Connecting components for photovoltaic arrays

• US 9,698,724 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: SolarCity Corporation (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Hudson, Tyrus Hawkes, Johansen, Emil, West, Jack Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Mattei, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/106,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20140175244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 1/2916 the fastening means taking hold directly on adjacent elements of the same row
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/801 having hollow parts with closed cross-section
• 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 25/613 in the form of bent strips or assemblies of strips; Hook-like connectors; Connectors to be mounted between building-covering elements
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/632 Side connectors; Base connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/634 Clamps; Clips
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/636 clamping by screw-threaded elements
• 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 20/23 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: 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

The invention includes an apparatus for mounting a photovoltaic (PV) module onto a structure where the apparatus includes a base portion, a stud portion, and a coupling portion. The coupling portion includes a male portion that acts as a spring under load and a clip portion that penetrates the PV module frame to create a grounding bond. The apparatus includes a lower jaw, shaped to pry open a groove, and a key portion that can compress to allow for tolerances. The invention further includes a clip with one or more tabs and one or more teeth. The invention further includes a replacement roof tile which includes a support structure with a horizontal flange, a vertical component, a horizontal component, a flashing with an upper surface and a lower surface, and a tile-shaped metal surface having a curvilinear shape that reflects the shapes of adjacent tiles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mounting a first photovoltaic (“

PV”

) module and a second PV module on a structure, the apparatus comprising;

a base portion,

a stud portion, and

a coupling, comprising;

a first male portion on a first side of the coupling,

a second male portion on a second side of the coupling opposite the first side, and

a clip portion contacting both the first male portion and second male portions, the clip portion being configured to penetrate frames of the first and second PV modules.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first male portion comprises a lower jaw shaped to pry open a groove defined by the frames of the PV modules.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first male portion comprises a key portion that compresses to allow for tolerances.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clip portion includes one or more tabs,

wherein the one or more tabs secure the clip portion to the coupling.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the clip portion also includes one or more teeth, wherein the one or more teeth penetrate:

(i) a surface of the frame of the first PV module when the first PV module engages the coupling, and

(ii) a surface of the coupling, thereby creating an electrical ground bond between the clip portion, the coupling, and the first PV module.

6. An apparatus for mounting a photovoltaic (PV) module to a support structure, the apparatus comprising:

a base defining a recess;

a stud, comprising;

a head captured within the recess in a manner that allows the stud to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the stud, and

a threaded shaft extending away from the head;

a coupling mounted to the threaded shaft of the stud, the coupling comprising;

a first male portion disposed on a first side of the coupling,

a second male portion disposed on a second side of the coupling the second side opposite the first side, the second male portion being configured to attach to an attachment feature of the photovoltaic module, and

a third male portion disposed on the first side of the coupling, the third male portion being longer than the first male portion,

wherein rotation of the stud about the longitudinal axis causes the coupling to move closer to or farther away from the base when the coupling is attached to the PV module.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first male portion is a tongue portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the photovoltaic module is a first photovoltaic module and wherein the third male portion is a tail portion configured to support a downward-facing surface of a second photovoltaic module adjacent to the first photovoltaic module while the tongue portion is engaged within a groove defined by a lateral-facing surface of the second photovoltaic module.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the coupling further comprises a clip portion configured to penetrate a PV module frame of the PV module to create a grounding bond.

10. An apparatus for mounting a photovoltaic (PV) module to a support structure, the apparatus comprising:

a base configured to attach the apparatus to the support structure;

a stud coupled to the base;

a coupling mounted to the stud, the coupling comprising;

a first male portion disposed on a first side of the coupling, and

a second male portion disposed on the first side of the coupling

a clip portion disposed between and contacting both the first male portion and the second male portion, the clip portion being configured to penetrate a surface of a frame of the PV module.