Photovoltaic Roofing Elements
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorsRobert D. Livsey, Robert L. Jenkins, Gregory F. Jacobs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic roofing products for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. One aspect of the invention is a photovoltaic roofing element including a roofing substrate; a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate; an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus; and a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both.
Claims22
A photovoltaic roofing element comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both.
A photovoltaic roofing system including an electrically-interconnected plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both.
A method for installing a photovoltaic roofing system, the method comprising disposing on a roof deck and electrically interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.