Leveler for solar module array

• US 9,413,286 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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 R
• Application Number:
  US14/939,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 521/733
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 photovoltaic module mounting assembly for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module mounting assembly comprising:

a base portion including a receiver and an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;

a first threaded member inserted into the receiver, wherein the first threaded member is rotatable relative to the base portion;

a coupling member in communication with the threaded member, the coupling member including;

a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion,

an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and

a second threaded member securing the upper portion to the lower portion;

a third threaded member receiving the first threaded member, the third threaded member being inserted into the coupling member; and

a first photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a bottom of the first photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages a top of the first photovoltaic module frame.

2. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper portion is divided into a first portion and a second portion.

3. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the first lip includes a retention ridge.

4. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the second lip is hook-shaped.

5. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first threaded member is a jack screw.

6. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the third threaded member is fixed relative to the lower portion.

7. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupling member further includes internal threads that receive the first threaded member.

8. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first threaded member includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end being inserted into the receiver and the second end including an engagement surface.

9. The photovoltaic assembly of claim 8 wherein the coupling member further includes a height adjustment aperture such that the engagement surface is accessible from a direction opposite from the mounting surface.

10. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a bottom of the second photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages a top of the second photovoltaic module frame.

11. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the lower portion further includes a third lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the first lip, and

the upper portion further includes a fourth lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the second lip.

12. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 11, further comprising a third photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the third lip supports a bottom of the third photovoltaic module frame and the fourth lip engages a top of the third photovoltaic module frame.

13. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper portion is the only component of the photovoltaic module mounting assembly that extends above a top surface of the first photovoltaic module frame.

14. A photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module assembly comprising:

a photovoltaic module including a photovoltaic laminate and a photovoltaic module frame receiving the photovoltaic laminate, wherein the photovoltaic module frame includes;

a first edge with a first proximate end and a first distal end, and

a second edge opposite the first edge with a second proximate end and a second distal end; and

a plurality of photovoltaic module mounting assemblies including a first photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a second photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a third photovoltaic module mounting assembly, and a fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly, each photovoltaic module mounting assembly including;

a base portion including a receiver and an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;

a first threaded member inserted into the receiver, wherein the first threaded member is rotatable relative to the base portion;

a coupling member in communication with the threaded member, the coupling member including;

a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from of the lower portion,

an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and

a second threaded member securing the upper portion to the lower portion; and

a third threaded member receiving the first threaded member, the third threaded member being inserted into the coupling member;

wherein the coupling member of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first proximate end, the coupling member of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first distal end, the coupling member of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second proximate end, and coupling member of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second distal end.

15. The photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface of claim 14 wherein the first lip of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly extend out further than the first lip of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly.

16. A method for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface using a photovoltaic module mounting assembly including:

a base portion including an opening and a first threaded member orthogonal to the opening, wherein the first threaded member is rotatable relative to the base portion, and

a coupling member including a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from of the lower portion, an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and a second threaded member securing the upper portion to the lower portion, and

a third threaded member which receives the first threaded member, the method comprising;

(a) securing the base portion to the mounting surface by inserting a fastener into the opening and penetrating the mounting surface;

(b) attaching the coupling member to the base portion by engaging the coupling member with the first threaded member and by inserting the third threaded member into the coupling member;

(c) tilting the photovoltaic module relative to the coupling member;

(d) engaging the coupling member with the photovoltaic module by contacting the upper lip with a top edge of the photovoltaic module; and

(e) tilting the photovoltaic module downward relative to the coupling member until a bottom edge of the photovoltaic module contacts the lower lip of the coupling member.

17. The method for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface of claim 16 further comprising:

(f) inserting a tool through the coupling member;

(g) engaging the first threaded member using the tool;

(h) rotating the first threaded member relative to the base portion such that a distance between the photovoltaic module and the mounting surface is changed.

18. The method for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface of claim 16 wherein tilting the photovoltaic module downward relative to the coupling member until a bottom edge of the photovoltaic module contacts the lower lip of the coupling member includes engaging a retention ridge of the first lip.