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US 5,143,556 AGranted
Support for photovoltaic arrays
OwnerRonald W. Matlininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A supported photovoltaic array and method in which support elements are in rows spaced from one another and are bi-directionally spanned by members which mount photovoltaic modules that are separated from one another are are slidably clipped to the spanning members by cushioned load-spreading fasteners.
Claims19
A supported photovoltaic array comprising
- a support structure;
- and
- a set of photovoltaic modules mounted on said support structure, with each module separated from an adjoining module and clipped at its underside to said support structure by at least one attachment clip inwardly displaced from the edges of said module.
The method of generating electricity which comprises the steps of:
- (a) providing support elements for a photovoltaic array;
- (b) clipping individual and separated modules of said array to the support members by underside and inwardly displaced attachments;
- and
- (c) interconnecting the modules of said array to produce electricity in response to the illumination of the modules of said array by solar energy.
1 more element
A supported photovoltaic array comprising
- a first row of support elements set in the earth;
- a second row of support elements, spaced from said first row and set in the earth;
- a plurality of first members, each spanning a plurality of said support elements;
- a plurality of second members spanning said first members;
- and
- a set of photovoltaic modules mounted on each pair of said second members;
- wherein the support elements of said first row are of a different composition than those of the second row.
4 more elements
The method of providing a support system for a photovoltaic array which comprises the steps of
- (1) providing a support structure;
- and
- (2) mounting a plurality of separate photovoltaic modules on said support structure by means of attachment clips positioned at inboard locations on the undersides of said modules to reduce stresses and deflections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.