NL1029160C2 - Support for solar panel, comprises container with open side for holding panel and flexible sheet for supporting ballast material in front - Google Patents

Abstract

The support comprises a container (1) with one side (2) for supporting it on top of a flat roof (100) and another open side (3) for supporting a solar panel in an inclined position. The space inside the container is used to hold ballast material, which is supported on a surface (preferably movably) connected to and extending away from the container. The ballast material support surface is formed by a sheet of flexible material (20) in front of the container, which is trough-shaped. An independent claim is also included for a solar panel support comprising a container with a base for resting on top of a flat roof and an open side for supporting a solar panel in an inclined position, the base being provided with a friction-increasing layer.

Description

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Carrier for solar panel

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a carrier for: a solar panel on a flat roof, as well as on an assembly 5 of a solar panel and such a carrier. The invention further relates to a group of such assemblies arranged on a flat roof.

It is known to place solar panels, in particular PV panels, on a flat roof, such as a roof of a commercial building. An example of a support with solar panel for a flat roof is shown in Dutch patent application 1005204. The support is herein formed by a plastic tray which has a flat bottom on a first side and a circumferential wall, which comprises two almost upright side walls, a comprises an oblique high end wall and an oblique low end wall and is provided with an open second side at the top, formed by a circumferential flange. This flange forms an inclined support surface for the panel at 25 degrees to the bottom.

A ballast material can be placed in the interior of the trough, on the upper surface of the bottom, before the solar panel is attached. As a result, the light, plastic container with solar panel can remain in place on the roof 1029j 60 "2! - even with normative wind loads.

Such assemblies can be placed in large series on the roofs of buildings in order to generate attractive power. However, due to the required ballast, such series 5 can result in excessive local (point) loads for light industrial roofs. This limits the scope of these assemblies, and therefore the use of solar energy.

An object of the invention is to improve on this.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

From an aspect the invention provides a carrier for a solar panel, comprising a holder with a first side for support on a flat roof and a second side for support of the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, wherein the holder has a receiving space for ballast material, wherein the holder is furthermore provided with a bearing surface for ballast material which extends outwardly from the holder and is preferably movably connected to the holder.

On the support surface, which forms a place for ballast material that is added to the receiving space 25, ballast material can be placed, which therefore does not have to be received in the holder itself. The weight of the ballast material is hereby spread over a larger surface (receiving space and support surface), whereby the load per unit of surface on the roof can be kept within acceptable limits.

If the supporting surface is movably connected to the holder, the supporting surface may possibly be placed in a position that occupies little space, such as, for example, folded in itself on its own, or partially folded into the receiving space.

The support surface can be made of flexible 1029160 "; 3 material, whereby said displacement is facilitated.

For promoting the distribution of the ballast load, the support surface can extend from the carrier 5 over a distance at least in the order of the size of the first side in the same direction, preferably over a distance of two or more times the size of the first side in the same direction.

In particular in the latter case, it is made possible to place another holder, with ballast material, on that supporting surface, whereby said second holder with ballast material both ballasts itself and the first-mentioned holder.

The first side of the carrier can be substantially rectangular with long sides and short sides, wherein the support surface extends outwards from a long side. A condition is hereby created for a large supporting surface, in particular if the supporting surface has a width approximately as large as the relevant side is long.

For the inclined position to be achieved, the second side can have a low edge and a high edge, the bearing surface extending outwardly from the carrier on the side of the low edge. The supporting surface can herein extend over a length that is large enough to be folded over the low edge into the holder, so that little space is added to the holder even in this situation of out of use or transport.

In a simple embodiment, the holder 30 is box-shaped, preferably nestable with another, similar carrier. The presence of the support surface does not have to be a significant obstacle to nesting.

The tray can be made of plastic, preferably polyethylene.

The support surface can be made of a bituminous material, such as APP, SBS, SEBS modified 1029160a, 4 bitumen.

From a further aspect the invention provides a carrier for a solar panel, comprising a box-shaped holder with a first bottom side for support on a flat roof and a second open side for support of the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, the box-shaped holder defines a receiving space for ballast material, wherein the box-shaped holder on the first bottom side is furthermore provided with a support surface for ballast material connected to the holder and extending outwardly from the holder.

The support surface can be formed by a support strip relatively flexible with respect to the box-shaped holder.

From a further aspect, the invention provides an assembly of a flat roof and at least one carrier according to the invention, and a container comparable to the container received therein, which comparable container is placed on the support surface of the carrier, preferably further provided is made of ballast material.

From a further aspect, the invention provides a carrier for a solar panel, comprising a box-shaped holder with a first bottom side for support on a flat roof and a second open side for supporting the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, wherein the box-shaped holder defines a receiving space for ballast material, wherein the box-shaped holder is furthermore provided with a friction-increasing layer on the first bottom side.

As a result, the carrier can be provided with an increased coefficient of friction in a simple manner, whether or not in combination with the aforementioned support surface, so that the wind load can cause movement of the carrier less rapidly. It is then possible to suffice with less ballast material, as a result of which light industrial roofs can also be provided with carriers with solar panels. Possibly, the aforementioned supporting surface per se 1029160- I ..- -] i i! 5 i | also provide the desired frictional increase.

The friction-increasing layer can be formed by a layer of resilient material, such as, for example, rubber-like material, for example EPDM.

The aspects and measures described and / or shown in the application can, where possible, also be applied separately from each other. These individual aspects can be the subject of split-off patent applications that are aimed at this.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be elucidated on the basis of a number of exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Shown is:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arrangement of an exemplary embodiment of a box-shaped carrier according to the invention with a supporting surface attached thereto, placed on a flat roof; Figure 2A shows the carrier of figure 1, wherein the bearing surface is folded into the carrier;

Figure 2B shows the carrier of Figure 2A, with a second carrier nested therein, during transport;

Figure 2C shows the support of figure 1, in the condition of the flat roof, for placing a solar panel;

Figure 3A shows an exemplary embodiment of another carrier according to the invention, with anti-slip provision; and

Figure 3B shows the carrier of figure 3A, in the condition placed on the roof 30, with solar panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The support in figure 1 is formed by a tray 1 which is manufactured as a whole by, for example, injection molding or vacuum forming from a plastic, for example polyethylene. Such a container 1 is described in detail in 1029 1 60-

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Dutch patent 1005204, the content of which is to be regarded as included here.

The tray 1 has a first side 2 and a second side 3, which are respectively intended for support on a flat roof 100 and for supporting a solar panel (not shown). The first side is formed by a bottom wall 4, which is formed with strip-shaped elevations 9 and strip-shaped recesses 10. The recesses 10 extend downward from the bottom wall 10 to form strip-shaped supporting surfaces. The second side 3 forms a flange 7, which is situated substantially in one plane, which is at an angle a with respect to the surface of the flat roof 100. A solar panel mounted on the flange 7 will then be located at the angle oi with respect to the flat roof 100.

The tray 1 further comprises a high rear wall 6 and a low front wall 5, as well as two side walls 8.

A flexible strip of material 20 is attached to the underside of bottom wall 4, over the portion 20a thereof. The portion 20b extends outside the bottom wall 4, in the direction A, from the side of the tray where the low longitudinal wall or front wall 5 is also located.

The strip 20 is sufficiently flexible to be folded into the tray, as can be seen in Figure 2A. This is a transport position, so that the presence of the strip 20 does not increase the external dimensions of the container 1 appreciably, and the container 1 still remains nestable with other, comparable containers, as shown in figure 2B.

The strip 2 0 can be made of bituminous material, for example APP, SBS or SEBS modified bitumen, which is heated by melting the surface thereof and possibly also the relevant areas of the bottom wall 4 by melting. bottom wall 4. If necessary, the strip 2 0 can be removed from the container 1 by heating.

After placement on the roof 100, the strip 20 is brought into the condition shown in Figure 1. Ballast 30 can then be placed in the interior of the trough 1, as shown in figure 2C, and ballast material 40 (for example a few sidewalk tiles) can also be placed on the strip 20. Because the strip 20 and the carrier 1 form a whole with each other, the ballast required for keeping the carrier 1 in place can also be distributed over both. As a result, the load per surface of the flat roof 100 becomes lower, so that carriers such as those shown can be placed earlier on light roof constructions.

It is noted that the strip 20 can also extend from other sides of the trough 1, and optionally from several sides. Extending from the low side of the container 1 has the advantage that the strip 20 can also be driven into the container 1 at a smaller length than shown, in a flexible manner. Furthermore, the presence of the strip 20 on the low side of the tray 1 has the advantage that ballast material placed on the strip 20 also prevents the tray 1 from tilting in the direction C (Fig. 1).

The support strip 20 can also, without ballast, increase the resistance of the container 1 to displacement under the influence of the wind, due to the coefficient of friction increased relative to the surface of the bottom wall 4.

The tray 102, shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, is, as regards form, the subject of the international patent application PCT / NL02 / 00087, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The tray 102 is also formed by forms of a plastic material, and has side walls 108, a flange 107, which forms the second side, longitudinal walls 105, 106 and bottom walls 104a, 104b (which form respective first sides and at different angles to the second side). The tray 102 can be placed either on bottom wall 104a or bottom wall 104b, depending on the desired angle of flange 107 and thus on the solar panel to be placed thereon with respect to a flat roof 100. The tray 102 can also be provided with a strip such as strip 20, which can then be attached to the ribs 110 of the bottom wall 104a and / or 104b, and then extends in the direction transversely to the longitudinal walls 105 or 106.

Figures 3A, 3B describe another aspect of this application, namely the application of strips 160 of EPDM material on the ribs 110. Hereby an increase in the friction coefficient of the bottom wall 104a and / or 104b is achieved. As a result, in the position of use shown in Figure 3B, the tray / carrier 102 may have greater resistance to displacement along the flat roof 100.

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Claims (19)

A carrier for a solar panel, comprising a holder with a first side for support on a flat roof and a second side for support of the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, wherein the holder defines a receiving space for ballast material, the holder furthermore provided with a support surface for ballast material which extends outwardly from the holder and is connected to the holder, preferably movably. 2. Carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support surface is made of flexible material. 3. Carrier as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the bearing surface extends from the carrier over a distance at least in the order of the size of the first side in the same direction. Carrier as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bearing surface extends from the carrier over a distance of two or more times the dimension of the first side in the same direction. 5. Carrier as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the first side of the carrier is substantially rectangular with long sides and short sides, the bearing surface extending outwards from a long side. 6. Carrier as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the second side has a low edge and a high edge for the inclined position to be achieved, wherein the bearing surface extends outwardly of the carrier on the side of the low edge. 7. Carrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein the support surface extends over a length that is large enough to be folded over the low edge into the holder. 8. Carrier as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the holder is box-shaped. 9. Carrier as claimed in claim 8, wherein the carrier 5 is nestable with another, similar carrier. 10. Carrier as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the bin is made of plastic, preferably polyethylene. 11. Carrier as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the support surface is made from a bituminous material, such as APP, SBS, SEBS-modified bitumen. 12. Carrier for a solar panel, comprising a box-shaped holder with a first bottom side for support on a flat roof and a second open side for support of the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, the box-shaped holder defining a receiving space for ballast material, wherein the box-shaped holder is further provided on the first bottom side with a support surface for ballast material connected to the holder and extending outwardly from the holder. 13. Carrier as claimed in claim 12, wherein the support surface is formed by a support strip relatively flexible with respect to the box-shaped holder. 14. Carrier for a solar panel, comprising a box-shaped holder with a first bottom side for support on a flat roof and a second open side for support of the solar panel in an orientation obliquely on the roof, the box-shaped holder defining a receiving space for ballast material, wherein the box-shaped holder on the first bottom side is furthermore provided with a friction-increasing layer. j A carrier according to claim 14, wherein the friction-increasing layer is formed by a layer of resilient material, such as, for example, rubber-like material, for example EPDM. An assembly of a carrier according to any one of the preceding claims and one or more solar panels mounted thereon. 1) 029160- « 17. An assembly of a flat roof and at least one carrier as claimed in any of the claims 1-13 or claim 16, and a container comparable to the container included therein, which comparable container is placed on the support surface of the carrier 5, preferably further provided made of ballast material. 18. A carrier provided with one or more of the characterizing measures described in the attached description and / or shown in the attached drawings. 19. Assembly provided with one or more of the characterizing measures described in the attached description and / or shown in the attached drawings. 10-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-s-j 1029160 *