# US 10,480,829 B2 · Solar panel support unit and solar power generation system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,480,829 B2
- Document ID: US10480829B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/532,201
- Filed: 2016-12-01
- Published: 2017-12-28
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-21
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
- Inventors: Takumi Matsuda; Kenji Fujinaga; Yasuhiro Seki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480829B2

## CPC

- F24S 25/00: Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules
- F24S 25/10: extending in directions away from a supporting surface
- F24S 25/20: Peripheral frames for modules
- F24S 25/63: for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements
- F24S 25/67: for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames (for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements F24S25/63)
- H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence)
- H02S 30/10: Frame structures
- H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures
- Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV]
- Y02E 10/47: Mountings or tracking
- Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar panel support unit of an embodiment includes a first support member, a second support member, and a third support member. The first support member includes a first support section and a first attachment section. The first attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by a first distance from the first support section. The second support member includes a second support section and a second attachment section. The second attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by a second distance from the second support section in the panel thickness direction, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, the second attachment section having a second hole to be in communication with the first hole, the second attachment section being to overlap the first attachment section. The third support member includes a third support section and a third attachment section. The third attachment section has a third hole to be in communication with the first hole and the second hole, and is to overlap the second attachment section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar panel support unit comprising:
a first support member comprising a first support section and a first attachment section, the first support section being configured to support a first solar panel, the first attachment section being disposed at a position spaced by a first distance from the first support section in a panel thickness direction of the first solar panel, and the first attachment section having a first hole;
a second support member comprising a second support section and a second attachment section, the second support section being configured to support a second solar panel, the second attachment section being disposed at a position spaced by a second distance from the second support section in the panel thickness direction, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, the second attachment section having a second hole to be in communication with the first hole, the second attachment section being to overlap with the first attachment section; and
a third support member comprising a third support section and a third attachment section, the third support being configured to support a third solar panel, the third attachment section having a third hole to be in communication with the first hole and the second hole, and the third attachment section being to overlap the second attachment section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar panel support unit according to claim 1, wherein
the third attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by a third distance from the third support section in the panel thickness direction, and the third distance is smaller than the second distance.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The solar panel support unit according to claim 2, further comprising:
a fourth support member comprising a fourth support section and a fourth attachment section, the fourth support section being configured to support a fourth solar panel, the fourth attachment section being disposed at a position spaced by a fourth distance from the fourth support section in the panel thickness direction, the fourth distance being smaller than the third distance, the fourth attachment section having a fourth hole to be in communication with the first hole, the second hole and the third hole, and the fourth attachment section being to overlap the third attachment section.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar panel support unit according to claim 1, wherein
the first attachment section has a first identification,
the second attachment section has a second identification that is visually different from the first identification, and
the third attachment section has a third identification that is visually different from the first identification and the second identification.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar panel support unit according to claim 1, wherein the third attachment section is disposed at a position spaced by the first distance from the third support section in the panel thickness direction, and the third attachment section overlaps the second attachment section in a state that a light receiving surface of the first solar panel and a light receiving surface of the second solar panel are disposed at different levels.

### Claim 6

A solar power generation system comprising:
a first solar panel;
a second solar panel;
a third solar panel;
a first support member comprising a first support section and a first attachment section, the first support section being configured to support the first solar panel, the first attachment section being disposed at a position spaced by a first distance from the first support section in a panel thickness direction of the first solar panel, and the first support section having a first hole;
a second support member comprising a second support section and a second attachment section, the second support section being configured to support the second solar panel, the second attachment section being disposed at a position spaced by a second distance from the second support section in the panel thickness direction, the second distance being smaller than the first distance, the second attachment section having a second hole to be in communication with the first hole, and the second attachment section being to overlap the first attachment section; and
a third support member comprising a third support section and a third attachment section, the third support section being configured to support the third solar panel, the third attachment section having a third hole to be in communication with the first hole and the second hole, and the third attachment section being to overlap the second attachment section.