US 8,844,213 B2 · Device for generating solar power

Abstract

The modular unit for generating solar power comprises a plurality of diamond-shaped cover plates (3.2, . . . , 3.3) for forming a surface trapping sunlight. The cover plates (3.2, 3.3) contain photovoltaic elements (106.1, 106.2, 106.3). The system further comprises a plurality of support rods (54) having a number of pre-manufactured fastening positions (55), said rods being arranged at a predetermined angle >0° to the horizontal and extending in the direction of a line of slope. Every fastening position is associated with a fastening device (50) which connects two corners of the overlapping cover plates (3.2, 3.3) to the support rod (54) in the fastening position. The cover plates (3.2, 3.3) are arranged diagonally and so as to overlap in a scale-type fashion with respect to a longitudinal direction of the support rod (54) in such a manner that the surface trapping the sunlight is at the same time rain water-repellent. The cover plates (3.2, 3.3) have a first cut-out section (15.3) in a first corner section and a second cut-out section (20.2) in a diagonally opposite second corner section, in which second cut-out section one of the fastening devices (50) engages. The fastening device (50) holds the first corner section of the first cover plate (3.3) in a first supported position at a first distance to the support rod (54) and the second corner section of the second cover plate (3.2) in a second supported position at a second distance to the support rod (54), the first corner section of the first cover plate (3.3) being interspaced from the second corner section of the second cover plate (3.2) by at least one cover plate thickness.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A system for generating solar power to a building, comprising:

a) at least four diamond-shaped cover plates for forming a surface to capture sunlight having photovoltaic elements being contained within the cover plates powered by the sunlight to generate the solar power;
b) at least one support bar mounted to an existing wall or roof structure of the building without any bridging between adjacent support bars arranged at a predetermined roof slope with at least three prefabricated fastening sites;
c) a fastening device mechanically connecting the cover plates to the fastening sites on the at least one support bar;
d) the cover plates arranged diagonally to overlap one another in a scale configuration with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support bars to capture the sunlight and to repel rain water;
e) each cover plate includes a first recess through opening in a first corner region and includes a second recess through opening in a diagonally opposite second corner region;
and
f) the fastening device holding the first corner region of a first cover plate in a first support position at a predetermined distance above the support bar and the fastening device holding the second corner region of a second cover plate in a second support position resting on a top surface of the fastening device above the first support position, the first corner region of the first cover plate being spaced by at least one thickness of the cover plate away from the second corner region of the second cover plate and wherein the fastening device includes a non-conductive tubular support part and a pin placed within a center axis of the tubular support part having one end fixedly fastened to the support bar and having an opposite end with a clamping device for flexible holding of the second cover plate.

4 more elements

A building system for generating solar power, comprising:

a) a diamond-shaped cover plate having photovoltaic cells therein:
b) a support bar with at least three prefabricated threaded holes;
c) a fastening device for connecting the cover plate to the threaded holes on the support bar;
d) the cover plate includes a first corner region having a first recess through opening and a second recess through opening in a diagonally opposite second corner region;
and
e) wherein the fastening device and the first and second recess through openings of overlapping cover plates are aligned to one another such that the fastening device engages the first and second recess through openings;
and
f) wherein the threaded holes each correspond to the first and second recess through openings of the each cover plate so that the cover plates are arranged diagonally to overlap one another to form a scale pattern with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support bar;
and
g) wherein the fastening device for holding the first region of the cover plate in a first support position at a predetermined distance above the support bar and the fastening device holding the second corner region of the cover plate in a second support position resting on a top surface of the fastening device above the first support position with respect to the support bar, whereby the first corner region of a first cover plate being spaced by at least one thickness of the cover plate away from the second corner region of a second cover plate;
h) each fastening device includes a pin removably attached to the threaded holes of each support bar;
i) each fastening device includes a tubular support part for engaging the first and second recess through openings of each cover plate and the tubular support part is mounted over the pin that is axially aligned therein and the first corner region of the first cover plate is supported on a shoulder of the tubular support part above a top surface of the support bar.

9 more elements

A solar power overlay system for a building, comprising:

a plurality of elongated support bars aligned in parallel to each other having a top surface with threaded holes spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other along a longitudinal axis of each support bar for providing mechanical fastening sites to the support bars;
a fastening device for mechanically engaging the threaded holes on each support bar including a pin with threads on one end matching the threaded holes in the support bars for mounting the pin on each support bar and a stop located above the pin threads allowing the pin to fixedly screw into the threaded support bar holes perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the support bar to the stop and a threaded hole at the other end of the pin for fastening an external screw, a tubular support part including an axial opening extending through the length of the tubular support with the pin generally located in the axial opening of the tubular support part and extending therethrough, the tubular support part further including a bottom portion resting on the support bars, the tubular support part including a shoulder located above the bottom portion and a generally flat to portion, the fastening device further including an elastic cap with a center hole corresponding to the diameter of the external screw;
a cover plate configured as a solar panel or photovoltaic module having a square or diamond outline with four edges generally orientated diagonally along the longitudinal axis of each support bar, each cover plate including upper and lower through openings at opposing diagonal diamond edges with the upper through opening larger than the lower through opening;
and
wherein the mounting the cover plates on each support bar consists of placing the upper through opening of a first cover plate over the tubular support part until the edge of the cover plate with the upper through opening is resting on the shoulder of the tubular support part and the edge of the lower through opening of a second plate overlays the first plate and rests on the flat top portion of the tubular support part and the external screw is inserted through the center hole of the elastic cap into the threaded hole and tightened with the elastic cap placed over the lower through opening of the second plate to fixedly seal the first and second plates together in a watertight engagement to provide a scale-like configuration of overlapping plates.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Device for generating solar power

Life of this patent

Device for generating solar power

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30