Solar panel support with integrated ballast channels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9324892-B2
Application number	US-201113885071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2011
Priority date	Nov 16, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A solar panel support sub-assembly includes a bottom rail, a first top rail and a second top rail, each rail having first and second longitudinally opposite ends. The first end of the bottom rail is pivotally coupled to the first end of the first top rail and the second end of the bottom rail is pivotally coupled to the first end of the second top rail. The sub-assembly also includes a ballast rail having a first end that is pivotally coupled to the bottom rail at a first location intermediate the first and second longitudinally opposite ends of the bottom rail. The sub-assembly may be unfolded for assembly by pivoting the first and second top rails within a first plane and pivoting the ballast rail within a second plane that is normal to the first plane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar panel support sub-assembly, comprising:
a bottom rail having a first length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof;
a first top rail having a second length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof, the first end of the first top rail pivotally coupled to the first end of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the first top rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition;
a second top rail having a third length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof, the first end of the second top rail pivotally coupled to the second end of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the second top rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition; and,
a ballast rail having a first end that is pivotally coupled to the bottom rail at a first location intermediate the first and second longitudinally opposite ends of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the ballast rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition;
wherein the first and second top rails pivot relative to the bottom rail within a first plane and the ballast rail pivots relative to the bottom rail within a second plane that is normal to the first plane between respective operating and storage positions and wherein, in the respective storage positions, the bottom rail and the first top rail and the second top rail and the ballast rail extend in at least substantially parallel directions for facilitating shipping, storage and handling of the solar panel support sub-assembly.

2. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first top rail comprises an upper surface for supporting a portion of at least one solar panel.

3. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the bottom rail and first and second top rails are hat-shaped.

4. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the bottom rail and the first and second top rails are disposed in a nested-together stacked-configuration when the first and second top rails are each in the folded condition.

5. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the first top rail comprises first and second side flanges joined to a central flange via first and second webs, respectively.

6. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the second end of the first top rail is fixedly secured to the second end of the second top rail when the solar panel support sub-assembly is in an assembled condition.

7. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 2 , comprising a retaining element fixedly secured proximate the first end of the top rail for supporting a lower edge portion of the at least one solar panel.

8. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 2 , comprising a further rail having a first end that is pivotally coupled to the bottom rail at a second location intermediate the first and second longitudinally opposite ends of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the further rail, within the second plane, between a folded condition and an unfolded condition.

9. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 8 , wherein ballast rail is a first ballast rail and the further rail is a second ballast rail.

10. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 9 , wherein each one of the first and second ballast rails is L-shaped when viewed in a cross section that is taken in a plane normal to the respective length thereof, each having an upright portion for substantially preventing movement of a ballast element within the second plane and a flange extending away from the upright portion for engaging a lower surface of the ballast element.

11. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 10 , wherein a distance along the length of the bottom rail between the first location and the second location is substantially the same as at least one dimension of the ballast element.

12. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 9 , wherein a length of the first ballast rail is substantially the same as a length of the second ballast rail.

13. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the first top rail has a first side flange and a second side flange and wherein the upper surface for supporting the portion of the at least one solar panel is an upper surface of at least one of the first and second side flanges.

14. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 8 , wherein a length of the ballast rail is greater than a length of the further rail.

15. The solar panel support sub-assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the upper surface is an upper surface of the central flange.

16. A solar panel support system, comprising:
a first solar panel support sub-assembly and a second solar panel support sub-assembly, each comprising:
a bottom rail having a first length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof;
a first top rail having a second length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof, the first end of the first top rail pivotally coupled to the first end of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the first top rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition;
a second top rail having a third length extending between first and second longitudinally opposite ends thereof, the first end of the second top rail pivotally coupled to the second end of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the second top rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition; and,
a ballast rail having a first end that is pivotally coupled to the bottom rail at a location intermediate the first and second longitudinally opposite ends of the bottom rail for supporting a pivoting movement of the ballast rail between a folded condition and an unfolded condition;
wherein the first and second top rails pivot relative to the bottom rail within a first plane and the ballast rail pivots relative to the bottom rail within a second plane that is normal to the first plane between respective operating and storage positions and wherein, in the respective storage positions, the bottom rail and the first top rail and the second top rail and the ballast rail extend in at least substantially parallel directions for facilitating shipping, storage and handling of the solar panel support sub-assembly, and
wherein the second end of the first top rail is fixedly secured to the second end of the second top rail when the solar panel support sub-assembly is in an assembled condition, and
wherein, when the solar panel support system is in the assembled condition, the second end of the ballast rail of the first solar panel support sub-assembly is mechanically coupled to the bottom rail of the second solar panel support sub-assembly and the second end of the ballast rail of the second solar panel support sub-assembly is mechanically coupled to the bottom rail of the first solar panel support sub-assembly, said ballast rail of the first solar panel support sub-assembly cooperating with the ballast rail of the second solar panel support sub-assembly for receiving therebetween a ballast element.

17. The solar panel support system according to claim 16 , comprising at least one deflector element mechanically coupled to an extending substantially continuously between the second top rail of the first solar panel support sub-assembly and the second top rail of

Assignees

• Powrozek Eric A
• Szadyr Peter M
• Werner Mark F
• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Powrozek Eric A
• Szadyr Peter M
• Werner Mark F

Classifications

• H10F77/68 Primary

  using gaseous or liquid coolants, e.g. air flow ventilation or water circulation · CPC title

• H10F19/00 Primary

  Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules · CPC title

• H01L31/0422 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H02S20/24

  specially adapted for flat roofs · CPC title