Roof integrated photovoltaic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10256765-B2
Application number	US-201715441033-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Jun 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 9, 2019
Grant date	Apr 9, 2019

Abstract

A roof integrated photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic panels each having a right end, a left end, a front edge, and a back edge. A right end coupler is secured to the right ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels and a left end coupler is secured to the left ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels. The right end couplers and the left end couplers are configured to interlock and form a seal when two of the plurality of panels are moved into end-to-end engagement with each other. At least one front edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the front edges thereof and at least one back edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the back edges thereof. The front edge couplers and the back edge couplers configured to interlock when two of the plurality of panels are moved into edge-to-edge engagement and a seal is positioned to prevent water from penetrating at the junction of a front edge of one panel and the back edge of an adjoined panel. Panels are installed on a roof in end-to-end and front edge to back edge relationship to form a photovoltaic array and are electrically interconnected to produce electricity when exposed to sunlight. Flashing and gap filling faux panels are provided as part of the system. In an alternate embodiment, a frame formed from individual rails surrounds and holds a frameless solar laminate and the frame also forms the coupling features.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roof integrated photovoltaic system comprising:
a plurality of solar panel assemblies each comprising a frameless solar collector module having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, a front edge, and a back edge with each frameless solar collector module being received within a frame, the first end of the frameless solar collector module received in a first end rail, the second end of the frameless solar collector module received in a second end rail, the front edge of the frameless solar collector module received in a bottom rail, and the back edge of the frameless solar collector module received in a top rail;
each of the first end rail and second end rail being profiled to define an inwardly facing elongated channel within which a corresponding end of the frameless solar collector module is received;
the bottom rail being profiled to define an inwardly facing elongated channel within which the front edge of the frameless solar collector module is received;
the top rail being profiled to define an inwardly facing elongated channel within which the back edge of the frameless solar collector module is received;
the profile of the first end rail further defining a first flange that projects outwardly along a top edge of the first end rail;
the profile of the second end rail further defining a second flange that projects outwardly below a top edge of the second end rail;
the first flange located above and covering the second flange when two like solar panel assemblies are moved together to engage the first end of one solar panel assembly with the second end of the like solar panel assembly in an end-to-end relationship;
a containment structure on the second flange forming a drain channel for receiving, containing, and draining rainwater that may seep between two solar panel assemblies when the assemblies are engaged in the end-to-end relationship; and
a starter bar securable to a roof deck for supporting the forward edges of solar panel assemblies of a lowest course of solar panel assemblies in the photovoltaic system.

2. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the containment structure comprises an upturned wall extending along the length of the second flange.

3. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the upturned wall extends along an outer edge of the second flange.

4. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an inwardly extending lip extending along the upturned wall.

5. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the upturned wall extends along an outer edge of the second flange and the inwardly extending lip extends along an upper edge of the upturned wall, the second flange, upturned wall, and inwardly extending lip forming a J-shaped containment structure for containing and draining rainwater.

6. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an in-turned lip extending along an outer edge of the first flange.

7. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the profile of the bottom rail further defines a downwardly extending bearing wall terminating in an up-turned wind hook displaced rearwardly from a forward edge portion of the bottom rail.

8. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the profile of the top rail further defines a rearwardly extending headlap strip terminating in a stop along the rear edge of the headlap strip, the headlap strip being sized and positioned to be overlapped by the forward edge portion of the bottom rail of a like solar panel assembly when the two assemblies are brought together top-rail-to-bottom-rail.

9. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the wind hook of the bottom rail of one solar panel assembly is configured to reside beneath the stop of the top rail of a like solar panel assembly when the two assemblies are brought together top-rail-to-bottom-rail to prevent wind lift.

10. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a seal extending along the headlap portion of the top rail and positioned to engage and seal against the forward edge portion of the bottom rail of the like solar panel assembly when the two solar assemblies are brought together top-rail-to-bottom-rail.

11. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of support feet attachable to the top rail at selected locations along the length of the top rail with the support feet extending downwardly therefrom to be secured to the deck of a roof.

12. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the top rail is further configured to define a channel extending along its underside and wherein the feet are configured with mounting flanges shaped to be securely received within the channel, the feet being securable to the top rail with attachments when the mounting flange is received within the channel.

13. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the attachments comprise spring clips.

14. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one foot is configured to receive an electronics module such that the electronics module is disposed beneath a solar panel assembly of a next higher course of solar panel assemblies in the photovoltaic system.

15. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the electronics module comprises an MLPE.

16. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the starter bar defines a top surface and a downwardly tapered nose projecting from a forward edge of the top surface, the bottom rail being configured to rest atop the top surface of the starter bar and to interlock with the starter bar to secure the solar panel assembly to the starter bar.

17. A roof integrated photovoltaic system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the top surface has a rear stop and wherein the bottom rail is formed with a downwardly extending J-hook, the J-hook residing below the rear stop when the forward edge portion of a solar panel assembly is engaged with the starter bar to prevent the bottom rail from dislodging from the starter rail.

18. A roof integrated photovoltaic system comprising:
a plurality of solar panel assemblies each comprising a solar collector module having a first side edge, a second side edge opposite the first side edge, a front edge, and a back edge, a first side rail extending along the first side edge of the solar collector module, a second side rail extending along the second side edge of the solar collector module, a front rail extending along the front edge of the solar collector module and having a front-most edge, and a back rail extending along the back edge of the solar collector module;
each of the first side rail and second side rail being profiled to define a receiving feature within which a corresponding side edge of the solar collector module is received;
the front rail being profiled to define a receiving feature within which the front edge of the solar collector module is received;
the back rail being profiled to define a receiving feature within which the back edge of the solar collector module is received;
the first side rail being further profiled to define a first flange that projects away from the solar collector module;
the second side rail being further profiled to define a second flange that projects away from the solar collector module;

Assignees

• Building Mat Investment Corp

Inventors

• Rodrigues Tommy F
• Gennrich David J
• Lee Daniel
• Railkar Sudhir
• Boss Daniel E
• Duque Luis
• Dzoba Nazar

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

• H02S40/36

  characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection · CPC title

• F24S25/20

  Peripheral frames for modules · CPC title

• F24S25/61

  for fixing to the ground or to building structures · CPC title

• H02S20/25

  Roof tile elements · CPC title