Leveler for solar module array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10224866-B2
Application number	US-201615229986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A leveler for a solar module can include a base, a rotatable adjuster, and a follower. The rotatable adjuster can be mounted to the base with a swaging process, or other techniques. The follower can be embedded within a coupler configured to be connectable to solar modules. Turning the rotatable height adjuster changes the relative spacing between the solar module and the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic module mounting assembly for securing a photovoltaic module to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module mounting assembly comprising:
a base portion including an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;
a height adjustment member connected with the base portion, the height adjustment member configured to support the photovoltaic module at a plurality of heights;
a coupling member mechanically coupled with the height adjustment member, wherein the coupling member can freely swivel relative to the base portion during installation of the photovoltaic module, the coupling member including:
a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion,
an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and

a fastener securing the upper portion to the lower portion; and
a first photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a lower surface of the first photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages an upper surface of the first photovoltaic module frame,
wherein the height adjustment member is rotatable relative to the base portion, and
wherein the height adjustment member comprises a threaded member received in a sleeve having internal threads, the threaded member having an unthreaded portion cooperating with a receiver of the base portion to fix the base portion to the coupling member.

2. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is divided into a first portion and a second portion.

3. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lip includes a retention ridge.

4. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second lip is hook-shaped.

5. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment member is a jack screw.

6. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the first lip supports a lower surface of the second photovoltaic module frame and the second lip engages an upper surface of the second photovoltaic module frame.

7. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the lower portion further includes a third lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the first lip, and
the upper portion further includes a fourth lip extending outwardly from the lower portion in a direction opposite from the second lip.

8. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a third photovoltaic module frame captured by the coupling member, wherein the third lip supports a lower surface of the third photovoltaic module frame and the fourth lip engages an upper surface of the third photovoltaic module frame.

9. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion extends above a top surface of the first photovoltaic module frame.

10. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-rotation feature that inhibits relative rotation between the coupling member and the height adjustment member.

11. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 10 , wherein the anti-rotation feature comprises an anti-rotation recess in the lower portion and an anti-rotation aperture in the height adjustment member.

12. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base portion comprises a receiver which receives the height adjustment member.

13. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 12 , wherein a wall of the receiver extends into a necked portion of the height adjustment member to allow relative rotation between the height adjustment member and the base portion.

14. A photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface, the photovoltaic module assembly comprising:
a photovoltaic module including a photovoltaic laminate and a photovoltaic module frame receiving the photovoltaic laminate, wherein the photovoltaic module frame includes:
a first edge with a first proximate end and a first distal end, and
a second edge opposite the first edge with a second proximate end and a second distal end; and

a plurality of photovoltaic module mounting assemblies including a first photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a second photovoltaic module mounting assembly, a third photovoltaic module mounting assembly, and a fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly, each photovoltaic module mounting assembly including:
a base portion including an opening adapted to receive a fastener to secure the base portion to the mounting surface;
a height adjustment member connected with the base portion, the height adjustment member configured to support a corresponding photovoltaic module at a plurality of heights;
a coupling member coupled with the height adjustment member, wherein the coupling member can freely swivel relative to the base portion during installation of the corresponding photovoltaic module, the coupling member including:
a lower portion including a first lip extending outwardly from the lower portion,
an upper portion including a second lip extending outwardly from and along an upper edge of the upper portion, and
a fastener securing the upper portion to the lower portion;

wherein the coupling member of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first proximate end, the coupling member of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the first edge at the first distal end, the coupling member of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second proximate end, and the coupling member of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly captures the second edge at the second distal end,
wherein the height adjustment member is rotatable relative to the base portion, and
wherein the height adjustment member comprises a threaded member received in a sleeve having internal threads, the threaded member having an unthreaded portion cooperating with a receiver of the base portion to fix the base portion to the coupling member.

15. The photovoltaic module assembly secured to a mounting surface of claim 14 , wherein the first lip of the first photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the second photovoltaic module mounting assembly extend out further than the first lip of the third photovoltaic module mounting assembly and the first lip of the fourth photovoltaic module mounting assembly.

16. The photovoltaic module mounting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the unthreaded portion of the threaded member is positioned in the receiver of the base portion.

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Danning Matthew G

Classifications

• F24S25/67

  for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames (for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements F24S25/63) · CPC title

• F16B5/0233

  allowing for adjustment perpendicular to the plane of the plates · CPC title

• F24S25/636

  clamping by screw-threaded elements · CPC title

• F24S25/35

  by means of profiles with a cross-section defining separate supporting portions for adjacent modules · CPC title

• F24S25/20

  Peripheral frames for modules · CPC title