Corner connection bracket for solar energy panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10024580-B2
Application number	US-201514602045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2015
Priority date	Jan 22, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Solar panel connection assemblies for mounting solar energy panels to buildings as well as for affixing multiple solar energy panels together. Solar panel corner connection assemblies including a bracket that can be fastened to the corner edge of solar panel frames. Solar panel corner connection assemblies including flanges extending from the corner of a bracket for connecting with a neighboring flange on a neighboring bracket.

First claim

We claim:

1. A solar panel connection assembly comprising:
a bracket having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm disposed at a substantially right angle to each other; and
a first flange configured within a first one-half of the height of the intersection of the first arm and the second arm, the first flange extending away from the bracket substantially at an outside corner of the bracket in a direction that bisects and is opposite the right angle between the first arm and the second arm, wherein the first flange is configured to mate with a neighboring similarly-configured flange on an neighboring bracket in an upside-down orientation.

2. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first flange further includes an aperture disposed in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the first arm and second arm, wherein the aperture is configured to align with a neighboring aperture on a neighboring similarly-configured flange on an neighboring bracket in an upside-down orientation.

3. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a pin configured to be installed in the aperture and neighboring aperture when the first flange is mated with a neighboring similarly-configured flange.

4. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm are each configured to align with a respective corner edge of a solar panel frame.

5. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first arm and second arm each include at least one fastener hole disposed therein.

6. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one fastener hole disposed in the first arm and second arm are configured to accept a threaded fastener.

7. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein mating first flange with a second flange creates an electrical bonding path.

8. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first arm is configured to fit within a first frame chamber of a first frame member and the second arm is configured to fit within a second frame chamber of a second frame member, thereby joining the first frame member and second frame member and creating a corner of a solar panel frame.

9. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second flange having substantially the same shape as the first flange and extending from the bracket in substantially the same orientation,
wherein the first flange is configured within a first one-quarter of the height of the intersection of the first arm and the second arm and the second flange is configured within a third one-quarter of the of the height of the intersection of the first arm and the second arm, thereby allowing the first flange and the second flange to mate with a pair of neighboring similarly-configured flanges on a neighboring bracket in an upside-down orientation.

10. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket further comprises surface features and underside features such that the underside features of a bracket nests in the surface features of an additional bracket stacked upon the bracket.

11. A solar panel connection assembly comprising:
a first frameless solar panel connection subassembly comprising:
a first plate configured to provide structural support to a first corner of a first solar panel, two adjoining edges of the first plate forming a substantially right angle corner; and
a first flange bracket coupled with the first plate and including a first flange configured within a first one-half of the height of the first flange bracket, the first flange extending away from an outside corner of the first plate in a direction that bisects and is opposite the right angle corner formed by the two adjoining edges; and

a second frameless solar panel connection subassembly comprising:
a second plate configured to provide structural support to a second corner of a second solar panel; and
a second flange bracket coupled with the second plate and including a second flange extending from an outside corner of the second plate,

wherein the first flange and the second flange are configured to mate when the corners of the first solar panel and the second solar panel are brought together.

12. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second flange is configured within a second one-half of the height of the second flange bracket, thereby allowing the first flange and the second flange to mate when the corners of the first solar panel and second solar panel are brought together.

13. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 11 ,
wherein the first flange bracket further includes a third flange, wherein the first flange is configured within a first one-quarter of the height of the first flange bracket and the third flange is configured within a third one-quarter of the height of the first flange bracket,
wherein the second flange bracket further includes a fourth flange, wherein the second flange is configured within a second one-quarter of the height of the second flange bracket and the fourth flange is configured within a fourth one-quarter of the height of the second flange bracket, thereby allowing the first flange and the second flange to mate when the corners of the first solar panel and the second solar panel are brought together.

14. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first flange further comprises an aperture disposed in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the first plate, wherein the second flange further comprises an paired aperture disposed in a direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the second plate, and wherein the aperture and paired aperture align when the corners of the first solar panel and the second solar panel are brought together.

15. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 14 , further comprising:
a pin configured to be installed in the aperture and paired aperture when the corners of the first solar panel and the second solar panel are brought together.

16. The solar panel connection assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first plate and the second plate are offset within the first flange bracket and second flange bracket respectively, by a distance substantially equal to a thickness of a solar panel.

Assignees

• Pegasus Solar Inc

Inventors

• Stephan Erich Kai
• Harris Glenn

Classifications

• F24S25/10 Primary

  extending in directions away from a supporting surface · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title

• Y10T403/75

  having a joining piece extending through aligned openings in plural members · CPC title

• Y02B10/20

  Solar thermal · CPC title

• F24S2030/16

  Hinged elements; Pin connections · CPC title