US 8,558,101 B2Granted

Supported PV module assembly

AssigneeSunPower Corporation

InventorsGianluigi Mascolo, David F. Taggart, Jonathan D. Botkin, Christopher S. Edgett

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A supported PV assembly may include a PV module comprising a PV panel and PV module supports including module supports having a support surface supporting the module, a module registration member engaging the PV module to properly position the PV module on the module support, and a mounting element. In some embodiments the PV module registration members engage only the external surfaces of the PV modules at the corners. In some embodiments the assembly includes a wind deflector with ballast secured to a least one of the PV module supports and the wind deflector. An array of the assemblies can be secured to one another at their corners to prevent horizontal separation of the adjacent corners while permitting the PV modules to flex relative to one another so to permit the array of PV modules to follow a contour of the support surface.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A supported PV assembly comprising:

at least first and second PV modules comprising first and second PV panels, respectively;
and
a plurality of PV module support assemblies, at least one of the PV module support assemblies comprising:
a base having first and second portions;
a module support integrally formed with, and extending from the base, the module support having, formed as a single piece:
a first support arm extending upwardly from the first portion of the base and having an upper end;
a support surface at the upper end of the first support arm supporting the PV module;
a module registration member at the upper end of the first support arm engaging the PV module to properly position the PV module on the support surface;
and
a first mounting element securing the first PV module to at least one of the base and the module support and a second mounting element securing the second PV module to the second portion of the base;
wherein the first PV module comprises intersecting edges defining corners and external surfaces at the corners, and wherein the module support comprises PV module registration members engaging only the external surfaces of the first PV module at the corners, and wherein the plurality of PV module support assemblies are separate and spaced from each other;
wherein the support surface extends below the first PV support module so as to support at least a portion of the first PV support module above the base and wherein the PV module registration member comprises a first portion extending from the PV support surface and at least a first laterally extending tab extending laterally from the first portion.

9 more elements

A supported PV assembly comprising:

at least first and second PV modules comprising first and second PV panels, respectively and first and second frames, respectively, each of the frames comprising external surfaces;
and
a plurality of PV module support assemblies, at least one of the PV module support assemblies comprising:
a base having first and second portions;
a module support integrally formed with, and extending from the base, the module support having, formed as a single piece:
a first support arm extending upwardly from the first portion of the base and having an upper end;
a support surface at the upper end of the first support arm, portions of both of the first and second PV modules resting on the support surface;
a module registration member at the upper end of the first support arm and configured to restrict movement of the first and second PV modules in at least first and second directions so as to retain the first and second PV modules in a predetermined position on the support surface, the module registration member comprising a first portion extending from the support surface and comprising at least first and second laterally extending tabs with surfaces juxtaposed to the external surfaces at corners of the first and second frames;
and
wherein the plurality of PV module support assemblies are separate and spaced from each other.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/616,575Filed 27 Dec 2006 · continuation in part
Priority: 20 Aug 2003
Published: US 2007/0144575 A128 Jun 2007
Granted: 15 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

H02S 20/24
Specially adapted for roof structures: specially adapted for flat roofs
F24S 25/16
Extending in directions away from a supporting surface: arrangement of interconnected standing structures; Standing structures having separate…
F24S 25/50
Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules: comprising elongate non-rigid elements, e.g. straps, wires or ropes
F24S 25/61
Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules: for fixing to the ground or to building structures

Family

Application60/496,476Us provisional application · filed 20 Aug 2003
Application60/517,438Us provisional application · filed 5 Nov 2003
Application10/922,117Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Aug 2004
Application60/754,350Us provisional application · filed 28 Dec 2005
US 2007/0144575 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Jun 2007
US 2005/0126621 A1Published application
US 8,558,101 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.