Back to results
US 6,521,821 B2Granted
Fixing member, a solar cell module array using said fixing member, and a method for installing a solar cell module or a roofing member using said fixing member
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsHidehisa Makita, Kimitoshi Fukae, Tatsuo Fujisaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fixing member for fixing a solar cell module or a roofing member with no solar cell onto an installation face, said fixing member comprising a meshing portion to mesh at least a solar cell module or a part of a roofing member with no solar cell; a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face; and a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion, wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module or said roofing member which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion.
Claims26
A unitary fixing member for meshing and fixing a solar cell module or a solar cell-free module onto an installation face, said fixing member comprising:
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module or a part of said solar cell-free module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion,
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided,
- wherein a space is established between said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module and said installation face, and
- wherein contact of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module with said installation face is prevented when said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module is meshed.
5 more elements
A fixing member for fixing a solar cell module or a solar cell-free module onto an installation face, said fixing member comprising:
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module or a part of said solar cell-free module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion,
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided,
- wherein a space is established between said portion of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module which is engaged in the meshing and said installation face when said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module is engaged in the meshing,
- wherein the fixing member is electrically conductive, thereby exhibiting an electric potential which is the same as that of the solar cell module or the solar cell-free module;
- and
- wherein the fixing member is contacted with an outer conductive portion of the solar cell module or the solar cell-free module, thereby creating electrical continuity between the solar cell module or the solar cell-free module and the fixing member when the solar cell module or the roofing member is fixed.
7 more elements
A solar cell module array comprising:
- a plurality of solar cell modules electrically connected to each other,
- wherein a solar cell module of said plurality of solar cell modules is meshed and fixed on an installation face with a unitary fixing member;
- wherein said fixing member comprises
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion,
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided,
- wherein a space is established between said solar cell module and said installation face, and
- wherein contact of said solar cell module with said installation face is prevented when said solar cell module is meshed.
8 more elements
A solar cell module array comprising:
- a solar cell module arranged on an installation face;
- a metallic communicating member arranged on at least a portion of said installation face situated under said solar cell module;
- and
- an outer conductive portion of said solar cell module partially fixed by a fixing member;
- wherein said fixing member comprises
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion;
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided;
- wherein a space is established between said portion of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module which is engaged in the meshing and said installation face when said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module is engaged in the meshing;
- wherein the fixing member is electrically conductive, thereby exhibiting an electric potential which is the same as that of the solar cell module;
- wherein the fixing member is contacted with said outer conductive portion of the solar cell module, thereby creating electrical continuity between the solar cell module and the fixing member, when the solar cell module is fixed;
- wherein said fixing member directly contacts said metallic communicating member, thereby creating electrical continuity with said metallic communicating member or said fixing member is fixed on a supporting member by an electrically conductive jointing means, thereby creating electrical continuity with said metallic communicating member;
- and
- wherein said metallic communicating member is electrically grounded.
14 more elements
An installation method comprising the steps of:
- arranging a plurality of solar cell modules over an installation face;
- meshing and fixing a solar cell module of said plurality of solar cell modules on said installation face using a unitary fixing member,
- wherein said fixing member comprises
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion,
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided, and
- wherein a space is established between said solar cell module and said installation face, and
- wherein contact of said solar cell module with said installation face is prevented when said solar cell module is meshed;
- and
- electrically connecting each of said plurality of solar cell modules with each other.
10 more elements
An installation method comprising the steps of:
- arranging a plurality of solar cell modules over an installation face;
- arranging a metallic communicating member on at least a portion of said installation face situated under said solar cell modules;
- fixing an outer conductive portion of each of said solar cell modules by a fixing member,
- wherein said fixing member comprises
- a meshing portion to mesh at least said solar cell module;
- a fixing portion to fix said fixing member to said installation face;
- and
- a raised portion to connect said meshing portion and said fixing portion,
- wherein said raised portion has a height which is greater than the thickness of a portion of said solar cell module which is engaged in the meshing by said meshing portion;
- wherein said meshing portion, said fixing portion and said raised portion are integrally provided;
- wherein a space is established between said portion of said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module which is engaged in the meshing and said installation face when said solar cell module or said solar cell-free module is engaged in the meshing;
- wherein the fixing member is electrically conductive, thereby exhibiting an electric potential which is the same as that of the solar cell module;
- and
- wherein the fixing member is contacted with said outer conductive portion of the solar cell module, thereby creating electrical continuity between the solar cell module and the fixing member, when the solar cell module is fixed;
- directly contacting said fixing member with said metallic communicating member, thereby creating electrical continuity with said metallic communicating member or fixing said fixing member on a supporting member by an electrically conductive jointing means, thereby creating electrical continuity with said metallic communicating member;
- and
- electrically connecting each of said plurality of solar cell modules to each other.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.