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US 2014/0196769 A1Published application
Mounting structures for photovoltaic cells
AssigneesGlobal Solar Energy, Inc., Hanergy Hi-Tech Power (HK) Limited
InventorsUrs SCHOOP, Scot ALBRIGHT, Darren VEREBELYI, Walter STOSS, Michael L. PODKIN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mounting systems for PV modules and assemblies of modules, including apparatus and methods of use. The disclosed systems generally involve mounting a flexible photovoltaic module in a slight arch, bending it with a large radius around one axis of the module.
Claims20
A photovoltaic assembly, comprising:
- first and second photovoltaic mounting structures, each including:
- a body portion having a bottom surface configured to be attached to an underlying structure and a side support surface configured to support a lateral part of the photovoltaic module, and
- a module retention portion configured to receive an edge portion of a photovoltaic module;
- and
- a flexible photovoltaic module disposed between the mounting structures with a first edge of the module positioned within the module retention portion of the first mounting structure and a second edge of the module positioned within the module retention portion of the second mounting structure;
- wherein the first and second mounting structures are disposed a distance apart less than a distance between the first and second edges of the module, thereby causing the module to curve between the mounting structures.
3 more elements
A mounting structure for mounting flexible photovoltaic modules to a surface, comprising:
- a body portion including a bottom surface configured to be mounted to an underlying structure and a pair of arcuate lateral surfaces each configured to support an edge portion of a flexible photovoltaic module;
- and
- a bidirectional module retention portion disposed above the body portion and having two sides, each side of which is configured to receive and retain an edge of a flexible photovoltaic module by retaining the edge of the module in a groove formed between the side of the module retention portion and the body portion.
A photovoltaic array, comprising:
- a plurality of photovoltaic module mounting structures each including at least one module retaining groove configured to receive a lateral edge of a flexible photovoltaic module;
- and
- a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each with a first edge retained within the retaining groove of one of the mounting structures and a second edge retained within the retaining groove of another of the mounting structures;
- wherein each module has a width, and the mounting structures are spaced apart by a distance less than the width, thereby causing the modules to be curved between the mounting structures.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.