Solar panel roof system with raised access panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10727779-B2
Application number	US-201314043090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2013
Priority date	Oct 1, 2012
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A solar module for a roof covering system that generates electrical power from sunlight includes a frame having a bottom surface supported on a deck of a roof, a top surface, and a thickness between the bottom surface and the top surface. The solar module also includes a solar element mounted to the top surface of the frame which has an upper surface, a micro-inverter mounted to the top surface of the frame and to the side of the solar element, and a raised access panel that is removably coupled to the frame to surround the micro-inverter. The raised access panel has an access panel top surface that is elevated above the upper surface of the solar element. top surface of the frame forms a water shedding surface below the micro-inverter for directing water away from the roof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar module for a roof-mounted solar power system for generating electrical energy from sunlight, the solar module comprising:
a rectangular frame having length-wise edges and width-wise edges with the width-wise edges being shorter than the length-wise edges; a bottom surface, a top surface, and a thickness between the bottom surface and the top surface;
a rectangular solar element having length-wise edges and width-wise edges, an upper surface adapted to generate electrical energy from sunlight, and an underside surface mounted to the top surface of the frame;
the solar element being sized and positioned on the frame with its length-wise edges disposed adjacent the length-wise edges of the frame, with one of its width-wise edges disposed adjacent a width-wise edge of the frame, and with the other one of its width-wise edges spaced from the other width-wise edge of the frame to define a region of the frame to a side of the solar element that is not covered by the solar element;
a micro-inverter mounted to the frame within the region of the frame not covered by the solar element;
a rectangular access panel surrounding, completely enclosing, and covering the micro-inverter and being removably attached to the frame, the access panel having length-wise edges of the same length as the width-wise edges of the solar element and width-wise edges that are co-linear with the length-wise edges of the solar element, an access panel top surface located at a level above the upper surface of the solar element, sidewalk extending downward from the access panel top surface toward the frame top surface; and a plurality of apertures formed in at least two of the sidewalls for venting heat from the micro-inverter, wherein each of the apertures is located at a level above the upper surface of the solar element; and
wherein the frame includes a recess portion below a front edge and an extension portion along a back edge, the extension portion being receivable into a recess portion of an upper course of modules to form a water-tight joint.

2. The solar module of claim 1 , further comprising a receptacle formed into the top surface of the frame and surrounded by a perimeter edge surface, and wherein the solar element is located within the receptacle so that the upper surface of the solar element is substantially flush with the perimeter edge surface of the frame.

3. The solar module of claim 1 , further comprising a water resistant barrier adjacent the bottom of the module.

4. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes lap joints along the side edges thereof for coupling with a frame of a laterally-adjacent module.

5. The solar module of claim 1 , wherein the frame is formed from a resilient material.

6. A roof covering system for generating electrical energy from sunlight, the roof covering system comprising:
a plurality of solar modules in at least partially overlapping courses, each solar module including:
a rectangular frame having a length in a horizontal direction and a width in a vertical direction with the width being less than the length, a bottom surface supported on a deck of the roof, a top surface, a thickness between the bottom surface and the top surface, and a receptacle formed into the top surface surrounded by perimeter edge portions of the top surface of the rectangular frame;
a rectangular solar element having a length in the horizontal direction and a width in the vertical direction, an upper surface adapted to generate electrical energy from sunlight, and an underside surface mounted within the receptacle of the frame so that the upper surface of the solar element is substantially flush with the perimeter edge portions of the top surface of the frame;
the length of the solar element being less than the length of the frame to define a region of the frame to one side of the solar element that is not covered by the solar element;
electrical components mounted to the frame within the region of the frame not covered by the solar element;
a rectangular access panel surrounding the electrical components and removably attached to the frame, the access panel having an access panel top surface disposed at a level above the perimeter edge portions of the top surface of the frame, four sidewalls extending downward from the access panel top surface toward the frame top surface, and a plurality of apertures formed in at least two of the sidewalls for venting heat from the electrical components covered by the access panel, each of the apertures being located at a level above the upper surface of the solar element;
the rectangular access panel of each of the plurality of solar modules being exposed;
the rectangular access panel having a length in the vertical direction substantially the same as the width of the solar element, the rectangular access panel being aligned in the vertical direction with the solar element;
at least one collection node for directing electrical energy received from the plurality of solar modules to an electrical utility grid;
electrical cabling extending from the electrical components of the plurality of solar modules to the at least one collection node; and
wherein the frame includes a recess portion below a front edge and an extension portion along a back edge, the extension portion being receivable into the recess portion of an upper course of modules to form a water-tight joint.

7. The roof covering system of claim 6 , further comprising a water resistant barrier between the deck of the roof and the bottom of the module.

8. The roof covering system of claim 6 , wherein the frame includes lap joints along the side edges thereof for coupling with a frame of a laterally-adjacent module.

9. The roof covering system of claim 6 , wherein the frame is formed from a resilient material.

10. The solar module of claim 6 , wherein the receptacle is a first receptacle, the solar module further comprising a second receptacle formed into the top surface of the frame and surrounded by the perimeter edge surface, and wherein the electrical components are located within the second receptacle so that a lower portion of the electrical components are recessed within the frame and so that an upper surface of the electrical components is raised above the perimeter edge surface of the frame.

11. The roof covering system of claim 6 , wherein each course of the at least partially overlapping courses comprises a plurality of solar modules.

12. The roof covering system of claim 6 , wherein laterally-adjacent modules of the plurality of solar modules are positioned with the solar element of one module located proximate the access panel of the adjacent module.

13. The roof covering system of claim 6 , wherein, as to each solar module of the plurality of solar modules,
the frame includes a first side edge, an opposing second side edge, a front edge extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, and a back edge extending from the first side edge to the second side edge, the first, second, front, and back edges together defining a rectangular boundary of the frame, and
the solar element, the micro-inverter, and the raised access panel are all positioned on the frame fully within the rectangular boundary.

Assignees

• Building Mat Investment Corp

Inventors

• Rodrigues Tommy F
• Railkar Sudhir
• Boss Daniel E
• Gennrich David J
• Boudreau Cory
• Nett Daniel R
• Kallsen Kent J

Classifications

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• H02S40/32

  comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules · CPC title

• H02S20/23 Primary

  specially adapted for roof structures · CPC title

• Y02B10/12

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02B10/14

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic