Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02688064 2009-12-10
MODULAR SOLAR PANEL RACKING SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from United States Provisional
Application Serial
No. 61/122,248, filed on December 12, 2008, which is incorporated herein in
its entirety by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates in general to roof mounting systems for
solar panels
and in particular, to modular solar panel rack, racking systems, arrays of
racks and methods of
use.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Solar panels are becoming an increasingly useful means of providing
renewable
energy for commercial and residential properties. Mounting solar panels
correctly is crucial to
maximizing energy production, and it is also an import way to protect the
solar panels from the
force of natural elements. The proper solar panel mounting provides stability
and the proper
directional and latitudinal orientation for the solar array. Solar panels can
be mounted on the
roof, the ground, or on a pole, for example. The different mounting systems
pose different
challenges. These challenges include simplifying installation and maximizing
use of space.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0004] Disclosed herein are embodiments of modular solar panel racks, racking
systems,
arrays to position solar panels, kits, and methods of use. One embodiment of a
modular solar
panel rack comprises a plurality of discrete ballast holders and a plurality
of panel support
members each having two upright portions, a transverse portion contiguously
connected between
the two upright portions, the connection such that the transverse portion is
non-perpendicular to
the two upright portions, and a retainer attached to the transverse portion
and configured to retain
a solar panel. Each of the plurality of ballast holders is connected to no
more than four panel
support members, each ballast holder perpendicularly connected to one of the
upright portions.
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[0005] An embodiment of a modular racking system for solar panels disclosed
herein
comprises at least one end unit, each end unit comprising at least one
discrete ballast holder and
a panel support member having two upright portions, a transverse portion
contiguously
connected between the two upright portions, the connection such that the
transverse portion is
non-perpendicular to the two upright portions, and a retainer attached to the
transverse portion
and configured to retain a solar panel. The at least one discrete ballast
holder is removably
connected to one of the upright portions in a perpendicular arrangement. The
system also
comprises at least one center unit, each center unit comprising at least one
discrete ballast holder
and a pair of panel support members. The at least one discrete ballast holder
is connected to one
of the upright portions of each panel support member in a substantially
perpendicular
arrangement such that the panel support members are in spaced parallel
relationship to each
other, with the discrete ballast holder sized to span the spaced pair.
[0006] An embodiment of an array for removably positioning a plurality of
solar panels
as disclosed herein comprises a plurality of discrete ballast holders
configured to rest in
overlying relationship to a planar support surface and configured in spaced
relationship to one
another; a plurality of panel support members, each support member having two
upright
portions, a transverse portion contiguously connected between the two upright
portions, the
connection such that the transverse portion is non-perpendicular to the two
upright portions, and
a retainer attached to the transverse portion and configured to retain a solar
panel; ballast
material removably positioned in more than one of the discrete ballast
holders; and at least two
solar panels, each solar panel having a top edge, a bottom edge and two
opposed side edges, each
solar panel attached to two of the plurality of panel support members with the
retainer. Each of
the plurality of discrete ballast holders is connected to no more than four of
the panel support
members.
[0007] An embodiment of a kit for orienting a plurality of unitary solar
panels as
disclosed herein comprises at least two end unit elements, the end unit
elements each including at
least one ballast holder, a at least one solar panel support member attachable
to the ballast holder
and means for connecting the at least one ballast holder to the solar panel
support member; and
at least one center unit element, the center unit element including two
discrete ballast holders, at
least two solar panel support members attachable to the ballast holders and
means for connecting
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the respective ballast holders to the solar panel support members. The
respective ballast holders
are configured to removably receive a ballast material.
[00081 Embodiments of methods of positioning two or more solar panels are also
disclosed herein. One embodiment of a method of positioning two or more solar
panels in an
array comprises orienting at least three panel supports in linear relationship
to one another on a
support substrate. Each panel support comprises at least one transverse
portion contiguously
connected between opposed upright portions; a retainer attached to the at
least one transverse
portion and configured to retain a solar panel; at least one ballast holder
connected to a
respective upright; and discrete ballast members in each discrete ballast
holder. At least two
solar panels are positioned in overlying relationship to two of the at least
three panel supports
and in abutting relationship to one another such that the abutting solar
panels form an abutment
junction seam, the solar panels positioned such that the abutment junction
seam is located medial
between and parallel to two transverse portions connected to the same discrete
ballast holder.
The positioned solar panels are retained in affixed relationship to the panel
support.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00091 The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein
like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and
wherein:
[00101 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a solar panel rack as
disclosed
herein;
[00111 Figs. 2A-2D are perspective views of other embodiments of solar panel
racks as
disclosed herein;
100121 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of both and end unit and a center unit of
a modular
solar panel racking system as disclosed herein;
[00131 Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a retainer to retain a solar
panel as
disclosed herein;
[00141 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a modular solar panel
racking
system as disclosed herein;
[00151 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an array for removably
positioning a plurality of solar panels as disclosed herein; and
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[0016] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an array for
removably
positioning a plurality of solar panels as disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Embodiments of a modular solar panel rack are described herein for
mounting a
plurality of solar panels to any surface exposed to sunlight, e.g., a roof
surface of a building or
the ground.
[0018] One embodiment of a modular solar panel rack is shown in Figs. 1 and 2A-
D.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a solar panel rack 10 comprising a plurality
of discrete ballast
holders 12 and a plurality of panel support members 14 each having two upright
portions 16, a
transverse portion 18 contiguously connected between the two upright portions
16, the
connection such that the transverse portion 18 can be perpendicular or non-
perpendicular, or at
an angle, to the two upright portions 16 as required, and a retainer 20
attached to the transverse
portion 18 and configured to retain a solar panel.
[0019] Each of the plurality of ballast holders 12 is connected to no more
than four panel
support members 14, each ballast holder 12 perpendicularly connected to one of
the upright
portions 16 of a panel support member. As shown in Fig. 2A, ballast holder 12
is connected to
one panel support member 14. As shown in Fig. 2B, ballast holder 12 is
connected to one panel
support member 14, ballast holder 12' is connected to three panel support
members 14, and
ballast holder 12" is connected to two panel support members 14. In Fig. 2C,
ballast holders 12
are connected to two panel support members 14 and ballast holder 12' is
connected to four panel
support members 14. In Fig. 2D, ballast holders 12 are connected to one panel
support member
14 and ballast holder 12' is connected to two panel support members 14. As
seen in the Figures,
the ballast holders 12 are connected to the panel support members 14 at one of
the upright
portions 16.
[0020] Each modular solar panel rack is configured to interface with another
modular
solar panel rack, thereby allowing an interconnected series of solar panels to
be installed. This
interface is typically between a ballast holder 12 of one rack and one or more
upright portions of
panel support members of another rack.
[0021] As shown in Fig. 3, an embodiment of the modular solar panel rack 10
can
comprise at least one discrete ballast holder 12 connected to a single panel
support member 14 in
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a substantially perpendicular arrangement and at least one discrete ballast
holder 12' connected
to a pair of panel support members 14 in a substantially perpendicular
arrangement such that the
panel support members 14 are in spaced parallel relationship to each other,
with the discrete
ballast holder 12' sized to span the spaced pair.
[0022] Also shown in Fig. 3, each ballast holder 12, 12' comprises at least
two elongate
members 22 and at least two cross beams 24. The panel support member 14 is
connected
substantially perpendicular to at least one of the elongate members 22 at one
of its upright
portions 16. As used herein, elongate is used to define the portions of the
ballast holder 12
perpendicular to the panel support member 14. It is contemplated that the
cross beams 24 can be
of the same length as the elongate members if desired or required. However,
the racks herein
maximize space by maintaining a lower profile ballast system by using as small
of cross beams
as possible while still supporting the required ballast.
[0023] As used herein, "discrete" ballast holder refers to an individual
ballast holder that
does not abut any other ballast holder when in a rack. The ballast holders can
be any length
desired or required as long as they remain discrete from each other. As
described herein, a
ballast holder connected to a pair of panel support members typically spans
and overlaps the pair
of support members as shown in the Figures. A ballast holder connected to a
single panel
support member can be any size sufficient to hold the required ballast
material, while remaining
discrete. The ballast can be any weight sufficient to hold down the racks with
solar panels
against the elements. It is contemplated that the racking units and systems
herein can be fixedly
attached to the substrate on which they are to be installed, such as a roof,
as desired or required.
Extension of the ballast holders can be used to make an unballasted system
more secure.
[0024] The retainers 20 used to retain the solar panels on the rack can be any
retainer
known to those skilled in the art that is suitable for use with the panel
support member. As
example of a retainer 20 is an adjustable retainer movably connected to adjust
to a plurality of
widths of solar panels. As shown in Fig. 1, the retainer 20 can comprise of a
pair of attachment
fixtures, each attachment fixture proximate an end of the transverse portion
18. At least one of
the attachment fixtures 26 is movable along at least a portion of the
transverse portion 18. This
is shown in Fig. 4. The attachment fixture 26 is shown as a top down Z-clip. A
slot 28 is formed
in the transverse portion 18 to allow for movement of the attachment fixture
26 along the slot.
The attachment fixture 26 is adjusted to conform to various sizes of solar
panels. The adjustable
CA 02688064 2009-12-10
attachment fixture 26 is not limited to this embodiment. It is contemplated
that the attachment
fixture 26 can be movably attached to the transverse portion 18 without the
use of the slot. As a
non-limiting example, the attachment portion may include a cuff that surrounds
the transverse
portion and that can be tightened and loosened as desired or required to move
the location of the
attachment fixture. It is further contemplated that the retainer be one
fixture having grips at
opposed ends of the fixture. The fixture can be configured to telescope to
adjust to varying
widths of solar panels.
[0025] The modular solar panel rack can be made entirely of stainless steel.
Stainless
steel provides a material that will withstand the outdoor elements for an
extended period of time
without rusting. It is also contemplated that only one or both of the ballast
holders and the panel
support members are made of stainless steel. Other materials can be used as
desired or required,
but will not afford the advantages of stainless steel.
[0026] An electrical grounding path for each solar panel can be provided that
allows an
electrical ground path to run from along the modular solar panel racks to
include the solar panels,
thereby allowing the connection of multiple solar panels in a series. Because
the modular solar
panel racks are formed of a conductive material, e.g., stainless steel, the
racks may thereby be
utilized as a portion of the electrical grounding path. Utilizing the racks
are part of the electrical
grounding path also reduces the number of grounding clips which are required,
thereby saving a
significant cost.
[0027] Embodiments of the modular solar panel rack disclosed herein have been
designed to include a water management system. The cross beams 24 of the
ballast holders 12,
as shown in Fig. 3, are formed with minimal surface area overlying the support
surface, i.e. roof
surface, and are also configured to raise the ballast material off of the
support surface. This
design allows water collected on the support surface to properly drain from
the roof and not
collect between the rack and the support surface. This prevents, for example,
the creation of
stagnant water in warmer weather and ice dams in colder weather. Because the
ballast holders
12 comprise elongate portions 22 that are configured such that the ballast
holder 12 has an open
floor, water also does not collect in the ballast holder itself.
[0028] As noted above, the transverse portion 18 of the panel support member
14 is
contiguously connected between the two upright portions 16 such that the
transverse portion 18
can be non-perpendicular to the two upright portions 16. The angle resulting
from the non-
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perpendicular configuration of the transverse portion 18 to the upright
portions 16 provides the
angle at which the solar panel will relate to the sun. This angle can be any
angle desired or
required by those skilled in the art to maximize the output of the solar
panels while maximizing
space. As a non-limiting example, the angle can be a ten degree angle from the
support surface.
However, the transverse portion 18 can also be perpendicular, meaning the
solar panel is parallel
to the substrate on which the rack is placed.
[00291 Also disclosed herein are modular racking systems for solar panels.
These
modular racking systems utilize components from the modular solar panel racks
described
above. Therefore, detailed descriptions of the repeated components will refer
to those
discussions above.
[00301 An embodiment of a modular racking system 100 for solar panels is shown
in Fig.
and can comprise at least one end unit 102. Each end unit 102 comprises at
least one discrete
ballast holder 104 and at least one panel support member 106 having two
upright portions 108, a
transverse portion 110 contiguously connected between the two upright portions
108, and a
retainer 112 attached to the transverse portion 110 and configured to retain a
solar panel. The at
least one discrete ballast holder 104 is removably connected to one of the
upright portions 108 of
the at least one panel support member 106 in a perpendicular arrangement. The
system 100 also
can comprise at least one center unit 114. Each center unit 114 comprises at
least one discrete
ballast holder 104 and a pair of panel support members 106. The at least one
discrete ballast
holder 104 is connected to one of the upright portions 108 of each panel
support member 106 in
a substantially perpendicular arrangement such that the panel support members
106 are in spaced
parallel relationship to each other, with the discrete ballast holder 104
sized to span the spaced
pair.
[00311 The modular racking system 100 can further comprise ballast material
116
movably positioned in a plurality or all of the discrete ballast holders 104
as required to maintain
the system against the support surface during various weather conditions. The
ballast material
can be any material of sufficient weight per volume to effectively maintain
the system against
the support surface. Non-limiting examples include cement, brick, sand, water,
etc.
[00321 As shown in Fig. 5, the modular racking system 100 can comprise one or
more
end units 102 having two discrete ballast holders 104 each connected on an
opposing upright
portion 108 of two panel support members 106 as an alternative to one panel
support member
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106. A number of the center units 114 can comprise two discrete ballast
holders 104 connected
to opposing upright portions 108 of the pair of panel support members 106.
[00331 As described above and shown in Fig. 3, each ballast holder 104 can
comprise at
least two elongate members 22 and at least two cross beams 24. The panel
support member 106
can be connected substantially perpendicular to at least one of the elongate
members 22 at one of
its upright portions 16.
[00341 As described above and shown in Fig. 4, the retainer can be an
adjustable retainer
movably connected to the transverse portion to adjust to a plurality of widths
of solar panels.
The retainer can comprise a pair of attachment fixtures, each attachment
fixture positioned
proximate an end of the transverse portion, wherein at least one of the
attachment fixtures is
movable along at least a portion of the transverse portion.
[00351 Also disclosed herein are embodiments of arrays for removably
positioning a
plurality of solar panels. One embodiment of an array 200 is shown in Fig. 6
and comprises a
plurality of discrete ballast holders 202 configured to rest in overlying
relationship to a planar
support surface and configured in spaced relationship to one another. The
array 200 also
comprises a plurality of panel support members 204. Each support member 204
has two upright
portions, a transverse portion contiguously connected between the two upright
portions, and a
retainer 210 attached to the transverse portion and configured to retain a
solar panel 212. Ballast
material 214 can be removably positioned in more than one or all of the
discrete ballast holders
202. The array 200 comprises at least two solar panels 212, each solar panel
212 having a top
edge 216, a bottom edge 218 and two opposed side edges 220. Each solar panel
212 is attached
to two of the plurality of panel support members 204 with the retainer 210,
each of the two panel
support members being attached to a different ballast holder 202 as shown.
Each of the plurality
of discrete ballast holders 202 is connected to no more than four of the panel
support members
204.
100361 As shown in Fig. 6, at least one of the plurality of discrete ballast
holders 202 of
the array 200 can be removably connected to at least one of the plurality of
panel support
members 204 in a substantially perpendicular arrangement. At least one of the
plurality of
ballast holders 202 can be removably connected to a pair of the plurality of
panel support
members 204 such that the pair of panel support members 204 are spaced in
parallel relationship
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to one another and substantially perpendicular to the ballast holder 202.
Abutting side edges 220
of two adjacent solar panels 212 are aligned between the pair of panel support
members 204.
100371 As shown in Fig. 7, the array 200 can have a first row 230 comprising
up to two
end units 232 and any number of center units 234. Each end unit 232 comprises
two discrete
ballast holders 202 and a panel support member 204 extending substantially
perpendicular there
between. This arrangement is best shown in Fig. 1. The center units 234 each
comprise two
discrete ballast holders 202 and a pair of panel support members 204 extending
there between
and spaced in parallel relationship to one another and substantially
perpendicular to the ballast
holders 202. The center units 234 are typically positioned between and in
spaced relationship to
the end units 232. The arrangement of a center unit 234 can best be seen in
Fig. 3. The
arrangement of at least one center unit 234 between two end units 232 can best
be seen in Fig. 5.
As shown, the units are arranged so that the panel support members 204 of each
unit in the array
200 are substantially parallel to one another.
100381 The distance that the end units and center units are spaced from each
other is
determined by the size of the solar panel 212 to be supported. It existing
solar panel mounting
systems, the system is designed for a particular size of solar panel, or even
a particular size and
make of solar panel. The modular systems and arrays disclosed herein can be
used with a wide
range of sizes and models of solar panels. As noted above, abutting side edges
220 of two
adjacent solar panels 212 are aligned between the pair of panel support
members 204 of a center
unit 234. Therefore, after an end unit 232 is positioned, a center unit 204 is
positioned spaced
from the end unit 234 such that the side 220 of the solar panel 212 opposite
the end unit 232
aligns between the pair of panel support members 204 of the center unit 234.
100391 The number of center units 234 between the two end units 232 is not
limited. The
number will depend on the size of the support surface on which the solar
panels are to be
mounted, the number of solar panels to be mounted and/or the length of the
solar panels.
[00401 The array 200 can further have at least one additional row 240. Each
additional
row 240 can comprise up to two end units each comprising one discrete ballast
holder 202 and at
least one panel support member 204 extending substantially perpendicular there
from.
[0041] Each additional row 240 can also comprise at least one center unit
comprising
one discrete ballast holder 202 and a pair of panel support members 204 spaced
in parallel
relationship to one another and substantially perpendicular to the ballast
holder 202. The at least
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one center unit can be positioned between and in spaced relationship to the
end units. The at
least one additional row 240 is connected to the first row 230 such that the
upright portion 250 of
the panel support members 204 opposed to the discrete ballast holders 202 of
the additional row
240 is connected to the nearest discrete ballast holder 202 of the first row
230.
[0042] As shown in Fig. 7, the array 200 can have a plurality of additional
rows. As
shown, a subsequent additional row 260 is connected to a preceding additional
row 240 such that
the upright portion 270 of the panel support members 204 opposed to the
discrete ballast holders
202 of the subsequent additional row 260 is connected to the nearest discrete
ballast holder 202
of the preceding additional row 240.
[0043] As described above and shown in Fig. 3, each ballast holder 202 can
comprise at
least two elongate members 22 and at least two cross beams 24. The panel
support member 204
can be connected substantially perpendicular to at least one of the elongate
members 22 at one of
its upright portions 16.
[0044] As described above and shown in Fig. 4, the retainer can be an
adjustable retainer
movably connected to the transverse portion to adjust to a plurality of widths
of solar panels.
The retainer can comprise a pair of attachment fixtures, each attachment
fixture positioned
proximate an end of the transverse portion, wherein at least one of the
attachment fixtures is
movable along at least a portion of the transverse portion.
[0045] Also disclosed herein are embodiments of a solar panel array kit. One
embodiment of a solar panel array kit comprises at least two unit elements 10,
as shown in Fig.
1. Each unit element includes at least one ballast holder 12, at least one
solar panel support
member 14 attachable to the ballast holder 12 and means for connecting the at
least one ballast
holder 12 to the solar panel support member 14. The respective ballast holders
12 are configured
to removably receive a ballast material 116, shown in Fig. 5. It is
contemplated that the ballast
material may or may not be included in the kit as desired or required by those
skilled in the art.
Shipping the kit would be more economical without the ballast material.
[0046] The solar panel array kit can further comprise a plurality of solar
panel retention
clips 210 and a plurality of solar panels 212, as shown in Fig. 6. The solar
panels 212 can be
configured to be placed in overlying relationship with the panel support
members 14, 204 when
the respective unit elements are in spaced relationship on a substrate
surface, such as a roof. The
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solar panel retention clips 26, 210 can be movably positionable on the
respective solar panel
support member, for example, as shown in Fig. 4.
[00471 Each ballast holder of each central unit element can be configured to
be connected
to up to two additional solar panel support members from up at least one
additional end unit or
center unit, as shown in Figs. 2B, 2C and Fig. 7. As described above, the
respective solar panel
support members can each include a pair of opposed uprights in parallel
relationship to one
another and a transverse portion contiguously connected between the two
uprights, the
connection such that the transverse portion is non-perpendicular to the two
upright portions. The
panel support member can be integrally formed, such as, for example, by a
single piece of bent
material. It is also contemplated that the panel support member consists of
separate uprights and
a transverse bar that are either preassembled to form the support member or
are shipped in pieces
for assembly prior to installation. In addition, the ballast holders can be
assembled to the support
members prior to shipment of the kit or after shipment during installation.
[00481 Also disclosed herein are methods of positioning two or more solar
panels in an
array. One embodiment of a method of positioning two or more solar panels in
an array
comprises positioning a plurality of panel supports in spaced fixed relation
on a supporting
substrate and affixing at least two solar panel units in overlying
relationship to at least two
discrete panel supports such that the two respective solar panels form an
abutment junction seam,
the abutment junction seam located medial between and parallel to the
associated panel supports.
[00491 Positioning the plurality of panel supports can comprise orienting at
least two end
panel supports and at least one intermediate panel support in linear
relationship to one another on
the support substrate. Each end panel support can comprise opposed upright
portions, a
transverse portion contiguously connected between the opposed upright
portions, the connection
such that the transverse portion is non-perpendicular to the two upright
portions, a retainer
attached to the transverse portion and configured to retain a solar panel, at
least one ballast
holder connected to a respective upright and discrete ballast members in each
discrete ballast
holder. The at least one intermediate panel support can comprise at least two
transverse portions,
each transverse portion connected to a pair of opposed upright portions, the
connection such that
the transverse portion is non-perpendicular to the respective upright
portions, wherein the
transverse portions are in spaced parallel relationship with one another, at
least one retainer
attached to at least one transverse portion and configured to retain a solar
panel, at least one
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discrete ballast holder connected to at least two respective uprights and
sized to span the space
there between and discrete ballast members in each discrete ballast holder.
Affixing at least two
solar panel units can comprise positioning at least two solar panels in
affixed relationship to the
respective transverse members in abutting relationship to one another.
[0050] Orienting the panel supports can comprise assembling the end panel
supports and
intermediate panel supports by connecting each one's ballast holders to the
respective upright
portions, orienting one of the assembled end panel supports relative to the
support substrate,
positioning the ballast member in the associated ballast holder, orienting the
intermediate panel
supports in spaced linear relationship relative to the one end panel support
and positioning the
ballast member in the associated ballast holders and orienting the other of
the end panel supports
in spaced linear relationship relative to an adjacent intermediate panel
support.
[0051] The method can further comprise interconnecting at least one end panel
support
with a respective additional end panel support, orienting in spaced linear
relationship to the
additional end panel support at least one additional intermediate panel
support, wherein the at
least one additional intermediate panel support is positioned adjacent a
respective intermediate
panel support and interconnecting the at least one additional intermediate
panel support to an
adjacent ballast holder of the respective intermediate panel support.
[0052] Although the embodiments described herein disclose panel supports that
are a
contiguous piece, it is contemplated that the uprights can be separate and
attached to the
transverse portion of the panel supports. Although the embodiments described
herein disclose
the ballast holders removably connected to the panel supports, it is
contemplated herein that the
ballast holders be integral and contiguous with the respective panel support
or supports.
[0053] Although the Figures illustrate the panel supports and ballast holders
as being
made of material with a particular shape, this is meant as illustration only.
The panel support
and ballast holders can be made of beams with a flat surface, tubes, etc.
[0054] Other embodiments of solar panel racking systems are disclosed herein.
[0055] A flat roof mount ballasted system is disclosed herein. The system
comprises any
number of support units depending on the number of solar panels to be used.
The support units
comprise at least one support member and one discrete ballast holder. At least
one solar panel
retainer as described above is located on each support member. Each support
member comprises
a first portion and a second portion extending at an angle from the first
portion. These portions
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can be formed from one unitary piece of metal and bent to the desired angle.
It is also
contemplated that the support member be formed of more than one piece of metal
connected
such that the desired angle is formed. The first portion is configured to be
substantially parallel
to the substrate or roof on which the system is located. The ballast holder is
positioned between
the first portion and the second portion. The at least one retainer is located
on the second
portion.
[00561 The support units can comprise, for example, one support member and the
ballast
holder. The support units can also comprise at least two support members and a
ballast holder.
The support units can form one or more arrays as described above and are also
available in a kit.
The solar panels are positioned such that two or more solar panels in an array
are affixed in
overlying relationship to at least two support units, at least one of the
support units having two
support members, such that the two respective solar panels form an abutment
junction seam, the
abutment junction seam located medial between and parallel to the two support
members.
[00571 Each ballast holder can comprise at least two elongate members. If only
one
support member is connected to the ballast holder, the ballast holder will
also include at least two
cross beams for stability. If two or more support members are connected to the
ballast holder,
the cross beams can be left out if desired to reduce the amount of material
needed. As used
herein, elongate is used to define the portions of the ballast holder
perpendicular to the support
member. It is contemplated that the cross beams can be of the same length as
the elongate
members if desired or required. However, the racks herein maximize space by
maintaining a
lower profile ballast system by using as small of cross beams as possible
while still supporting
the required ballast. The positioning of the ballast holders between the first
and second portions
of the support member reduces the footprint of the support units, thereby
maximizing the space
for solar panels. The support units can be individually positioned during
installation such that
any size solar panel can be used with the system.
[00581 Alternatively, the ballast holders can be made from thermoplastic, for
example, by
vacuum forming. The ballast holders can form a tray to hold the required
amount of ballast, with
the tray being positioned between the first and second portions of the support
member. An
electrical grounding path can be used that includes a grounding strap secured
to the thermoplastic
tray and configured to bridge the support members of the center support.
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100591 As used herein, "discrete" ballast holder refers to an individual
ballast holder that
does not abut any other ballast holder when in a rack. The ballast holders can
be any length
desired or required as long as they remain discrete from each other. As
described herein, a
ballast holder positioned between the first and second portions of the support
member can be
positioned so that if only one support member is used, it is centered along
the ballast holder. If
two or more support members are used with the ballast holder, the ballast
holder will span the at
least two support members. A ballast holder can be any size sufficient to hold
the required
ballast material, while remaining discrete. The ballast can be any weight
sufficient to hold down
the racks with solar panels against the elements. It is contemplated that the
racking units and
systems herein can be fixedly attached to the substrate on which they are to
be installed, such as
a roof, as desired or required. Extension of the ballast holders can be used
to make an
unballasted system more secure.
[00601 The retainers used to retain the solar panels on the support units can
be any
retainer known to those skilled in the art that is suitable for use with the
panel support member.
As example of a retainer is an adjustable retainer movably connected to adjust
to a plurality of
widths of solar panels. The retainer can comprise of a pair of attachment
fixtures, each
attachment fixture proximate an end of the second portion. At least one of the
attachment
fixtures can be movable along at least a portion of the second portion. The
attachment fixture
can be a top down Z-clip. A slot can be formed in the second portion to allow
for movement of
the attachment fixture along the slot. The attachment fixture is adjusted to
conform to various
sizes of solar panels. The adjustable attachment fixture is not limited to
this embodiment. It is
contemplated that the attachment fixture can be movably attached to the second
portion without
the use of the slot. As a non-limiting example, the attachment portion may
include a cuff that
surrounds the second portion and that can be tightened and loosened as desired
or required to
move the location of the attachment fixture. It is further contemplated that
the retainer be one
fixture having grips at opposed ends of the fixture. The fixture can be
configured to telescope to
adjust to varying widths of solar panels.
[00611 The support units can be made entirely of stainless steel. Stainless
steel provides
a material that will withstand the outdoor elements for an extended period of
time without
rusting. It is also contemplated that only one or both of the ballast holders
and the panel support
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members are made of stainless steel. Other materials can be used as desired or
required, but will
not afford the advantages of stainless steel.
[00621 An electrical grounding path for each solar panel can be provided that
allows an
electrical ground path to run from along the system to include the solar
panels, thereby allowing
the connection of multiple solar panels in a series. Because the units are
formed of a conductive
material, e.g., stainless steel, the units may thereby be utilized as a
portion of the electrical
grounding path. Utilizing the units as part of the electrical grounding path
also reduces the
number of grounding clips which are required, thereby saving a significant
cost.
100631 Another embodiment of a modular racking system for solar panels can
comprise a
plurality of panel support assemblies. Each panel support assembly can
comprise a support
member comprising an elongated ramp portion and a planar portion extending
from the base of
the elongated ramp portion. A support rail can be attached on a top surface of
the elongated
ramp portion, and a retainer can be attached to the support rail and
configured to retain a solar
panel. A grounding clip can be configured to secure an electrical grounding
path connecting the
panel support assemblies, the grounding clip attached to the support rail and
configured to
include the solar panel in the grounding path. The planar portion of the
support member
extending from each elongate edge of the base of the elongated ramp portion
can form ballast
trays configured to support ballast weight.
[00641 The support member can be a formed thermoplastic and the support rail
can be a
metal such as stainless steel. The support member ramp portion can be formed
at any angle
desired or required to maximize energy production. It is also contemplated
that the ramp portion
can be flat. The planar portion extending from the base of the elongated ramp
portion can be any
size sufficient to support the required amount of ballast material. The planar
portion can extend
from one or both elongated sides of the ramp portion. When the solar panels
are positioned on
two of the support assemblies, both support assemblies can be entirely
underneath the solar panel
so that the footprint of the support system is the same as the number of solar
panels used.
[00651 The support assemblies are positioned individually so that the system
can be used
with any size solar panels. Two support assemblies can be connected together
along adjacent
planar portions to further maximize space. The retainer can be any of the
retainers described
herein. Furthermore, the grounding clip can be integral with the retainer.
CA 02688064 2009-12-10
[00661 While the invention has been described in connection with certain
embodiments,
it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the
disclosed embodiments but, on
the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent
arrangements included
within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be
accorded the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent
structures as is permitted
under the law.
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