Sidelap interconnect for photovoltaic roofing modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985688-B2
Application number	US-201715686064-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2017
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for assembly a roofing structure that incorporates photovoltaic modules as shingles of the roofing structure. A sidelap is used to both establish consistent spacing between the solar shingles and prevent water passing between adjacent shingles from collecting beneath the solar shingles by guiding the water passing through the solar shingles and redirecting the water down-roof. In some embodiments, the sidelaps can have additional functionality. For example, a sidelap can include tabs configured to interact with lateral securing features positioned on downward-facing surfaces of the solar roofing modules to help keep the lateral sides of the photovoltaic modules from pulling away from the roofing structure during severe weather conditions. The sidelap could also include means for attaching a wire clip to one end of the sidelap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roofing structure, comprising:
a first photovoltaic module;
a second photovoltaic module separated from the first photovoltaic module by a gap; and
a sidelap comprising a water drainage component disposed beneath the first and second photovoltaic modules and comprising:
a base supporting a first drainage channel and a second drainage channel; and
an alignment ridge having a first portion protruding from the base a first distance and a second portion protruding from the base a second distance less than the first distance, wherein the first portion protrudes into the gap and establishes a minimum size of the gap and wherein the alignment ridge separates the first drainage channel from the second drainage channel.

2. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein a lateral side of the first photovoltaic module overlaps the first drainage channel and a lateral side of the second photovoltaic module overlaps the second drainage channel.

3. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sidelap further comprises a standoff protruding from a side of the sidelap opposite the alignment ridge, wherein the standoff is configured to contact and support the sidelap in a vertical direction against an underlying roof structure.

4. The roofing structure as recited in claim 3 , wherein the first and second photovoltaic modules are solar roofing modules, each of the solar roofing modules having the appearance of multiple roofing shingles.

5. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sidelap further comprises water guides disposed at a down-roof end of the first and second drainage channels, the water guides being configured to bias the flow of water away from the alignment ridge.

6. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein a surface of the first portion of the alignment ridge is substantially even with sun-facing surfaces of the first and second photovoltaic modules, and wherein the roofing structure further comprises a third photovoltaic module up-roof of the first and second photovoltaic modules that overlaps the first portion of the alignment ridge.

7. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sidelap further comprises a base component that is separate and distinct from the water drainage component and is coupled to the water drainage component by sliding a base of the base component into a channel defined by the water drainage component.

8. The roofing structure as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sidelap comprises:
an attachment feature protruding from an up-roof end of the sidelap; and
a standoff protruding from a down-roof end of the sidelap.

9. The roofing structure as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
a lattice of battens and counter battens,
wherein the attachment feature is secured to a first batten and the standoff is in contact with a second batten down-roof from the first batten.

10. The roofing structure as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the alignment ridge is positioned at an up-roof end of the alignment ridge and wherein the shorter height of the second portion of the alignment ridge allows the first and second photovoltaic modules to obscure visibility of the second portion of the alignment ridge.

11. A solar roofing structure, comprising:
a first solar roofing module;
a second solar roofing module adjacent to the first solar roofing module and separated from the first solar roofing module by a gap; and
a sidelap comprising:
a base; and
an alignment ridge comprising a first portion protruding from the base a first distance and a second portion protruding from the base a second distance less than the first distance, wherein the first portion of the alignment ridge protrudes into the gap to establish a minimum gap between the first and second solar roofing modules.

12. The solar roofing structure as recited in claim 11 , wherein the sidelap further comprises an attachment feature disposed at a first end of the sidelap and defining a fastener opening for securing the sidelap to a support structure beneath the first and second solar roofing modules.

13. The solar roofing structure as recited in claim 12 , further comprising a wire clip having a bracket sized to slide over the attachment feature.

14. The solar roofing structure as recited in claim 13 , wherein the first portion is at an uproof end of the alignment ridge and the second portion is at a downroof end of the alignment ridge, the first distance being substantially greater than the second distance.

15. The solar roofing structure as recited in claim 11 , wherein the sidelap defines first and second parallel drainage channels separated by the alignment ridge and positioned at least partially beneath respective first and second solar roofing modules.

16. The solar roofing structure as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first solar roofing module has the appearance of multiple roofing shingles separated by gaps having the same width as a width of the alignment ridge.

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Seery Martin
• Molina David
• Guthrie Trevor B
• Anderson Thomas
• Hewlett Jonathan

Classifications

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• Y02B10/10

  Photovoltaic [PV] · CPC title

• H10F19/80

  Encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F19/904

  characterised by the shapes of the structures · CPC title

• H10F77/955

  for photovoltaic devices · CPC title