Photovoltaic module mount

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10917040-B2
Application number	US-201816206818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

Mounting components of photovoltaic (PV) modules and PV module assemblies are described, including PV module couplings and PV module mounting chassis. In an example, a PV module includes a PV module coupling having a toe portion extending from a PV module frame, and a PV module mounting chassis includes a toe slot to receive the toe. The toe and toe slot construction allows for the PV module frame to be assembled to the PV module mounting chassis without using tools, and thus, permits a PV module assembly to be quickly constructed during installation of a PV module system. Furthermore, the toe and toe slot construction accommodates thermal expansion and other environmental loads seen after installation, while providing a grounding connection for the PV module assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic (PV) module assembly comprising:
a PV module mounting chassis comprising:
a grounding toe slot at a first end and a locking toe slot at a second end opposite from the first end;
a grounding plate located at the first end;
a module stand located at the second end, the module stand comprising a base portion and an upright extending from the base portion to a support surface;
wherein the support surface of the upright is vertically higher than the grounding plate to hold the PV module in a tilted state in the second configuration;
wherein the module stand further comprises a locking plate having a locking surface coupled to the upright;
wherein the locking toe slot extends through the locking surface of the locking plate;
wherein the locking plate attached to the upright at a hinge point and the locking surface is resiliently deflectable away from the upright about the hinge point;

a PV module comprising:
a first toe configured to engage the grounding toe slot when the PV module is in a first configuration; the first toe being further configured to inhibit removal of the first toe from the grounding toe slot when the PV module is in a second configuration;
a second toe configured to engage the locking toe slot of the PV module mounting chassis when the PV module is in the second configuration;

wherein the first toe of the PV module is configured to be inserted into the grounding toe slot to engage the PV module mounting chassis in the first configuration; and,
wherein the PV module is configured to be pivoted about the first toe at the first end of the PV module mounting chassis to engage the second toe through the locking toe slot at the second end of the PV module mounting chassis.

2. The PV module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second toes of the PV module are connected to the PV module mounting chassis by tool-less connections.

3. The PV module assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one tool-less connection comprises a locking plate being reversibly deflectable to an outward position to engage at least one toe of the PV module, thereby locking the PV module into the second configuration.

4. The PV module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second toes of the PV module electrically ground the PV module to the PV module mounting chassis in the second configuration.

5. The PV module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the PV module mounting chassis further comprises a bridging member having a first member end and a second member end, the bridging member coupled to the grounding plate at the first member end and coupled to the module stand at the second member end.

6. The PV module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the grounding plate comprises a contact portion including a spring contact being deflectable upon contact with the PV module.

7. The PV module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the module stand further includes a pair of alignment protrusions extending upward from the support surface.

8. The PV module assembly of claim 7 , wherein the pair of alignment protrusions define a rail notch between the pair of alignment protrusions and the support surface, and wherein the rail notch is longitudinally aligned with the locking toe slot.

9. A photovoltaic (PV) module assembly comprising:
a PV module mounting chassis comprising:
a grounding toe slot at a first end and a locking toe slot at a second end opposite from the first end;
a grounding plate located at the first end;
a module stand located at the second end, the module stand comprising a base portion and an upright extending from the base portion to a support surface;
wherein the support surface of the upright is vertically higher than the grounding plate to hold the PV module in a tilted state in the second configuration;
wherein the module stand further comprises a locking plate having a locking surface coupled to the upright;
wherein the locking toe slot extends through the locking surface of the locking plate;
wherein the locking plate includes a striking surface extending from an upper edge of the locking surface at an oblique angle to the support surface, and wherein the second toe extends through the locking toe slot to a second terminal edge below the striking surface;

a PV module comprising:
a first toe configured to engage the grounding toe slot when the PV module is in a first configuration; the first toe being further configured to inhibit removal of the first toe from the grounding toe slot when the PV module is in a second configuration;
a second toe configured to engage the locking toe slot of the PV module mounting chassis when the PV module is in the second configuration;

wherein the first toe of the PV module is configured to be inserted into the grounding toe slot to engage the PV module mounting chassis in the first configuration; and,
wherein the PV module is configured to be pivoted about the first toe at the first end of the PV module mounting chassis to engage the second toe through the locking toe slot at the second end of the PV module mounting chassis.

10. A PV module system comprising:
a mounting frame comprising a plurality of PV module mounting chassis, each PV module mounting chassis comprising a grounding toe slot at a first end and a locking toe slot at a second end opposite from the first end;
a plurality of PV modules, each PV module comprising:
a first toe configured to engage the grounding toe slot of one of the PV module mounting chassis when the PV module is in a first configuration; the first toe being further configured to inhibit removal of the first toe from the grounding toe slot when the PV module is in a second configuration;
a second toe configured to engage the locking toe slot of one of the PV module mounting chassis when the PV module is in the second configuration;
wherein the first toe of the PV module is configured to be inserted into the grounding toe slot to engage one of the PV module mounting chassis in the first configuration; and,

wherein the PV module is configured to be pivoted about the first toe at the first end of one of the PV module mounting chassis to engage the second toe through the locking toe slot at the second end of one of the PV module mounting chassis;
wherein each PV module mounting chassis further comprises at least one locating tab and a locating slot to receive corresponding tabs from an adjacent mounting chassis.

11. The PV module system of claim 10 , wherein each of the PV module mounting chassis further comprises a bridging member coupling a grounding plate located at the first end of the PV module mounting chassis and a module stand located at the second end of the PV module mounting chassis.

12. The PV module system of claim 11 , wherein each locking toe slot is longitudinally aligned with the grounding plate on either the same PV module mounting chassis or an adjacent PV module mounting chassis.

13. The PV module system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second toes of the PV module are connected to the PV module mounting chassis by tool-less connections.

14. The PV module system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one tool-less connection comprises a locking plate being reversibly deflectable to an outward position to engage at least one toe of the PV module, thereby locking the PV module into the second configuration.

15. The PV module system of claim 10 , wherein the first and second toes of the PV module electrically ground the PV module to the PV module mounting chassis in the second configuration.

16. A method for assembling a PV module assembly, the PV module ass

Assignees

• Sunpower Corp

Inventors

• Wares Brian S
• Ripoll Agullo Vicent
• Grushkowitz Tyler

Classifications

• F24S25/60

  Fixation means, e.g. fasteners, specially adapted for supporting solar heat collector modules · CPC title

• F24S2025/013

  Stackable support elements · CPC title

• F24S2025/6007

  by using form-fitting connection means, e.g. tongue and groove · CPC title

• F24S25/632

  Side connectors; Base connectors · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title