Photovoltaic roofing elements and photovoltaic roofing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8959848-B2
Application number	US-201314102114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2010
Publication date	Feb 24, 2015
Grant date	Feb 24, 2015

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the photovoltaic generation of electrical energy. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic arrays for use in photovoltaically generating electrical energy. Aspects of the present invention provide a variety of photovoltaic roofing elements and systems that include, for example, interlocking geometries to provide for water handling and integration with conventional roofing materials; and wire management features that can protect wiring and associated electrical components from physical and/or environmental damage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A photovoltaic roofing system disposed on a roof deck having a top end and a bottom end, the photovoltaic roofing system comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic roofing elements each comprising
a frame structure having an upward-facing surface and a downward-facing surface having a top end and a bottom end, the frame structure having an attachment zone and an exposure zone, with the exposure zone disposed toward the bottom end of the frame structure, and the attachment zone disposed toward the top end of the frame structure, the frame structure further comprising a wiring containment structure disposed adjacent an edge of the frame structure; and
one or more photovoltaic elements held in the exposure zone of the frame structure,

 the photovoltaic roofing elements being contiguously disposed on the roof deck, the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic elements together having a top edge facing the top end of the roof deck, a bottom edge facing the bottom end of the roof deck, and two side edges, the photovoltaic roofing elements including sidelap portions that interlock to provide water drainage channels;
a plurality of roofing elements disposed adjacent the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, along their side edges; and
side flashing elements disposed along the side edges of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the side flashing elements having a cross-sectional shape comprising a vertically-extending feature and a flange extending away from a lateral side at the downward end of the vertically-extending feature, with the flange facing away from the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements and being at least partially disposed between a roofing element and the roof deck, the vertically-extending feature including a matched interlocking geometry that interlocks with a sidelap portion of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element.

2. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed as a plurality of spaced-apart sections.

3. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed as a plurality of spaced-apart sections of channel.

4. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 3 , wherein the spaced-apart sections of channel have upward-facing openings.

5. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 3 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed or molded as part of the frame structure.

6. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1 , wherein the wiring containment structure is formed or molded as part of the frame structure.

7. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes sidelap portions disposed at the lateral edges of the frame structure and having geometries adapted to interlock with adjacent photovoltaic roofing elements to provide water drainage channels.

8. The photovoltaic roofing system of claim 7 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidelap portion at one lateral edge includes an upward-facing water drainage channel; and the sidelap portion at the other lateral edge includes a downward-facing flange adapted to fit into the upward-facing water drainage channel of an adjacent photovoltaic roofing element.

9. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure further comprises a raised lip at the top end of the attachment zone.

10. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure includes one or more raised sidewalls that at least partially define an area in which the one more photovoltaic elements are held.

11. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 10 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidewalls have one or more channels formed therein.

12. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 10 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the sidewalls substantially enclose the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held; and the one or more photovoltaic elements substantially fill the area defined by the sidewalls.

13. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 12 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the area in which the one or more photovoltaic elements are held has an upward-facing base surface, and wherein the sidewalls extend above the base surface by at least about 2 mm.

14. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 13 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, an adhesive or sealant seals an edge of a photovoltaic element to a sidewall.

15. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the frame structure comprises one or more downward-facing support structures disposed on the downward-facing surface of the frame structure.

16. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 15 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the one or more downward-facing support structures comprise a plurality of downward-facing ribs.

17. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 16 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the downward-facing ribs are arranged in a grid.

18. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the attachment zone has a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the attachment zone being adjacent the exposure zone, the attachment zone having a base surface and a raised lip extending from the base surface at the top end of the attachment zone.

19. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 18 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, the exposure zone has a raised sidewall along its top edge.

20. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 19 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, at least one lateral side edge of the attachment zone does not include a sidewall extending from the base surface thereof.

21. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 19 , wherein in each photovoltaic roofing element, neither lateral side edge of the attachment zone includes a sidewall extending from the base surface thereof.

22. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 18 , wherein the frame structure includes one or more raised attachment features extending from the base surface of the attachment zone.

23. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , wherein the vertically-extending features of the side flashing elements along a first lateral edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements include a downward-facing flange, disposed in upward-facing channels of the photovoltaic roofing elements disposed along the first lateral edge; and wherein the vertically-extending features of the side flashing elements along a second lateral edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements include an upward-facing water drainage channel, into which downward-facing flanges of the photovoltaic roofing elements disposed along the second lateral edge are disposed.

24. The photovoltaic roofing system according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more top flashing elements disposed along the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic roofing elements, the one or more top flashing elements having a bottom end disposed over the top edge of the contiguously-disposed photovoltaic r

Assignees

• Certain Teed Corp

Inventors

• Jenkins Robert
• Fisher Christopher C
• Livsey Robert D

Classifications

• H02S20/00

  Supporting structures for PV modules · CPC title

• E04D2001/308

  for special purposes not otherwise provided for, e.g. turfing tiles, step tiles · CPC title

• E04D13/1415

  Junctions to walls extending above the perimeter of the roof (trimming strips, edge strips or fascias retaining the roof sheathing E04D13/155) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• E04D13/158

  covering the overhang at the eave side, e.g. soffits, or the verge of saddle roofs · CPC title