FR2937663A1 - Sealing system for inclined roof covering of e.g. vehicle canopy, has chutes including flaps, drainpipes and T-squares connected between each other to prevent water infiltrations between panels and assure water flow towards covering bottom - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has water flow chutes oriented along a slope of an inclined roof covering, and drainage chutes oriented transversal to the water flow chutes. The water flow chutes and the drainage chutes comprise drainage flaps (7), drainpipes (8) and collecting T-squares (9) that are arranged and connected between each other to prevent water infiltrations between photovoltaic solar panels (5), to collect the water dripping on the panels and to assure water flow towards the bottom of the covering. An independent claim is also included for a construction comprising an inclined covering.

Description

Sealing system for roof covering, in particular provided with solar panels, and construction comprising such a covering.

The present invention relates to a sealing system for a roof covering, in particular for such a covering comprising solar panels. By solar panels is meant here all types of panels suitable for the recovery and transformation of solar energy, in particular photovoltaic panels, that is to say panels comprising a plurality of photovoltaic cells assembled substantially coplanar and supported by a support frame which is also used for fixing said panels. The invention also relates to a construction comprising such a cover, this construction being able to be a building of any type provided with an inclined roof, such as for example a shelter for vehicles or other objects.

It is already well known to use solar panels to recover solar energy, either as heat or as electrical energy. It is also known to use for this purpose solar panels fixed on an existing roof. Since the panels are placed on a cover whose sealing results from its own construction, there is generally no particular difficulty to achieve such a facility from the point of view of sealing. Indeed, the waterproofing of the roof and the channeling of rainwater are conventionally provided by said cover, while the clean tightness of the panels results from their construction. In other cases, it may be required, in particular for regulatory reasons, that sets of

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Photovoltaic cells constitute by themselves the watertight elements of coverage. Thus, the French regulations in force subordinate the award of bonuses or financial benefits to the integration of sets of photovoltaic cells in the coverage. That is, said photovoltaic cell assemblies, modules, or panels, can not be superimposed on an existing cover, but instead must be integrated in said cover, flush with the tiles or other similar elements constituting the visible surface of the cover. As a result, the tightness of the cover in the areas formed by the sets of photovoltaic cells must be ensured either by these sets themselves, or by means attached to the sub-face. Thus, systems are known where the sets of photovoltaic cells are made in the form of modules integrating, by construction, lateral and transverse sealing elements, such as grooves and ribs, and which are then assembled in a manner similar to conventional tiles. . However, these systems have the disadvantage of being expensive and, each module being relatively small, the need to proceed generally of dimension pose is complicated by the many electrical connections implied by the large number of modules implemented. In other systems, such as for example that described in EP1006592, the photovoltaic cell modules are arranged in overlap, and fixed on waterproof under-roof panels. The modules are connected to a recovered energy exploitation facility located under the roof. It is therefore necessary for the connecting cables to traverse said under-cover.

This results in areas where the normal sealing of the cover and the flow of water can be interrupted or at least disturbed locally. To ensure sealing at the crossing of the under-cover by the connection cables, the aforementioned document proposes the use of seals made of a heat-resistant material, so as to simultaneously ensure the tightness to the water and air, especially in case of fire. Said seals are further shaped so that the water runoff on the inclined sub-cover does not tend to seep between the joint and the cables, while leaving a space between the under-cover and the panels for fit the part of the cables located above the cover. This system has the disadvantage of requiring complex shapes for photovoltaic cell modules, and also complicates the assembly of the assembly by the need to make a joint at each cable passage.

In general, systems using photovoltaic modules in the form of tiles or overlapping elements are relatively expensive, non-interchangeable from one manufacturer to another, and require a significant amount of labor to ensure the installation and maintenance. many electrical connections between modules, as well as to ensure tightness, as explained above. To overcome these drawbacks, it is possible to use standard photovoltaic cell panels, cheaper, interchangeable, larger and therefore faster to install the same for the electrical connections which are then fewer. Such panels consist of photovoltaic cells mounted on a metal frame provided to ensure easy attachment of the panel on a supporting structure. Reducing the number of connections

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This also has the advantage of improved reliability, reducing the risk of poor electrical contact. For example, there are already known shelters for vehicles which have a bearing structure, anchored to the ground, which carries an inclined cover consisting of photovoltaic panels arranged and assembled in the same plane. In this case, the cover is used to shelter vehicles from the sun and rain. But if these panels to themselves are waterproof, it remains necessary to provide the seal required for the set of juxtaposed panels form a tight cover, not only to protect objects or users under the shelter, but also to prevent water from seeping and streaming on the connecting cables of the panels and on the means of connection of these cables. In addition, it is desirable to be able to recover the water falling on the cover, and thus drain it to a point of recovery. As already mentioned, photovoltaic solar panels are self-contained. A remaining problem is therefore to ensure the seal between the various panels constituting the cover. A known solution consists in placing sealing elements, such as plastic sheets or sheets, under the solar panel assembly, so that water infiltrating between the panels is collected and drained by these sheets or plates. sealing. But then there are problems of support and fixing of these sealing sheets if they are fixed by below the load-bearing members of the structure. If they are placed above the structure, they must then be put in place before the solar panels, which then poses a problem for the electrical connection of these, and in addition the panels must then be fixed by the above, the fixing means remaining accessible and can then facilitate the vandalism and theft of the panels. In addition, in such an embodiment, the electrical connections of each panel are located above the sealing sheet, and the exposure to moisture of these connections remains a potential source of problems.

The present invention aims to solve these problems. It is particularly aimed at sealing between solar panels juxtaposed forming a roof covering. It aims in particular to ensure a flow of water flowing on the solar panels without infiltrations between the panels. It also aims to effectively protect against moisture cables and electrical connections located under said cover. It also aims to reduce the risk of vandalism and theft of panels and to facilitate interventions on electrical connections during installation.

With these objectives in view, the invention relates to a sealing system for a roof covering, in particular for a covering comprising solar panels juxtaposed substantially in the same inclined plane. According to the invention, this system is characterized in that the solar panels are arranged in said plane by providing between them flow corridors oriented substantially along the slope of the cover and drainage channels oriented transversely to the flow corridors, and in that said flow and drainage corridors comprise means for collecting and guiding the water flows, arranged so as to prevent water infiltration between the panels, to collect dripping water on the panels

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and to ensure the flow down of the cover.

Thanks to the invention, the tightness of the cover is provided directly by all the panels without the need for other underlying sealing elements, usually used to seal a roof covering. The tightness of the cover can be ensured without covering the panels, which facilitates assembly and assembly thereof, on simple elements of the supporting structure, the panels can be easily fixed and supported by said supporting elements, in simple coplanar juxtaposition, and thus keeping all of their surface exposed to solar radiation and allowing a perfect integration of the panels to an existing cover, when required as indicated above. Moreover, all the electrical connection elements located on the underside of the panels are thus effectively protected against moisture and the risk of tearing. The runoff is collected and directed to the lower part of the cover, from where it can be easily recovered for recycling.

According to preferred arrangements: said collecting and guiding means comprise drainage flaps extending along said drainage corridors, and comprising an upstream edge extending under the lower edge of a panel situated upstream of the corridor of drainage, and a downstream edge covering the upper edge of a panel located downstream of the drainage corridor, - said collecting and guiding means 35 comprise U-section gutters extending in the flow corridors and connected in a leaktight manner to the panels bordering the flow corridors, - said collecting and guiding means comprise collection tees, comprising an underlying wall disposed under the ends of two adjacent drainage flaps, and an evacuation channel. which is inserted into the upper end of a gutter, the lower end of a gutter opening on a drainage flap or on a collection tee. When the panels are aligned in the direction of the slope of the cover, the gutters open directly on the collection tees, in front of their evacuation channels. The panels can also be shifted laterally, and then the gutters can lead to the bibs, the water thus collected flowing along the bib towards one or the other of its ends and from there on a tee and in the evacuation channel of it.

The drainage flaps and gutters are preferably made by folding, zinc, copper or plastic for example. The collection tees may also be made of copper or zinc by folding and welding to seal between the wall elements constituting said tees, as will be seen later. They can also be made of plastic. According to complementary provisions: the edges of the gutters comprise wings 30 folded perpendicularly and covering the edges of the panels, a seal is placed between said wings and the upper surface of the panels. a seal is inserted between the downstream edge of the drainage flaps and the upper face of the panels.

The invention also relates to a building, such as a shelter, comprising an inclined cover comprising a plurality of solar panels, characterized in that the solar panels are juxtaposed in the same plane, and in that it comprises a system sealing as defined above. According to complementary provisions, - the solar panels are fixed from below on rails of the structure carrying the cover, - the seal between the flaps and the tees is obtained by the compression resulting from the clamping of the solar panels on the rails, - A cladding is fixed under the load-bearing structure to close the volume located under the panels and to conceal the fixing means of the panels as well as the means of electrical connection.

Other features and advantages will become apparent in the description to be made of a carport comprising a cover formed of photovoltaic panels and a sealing system according to the invention.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shelter according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a large-scale view of the detail A of FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a set of four panels constituting the cover of the shelter; FIG. 4 is a detail view in perspective and exploded of the junction zone between the panels of this set, showing the various elements constituting the sealing system and their relative positioning, - Figures 5 to 8 are sectional views respectively along the lines VV, VI-VI, VII-VII and VIII-VIII of Figure 3, - the figures 9 and 10 are detail views illustrating the resulting water flow paths.

The shelter shown in Figure 1 comprises an inclined roof 1 carried by two posts 2 anchored to the ground. The posts support consoles 6. The roof 1 comprises a rigid metal frame 3, integral with the consoles 6, in the form of a frame on which are fixed, for example by bolts 41, rails 4 which extend in the direction of the slope of the roof. The rails 4 support the photovoltaic solar panels 5 arranged in the example shown, in no way limiting, in three rows of the six panels. The photovoltaic solar panels 5 are conventionally formed of a set of photovoltaic cells 51 assembled in the same plane and fixed on a holding frame 52, for example formed of L-shaped section profiles which are also used for fixing the frame on any suitable support.

Each solar panel 5 is fixed by bolts 42 on two rails 4, arranged near the lateral edges of the panels, for example about 330 mm from these edges, leaving between the panels of the flow passages 61, which extend depending on the slope of the roof, and drainage corridors 62 which extend transversely to the flow corridors, or substantially horizontally. Thus, as will be seen better later, the rainwater dripping on the panels 5 is collected in the drain corridors 62 at the bottom of each panel, then directed to the flow channels 61, down to the bottom of the drain. blanket.

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To ensure this collection and flow of water by avoiding infiltration under the cover, between the panels, means of collection and guidance are placed in the said corridors: drainage flaps 7, made of folded sheets of zinc or copper , are placed in the drainage corridors 62. They comprise a flat wall 74 which extends, parallel to the plane of the roof, at the bottom of a drainage corridor, and whose upstream edge 71 extends flat under the lower edge 53 of a panel 5 located upstream of said corridor. The plane wall is extended by a substantially perpendicular return 75 which is placed against the upper edge of the panel located downstream, and a wing 72 folded at 90 ° forms the downstream edge of the flap, which covers the upper edge of the panel 5 A seal 85, for example of the Compriband 0 type, is placed between the upper face of the panel 5 and said flange 72. The flaps can be made of plastics.

Gutters 8, also made of folded zinc or copper sheets, are placed in the flow passages 61. The gutters 8 have a U-shaped section, of a size adapted so that the gutters are inserted without play in the corridor. flow between two laterally adjacent panels, and they have a length substantially equal to that of the side of the panels in the direction of the slope. The edges of the gutters have folded wings 83 which cover the lateral edges 55 of the adjacent panels, seals 84 being placed between these flanged wings and the upper face of the panels 5. The gutters can be made of plastics. Collection tees 9 comprise an underlying wall 91 which is placed under the lateral edges 73 of two drainage flaps 7, two frontal barrier elements 93 extending perpendicularly to the wall 91 and arranged to be placed against the edges of the walls. panels 5 located downstream of said bibs, between said edges and returns 75 of said flaps, and a discharge channel 92 whose bottom 921 extends in the plane of the wall 91 and whose side walls 922 are connected to Sealed way to the front barriers 93, the section of this exhaust channel 92 being such that it fits without play in the upper end 81 of a gutter 8.

These collection tees 9 are also made of folded and welded zinc or copper sheets, or possibly plastics. The installation of the cover is carried out as follows: Panels 5 of the same horizontal row are positioned so as to provide the required flow corridors between them, and fixed on the rails 4 by screwing the frame 52 on said rails by means of bolts 42, placed from the underside of the panels. The gutters 8 are placed between the panels, placing the seals 84 under their wings 83. They are fixed by a screw 99 on secondary rails 4 ', the screws 99 being positioned towards the upper ends of the gutters.

A collection tee 9 is placed at the upper end of each gutter, the wall 91 resting on the secondary rail 4 'and, by its side edges 91a, 91b, on the rails 4 located on either side. The front barrier elements 93 are applied against the upper edge edges 54 of the panels 5, and the evacuation channel 92 is inserted into the upper end 81 of the trough 8. The bottom 921 of the evacuation channel 92 is placed above the head of the screw 99, and possibly shaped during assembly to properly apply to it, so that the water that

12 flows does not come into contact with the screw, and thus ensure an optimal and durable seal. A drainage flap 7 is placed on the upstream edge of each panel 5, the plane wall 74 resting on the respective edges of the walls 91 of laterally adjacent collection tees. The returns 75 are applied against the front barriers 93 of the tees and against the edge portion of the upper edge 54 of the panel 5 which remains apparent between said front barriers.

The folded wing 72 of the flap covers the upper face of the upstream edge of the panel 5, a seal 85 being previously placed between this edge and said flange 72. Two screws 99 are fixed on the rails 4 simultaneously through the ends. 73 of the walls 74 of the flaps and the walls 91a and 91b of the collection tees, to ensure the maintenance of tees and flaps, these screws being subsequently covered by the panels 5 and therefore not in contact with water.

The panels 5 of the upstream row can then be put in place, the lower edge of each panel resting on the wall 74 of the downstream drainage flap. The fixing clamping of this panel on the rails 4 leads to strongly tightening, between the panel and the rail 4, the lateral ends 73 of the drainage flaps 7 against the edges 91a and 91b of the collection tees, thus ensuring a complement of sealing between bibs and tees. Note in this regard that the position of the rails 4 is predetermined for this purpose, so that the edges 91a, 91b of the tees rest on the rails 4. The installation continues similarly to the top of the cover. successively placing the gutters, tees, bibs and panels. Electrical connection of the panels is then made from below the cover. Then a lower cladding is fixed under the frame 3, concealing the

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fixing panels and electrical connections, for better security, prevent damage to equipment under the panels and limit the risk of theft of panels.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the flow of water on the cover thus produced. The different parts of the seal have been voluntarily represented separated to facilitate the understanding of the flows. The water flowing over the panels flows on them along the arrows Fl to the bottom of each panel where they are collected by the drainage flaps 7. The water flows then to the lateral ends of the drainage flaps, according to arrows F2, then on the collection tees 9 where they are evacuated through the evacuation channels 92 in the gutters 8, according to the arrows F3. The waters flowing in the gutters 8 arrive at their lower ends, according to arrows F4, on the collection tees 9 located downstream, where they join the water drained by the downstream drainage flaps and continue to flow via the drainage channels and downstream gutters, according to arrows F5.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment and application described above solely by way of example. In particular, the shapes and materials of the flaps, gutters and tees can be modified to be adapted to different types of panels or load-bearing structure. It is also possible to offset laterally the panels in two adjacent horizontal rows, the only difference being that the gutters open on the bibs instead of directly leading to the tees. The invention applies more particularly to photovoltaic panel installations for shelters as described above, but it can also be implemented for the integrated mounting of photovoltaic panels in an existing roof, for buildings, and also for the installation of photovoltaic panels. installation of non-photovoltaic solar panels.5

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. Sealing system for a roof covering, in particular for a roof (1) comprising solar panels (5) juxtaposed substantially in the same inclined plane, characterized in that the solar panels (5) are arranged in said plane, providing between them flow corridors (61) oriented substantially along the slope of the roof and drainage corridors (62) oriented transverse to the flow corridors, and in that said flow and drainage corridors comprise means (7, 8, 9) for collecting and guiding the water flows, arranged and interconnected so as to prevent water infiltration between the panels, to collect the dripping water on the panels and to ensure flow down the cover. 2. Sealing system according to claim 1, characterized in that said collecting and guiding means comprise drainage flaps (7) extending along said drainage corridors (62), and having an upstream edge (71). extending below the lower edge (53) of a panel (5) upstream of the drainage corridor, and a downstream edge (72) covering the upper edge (54) of a panel located downstream of the drainage corridor . 3. Sealing system according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said collecting and guiding means comprise gutters (8) of U-section extending in the flow passages (61) and sealingly connected to the panels (5) bordering the flow corridors. 4. Sealing system according to claims 2 and 3 taken in combination, characterized in that said collecting and guiding means comprise collection tees (9), having an underlying wall (91) disposed under the ends (73) of two adjacent drainage flaps (7), and an evacuation channel (92) which is inserted into the upper end (81) of a trough (8), the lower end (82) of a gutter opening on a drainage flap or on a collection tee. 5. Sealing system according to claim 3, characterized in that the edges of the gutters (8) comprise folded wings (83) covering the lateral edges (55) of the panels, and a seal (84) is placed between the said wings and the upper surface of the panels. 6. Sealing system according to claim 2, characterized in that a seal (85) is inserted between the downstream edge (72) of the drainage flaps (7) and the upper face of the panels (5). 7. Construction comprising an inclined cover (1) comprising a plurality of solar panels (5), characterized in that the solar panels are juxtaposed in the same plane, and in that it comprises a sealing system according to one any of the preceding claims. 8. Construction according to claim 7, characterized in that the solar panels (5) are fixed from below on rails (4) of the structure carrying the cover. 9. Construction according to claim 8, characterized in that the seal between the flaps (7) and the tees (9) is obtained by the compression resulting from the clamping of the solar panels (5) on the rails (4). 10. Construction according to claim 8, characterized in that a cladding (21) is fixed under the supporting structure to close the volume below the panels and conceal the panel fixing means and the electrical connection means.