Support assembly for photovoltaic modules and mounting system using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11190127-B2
Application number	US-202016866387-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2020
Priority date	Mar 1, 2011
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

A support assembly for mounting photovoltaic modules on a support surface and a mounting system including the same are disclosed herein. The support assembly may comprise a the body portion including a base portion and at least one upright support member coupled to the base portion, the at least one upright support member comprising an integrally formed ballast tray slot in one side thereof for receiving an upturned edge of a ballast tray; and at least one clamp subassembly coupled to the at least one upright support member of the body portion, the at least one clamp subassembly configured to be coupled to one or more photovoltaic modules. In addition to a plurality of support assemblies, the mounting system may further comprise at least one ballast tray support bracket, the ballast tray support bracket supporting a portion of a ballast tray on the support surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A support assembly for supporting one or more photovoltaic modules on a support surface, said support assembly comprising:
a body portion including:
a base portion configured to conform to a shape of the support surface to be placed directly thereon, and
at least one upright support member coupled to said base portion, said at least one upright support member extending upward away from said base portion when said base portion is in place on the support surface, and said upright support member comprising an integrally formed ballast tray slot in one side thereof for receiving an upturned edge of a ballast tray;

at least one clamp subassembly coupled to said at least one upright support member of said body portion, said at least one clamp subassembly configured to be coupled to one or more photovoltaic modules; and
at least one ballast tray support bracket supporting a portion of said ballast tray on said support surface.

2. The support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said base portion comprises at least one wire clip slot for receiving a portion of a wire clip that accommodates one or more wires of said one or more photovoltaic modules.

3. The support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said base portion comprises at least one weep hole for draining water from a recessed portion of said base portion.

4. The support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said base portion comprises at least one integrally formed foot member disposed on an underside of said base portion, said at least one integrally formed foot member configured to be disposed on said support surface.

5. The support assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one upright support member of said base portion comprises a pair of spaced-apart upright support members coupled to said base portion, each of said upright support members including a respective said ballast tray slot integrally formed in one side thereof for receiving a respective said upturned edge of said ballast tray.

6. A mounting system for supporting a plurality of photovoltaic modules on a support surface, said mounting system comprising:
a plurality of separate and spaced-apart support assemblies supporting and orienting the plurality of photovoltaic modules in said array on said support surface, each of said spaced-apart support assemblies comprising:
a body portion including a base portion configured to conform to a shape of the support surface to be placed directly thereon, and
at least one upright support member connected to and extending upward away from said base portion when said base portion is in place on the support surface, said at least one upright support member comprising an integrally formed ballast tray slot in one side thereof; and
at least one clamp subassembly coupled to said at least one upright support member of said body portion, said at least one clamp subassembly configured to be coupled to one or more of the plurality of photovoltaic modules;
a ballast tray coupled to one or more of said support assemblies, said ballast tray configured to receive one or more ballasts therein, said ballast tray comprising at least one upturned edge, said at least one upturned edge of said ballast tray received within said ballast tray slot of said at least one upright support member of said support assembly; and

at least one ballast tray support bracket supporting a portion of said ballast tray on said support surface.

7. The mounting system according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one upright support member of at least one of said support assemblies comprises a pair of spaced-apart upright support members coupled to said base portion, each of said upright support members including a respective said ballast tray slot integrally formed in one side thereof; and
wherein said at least one upturned edge of said ballast tray comprises a first upturned edge and a second upturned edge, said first upturned edge being oppositely disposed relative to said second upturned edge, and said first and second upturned edges of said ballast tray being received within respective ones of said ballast tray slots of said pair of spaced-apart upright support members.

8. The mounting system according to claim 6 , wherein said ballast tray comprises at least one drainage hole for draining water from said ballast tray.

9. The mounting system according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one ballast tray support bracket comprises a photovoltaic module frame slot formed therein configured to receive an end portion of a photovoltaic module return flange.

10. The mounting system according to claim 9 , wherein said photovoltaic module frame slot of said at least one ballast tray support bracket comprises a straight portion connected to a circular recess, said straight portion of said photovoltaic module frame slot configured to accommodate an insertion of said end portion of said photovoltaic module return flange into said photovoltaic module frame slot, and said circular recess of said photovoltaic module frame slot configured to accommodate a rotation of said end portion of said photovoltaic module return flange within said photovoltaic module frame slot after said end portion of said photovoltaic module return flange has been inserted into said photovoltaic module frame slot.

11. The mounting system according to claim 10 , wherein said photovoltaic module frame slot of said at least one ballast tray support bracket is bounded by one or more teeth that are configured to bite into said photovoltaic module return flange after said end portion of said photovoltaic module return flange has been rotated into place, thereby ensuring an electrical bond and frictional contact between said photovoltaic module return flange and said at least one ballast tray support bracket.

12. The mounting system according to claim 10 , wherein said photovoltaic module frame slot of said at least one ballast tray support bracket is bounded by at least one angled wall portion so as to accommodate said rotation of said end portion of said photovoltaic module return flange within said photovoltaic module frame slot.

13. The mounting system according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one ballast tray support bracket is configured to bridge two of said plurality of rows of said photovoltaic modules, and said at least one ballast tray support bracket is configured to provide grounding between said two of said plurality of rows of said photovoltaic modules and grounding of said ballast tray to said array.

14. A support assembly for supporting a photovoltaic module on a support surface, the support assembly comprising:
a ballast tray;
an upright support member to couple to the ballast tray;
a clamp subassembly to couple to the upright support member via a pivotal movement along a horizontally oriented axis, the clamp subassembly to couple to the photovoltaic module; and
at least one ballast tray support bracket configured to support a portion of said ballast tray on the support surface when the at least one ballast tray support bracket is disposed against a ground surface.

15. The support assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the ballast tray included a first upturned edge opposite a second upturned edge.

16. The support assembly according to claim 15 , wherein the first upturned edge is against the upright support member.

17. The support assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the clamp subassembly includes a pivotal member to which the photovoltaic module couples.

18. The support assembly according to claim 17 , whe

Assignees

• Ecouni Llc
• Unirac Inc

Inventors

• Dick Andrew Brian
• Wildes Brian James
• Gopal Ridhvik

Classifications

• H10F77/935

  for photovoltaic devices or modules · CPC title

• F24S25/636

  clamping by screw-threaded elements · CPC title

• F24S2025/806

  having curved portions · CPC title

• F24S2025/02

  Ballasting means · CPC title

• H02S20/00

  Supporting structures for PV modules · CPC title