Leveler for solar module array

• US 9,010,041 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Danning, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wendell, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/532,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 521/221, 521/261, 521265-1267, 521/733, 248/188.1, 248/188.3, 248/188.4, 248/188.5, 136/244
• US Class Current: 52/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 33/002 Means for preventing rotation of screw-threaded elements F16B39/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/004 and using C-shaped clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/0233 allowing for adjustment perpendicular to the plane of the plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/6008 by using toothed elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/20 Peripheral frames for modules
• 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 25/61 for fixing to the ground or to building structures
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/67 for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements F24S25/63
• 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 20/23 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: H02S 30/10 Frame 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A leveler for a solar module can include a base, a rotatable adjuster, and a follower. The rotatable adjuster can be mounted to the base with a swaging process, or other techniques. The follower can be embedded within a coupler configured to be connectable to solar modules. Turning the rotatable height adjuster changes the relative spacing between the solar module and the base.

Claims

1. A height-adjustable roof anchor for solar modules, the roof anchor comprising:

a base having a hole therein, the hole comprising an inner wall;

a height adjustment member having an upper portion configured to engage at least one solar module with a brace, the height adjustment member extending from the hole of the base and upwardly away from the base, the height adjustment member having an annular groove formed around the circumference of the rod, the annular groove positioned within the hole;

a locking portion engaging the annular groove so as to retain the height adjustment member in the hole and allow the height adjustment member to rotate about a rotational axis, wherein the height adjustment member is configured to adjust a height of the at least one solar module during rotation about the rotational axis;

a sleeve disposed over the height adjustment member and configured to be disposed through an opening in the brace; and

an anti-rotation portion to prevent relative rotation between the sleeve and the brace.

2. The roof anchor of claim 1, wherein the height adjustment member comprises a rod with a threaded portion and a non-threaded portion, the annular groove formed in the non-threaded portion.

3. The roof anchor of claim 2, wherein the threaded portion of the rod extends out of the hole, and wherein at least part of the non-threaded portion is positioned within the hole.

4. The roof anchor of claim 3, the non-threaded portion comprising a plurality of annular grooves formed around the circumference of the rod and the inner wall comprising a plurality of locking portions, each locking portion extending into a corresponding annular groove.

5. The roof anchor of claim 1, wherein the locking portion of the inner wall is swaged into the annular groove.

6. The roof anchor of claim 1, wherein the locking portion of the inner wall is configured to substantially prevent the height adjustment member from being removed from the hole.

7. The roof anchor of claim 6, wherein the locking portion of the inner wall is configured to allow rotation of the height adjustment member about a longitudinal axis of the height adjustment member.

8. The roof anchor of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a mount configured to mechanically couple to a roof and an extruded foot, the hole being formed in the extruded foot.

9. The roof anchor of claim 8, wherein the base is made of aluminum and the height adjustment member is made of steel rod.

10. The roof anchor of claim 8, the mount comprising a slot configured to receive a coupling member for securing the roof anchor to the roof.

11. The roof anchor of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is threaded over a threaded portion of the height adjustment member.

12. The roof anchor of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is configured to positively locate the brace relative to the sleeve, and wherein the sleeve is configured to be removed when a detent or latching mechanism is engaged.