DK181113B1

DK181113B1 - Panel system for mounting panels

Info

Publication number: DK181113B1
Application number: DKPA202070512A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Smith Anders
Original assignee: Solarlab Dk Aps
Priority date: 2020-08-05
Filing date: 2020-08-05
Publication date: 2023-01-04
Also published as: DK202070512A1

Abstract

With an increased need for solar panels comes an increased need for panel systems that are efficient to install while providing user friendliness and the option of easy repair and disassembly. This is achieved by providing a panel system for mounting a panel to a slanted or vertical surface such as a roof or wall, the panel system comprising rails and at least one bracket mounted on said panels wherein: - said rails are elongated having a profile comprising a connection part (113) for connecting said rail to said slanted or vertical surface and an engagement part (111, 111’) extending substantially perpendicularly away from said slanted or vertical surface towards a distal top when said rail is connected to said slanted or vertical surface, said engagement part comprising engaging means being cutouts (120) extending from said distal top, - said bracket (130) is elongated and comprises an outer profile shape allowing it to firstly be inserted into said cutout of said rail when said bracket is positioned substantially perpendicular to said elongated rails, and secondly, when the bracket is completely inserted in the cutout, a firm engagement can be toollessly obtained between the rail and said bracket.

Description

DK 181113 B1

PANEL SYSTEM FOR MOUNTING PANELS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a panel system for mounting panels to a slanted or vertical surface such as a roof or wall panel system; the invention further relates to a rail and a panel for such a panel system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Of the energy use and pollution of the world, almost 40% is due to our buildings and their construction. There are international commitments to lower CO2 emissions towards achieving net-zero in new buildings by 2030 and of all buildings by 2050.

For sustainable architecture to be realised, it is vitally critical to have solutions that can be applied both to new and existing buildings and for creating a circular business model that can enable reuse and recycling and lower emissions locally.

Solar power is gaining ever more widespread use and is implemented in ways such as domestic photovoltaic cell based solar panels. Conventionally, such solar panels are retrofitted to existing rooftops and/or walls of houses. Solar panels can replace traditional roof cladding with energy producing panels that pay for themselves and enable sustainable and carbon neutral buildings. Rooftop panels are useful because they are either horizontal or slanted and thus offer high solar irradiance, while being unobtrusive in everyday life. Walls may offer a great compliment or alternative utilising unused/available space and replacing traditional facade cladding with energy-producing cladding. Because a too high solar irradiance can overheat photovoltaic cells and degrade their performance, climate and latitude may dictate which placement is best. Thus, wall-mounted panels may have better overall performance than rooftop panels in some situations.

It is then evidently important to take climate, energy requirements and timing into account when deciding on installation site and therefore, consumers may not be free to select between wall or roof-based panels according to what is preferable or practical for the individual consumer. Instead, climate and other local factors dictate feasible installation placement.

One way of improving the thermals of rooftop panels is to space them away from the roof and thus offer a way for the solar panel to radiate heat to air flow in ventilated

> DK 181113 B1 space behind or below the panel. This requires mounting the panel securely to a mounting system using clamps or frames that hold onto the edges of the solar panels.

Non-technical barriers exist to implementation of domestic solar panels as well. For example, the visual appearance of solar panels differs vastly from most traditional facades and rooftops, and many consumers prefer to retain the aesthetics of their houses even at the cost of slightly higher monthly electricity bill.

Thus, there is a need for a different and better panel system also referred to as mounting assembly.

Prior art application JP 2001027024 A describes a panel system for mounting a panel (4) to a slanted or vertical surface such as a roof or wall, said panel system comprising rails (3) and at least one bracket (3, 23) mounted on said panels wherein, said rails are elongated having a profile comprising a connection part (3b) for connecting said rail to said slanted or vertical surface and an engagement part (3b) extending substantially perpendicularly away from said slanted or vertical surface towards a distal top when said rail is connected to said slanted or vertical surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a panel system for mounting a panel to a slanted or vertical surface such as a roof or wall, said panel system comprising rails and at least one bracket mounted on said panels wherein: said rails are elongated having a profile comprising a connection part for connecting said rail to said slanted or vertical surface and an engagement part extending substantially perpendicularly away from said slanted or vertical surface towards a distal top when said rail is connected to said slanted or vertical surface, said engagement part comprising engaging means being cutouts extending from said distal top, said bracket is elongated and comprises an outer profile shape allowing it to firstly be inserted into said cutout of said rail when said bracket is positioned substantially perpendicular to said elongated rails, and secondly, when the bracket is completely inserted in the cutout, a firm engagement can be toollessly obtained between the rail and said bracket.

2 DK 181113 B1

By a panel system as defined above, a panel system is obtained which is easier to mount in a manner complimenting and being adapted to local customs. Further the system allows the roof aesthetics to morph and change over time as the building moves and changes. Further, the panel system enables tool free mounting and easy servicing of panels as well as ventilation along with the ability to absorb building tolerances.

Moreover, the panel system may be mounted on a vertical surface, which provides more flexibility and versatility during installation compared to the prior art panel system mentioned above.

Thereby, an easy installation process is achieved using a simple and effective mounting system.

In an embodiment, the firm engagement can be obtained via friction or via latching.

Thereby, a reversible attachment is achieved that is easy to mount.

In an embodiment, the cutout is L-shaped and comprises a wide insertion channel and a catch end at the tip of the L.

Thereby, an even firmer attachment is achieved that can be disassembled only with finesse, making the system more tamper resistant and secure.

In an embodiment, the outer profile shape of the bracket is L-shaped with a spring latch at the end ,and said firm engagement between the rail and said bracket can be obtained via latching by moving the bracket towards the rail in a first direction and then moving the bracket parallel with the rail in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction whereby said spring latch of said bracket engages with the catch end of said cutout.

Thereby, an easy attachment is achieved that can be disassembled after installation and be reused or moved to another place very easily, making the system more environmentally friendly and easier to maintain.

In an embodiment, the outer profile shape of the bracket is L-shaped with a friction latch at the end, and said firm engagement between the rail and said bracket can be obtained via friction by moving the bracket towards the rail in a first direction and

1 DK 181113 B1 then moving the bracket parallel with the rail in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction whereby said friction latch of said bracket engages with the catch end of said cutout.

Thereby, a yet firmer attachment is achieved that can be disassembled only with finesse, thus making the system more tamper resistant and secure.

In an embodiment, the rails are U-shaped with a rear part being the connection part and two legs being the engagement part, where said legs extend at each side of said rear part towards a distal top, said legs comprising said cutouts.

Thereby, an inexpensive and reliable system is achieved.

In an embodiment, the bracket is mounted to the panel via a mounting part, where further a support lip extends upwards from the mounting part passing the edge of the panel.

Thereby, the lip reduces weathering to attachment parts such as glue or screws from rain, and further the lip provides a surface for the panel to rest against, thus resisting some of the gravitational forces of the panel and thus sparing the attachment parts.

In an embodiment, at least two elongated brackets are mounted to a panel. In a preferred embodiment, the elongated brackets are arranged substantially parallel relative to each other.

Thereby, the panel is rotationally locked relative to the rails, when the two brackets are inserted into the cutouts in the rails.

In an embodiment, said at least two elongated brackets have different heights.

Thereby, the underlying surface is protected from weathering. Furthermore, a more pleasing visual appearance may be achieved for some consumers using a simple construction. Further, the panel achieves a slant relative to the rails in a quick and inexpensive manner.

In an embodiment, the panel system is installed on said slanted or vertical surface, wherein said rail is arranged vertically, whereby the rail has a top end with higher potential energy than that of a bottom end of said rail.

på DK 181113 B1

Thereby, the rails are easy to install. By installing ‘along the height’, the rails can be attached at the bottom of a wall first, and then later attached more firmly at the top, thus fixing a single rail at a time. This is especially useful for vertical surfaces such as walls. In the art of installing wall panels, it is conventional to attach any rails along

Da horizontal direction, whereby installing in the height may be more difficult.

Furthermore, the rails do not retain water in the same way as does a horizontal rail surface. Water will be shed easily, thus easing maintenance and reducing wear, e.g. on attachment points of the rail.

Even further, the orientation of the rails allows insertion of the brackets and attaching these horizontally. Thereby, they rest against the cutouts of the rails against gravity.

If the system had been rotated, the brackets might slide down. Therefore, in some embodiments, the arrangement of the system improves attachment further.

In an embodiment, the panel system has at least two panels and at least two rails installed side-by-side, where the brackets span between cutouts of said side-by- side arranged rails to arrange said two panels neighbouring in the vertical direction.

Thereby, it is possible to provide an interface wall of rails and to attach any panels without concern of the individual rail. Thus, the rails can be installed relatively freely, and then the panels can be attached with more concern for final layout later. Further, a stable installation is achieved with few components. Even further, because the panels are attached into an arrayed system of rail cutouts, the panels are neatly and precisely arranged relative to each other with very little or even no fine-tuning needed from the installation technician.

In an embodiment, the panel system has at least two panels and at least three rails arranged side-by-side, at least the middle rail having a first row of cutouts and a second row of cutouts, where a first panel has a bracket spanning from the first row of cutouts of a middle rail to the right-hand rail, and a second panel has a bracket spanning from the second row of cutouts of the middle rail to the left-hand rail, where said panels are arranged neighbouring in the horizontal direction.

Thereby, it is possible to provide an interface wall of rails and to attach any panels — without concern of the individual rail. Thus, the rails can be installed relatively freely, and then the panels can be attached with more concern for final layout later. Further,

p DK 181113 B1 a stable installation is achieved with few components. Even further, because the panels are attached into an arrayed system of rail cutouts, the panels are neatly and precisely arranged relative to each other with very little or even no fine-tuning needed from the installation technician.

In an aspect of the invention, it relates to a rail for a panel system of the invention.

In an aspect of the invention, it relates to a panel with at least one bracket.

In an aspect, it relates to a method of installing the panel system, comprising: — Installing at least one elongated rail to a slanted or vertical surface using a rail connection part (113), the rail further having an engagement part (111, 111’) extending substantially perpendicularly away from said surface towards a distal rail top, the engagement part comprising engaging means being cutouts (120) extending into the rail from said distal rail top, where the rail is installed vertically on said slanted or vertical surface whereby the rail is arranged with a top end with higher potential energy than that of a bottom end of said rail, — providing a panel mounted to an elongated bracket and arranging the panel so that the elongated bracket extends horizontally, the bracket having an outer profile, — firstly, moving the panel towards the rail, thereby moving the bracket at least partly into the cutout of said rail, and — secondly, moving the panel to engage the outer profile shape of the bracket with the cutout in a toolless manner, thereby achieving a firm engagement.

Thereby, it is possible to provide an interface wall of rails and to attach any panels without concern of the individual rail. The rails can thus be installed relatively freely, and then the panels can be attached with more concern for final layout later. Further, a stable installation is achieved with few components. Even further, because the panels are attached into an arrayed system of rail cutouts, the panels are neatly and precisely arranged relative to each other with very little or even no fine-tuning needed from the installation technician.

In an embodiment, secondly moving is along the rail direction, whereby the firstly moving and the secondly moving form an L-shaped path together. Thereby, the

, DK 181113 B1 attachment is easily achieved by simple movements of the panel, and the attachment is firm.

By achieving a firm engagement in a toolless manner is meant that the firm engagement can be achieved with no external attachment means, such as screws, bolts, rivets or glue. By firm engagement is meant that the rail and bracket can be expected to remain through normal operation without disengaging.

By snap-fitting is meant the conventional concept of this term which is used to describe attachments, which rely on mating parts, where at least one deflects out of shape elastically during assembly process and then snap back to their resting positions, when the parts are fully coupled.

By the bracket being inserted into the rail cutouts is meant that the bracket is inserted with bracket extension being traverse to the rail extension, so that the bracket profile and the rail cutouts fit together through mutual geometries. In a preferred embodiment, the rail extension is perpendicular to the rail extension, when inserted in the rail cutout. In yet other words, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular when the rail and bracket are coupled.

By catch area is meant a structure that can hold the spring latch in position. As will be seen, the catch area comprises preferably a catch hook and a catch end.

By panel is meant a flat sheet or sculptured surface such as facade covering used often in industrial buildings. The panels are not necessarily solar panels, but could be any kind of panels made from e.g. polymer, metal or glass with or without photo voltaic cells. In an embodiment, instead of panel, specifically solar panels are used.

In a preferable embodiment, a panel has exactly one bracket with a spring latch attached. In embodiments thereof, the panel further comprises one or more friction brackets which fit in the cutouts and engage frictionally with the catch without latching in it. In other embodiments, the mounting assembly comprises a plurality of brackets having spring latches, such as two or three brackets with spring latches.

One or more vertical rails receive the panels and can have protruding flanges to support the panels and to prevent or minimise lateral movement or panel vibrations.

The vertical rails can be placed to overlap gaps between panels or hidden under

8 DK 181113 B1 panels, but as the clips can have the full or partial width of the panel, the fixation works in the same manner. The rails can also be used to fixate cable connections and channel rainwater and can have features to strengthen connections and carrying capacity to reduce the load/strength requirements of the underlying structures. Also tool free mounting and servicing of panels as well as ventilation along with the ability to absorb building tolerances are achieved.

An embodiment relates to an elongated bracket of a type engaging with the recess or cutout, such as a bracket having a latch part or a bracket having a friction part. In this embodiment, the elongated bracket has, along its elongated length, at least one cutaway slot in the bottom part of the bracket, i.e. the part which rests in the cutout when installed. The cutaway slot allows deflection of the bottom part of the elongated bracket in sections instead of deflection of the whole length, while the bracket is inserted in the recess/cutout of the rail. By sectioning the deflection, any sideways sliding of the bracket while installed is halted when the rail meets a cutaway slot and the neighbouring undeflected section/differently deflected section.

Thereby, the bracket is guarded against movement in a further direction when installed. In an embodiment, the bracket has at least two cutaway slots dividing the bracket into three sections. The cutout may be L-shaped, T-shaped, or I-shaped.

By cutout is meant a feature produced in the rail, typically through sheet metal bending processes, either stamping the rail with the cutout as part of the initial rail punch, or by individual cutout punching operations. The cutouts can be formed in any other manner useful for the particular rail as well, such as sawing, cutting, laser cutting or being part of an initial moulding profile of an injection-moulded profile.

Cutaway, when used, denotes a feature produced by similar or identical technical means.

The cutout in the rail is preferably L-shaped, whereby it extends from the distal top to a region in the rail and then continues perpendicularly to a side. This allows a hook to form which is utilised for latching or friction engagement in a substantially perpendicular arrangement. This is a beneficial structure to use taking into account the way forces acts through the system, especially how the weight of the panels transplants through the bracket and rail.

o DK 181113 B1

Furthermore, the cutout may be T-shaped, whereby it continues to both sides instead of only one side. This allows the rail to be installed in either direction.

Lastly, for certain embodiments, such as a friction engagement, the cutout may be simply I-shaped. This is especially beneficial, where at least one side has a different engagement means such as teeth that bite into the bracket, when an effort is applied to remove it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, example embodiments are described according to the invention, where

Fig. 1 is an isometric top view of the mounting assembly according to an embodiment the invention,

Figs. 2A-2D are side views of steps of a coupling process according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 3 illustrates a different bracket according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 illustrates a bracket with a lip according to embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 5 illustrates a tall bracket according to an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 6 illustrates a tilted mounting assembly of an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 7 illustrates a panel surface according to an embodiment of the invention with a friction bracket,

Fig. 8 illustrates a shingled panel layout of an embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 9 illustrates a flat panel layout of an embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 10 illustrates alternative bracket embodiment according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following, the invention is described in detail through embodiments thereof that should not be thought of as limiting to the scope of the invention.

0 DK 181113 B1

In the following, one specific embodiment of the panel system is described.

Fig. 1 is an isometric top view of an embodiment of a rail and bracket 100 in the panel system of the invention. A U-shaped rail 110 has two legs 111, 111’ and a rear part 113. The rear part 113 is adapted for attaching to a facade or a rooftop, typically a slanted or vertical surface, either by pre-drilled holes, punched holes, or by not providing features for attaching but using a material that the technician can drill through, or otherwise attach to the surface beneath at any practical location.

The legs 111, 112 are identical. Legs 111, 111’ have engagement means being cutouts 120, 120’ extending from the distal top of the legs. The cutouts have a wide insertion channel 121, 121’, a constriction 122, 122’ and a catch end 123, 123’. The cutouts 120, 120’ are L shaped and the catch end 123, 123’ is at the tip of the L.

Two elongated brackets 130, 130’ are also shown. One bracket 130 is already coupled to the rail 110, while the other bracket 130’ is not inserted yet. The brackets 130, 130’ are otherwise identical. The bracket 130 has a mounting part 131 being mounting to a panel, e.g. a solar panel module (not shown). The bracket 130 has an outer profile comprising a flexible part 132 and a spring latch 133.

The spring latch 133 of the inserted bracket 130 abuts the cutout on the side of the constriction opposite the insertion channel 121, or in other words, the spring latch 133 has passed by the constriction 122 during insertion. The bracket has a support surface 134 that rests on the bottom of the cutout. In combination with the contact between the spring latch 133 and the top of the catch end 123, this locks the rail 110 and bracket 130 relative to each other along an up-down axis Z, i.e. along the insertion direction.

A firm engagement via latching is obtained between the rail 110 and bracket 130and can be obtained by moving the bracket 130 towards the rail 110 in a first direction Z and then moving the bracket 130 parallel with the rail 110 in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction Z, whereby the spring latch 133 of the bracket engages with the catch end 123 of the cutout 120.

Thereby, an easy installation process is allowed that achieves an adequately good fixture.

iy DK 181113 B1

Although the elongated brackets 130 are shown being quite short compared to the length of the rail, they will typically be much longer than shown and for example span several rails side by side. Thereby, several rails can be attached to a roof or wall or other surface, and then brackets can be mounted to the rails, and regular strips of attachment points are allowed for a wide use of panels.

Generally, the bracket 130 in the above embodiment can be said to be L-shaped, with one side of the L being the flexible part 132 and the tip of the L being the spring latch 133.

The exact geometric sizes and relative lengths and angles are not necessarily instrumental to the functioning of the bracket 130. However, the particular overall L shape provides some benefits, since the bending of the flexible part 132 facilitates the bending of the spring latch thus enabling both the assembly and the reluctance to disassemble after the rail 110 and the bracket 130 have been coupled. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring latch 133 at the tip of the L is illustrated having a s-shape, but as an alternative embodiment the s-shape could have harder bent edges such as z. The shape of the spring latch is a balance of ensuring that the latching effect is obtained, and at the same time ensuring that unlatching is possible.

There might be situations in which unlatching is less important and in such situations, the shape of the spring latch could be designed for this, e.g. a z shape or a g shape which might provide a stronger locking between the bracket and the rail.

Figs. 2A-2E are side views of steps of a coupling process according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2A shows the bracket 130 mounted to a panel 10 and rail 110 before coupling.

The rail 110 has been installed on an intended surface by for example screw fastening. The panel 10 is attached to at least a bracket 130 as described in the following.

The bracket 130 has two parts that will engage to couple with the rail 110, namely the end part 133 of the spring latch and a lower surface 134, 134A of the spring latch. These two engage surfaces of the cutout 120, namely a catch hook 115 and a cutout bottom 124, respectively. The catch hook 115 retains the end part 133 of

12 DK 181113 B1 the spring latch after coupling. The catch hook 115 forms the cutout constriction 122 in the cutout 120. The cutout 120 also has a catch end 123 at its end which is a wider section into which the spring latch expands and relaxes.

The catch hook 115 and the catch end 123 form the catch area which catches and retains the end part 133 of the spring latch of the bracket 130.

In Fig. 2A, the bracket 130 is inserted into the cutout 120 by moving the bracket towards the rail in a first direction Z.

Fig. 2B shows the bracket 130 inserted into the rail cutout 120. As can be seen, the end part 133 of spring latch is taller than the constriction 122, but a tip of the end part 133 of the spring latch extends down past the catch hook 115 which allows the end part 133 of the spring latch to deflect, when the panel 10 is moved in the second direction X substantially perpendicular to the first direction Z.

Fig. 2C shows the bracket 130 moved in the second direction X in the cutout 120.

The bracket 130 is undergoing elastic deformation, as the end part 133 of the spring latch passes through the constriction 122. As force is applied to the panel 10 along the first direction, the end part 133 of the spring latch presses against the catch hook 115 and initially resists movement. As more force is applied, the bracket 130 bends in a flexible part 132 extending between the mounting part 131 and the end part 133 of the spring latch. As the panel 10 and bracket are moved further, the flexible part 132 bends further. The spring latch rotates with the flexible part 132 around the bracket bottom 134 which remains substantially rigid during the elastic deformation.

Eventually, the end part 133 of the spring latch is lower than the height of the constriction 122 and can therefore pass by the catch hook 115 and snap into place.

Because the end part 133 of the spring latch is spaced apart from its centre of rotation along the second direction X, the Z-component of distance travelled in its rotation is greater as a product of rotation and distance. This distance means that a smaller deflection of the flexible part 132 is necessary to make the end part 133 of the spring latch rotate enough to be able to pass by the catch hook 115. Essentially, the rotation of the spring latch is geared by its width in the direction X to ease coupling of the rail 110 and bracket 130.

13 DK 181113 B1

Fig. 2D shows the bracket after the spring latch 133 has passed the constriction 122 and has therefore snapped into the catch end 123 of the cutout 120. Once the spring latch 133 enters the catch end 123, the flexible part 132 springs back. Other parts of the bracket 133, which may have deflected, also spring back.

Inthe position shown in Fig. 2D, the bracket 130 is maintained against movements in the third direction.

In an embodiment, the coupling is also maintained against forces that seek to move the bracket 130 along direction X. This can be achieved by the spring latch 133 being s-shaped. The reluctance to disassembly emerges because a force applied along the direction opposite to the coupling direction will deflect the flexible part 132.

This deflection is opposite to the deflection produced at coupling. The bracket 130 can be said to be bent towards an acute angle rather than towards an obtuse angle.

When the bracket 130 is bent towards an acute angle, the end part 133 of the spring latch rotates to be pushed upwards in the cutout relative to the bracket bottom 134 which increases its height instead of decreasing it. Such a force then only serves to strengthen the binding force between the spring latch 133 and the catch 115 further.

Therefore, it is not possible to remove the bracket 130 from the rail this way after coupling. Instead, with enough force applied, the bracket deforms plastically and then breaks, before decoupling takes place.

Disassembly is still possible by forcefully, but simply, pushing the bottom part of the bracket 130, i.e., the end part 133 of the spring latch, along the direction X in the opposite direction of the insertion direction. This reverses the movement by also bending the bracket into an obtuse angle as shown in Fig. 2C. In practice, because panels are mounted side by side, it is likely useful to use tools to provide reach and leverage in the region of the bottom of the bracket, where it may not be possible or practical to reach manually.

Thereby, all in all, a toolless installation process is achieved that is simply a matter of installing a series of rails, then navigating sheets with at least one bracket attached on its rear side into cutouts in the rails, then snap-fitting by pushing to move a spring latch past a catch hook.

14 DK 181113 B1

In the Figs. 2A-2D, the support surface 134 is the lowermost bracket part 134A of the bracket 130. These two elements 133, 134 engage the rail 110 through opposing surfaces to lock movement along the direction Z. Other types of support surfaces 134 can be used to cooperate with the spring latch to affix the rail and bracket in the direction Z.

As an example, Fig. 3 is a side view of a solar panel mounting assembly 300 according to a different embodiment of the invention. The principal difference between the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 and the embodiments discussed so far is that the support surface 334 is provided by the mounting part bottom 334B of the mounting part 331 of the bracket. Therefore, in the shown embodiment, it is the cooperation between the spring latch 333 and the mounting part bottom 334B that fixes the rail and bracket in the third direction. The rest of the mounting assembly functions as otherwise discussed, such as the snap-fit achieved by the elastic deformation of the flexible part 332 during movement in the direction X which serves to move the spring latch 333 downwards and allowing it to pass by the catch hook 315.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a mounting assembly 400 having a support bracket 430 according to an embodiment of the invention. The support bracket 430 has a mounting part in the shape of a mounting part 431. At one end of the mounting part 431, there is a support lip 435.

The support lip extends upwards from the mounting part 431 to support the panel 10 which may be glued onto the bracket 430. There may be legal requirements or best practices ensuring that a solar panel has support along its bottom edge to prevent it from falling down in the case of glue slippage, such as during a fire. The support lip 435 may further help prevent rainwater from travelling to the glue and wearing it out. Thereby, the edge further helps prolong service life of the solar panel mounting assembly by guiding the water to outside the support lip 435 instead.

Thereby, water penetration between layers of the solar panel is mitigated.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a mounting assembly 500 having a tall bracket 530. The tall bracket 530 is supported in the same manner as the brackets discussed with Figs. 1-2 and 4, i.e. by the bracket bottom 534 and spring latch 533 abutting the rail 510 at cutout bottom 524 and a catch hook 515, respectively.

DK 181113 B1

Many embodiments of the invention allow air circulation beneath the solar panels to cool them against the solar heating. The tall bracket 430 allows an even higher degree of air circulation beneath the solar panel.

What is evident from the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is that the solar panel 5 mounting assembly according to the invention can be installed with a wide variety of heights without impeding the coupling. Any other heights can be imagined as well, as well as different resting angles between a mounting part 531 and a flexible part 532.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a mounting assembly 600 according to an embodiment of the invention. The bracket 630 is coupled to the rail 610 as previously described.

Because the flexible part 632 of the bracket is flexible, and/or because the bracket 630 can rotate at least a bit in both directions in the coupling, the panel 10 can be installed at an angle relative to the rail 610 as desired. The panel 10 is then attached to the bracket 630 as shown and to a different element, such as another bracket having a flexible part of a different length at an opposite end. Thereby, a secure installation is achieved being user-friendly and adaptable by simply installing panels with brackets according to the desired panel layout.

Using brackets of different heights and combinations of heights allows a wide variety of visual appearances and thermal adaptations to local tastes and climates, thus providing inexpensive and easy adaptation to a wide variety of uses.

Fig. 7 shows a mounting assembly 700 for a solar panel according to an embodiment of the invention. The mounting assembly has a rail 710, a bracket 730 with a spring latch, and a bracket 750 with a friction latch.

The latch bracket 730 and rail 710 snap-fit together like the previously discussed embodiments of the invention, such as Figs. 2A-2D. In the embodiment shown in

Fig. 7, the panel 10 is attached to the latch bracket 730 and the friction bracket 750.

The latch bracket 730 has a mounting part 731, a flexible part 732, and a spring latch 733, and engages with the rail 710 by latching engagement between the spring latch 753 and a catch hook 715 of the rail 710. The panel 10 is further attached to a friction bracket 750. The friction bracket 750 has a mounting part 751 mounted to the panel 750, a friction spring 753 for frictionally attaching to the catch hook 715,

16 DK 181113 B1 and a connecting part 752 connecting the mounting part 751 to the friction spring 753.

The rail 710 is similar to the rail 710 discussed so far. The rail 710 has a number of spaced apart cutouts 720, 720', each designed to allow a latch bracket 730 to be inserted into it.

The friction bracket 750 is adapted to fit into the cutouts 720 intended for the bracket spring latches. However, instead of latching engagement into a snap-fit, a frictional engagement is achieved between the individual friction bracket 750 and the rail 710 instead. The friction spring 753 remains in elastic deformation in installation, and being skewered between the catch hook 715 and the cutout bottom 724 provides a stable connection and an active force that stabilises the assembly against wind and other outside forces.

The mounting assembly 700 with a friction bracket 750 provides an easy coupling process, as less spring force needs to be overcome. Importantly, when disassembling the mounting assembly 700, the friction bracket 750 follows the panel 10 when pushed, while the latch bracket 730 locks against disassembly.

Disassembling the assembly comprises pushing against the spring latches. The technician can manipulate the individual latch bracket 730 to overcome this coupling. Using a friction bracket 750 eases disassembly by allowing a technician to disassemble the assembly by manipulating a single latch bracket 750 instead of two. Thereby, it is easy for a single person to disassemble the assembly.

Fig. 8 is a perspective top view of a mounting assembly 800 with a shingled solar panel layout of an embodiment of the invention. A plurality of rails 8101.n are provided on a slanted roof surface 21 of a house 20. The rails are arranged to align their respective cutouts 8201n along an axis perpendicular to the rail extensions.

The panels are solar panels 11.n, and have two brackets 8301-n, 8501n each attached on their undersides. All panels have at least one latch bracket 830. The shown panels have a latch bracket 830 and a friction bracket 850.

The rails 8101-n are provided with wings 818 which serve both to stabilise the rail and to offer support to the solar panels 11-n.

DK 181113 B1

The brackets of a lowermost row of panels 803 are arranged between two neighbouring rails 8101-n, with at least one cm between them to prevent droplets hanging between them. The brackets of a second to lowermost row of panels 804 are each arranged in a single rail. This combination serves to offset the solar panels 111 among rows thus providing an easy way to adjust the physical appearance of the panel mounting assembly 800. It also allows an easy adjustment of the mounting assembly 800 to surface features and/or obstructions on the roof surface 21, such as a chimney, water heater roof edges, etc.

Bottom brackets 830 of each panel are taller than top brackets 830’, 850’ of the same panels. By overlapping the rows of panels, a roof-tile imitating visual appearance is achieved. By elevating the bottom ends of the solar panels slightly above the top ends in the installed position by at least one cm, it is ensured that water droplets are prevented from bridging the panels. This tilting and overlapping slant the rows relative to each other.

The shown embodiment thus imitates roof shingles which is an aesthetic expression that is pleasing to certain cultures.

Although illustrated with staggered row edges in installation, it is possible to provide a combined area of panels being rectangular which further improves visual pleasantness by providing wider panels for each other row end or by providing half- width panels.

Fig. 9 is a top perspective view of a mounting assembly 900 with a flat solar panel layout of an embodiment of the invention. The shown mounting assembly 900 is arranged parallel to the rail extension direction, i.e. the first direction. This is achieved by providing each solar panel 11n having its brackets 9301-n between two neighbouring rails 9101n. The same could be achieved by providing each panel on a single rail, but the shown embodiment provides better alignment and stability.

Furthermore, in the shown embodiment, the panels are installed in a tamper resistant manner. This is achieved by using several latch brackets 9301.n for each solar panel 1. Furthermore, instead of using as few brackets as possible for providing a satisfactory mechanical attachment, additional latch brackets 930 are

DK 181113 B1 18 used. As many latch brackets 9301n as possible are used, where a short solar panel 1' has three latch brackets 9301.n while a long solar panel 1” has six latch brackets.

Instead of arranging solar panels 1 in a directly neighbouring fashion (as shown in

Fig. 8), the solar panels 1 are staggered along the bracket extension direction, i.e. the second direction. This produces another arrangement of solar panels 1 with a different aesthetic being preferable for some users and in certain situations.

Providing a rectangular overall shape is easy in this arrangement and is provided by using panels of different lengths, then using shorter panels in the gaps 51.n shown in the figures.

The panels are also provided flat relative to each other or in other words, co-planar.

This is achieved by using brackets 930 of similar heights for each solar panel 1 and among solar panels 11.

The rails 910 are installed identically among the mounting assemblies 800 (see Fig. 8) and 900 (see Fig. 9), and only the rails are irreversibly installed on the surface beneath, whether this is a roof or a wall. It is therefore possible to change the layout and even to try different layouts before choosing a final layout.

Although not shown in the figures, it is easy for the skilled person to envision various layouts using the described features and variations. Constructional variations used to achieve these various layouts relate especially to the dimensioning of the latch brackets and if used, the friction brackets.

For example, a flat two-dimensional array/tiled layout is possible, as it is an overlapping parallel arranged shingle-type layout.

Furthermore, it should be noted that asymmetrical layouts with various sizes and orientations of the panels are also well within the scope of the invention. The panels can also have brackets with different heights in their widths, providing side-to-side tilt, or even both angles of tilt relative to the rails.

In the description, various examples have been given in which the system involves solar panels, but any type of panels which are to cover a surface could be mounted using this system by mounting brackets to the panel in question and then connecting the panels to the surface via rails according to the present invention.

19 DK 181113 B1

Fig. 10 illustrates a combined friction and latching engagement between the cutout and the bracket to provide a firm engagement. There the bracket has a V shape 1001 at the end part of the bracket which then engages with a serrated surface 1003 of the cutout. One leg of the V is fixed to the panel, and the second end flexes and acts as a spring allowing the free end 1005 of the V to engage with the edge of the cutout in the rail. This could be obtained purely via friction, but in the figure, the surface is illustrated being serrated. Other surface shapes could be imagined that would provide a friction between the free end and the rail surface 1003. In this embodiment, the engagement is released by pressing the free end away from the rail surface, e.g. away from the serrated surface while removing the panel.

In the above, different shapes of cutouts and brackets have been described. In a panel system according to the invention, there will be rails and brackets, and the shape of the cutouts in the rails as well as the shape of the brackets may vary between the described embodiments. There might be only one bracket connected to a panel and alternatively multiple bracket profiles are on each panel, e.g. as described in connection with Figures 8 and 9. Further the cutout shape and the bracket shape may all be the same on the same panel, but also different bracket designs may be used on the same panel as long as these designs can engage the cutouts in the rails onto which the panels are to be mounted.

Claims

DK 181113 B1 20 PATENT CLAIM

1. Panel system (100) for mounting a panel on a sloped or vertical surface such as a roof or a wall, which panel system comprises rails and at least one bracket mounted on the panels, where: — the rails are elongated with a profile comprising a connecting portion (113) for connecting the rails to the inclined or vertical surface and an engaging portion (111, 111) extending substantially perpendicularly away from the inclined or vertical surface toward a distal apex when the rail is pre- bonded with the inclined or vertical surface, — characterized by, of the engagement part comprising engagement means which are cutouts (120) extending from the distal apex, and where — the bracket (130) is elongated and includes an outer profile shape which allows it, firstly, to be inserted into the cut-out of the rail when the bracket is placed substantially perpendicular to the elongated rails, and secondly, when the bracket is completely inserted into the cut-out, a fixed entry can be achieved without tools rope between the rail and the bracket.

2. The panel system according to claim 1, where the fixed engagement is achieved via friction or via locking.

3. Panel system according to claims 1-2, where the cutout is L-shaped and comprises a wide introduction channel (121, 121) and a barrier (123, 123) at the tip of the L-shape.

4. The panel system according to claim 3, where the outer profile shape of the fitting is L-shaped with a spring lock at the end, and where the fixed engagement between the rail and the fitting can be achieved by locking by moving the fitting towards the rail in a first direction and then moving the bracket parallel to the rail in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, whereby the spring lock of the bracket engages the locking end of the cutout.

5. The panel system according to claim 3, where the outer profile shape of the fitting is L-shaped with a friction lock at the end, and where the fixed engagement between the rail and the

DK 181113 B1 21 the stroke can be achieved via friction by moving the fitting towards the rail in a first direction and then moving the fitting parallel to the rail in a second direction which is essentially perpendicular to the first direction, whereby the friction lock of the bracket engages with the stop end of the cutout.

6. Panel system according to claims 1-5, where the rails are U-shaped with a rear part which is the connecting part, and two legs which are the engaging part, which legs extend on either side of the rear part towards a distal top, which legs include the cutouts.

7. Panel system according to claims 1-6, where the bracket is mounted to the panel via a mounting part 431, and where a support lip extends upwards from the mounting part 431 and passes the edge of the panel 10.

8. Panel system according to claims 1-7, where at least two elongated brackets are mounted on the panel.

9. The panel system according to claim 8, where the at least two elongated brackets have different heights.

10. Panel system according to any one of claims 1-9 which is installed on the inclined or vertical surface where the rail is placed vertically, whereby the rail has an upper end with higher potential energy than that of a lower end of the rail.

11. The panel system according to claim 10 comprising at least two panels and at least two rails which are installed side by side, where the brackets span between cutouts of the rails which are arranged side by side, to arrange the two panels adjacently in vertical direction.

12. A panel system according to any one of claims 10-11 comprising at least two panels and at least three rails which are placed side by side, each rail having a first row of cutouts and a second row of cutouts, where a first panel has a mount that ranges from the first row of excellent

DK 181113 B1 22 rings on a middle rail to the rail on the right, and where a second panel has a bracket extending from the second row of cutouts of the middle rail to the rail on the left, which panels are placed next to each other in the water - right direction.

13. Method comprising: — installing at least one elongated rail on an inclined or vertical surface using a rail connecting part (113), which rail further has an engaging part (111, 111) extending substantially perpendicularly away from the surface toward a distal rail top, which engaging portion includes engaging means that are cutouts (120) extending into the rail from the distal rail top, which rail is installed vertically on the inclined or vertical surface, whereby the rail is positioned with an upper end with higher potential energy than that of a lower end of the rail, — to provide a panel mounted on an elongated bracket and to arrange the panel so that the elongated bracket extends horizontally, which bracket has an outer profile , — firstly, to move the panel towards the rail, whereby the bracket is at least partially moved into the cut-out of the rail, and — secondly, to move the panel to engage the outer profile shape a f the bracket with the cut-out in a tool-free manner, whereby a firm engagement is achieved.