# US 11,111,689 B2 · Systems and apparatuses for carport with integrated precipitation and cable management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,689 B2 - Document ID: US11111689B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/715,402 - Filed: 2019-12-16 - Published: 2020-04-16 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: SunPower Corporation - Applicants: Sunpower Corporation - Inventors: Nicholas J. McKibben; John Kapla; Sushrut G. Bapat; Elizabeth Schulte; Gary A. Rossi; Jeremy Mansell; Andrew R. Wolf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111689B2 ## CPC - E04H 6/42: Devices or arrangements peculiar to garages, not covered elsewhere, e.g. securing devices, safety devices {, monitoring and operating schemes; centering devices} - E04H 6/025: {in the form of an overhead canopy, e.g. carports} - E04H 6/08: Garages for many vehicles - E04H 15/34: Supporting means, e.g. frames - H02S 20/10: Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H02S 20/20: Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object (H02S20/30 takes precedence) - H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - 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 power generation assembly includes a vertical support column; a canopy including a plurality of solar modules for solar power generation; a first brace and a second brace on a first side of the support column to support the canopy; a third brace and a fourth brace on a second side of the support column to support the canopy; and a gutter system integrated into the canopy and directing precipitation along one or more of the second brace and the fourth brace to the support column. One or more of the first brace and the third brace manage electrical cables extending from the canopy to the support column. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar power generation assembly, comprising: a support column; a canopy including first and second canopy portions, each including solar modules configured to generate solar power; a plurality of braces arranged on different sides of the support column and configured to support the first and second canopy portions and to manage electrical cables extending from the canopy to the support column; and a gutter system integrated into the canopy and configured to direct precipitation from the canopy along at least one a first of the plurality of braces, wherein the first brace connects to the canopy at a low point that occurs where the first and second canopy portions meet, and the support column is arranged below only one of the first canopy portion and the second canopy portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the first canopy portion differ from dimensions of the second canopy portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein dimensions of the first canopy portion and dimensions of the second canopy portion are the same. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein an angle formed between an upper surface of the first canopy portion and an upper surface of the second canopy portion is less than 180°. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 4, wherein one of the first canopy portion and the second canopy portion is arranged perpendicular to the support column. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 4, wherein one of the first canopy portion and the second canopy portion forms an angle that is less than 90° relative to the support column. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein an angle between an upper surface of the first canopy portion and an upper surface of the second canopy portion is substantially 180°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 7, wherein the first and second canopy portions are inclined relative to the support column. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 2, wherein the dimensions of the first canopy portion are greater than the dimensions of the second canopy portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first canopy portion includes a greater number of solar modules than the second canopy portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein the canopy further includes lights mounting to an underside of at least one of the first canopy portion and the second canopy portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein in a side view the canopy is asymmetrically arranged over the support column. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the first canopy portion and the second canopy portion includes a plurality of purlins configured to support the solar modules thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 13, wherein the first canopy portion comprises twice the number of purlins as the second canopy portion. ### Claim 15 A solar power generation assembly, comprising: a support column; a canopy including solar modules configured to generate solar power and including at least two canopy portions; a plurality of braces arranged on different sides of the support column and configured to support the first and second canopy portions and to manage electrical cables extending from the canopy to the support column; and a gutter system configured to direct precipitation from the canopy along a first brace of the plurality of braces to the support column; wherein the first brace connects to the canopy at a low point between that occurs between the at least two canopy portions, and the support column is arranged below only one of the canopy portions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 15, wherein the gutter system is configured to collect precipitation between rows of the solar modules and direct precipitation to the first brace via a crossbeam supporting the canopy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of purlins configured to support the solar modules. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The solar power generation assembly according to claim 17, wherein each end of the plurality of purlins comprise an end cap configured to prevent precipitation from flowing out of a respective end of the purlin, thereby directing precipitation flow toward the first brace.