Photovoltaic roofing elements
AssigneeCertainTeed Corporation
InventorsRobert D. Livsey, Robert L. Jenkins, Gregory F. Jacobs
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic roofing products for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. One aspect of the invention is a photovoltaic roofing element including a roofing substrate; a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate; an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus; and a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its down-roof side, its top side, or both.
Claims24
A photovoltaic roofing element comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its top side or both its down-roof side and its top side, the shield having an top-facing surface disposed adjacent the top side of the electrical connector, the shield including a vertical or down-roof pointing flange extending from the top-facing surface of the shield.
A photovoltaic roofing element comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield affixed to and extending vertically away from the roofing substrate, the shield being disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector at least on its down-roof side.
A method for installing a photovoltaic roofing system, the method comprising disposing on a roof deck and electrically interconnecting a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements, each comprising
- a roofing substrate;
- a photovoltaic element disposed on the roofing substrate;
- an electrical connector operatively connected to the photovoltaic element, the electrical connector having a top side, a down-roof side and an electrical terminus;
- and
- a shield disposed adjacent the electrical terminus of the electrical connector on its top side or both its down-roof side and its top side, the shield having an top-facing surface disposed adjacent the top side of the electrical connector, the shield including a vertical or down-roof pointing flange extending from the top-facing surface of the shield.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.