# US 11,078,632 B2 · Landscape pavers for ground installation of photovoltaic panels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,632 B2 - Document ID: US11078632B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/803,898 - Filed: 2020-02-27 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-06 - Assignees: Solar Hardscapes LLC - Applicants: Solar Hardscapes LLC - Inventors: Joe Don Byles - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078632B2 ## CPC - E01C 5/22: made of units composed of a mixture of materials covered by two or more of groups {E01C5/008} , E01C5/02 - E01C5/20 {except embedded reinforcing materials} - H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) - 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) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A landscape paver includes a PV panel and a frame. The PV panel includes one or more PV cells and is operable to provide electrical power at a panel output terminal in response to operating light incident on a panel upper surface. The frame extends along the panel peripheral edge and defines a frame inside surface which, together with a lower panel surface, defines a base volume. A molded base material is located in the base volume. A light-transmissive paver cover material extends over the panel first surface and over at least a portion of a frame outside surface which faces away from the base volume. The landscape paver may be incorporated in a landscape installation and connected with other such pavers in the installation to provide a ground mounted PV panel array which also functions as a hardscape such as a walkway or patio. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A landscape paver including: (a) a PV panel having a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, the PV panel being operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface; (b) a rigid frame extending along the panel peripheral edge and having a frame inside surface and a frame outside surface, the frame inside surface together with the panel second surface defining a base volume and the frame outside surface facing away from the base volume; (c) a molded base material located in the base volume, the molded base material including a base material backing surface and a base material lateral surface, the base material backing surface being molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface so that at least a portion of the base material backing surface is shaped by contact with the panel second surface and the base material lateral surface being molded against at least a portion of the frame inside surface so that at least a portion of the base material lateral surface is shaped by contact with the frame inside surface; and (d) a paver cover material extending over the panel first surface, the paver cover material being light-transmissive at least in portions extending over one or more areas of the panel first surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The landscape paver of claim 1 wherein the rigid frame includes a panel support flange extending from the frame inside surface and defining a peripheral sealing surface abutting a portion of one of the panel first surface and panel second surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The landscape paver of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the rigid frame is exposed on a bottom surface of the landscape paver. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The landscape paver of claim 2 wherein the rigid frame includes a panel receiving channel defined between the panel support flange and a panel capture flange surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The landscape paver of claim 1 further including reinforcing elements embedded in the molded base material and extending substantially parallel to a plane of the PV panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The landscape paver of claim 1 wherein the paver cover material is a layer of molded material defining a lower cover material surface molded against the panel first surface and defining a cover material inside lateral surface molded against the frame outside surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The landscape paver of claim 1 wherein the landscape paver defines a paver load receiving surface spaced apart from the panel first surface at least by the paver cover material and further including at least one reduced light transmissivity layer extending transverse to a direction from the paver load receiving surface to the panel first surface, the at least one reduced light transmissivity layer including a light-transmissive material in which is included low-light-transmissivity granular material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The landscape paver of claim 7 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material reduces the light transmissivity of the reduced light transmissivity layer by no more than approximately 10%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The landscape paver of claim 7 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is suspended in the reduced light transmissivity layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The landscape paver of claim 7 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is embedded in the paver load receiving surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The landscape paver of claim 7 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material in at least some of an area of the reduced light transmissivity layer is made up of grains having a maximum dimension of between approximately 10 microns and 7500 microns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The landscape paver of claim 1 wherein the rigid frame includes an electrically conductive material. ### Claim 13 A landscape paver including: (a) a PV panel having a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, the PV panel being operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface; (b) a frame extending along the panel peripheral edge and having a frame inside surface and a frame outside surface, the frame inside surface together with the panel second surface defining a base volume and the frame outside surface facing away from the base volume; (c) a base material located in the base volume, the base material including a base material backing surface and a base material lateral surface, the base material backing surface being molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface so that at least a portion of the base material backing surface is shaped by contact with the panel second surface and the base material lateral surface being molded against at least a portion of the frame inside surface so that at least a portion of the base material lateral surface is shaped by contact with the frame inside surface; and (d) a paver cover material extending over the panel first surface, the paver cover material being light-transmissive at least in portions extending over one or more areas of the panel first surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The landscape paver of claim 13 wherein the landscape paver defines a paver load receiving surface spaced apart from the panel first surface at least by the paver cover material and further including at least one reduced light transmissivity layer extending transverse to a direction from the paver load receiving surface to the panel first surface, the at least one reduced light transmissivity layer including a light-transmissive material in which is included low-light-transmissivity granular material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The landscape paver of claim 14 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is suspended in the reduced light transmissivity layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The landscape paver of claim 14 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is embedded in the paver load receiving surface. ### Claim 17 A landscape paver installation including: (a) a paver supporting bed; (b) two or more landscape pavers supported on the paver supporting bed; and (c) wherein a first landscape paver of the two or more landscape pavers includes, (i) a PV panel having a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, the PV panel being operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface and being supported on the paver supporting bed with the panel first surface facing upwardly; (ii) a frame extending along the panel peripheral edge and having a frame inside surface and a frame outside surface, the frame inside surface together with the panel second surface defining a base volume and the frame outside surface facing away from the base volume; (iii) a base material located in the base volume, the base material including a base material backing surface and a base material lateral surface, the base material backing surface being molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface so that at least a portion of the base material backing surface is shaped by contact with the panel second surface and the base material lateral surface being molded against at least a portion of the frame inside surface so that at least a portion of the base material lateral surface is shaped by contact with the frame inside surface; and (iv) a paver cover material extending over the panel first surface, the paver cover material being light-transmissive at least in portions extending over one or more areas of the panel first surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The landscape paver installation of claim 17 wherein the first landscape paver defines a paver load receiving surface spaced apart from the panel first surface at least by the paver cover material and further including at least one reduced light transmissivity layer extending transverse to a direction from the paver load receiving surface to the panel first surface, the at least one reduced light transmissivity layer including a light-transmissive material in which is included low-light-transmissivity granular material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The landscape paver installation of claim 18 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is suspended in the reduced light transmissivity layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The landscape paver installation of claim 18 wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material is embedded in the paver load receiving surface.