# US 11,114,577 B2 · Photovoltaic power generation device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,577 B2 - Document ID: US11114577B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/361,679 - Filed: 2019-03-22 - Published: 2019-07-18 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-30 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Koichi Kubo; Tomohide Yoshida; Mamoru Arimoto; Naofumi Hayashi; Minoru Higuchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114577B2 ## CPC - H10F 19/90: Structures for connecting between photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers (between thin-film photovoltaic cells on a single substrate H10F19/35) - H02S 20/23: specially adapted for roof structures - H02S 30/10: Frame structures - H10F 19/80: Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells - Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV] - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 This photovoltaic power generation device is provided with: a mounting bracket which is fixed to a roof and on which a frame, arranged on the ridge-side end of a solar cell module, and a frame, arranged on the eave-side end of a solar cell module, are mounted; and a fixing bracket which is arranged in the space between the frame and the frame, and which is fixed to the mounting bracket and holds said frames from above. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photovoltaic power generation device comprising: a first solar cell module including a first solar cell panel and a first frame installed at an edge portion of the panel; a second solar cell module including a second solar cell panel and a second frame installed at an edge portion of the panel, the second solar cell module being disposed next to and on a ridge-side of the first solar cell module with a space therebetween; a mounting bracket to be fixed to a roof, the mounting bracket allowing a part of the first frame that is installed at a ridge-side edge portion of the first solar cell module, and a part of the second frame that is installed at an eave-side edge portion of the second solar cell module, to be mounted thereon; and a fixing bracket disposed at the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, the fixing bracket being fixed to the mounting bracket to press the frames from above, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a base bracket to which a bolt for fixing the fixing bracket is fastened, the mounting bracket includes a guide rail portion that slidably supports the base bracket such that the base bracket is slidable along a eave-ridge direction of the roof, the fixing bracket is fixed to the mounting bracket via the base bracket inserted into the guide rail portion, and wherein the first frame includes a first inner flange portion extending to an inner side of the first solar cell module, and the base bracket includes an engaging portion that protrudes higher than the top of the mounting bracket and engages with the first inner flange portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the second frame includes a second inner flange portion extending to an inner side of the second solar cell module, and the base bracket includes a ridge-side wall portion that protrudes higher than the top of the mounting bracket and is disposed to oppose an edge of the second inner flange portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a cover that is provided across the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, and is attached on the fixing bracket. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a cover that is provided across the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, and is attached on the fixing bracket the first frame includes a first outward groove that outwardly opens from the first solar cell module, and the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a support bracket that is fixed to the first frame by being inserted into the first outward groove, and the cover is screwed to the support bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the base bracket includes at least one wall portion that protrudes higher than the top of the mounting bracket and are disposed in the space between the first solar cell module and the second solar cell module, and the fixing bracket includes at least one slit into which the at least one wall portion is inserted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a guide member that guides the bolt to a fastening spot of the base bracket, and the guide member is disposed on the base bracket and inserted into the guide rail portion of the mounting bracket. ### Claim 7 A photovoltaic power generation device comprising: a first solar cell module including a first solar cell panel and a first frame installed at an edge portion of the panel; a second solar cell module including a second solar cell panel and a second frame installed at an edge portion of the panel, the second solar cell module being disposed next to and on a ridge-side of the first solar cell module with a space therebetween; a mounting bracket to be fixed to a roof, the mounting bracket allowing a part of the first frame that installed at a ridge-side edge portion of the first solar cell module, and a part of the second frame that is installed at an eave-side edge portion of the second solar cell module, to be mounted thereon; and a fixing bracket disposed at the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, the fixing bracket being fixed to the mounting bracket to press the frames from above, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a base bracket to which a bolt for fixing the fixing bracket is fastened, the mounting bracket includes a guide rail portion that slidably supports the base bracket such that the base bracket is slidable along an eave-ridge direction of the roof, and the fixing bracket is fixed to the mounting bracket via the base bracket inserted into the guide rail portion, wherein the second frame includes a second inner flange portion extending to an inner side of the second solar cell module, and the base bracket includes a ridge-side wall portion that protrudes higher than the top of the mounting bracket and is disposed to oppose an edge of the second inner flange portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 7, wherein the first frame includes a first inner flange portion extending to an inner side of the first solar cell module, and the base bracket includes an engaging portion that protrudes higher than the top of the mounting bracket and engages with the first inner flange portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 7, wherein the fixing bracket includes at least one slit into which the at least one wall portion is inserted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 7, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a guide member that guides the bolt to a fastening spot of the base bracket, and the guide member is disposed on the base bracket and inserted into the guide rail portion of the mounting bracket. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 7, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a cover that is provided across the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, and is attached on the fixing bracket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The photovoltaic power generation device according to claim 7, wherein the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a cover that is provided across the space to straddle between the first frame and the second frame, and is attached on the fixing bracket the first frame includes a first outward groove that outwardly opens from the first solar cell module, and the photovoltaic power generation device further comprises a support bracket that is fixed to the first frame by being inserted into the first outward groove, and the cover is screwed to the support bracket.