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US 6,856,496 B1Granted
Solar tile assembly
AssigneePowertile Ltd
InventorsPeter E. R. Mucci, Abubakr S. Bahaj, Patrick A. B. James, James R. Ballard
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AssigneePowertile Ltd
InventorsPeter E. R. Mucci, Abubakr S. Bahaj, Patrick A. B. James, James R. Ballard
Estimating the term…
A solar tile assembly (1A) comprises a removable rectangular outer panel (1) that comprises ten photovoltaic cells (3) disposed on the outermost surface thereof, and a substantially rectangular inner support structure (2). Thc photovoltaic cells (3) cover the lower portion of the outer panel (1). Any suitable photovoltaic means may be used for the solar tile assembly. The outer panel (1) is secured to the inner support structure (2) using two fasteners (5a, 5b) disposed at the front end of the solar tile assembly (1A). The fasteners (5a, 5b) may typically be quarter or half turn captive fasteners. These types of fasteners have the added advantage of being retained by the outer panel (1) during assembly/disassembly processes. The inner support structure (2) comprises a framework at one end of which there is formed a lower stepped interlockable section (4). In use the interlockable section (4) is disposed under a portion of an adjacent tile assembly, as is well known in the art of roof tile design.
A solar tile assembly comprising a removable outer panel that comprises photovoltaic means and a first electrical connector, and an inner support structure that comprises a second electrical connector, wherein bringing together the outer panel and the inner support structure causes the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector to be brought together into an electrical connection between said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector, and wherein the outer panel is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element and wherein the outer panel is adapted to be removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the outer panel in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel so as to align the attachment element with an access port provided in the channel section between distal ends of the channel section and by then lifting the outer panel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of sliding.
A removable solar tile comprising photovoltaic means and a first electrical connector, the solar tile being such that, in use, bringing the solar tile together with an inner support structure causes the first electrical connector and a second electrical connector of the inner support structure to be brought together into an electrical connection between said first electrical connector and said second electrical connector and wherein the solar tile is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element and wherein the solar tile is adapted to be removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the solar tile in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the solar tile so as to align the attachment element with an access port provided in the channel section between distal ends of the channel section and by then lifting the solar tile in a direction perpendicular to the direction of sliding.
An inner support structure for a removable tile that comprises photovoltaic means, the inner support structure comprising an electrical connector, the inner support structure being such that, in use, bringing the removable tile together with the inner support structure causes the electrical connector of the inner support structure and an electrical connector of the removable tile to be brought together into an electrical connection between said electrical connectors and wherein the removable tile is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element and wherein the removable tile is adapted to be removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the removable tile in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the removable tile so as to align the attachment element with an access port provided in the channel section between distal ends of the channel section and by then lifting the removable tile in a direction perpendicular to the direction of sliding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.