Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction

A method of constructing a cartridge for mounting a plurality of photovoltaic panels comprising:

• providing a rectangular frame comprising:
• a first side;
• a second side, opposite the first side, wherein the first side and the second side are of equal lengths;
• a third side;
• a fourth side opposite the third side, wherein the third side and fourth side are of equal lengths;
• transversely attaching at least a first strut to the frame, wherein the first strut is mounted to the first side of the frame and the second side of the frame;
• providing a first mounting channel on one of the third side of the frame and the first strut;
• providing a first mounting region on the other of the third side of the frame and the first strut, wherein a photovoltaic panel is mountable to the cartridge by inserting a first longitudinal side of the photovoltaic panel into the first mounting channel and securing a second longitudinal side of the photovoltaic panel to the first mounting region.

A method of installing a cartridge for mounting photovoltaic panels onto a support structure comprising:

• providing a cartridge comprising:
• a frame comprising:
• a first side;
• a second side, opposite the first side, wherein the first side and the second side are of equal lengths;
• a third side;
• a fourth side opposite the third side, wherein the third side and fourth side are of equal lengths.
• a first strut and second strut transversely mounted to the first side and the second side of the frame;
• wherein a photovoltaic panel is mountable to the cartridge by inserting a first side of the photovoltaic panel into a first mounting channel provided on one of the first strut and the frame and securing a second side of the photovoltaic panel to a first mounting region provided on the other of the frame and the first strut;
• affixing said first strut to a first cartridge mounting rail;
• affixing said second strut to a second cartridge mounting rail;
• sliding said cartridge to a mounting location along said cartridge mounting rails.

A system for transporting a plurality of cartridges for mounting photovoltaic panels comprising:

• a first cartridge comprising:
• a first frame comprising:
• a first side;
• a second side, opposite the first side, wherein the first side and the second side are of equal lengths;
• a third side;
• a fourth side opposite the third side, wherein the third side and fourth side are of equal lengths;
• a nesting channel formed along the first, second, third, and fourth sides of the frame;
• a first strut transversely mounted to the first side and the second side of the frame;
• wherein a first mounting channel is provided on one of the first strut and the first frame, and a first mounting region is provided on the other of the first frame and the first strut;
• and
• a second cartridge comprising:
• a second frame comprising:
• a fifth side;
• a sixth side, opposite the fifth side, wherein the fifth side and the sixth side are of equal lengths;
• a seventh side;
• a eighth side opposite the seventh side, wherein the seventh side and eighth side are of equal lengths.
• a second strut transversely mounted to the fifth side and the sixth side of the frame;
• wherein a second mounting channel is provided on one of the second strut and the second frame, and a second mounting region is provided on the other of the second frame and the second strut;
• wherein the second frame is configured to seat onto the nesting channel of the first frame to facilitate stacking of the first and second cartridges.