Apparatus and methods for ventilation of solar roof panels
OwnerGregory S. Danielsinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A roof portion including solar roof panels and field vents is disclosed. The roof portion includes a sloped roof deck and a cover layer spaced above the roof deck to form a gap between the roof deck and the cover layer. The cover layer includes a layer of cover elements, and a field of one or more solar panels generally within the layer of cover elements. The cover layer also includes a first plurality of field vents positioned within the cover layer substantially immediately below the solar panel field. The cover layer further includes a second plurality of field vents positioned within the cover layer substantially immediately above the solar panel field. The field vents permit airflow between the gap and the atmosphere above the roof.
Claims48
A roof portion comprising:
- a sloped roof deck;
- a cover layer spaced above the roof deck to form a gap between the roof deck and the cover layer, the cover layer comprising:
- a layer of cover elements;
- and
- a field of one or more solar panels generally within the layer of cover elements;
- a first plurality of field vents positioned within the cover layer substantially immediately downslope of the solar panel field;
- a second plurality of field vents positioned within the cover layer substantially immediately upslope of the solar panel field;
- and
- a plurality of fans, each fan being positioned to draw air from a region below the roof deck to the atmosphere above the roof through one of the vents of the second plurality of field vents;
- wherein the field vents permit airflow between the gap and the atmosphere above the roof,
- wherein the first and second pluralities of field vents are configured to generate a first airflow through the gap and underneath the solar panel field and over the roof deck, the first airflow extending from one to the other of the first and second pluralities of field vents, and
- wherein the first and second pluralities of field vents are configured to generate a second airflow through the region below the roof deck, the second airflow extending from one to the other of the first and second pluralities of field vents.
A method comprising:
- providing a cover layer spaced above a sloped roof deck to form a gap between the roof deck and the cover layer, the cover layer comprising:
- a layer of cover elements;
- and
- a field of one or more solar panels generally within the layer of cover elements;
- positioning a first plurality of field vents within the cover layer substantially immediately downslope of the solar panel field;
- positioning a second plurality of field vents within the cover layer substantially immediately upslope of the solar panel field;
- and
- position a plurality of fans so that each fan is positioned to draw air from a region below the roof deck to the atmosphere above the roof through one of the vents of the second plurality of field vents;
- wherein the field vents permit airflow between the gap and the atmosphere above the roof,
- wherein the first and second pluralities of field vents are configured to generate a first airflow through the gap and underneath the solar panel field and over the roof deck, the first airflow extending from one to the other of the first and second pluralities of field vents, and
- wherein the first and second pluralities of field vents are configured to generate a second airflow through the region below the roof deck, the second airflow extending from one to the other of the first and second pluralities of field vents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.