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US 2016/0105142 A1Published application
Photovoltaic array mounting system
AssigneeSolarCity Corporation
InventorsEmil Johansen, Martin Seery
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for mounting a photovoltaic array onto short sections of mounting rails such that a section of mounting rail is only installed fewer than all the photovoltaic modules in the array. A single section of mounting rail may support one, two or three photovoltaic modules depending on it's length and position respect to the edge of each module frame.
Claims20
A mounting system for a photovoltaic array, comprising:
- a first plurality of spanner bars configured to mount a structure along a first axis;
- a first plurality of leveling feet, wherein each spanner bar of the first plurality of spanner bars comprises ends configured to support at least one of the first plurality of leveling feet;
- and
- a first plurality of module-to-module connectors, wherein each leveling foot of the first plurality of leveling feet is configured to support at least one of the first plurality of module-to-module connectors,
- wherein each module-to-module connector of the first plurality of module-to-module connectors is configured to support at least two photovoltaic modules along the first axis, such that at least one photovoltaic module can span a gap along the first axis within the first plurality of spanner bars and be supported only by module-to-module connectors along the first axis.
2 more elements
A mounting system for a photovoltaic array, comprising:
- a first plurality of spanner bars configured to mount a structure along a first axis;
- a second plurality of spanner bars configured to mount a structure along a second axis;
- a plurality of leveling feet, wherein each spanner bar of the first plurality of spanner bars and the second plurality of spanner bars comprises ends configured to support at least one of the plurality of leveling feet;
- and
- a plurality of module-to-module connectors, wherein each leveling foot of the plurality of leveling feet is configured to support at least one of the plurality of module-to-module connectors,
- wherein each module-to-module connector of the plurality of module-to-module connectors is configured to support at least two photovoltaic modules along the first axis and the second axis, such that at least one photovoltaic module can span one or more gaps along either or both of the first axis or the second axis and be supported by module-to-module connectors along the first axis and second axis.
3 more elements
A mounting system for a photovoltaic array, comprising:
- a plurality of spaced-apart roof attachment mounts;
- a plurality of spanner bars mounted onto the roof attachment mounts such that the spanner bars extend between every second pair of roof attachment mounts and are omitted between every other alternating second pair of roof attachment mounts;
- a leveling foot mounted at each end of each spanner bar;
- and
- a module-to-module connector mounted onto each leveling foot.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.