Support assembly for photovoltaic panels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9115915-B2
Application number	US-88841610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2010
Priority date	Jun 21, 2010
Publication date	Aug 25, 2015
Grant date	Aug 25, 2015

Abstract

A support assembly for supporting photovoltaic panels includes a plurality of support units connected one by one. Each of the plurality of support units includes a support beam, a pair of standing posts, a strengthening bar and at least one horizontal beam. The pair of standing posts, the strengthening bar and the at least one horizontal beam are pivotably mounted on the support beam via connecting members. When used, the strengthening bar rotates relative to the support beam and collectively constitutes a triangle with the support beam and one of the pair of standing posts to avoid distortion. When packaged, the pair of standing posts and the strengthening bar rotate relative to the support beam to be received in the receiving groove respectively, and the at least one horizontal beam rotates relative to and is disposed in parallel to the support beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A support assembly for photovoltaic panels, the support assembly comprising a plurality of support units connected one by one, each of the plurality of support units comprising:
a support beam, comprising a top portion and a pair of side portions perpendicularly extending from two edges of the top portion respectively, the top portion and the pair of side portions collectively defining a receiving groove;
a pair of standing posts, each with one end pivotably mounted on the support beam;
a strengthening bar, with two ends mounted to the support beam and one of the pair of standing posts respectively;
at least one horizontal beam, with one end of the at least one horizontal beam pivotably mounted to the support beam, and the other end of the at least one horizontal beam being configured to connect to a neighboring support unit,
wherein the at least one horizontal beam comprises a first horizontal beam, each of the pair of the side portions comprises a plurality of roll portions arranged in order, the first horizontal beam defines two first double sleeves on two ends thereof, one of the first double sleeves matches with the corresponding roll portion to pivotably connect the first horizontal beam to the support beam; and
wherein the pair of standing posts and the strengthening bar rotate relative to the support beam and are received in the receiving groove respectively, and the at least one horizontal beam rotates relative to the support beam and is disposed in parallel to the support beam, when each of the plurality of support units is packaged;
wherein, when the support units are assembled, the at least one horizontal beam is connected to the neighboring support unit, the pair of standing posts are unwound and disposed in parallel and, the strengthening bar rotates relative to the support beam to constitute a triangle with the support beam and one of the pair of standing posts collectively;
wherein the top portion comprises a plurality of latching portions and a plurality of stopper portions to secure the photovoltaic panels, the plurality of latching portions and the plurality of stopper portions are punched from the top portion in two parallel rows;
wherein the at least one horizontal beam comprises a second horizontal beam in parallel with the first horizontal beam, cross sections of the first horizontal beam and the second horizontal beam are in a U shape, respectively;
wherein the plurality of roll portions are integrally formed with the side portion;
wherein the second horizontal beam comprises a support portion and a connecting portion, the support portion is mounted between the support beam and the connecting portion, the connecting portion is mounted between the support portion and the neighboring support beam;
wherein a rotation plane of the connecting portion rotating relative to the support beam is substantially perpendicular to the support portion rotating relative to the connecting portion;
wherein the support portion comprises a receiving portion to receive power cords of the photovoltaic panels;
wherein the support portion comprises a protruding post protruding towards the receiving portion, the connecting portion comprising a horizontal double sleeve to engage with the protruding post to pivotably mount the connecting portion onto the support portion; and
wherein the connecting portion further comprises a perpendicular double sleeve substantially perpendicular to the horizontal double sleeve and matching with the corresponding roll portion to pivotably connect the connecting portion to the support beam, the support portion defining a single sleeve engagable with the corresponding roll portion to mount the second horizontal beam on the support beam.

2. The support assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of the side portions defines a plurality of fixing holes arranged in order, the plurality of fixing holes are configured to install the standing post and the strengthening bar onto the support beam respectively.

3. The support assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein inclination of the support beam is adjustable by matching one end of the strengthening bar with different fixing holes in the side portions.

4. The support assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a connecting member is used to pivotably mount the pair of standing posts, the strengthening bar and the at least one horizontal beam to the support beam and comprises a connecting shaft and a cotter pin, the connecting shaft defines a plurality of shaft holes to engage with the cotter pins to prevent the connecting shaft disengaging.

5. The support assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of shaft holes is a through hole along a radial direction of the connecting shaft.

6. The support assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pair of standing posts comprise a first standing post and a second standing post in parallel with each other, cross sections of the first standing post and the second standing post are in a U-shape, respectively.

7. The support assembly as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a length of the second standing post is shorter than that of the first standing post so that the support beam is inclined to a certain angle.

8. The support assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the second standing post defines a pair of latching holes, each of the pair of side portions comprises a latching clip engaging with the corresponding latching hole to securely mount the second standing post onto the support beam.

9. The support assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first horizontal beam defines a plurality of first watering drainage holes and the second horizontal beam defines a plurality of second watering drainage holes for draining.

Assignees

• Lu kai-ming
• Wang Ren
• Hongfujin Prec Ind Shenzhen
• Hon Hai Prec Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lu kai-ming
• Wang Ren

Classifications

• F24S25/632

  Side connectors; Base connectors · CPC title

• F24S2030/16

  Hinged elements; Pin connections · CPC title

• H02S20/00

  Supporting structures for PV modules · CPC title

• F24S2025/012

  Foldable support elements · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title