pier having a length extending from a lower end to an upper end of the pier;

a pier cap secured to the pier, the pier cap comprising a support beam extending generally transverse to the length of the pier, the pier cap having an upper support surface;

a module rail secured to the upper support surface of the pier cap, the module rail comprising first and second module-supporting surfaces extending along the length of the module rail for supporting at least one photovoltaic module thereon, a central portion extending along the length of the module rail and disposed between and separating the first and second module-supporting surfaces, opposing rail sidewalls extending downward from the respective first and second module-supporting surfaces, a first set of openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail and extending through the central portion for use in securing the at least one photovoltaic module to the rail, and a second set of openings spaced apart from one another along the length of the rail and extending through at least one of the first and second module-supporting surfaces and the rail sidewalls for use in securing the at least one photovoltaic module to the rail, wherein the second set of openings are adjacent a juncture of at least one of the module-supporting surfaces and the corresponding sidewalls;

at least one photovoltaic module secured to the module rail; and

at least one of;

a first fastener inserted in one of the openings of the first set and engaging the at least one photovoltaic module to secure the at least photovoltaic module to the module rail; and

a second fastener inserted in one of the openings of the second set and engaging the at least one photovoltaic module to secure the at least photovoltaic module to the module rail.

14. The photovoltaic system set forth in claim 13, wherein the second fastener is inserted in one of the openings of the second set and engages the at least one photovoltaic module to secure the at least photovoltaic module to the module rail.

15. The photovoltaic system set forth in claim 14, wherein the second fastener comprises a clip fastener including upper and lower clip jaws partially defining a press-fit channel, and wherein the lower clip jaw is inserted into the opening of the second set and one of the module-supporting surfaces and a lower flange of the photovoltaic module is press-fit into the press-fit channel.

16. A racking assembly for a photovoltaic system, the racking assembly comprising:

a module rail comprising a module-support portion for supporting at least one photovoltaic module, opposing sidewalls extending downward from opposite sides of the module-support portion, opposite lower flanges extending outward from lower ends of the respective sidewalls, and a rail fastener opening in at least one of the lower flanges;

at least one pier cap securable adjacent an upper end of a pier, the at least one pier cap comprising a support beam having an upper support surface for supporting the module rail, and a rail fastener extending upward from the upper support surface for securing the rail to the upper support surface;

wherein the rail fastener opening and the rail fastener are configured such that the rail fastener is insertable up through the rail fastener opening from below the rail and the rail fastener is thereafter positionable with respect to the rail fastener opening to engage the lower flange for securing the rail to the at least one pier cap.

17. The racking assembly set forth in claim 16, wherein the rail fastener has a head and a shaft having an upper portion extending above the upper support surface of the pier cap, wherein the rail fastener opening has a clearance portion through which the head of the rail fastener is insertable from below the rail, and a narrower slot-shaped portion sized and shaped to allow the upper portion of the shaft to slide therealong and to inhibit withdrawal of the head of the rail fastener therethrough.

18. The racking assembly set forth in claim 16, wherein rail fastener comprises a twist-lock fastener including a head that is rotatable between an unlocked position, in which the head is insertable up through the rail fastener opening from below the rail, and a locked position, in which the head is engageable with the lower flange of the rail.

19. The racking assembly set forth in claim 16, wherein the at least one pier cap further comprises at least one pier cap hanger secured to the support beam, and the at least one pier cap hanger is configured to engage an upper end of the pier to hang the pier cap in a selected position on the pier.

20. The racking assembly set forth in claim 19, wherein the pier cap further comprises at least one pier clamp secured to the support beam, and the at least one pier clamp is configured for clamping the pier cap on the pier.