US20120233940A1 - Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction - Google Patents
Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20120233940A1 US20120233940A1 US13/426,274 US201213426274A US2012233940A1 US 20120233940 A1 US20120233940 A1 US 20120233940A1 US 201213426274 A US201213426274 A US 201213426274A US 2012233940 A1 US2012233940 A1 US 2012233940A1
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- cartridge
- frame
- mounting
- strut
- photovoltaic panel
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Images
Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S30/00—Structural details of PV modules other than those related to light conversion
- H02S30/10—Frame structures
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S25/00—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules
- F24S25/10—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules extending in directions away from a supporting surface
- F24S25/12—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules extending in directions away from a supporting surface using posts in combination with upper profiles
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S25/00—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules
- F24S25/20—Peripheral frames for modules
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S20/00—Supporting structures for PV modules
- H02S20/10—Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S20/00—Supporting structures for PV modules
- H02S20/20—Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object
- H02S20/22—Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object specially adapted for buildings
- H02S20/23—Supporting structures directly fixed to an immovable object specially adapted for buildings specially adapted for roof structures
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S25/00—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules
- F24S2025/01—Special support components; Methods of use
- F24S2025/013—Stackable support elements
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S25/00—Arrangement of stationary mountings or supports for solar heat collector modules
- F24S2025/01—Special support components; Methods of use
- F24S2025/014—Methods for installing support elements
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02B10/00—Integration of renewable energy sources in buildings
- Y02B10/10—Photovoltaic [PV]
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E10/47—Mountings or tracking
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
Abstract
Description
- This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/957,808, filed Dec. 1, 2010, which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/846,621, filed Jul. 29, 2010, Ser. No. 12/846,644, filed Jul. 29, 2010, and Ser. No. 12/846,686, filed Jul. 29, 2010, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
- Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems, and more particularly to a system for simplifying installation of photovoltaic panels, also known as PV modules, in large-scale arrays.
- Photovoltaic power generation systems are currently constructed by installing a foundation system (typically a series of posts or footings), a module structural support frame (typically brackets, tables or rails, and clips), and then mounting individual photovoltaic panels to the support frame. The photovoltaic panels are then grouped electrically together into PV strings, which are fed to an electric harness. The harness conveys electric power generated by the photovoltaic panels to an aggregation point and onward to electrical inverters.
- Prior art commercial scale PV systems such as this must be installed by moving equipment, materials, and labor along array rows to mount photovoltaic panels on the support frames one-at-a-time. This is a time-consuming process, which becomes increasingly inefficient with larger scale systems.
- With innovations in PV cell efficiency quickly making PV-generated energy more cost-effective, demand for large-scale PV systems installations is growing. Such systems may have a row length of half a mile or more. Accordingly, a simplified system for photovoltaic panel installation is needed.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cartridge for mounting a plurality of photovoltaic panels in a first embodiment. -
FIG. 2 is a close-up perspective view showing a recessed area in the cartridge. -
FIGS. 3A-3B are close-up perspective views showing photovoltaic panels mounted in the cartridge. -
FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional side view showing a photovoltaic panel mounted in the cartridge. -
FIG. 4 is a top-down view showing a schematic of the electrical wiring in the cartridge -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing attachment structures on the underside of the cartridge. -
FIGS. 6A-6B are perspective views, respectively showing different arrangements for mounting the cartridge to spaced parallel support rails. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view showing one embodiment of an attachment structure for mounting the cartridge to a support rail. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of an attachment structure for mounting the cartridge to a support rail. -
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view showing another embodiment of an attachment structure for mounting the cartridge to a support rail. -
FIG. 10A is a top-down view showing another embodiment of the cartridge. -
FIGS. 10B-C are a side view and cross-sectional side view of the cartridge along axes A and B, as shown inFIG. 10A . -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of an attachment structure for mounting a cartridge to parallel support rails. -
FIG. 12 is a side view showing the attachment structure ofFIG. 11 for mounting a cartridge to parallel support rails provided on a folding table. -
FIG. 13 is a close-up cross-sectional side view of the attachment structure ofFIG. 11 . -
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a cartridge. -
FIG. 15 is a top view of a cartridge according to another embodiment of a cartridge. -
FIG. 16A is a cross sectional view of a cartridge frame employed in theFIG. 15 embodiment. -
FIG. 16B is a cross sectional view of a strut employed in theFIG. 15 embodiment. -
FIG. 16C is a cross sectional view of a strut according to a second embodiment. -
FIG. 16D is a cross sectional view of a central beam employed in theFIG. 15 embodiment. -
FIG. 16E is a cross sectional view of a cartridge frame according to another embodiment. -
FIG. 16F is a cross sectional view of a strut according to a third embodiment. -
FIG. 16G is a cross sectional view of a central beam according to another embodiment. -
FIGS. 17A-D illustrate the process of installation of photovoltaic panels into a cartridge depicted inFIG. 15 . -
FIG. 17E illustrates the process of installation of photovoltaic panels into a cartridge using the frame, struts, and central beam depicted inFIGS. 16E-G . -
FIG. 18 is a bottom view of theFIG. 15 embodiment. -
FIGS. 19A-F illustrate the process of formation of a cartridge frame. -
FIG. 20 is a top perspective view of a partially completed cartridge. -
FIG. 21A is a top perspective view of a stack of completed cartridges. -
FIG. 21B is a cut-away top perspective view of stacked cartridges. -
FIG. 21C is a top perspective view of a partially loaded shipping container containing stacks of completed cartridges. -
FIGS. 22A-D are perspective views of cartridges being mounted to support rails one after another. -
FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing a cartridge for mounting a single photovoltaic panel. -
FIGS. 24A-B show perspective views ofFIG. 23 cartridges being mounted to support rails on a roof structure one after another. -
FIG. 25 is a view showing operation of a robotic installation system for installingFIG. 1 cartridges. -
FIGS. 26A-E are views showing operation of a push actuator of theFIG. 25 robotic installation system. -
FIG. 27A is a perspective showing the installation of a cartridge ofFIG. 15 to cartridge mounting rails. -
FIG. 27B is a perspective view showing a cartridge ofFIG. 15 being slid along cartridge mounting rails. -
FIG. 27C is a perspective view showing a cartridge ofFIG. 15 being slid along cartridge mounting rails according to a second embodiment. -
FIG. 27D is a perspective view showing a cartridge ofFIG. 17E being slid along cartridge mounting rails. -
FIG. 28A is a side view of theFIG. 15 embodiment mounted to cartridge mounting rails. -
FIG. 28B is a side view of theFIG. 17E embodiment mounted to cartridge mounting rails. -
FIGS. 29A-B are perspective views showing a field array installation using cartridges and support structures detailed herein. - In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use them. It is also understood that structural, logical, or procedural changes may be made to the specific embodiments disclosed herein.
- Described herein is a method for mounting and sliding a multiplicity of mountable photovoltaic panels along a rail system using a photovoltaic panel cartridge. For utility scale ground mounted photovoltaic systems or commercial or residential rooftop systems, the use of a rail system to slide cartridges each containing one or more photovoltaic panels into place provides several benefits. By moving all work to one or more locations along each row, e.g., at the head, the system maximizes the use of preassembled components, minimizes material movement logistics, and reduces both on-site field labor and equipment movement over the site. One embodiment of the system is constructed by installing a support structure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel rails, which may be ground or structure supported, designed to receive and allow sliding movement of a pre-assembled cartridge that supports either a single photovoltaic panel or a plurality of photovoltaic panels as a unit. The support structure could also comprise a photovoltaic tracking system which would allow the rails to be rotated.
- A first embodiment of a
cartridge 100 is depicted inFIGS. 1 , 2, 3, 4 and 5.Cartridge 100 is a lightweight, cartridge-like structure that provides structural support and contains and supports a plurality ofphotovoltaic panels 120 a-h in a 4×2 array and facilitates their electrical interconnection. Thecartridge 100 is made of either synthetic or natural structural material, including, but not limited to, aluminum, rolled steel, or other metals and plastics. As an alternative, and as shown by element 1400 inFIG. 14 , the cartridge 1400 can be constructed in a honeycombed or gridded structure. This saves weight while maintaining structural strength. - As shown in more detail in
FIGS. 1 , 2 and 3A-3B, a plurality ofphotovoltaic panels 120 a-h are mounted in respective recessed areas 110 a-h ofcartridge 100, with one such recessedarea 110 f being shown without an installed photovoltaic panel inFIG. 2 .Photovoltaic panels 120 a-h are held in place by being snapped, clipped, or otherwise securely seated in each of the recessed areas 110 a-h. Thephotovoltaic panels 120 a-h are preferably mounted in the recesses 110 a-h before conveyance of a cartridge to an installation site, so all that needs to be done at the installation site is to mount thecartridge 100 containing a plurality of photovoltaic panels to a support structure. Although an array of eightphotovoltaic panels 120 a-h in a 4×2 array is shown in the figures as being supported bycartridge 100, it is understood that any number or arrangement of photovoltaic panels could be mounted on and supported by acartridge 100. For instance,FIG. 24 shows a 4×1 array of photovoltaic panels on acartridge 2200, whileFIG. 25 shows a single photovoltaic panel on acartridge 2300. -
FIGS. 2 and 3A show one embodiment of an arrangement for mounting photovoltaic panels in the recessed areas 110 a-h ofcartridge 100. One edge of a photovoltaic panel, e.g., 210 f (not shown) is slid under alip groove 204 within recessedarea 110 f and lowered into position. To secure a photovoltaic panel in place, clips 302 a-b which engage with an opposite edge of a photovoltaic panel are themselves engaged by screws or other fasteners with openings 202 a-b provided on a side of therecess 110 f opposite the side containinglip groove 204. Together withlip groove 204,clips FIG. 3B , which uses spring-back clips 312 a-b that overhang an edge of the recess. As one edge of a photovoltaic panel is slid under alip groove 204 in a recess, it is then lowered into position, causing the opposite edge to press against the spring-back clips 312 a-b, which push back and bend until the photovoltaic panel clears the bottom of the clips. Once clear, the clips 312 a-b will slide back over top of the photovoltaic panel, securing it in place. - Clips and grooves are not the only way photovoltaic panels can be mounted in recesses of the
cartridge 100; glue, Velcro™, or other known engagement means can be used. In another embodiment for securing the photovoltaic panels to the recesses, resilient engagement members can be used to hold the panels in place.FIG. 3C , for instance, shows a pair of rubber stoppers 322 a-b at opposite ends of a recessedarea 110 f which allowpanel 210 f to be slid under one of thestoppers 322 a and then pressed down past theother stopper 322 b to be held in place. Thecartridge 100 is preferably configured so that whichever structure are used to hold a photovoltaic panel within a recess is used,photovoltaic panels 120 a-h are either flush with or below atop surface 210 of thecartridge 100. This allows thecartridge 100 to be stacked with like cartridges for shipping and also protects thephotovoltaic panels 120 a-h while in storage or transit to an installation site. - In general, solar-generated electricity is harvested and transmitted through a pre-wired common bus or cable system integral to the
cartridge 100. Some examples of a common bus system that may be employed are described in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 12/846,671, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. One embodiment of pre-wiring acartridge 100 for connection to acommon bus system 280 is schematically shown inFIGS. 2 and 4 . As shown inFIG. 2 , anelectrical connector 206 can be provided in the lower surface of the recessedarea 110 f so that when a photovoltaic panel is placed in a recessedarea 110 f, a plug on the bottom of a photovoltaic panel engageselectrical connector 206 to connect it to thecommon bus system 280.FIG. 2 also shows anelectrical connector 208 provided in a sidewall of therecess 110 f that could be used in lieu ofconnector 206 to connectwiring 212 to side electrical connectors on a photovoltaic panel. An exemplary electrical connection schematic for acartridge 100 is shown inFIG. 4 . - As shown in
FIG. 4 , thewiring 212 for acartridge 100 runs from theelectrical connectors 206 in each recessed area 110 a-h into channels 232 a-b provided incartridge 100 which run above each attachment area 130 a-b (asimilar channel 732 a is also shown inFIG. 7 ). Each of the channels 232 a-b is connected to a transversecentral channel 278 which runs throughcartridge 100, which houses thecommon bus system 280. Thewiring 212 connectselectrical connectors 206, and thus the photovoltaic panel engaged in each recess 110 a-h to thecommon bus system 280. Although thecommon bus system 280 in eachcartridge 100 can be terminated at an electric harvester on acartridge 100 support structure, such as is shown inFIG. 12 ,FIG. 4 shows an embodiment where eachcartridge 100 can be equipped with a maleelectrical connector 216 and femaleelectrical connector 218 for interconnecting thecommon bus systems 280 ofmultiple cartridges 100, together. In this manner, as thecartridges 100 are slid into position on a support structure in the manner discussed in more detail below and pressed against each other,corresponding male 216 and female 218 connectors engage to electrically connect the photovoltaic panels ofadjacent cartridges 100.Interconnected cartridges 100 can then transfer electric power to a common point and onward to an electrical inverter before connecting to an electrical grid. - As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 5 , eachcartridge 100 has attachment structures 130 a-b in the form of grooves on the cartridge underside to seat thecartridges 100 on support structures.FIG. 6A shows anexemplary cartridge 100 with its attachment structures 130 a-b being slidably mounted on asupport structure 600 comprising a set of spaced parallel rails 640 a-b.FIGS. 1 , 5 and 6A show that forcartridge 100, the attachment structures 130 a-b are on the under side of thecartridge 100.FIG. 6B shows an alternate embodiment of acartridge 600 where the attachment structures are provided in the form of slots 630 a-b on side edges of thecartridge 600, which are mounted on and engage with asupport structure 601 that also comprises a set of spaced parallel rails 641 a-b. - As can be seen in
FIGS. 6A , 6B, acartridge rails FIG. 6B ) for mounting in the field.Successive cartridges adjacent cartridges electrically connectors - As mentioned above, row length in large-scale PV systems can be half a mile or more. In order to easily slide cartridges along such a long path, as shown in
FIG. 7 ,cartridge 700 may use aroller truck 760 mounted within theattachment structure 730 a, which facilitates easier sliding movement across long stretches ofrail 740.FIG. 7 also shows achannel 732 aabove attachment structure 730 a, for routingwiring 712 to anelectrical connector 708 in a corresponding recessedarea 710 a. - The
truck 760 comprises a plurality of paired spaced rollers 764 a-b mounted on a corresponding axle 762. Thetruck 760 only takes up a small portion of space inside the attachment structure 760 a, so that arail 740, which may have a T or other cross-sectional shape, can extend far enough in the attachment structures 730 a-b to stabilize thecartridge 700. Once acartridge 700 is slid into position on therails 740, it can be secured to therails 740 by extending a set screw 752 (in channel 750) or other fastener to engage agroove 742 in therail 740. Advantageously, theset screw 752 also functions as an electrical ground, if made of conductive material, grounding aconductive cartridge 700, to aconductive rail 740. - Although, as shown in
FIG. 7 ,truck 760 may use multiple equally spaced rollers 764 a-b, a truck could also use any sliding movement assisting structure, including a single roller on an axle (such as the rollers 864 a-b inFIG. 8 ) or ball bearings (such as bearings 766 a-b inFIG. 9 ). Generally, thetrucks 760 are manufactured separately from thecartridges 700 and are mounted in the attachment structures 730 a-b by screw, bolt, glue, or other fastener. However, thetrucks 760 could also be integral to the attachment structures, and, as shown in the alternate embodiment ofFIG. 8 , rollers 864 a-b could be installed directly insideattachment structure 830 a. Referring back toFIGS. 1 , 5 and 6A, the attachment structures 130 a-b or 630 a-b can take the form of simple grooves, and a non-stick, or low friction slidable surface such as a Teflon®-coated surface can be applied within the grooves instead of using atruck 760 to facilitate sliding movement of a cartridge. -
FIG. 9 shows an alternate embodiment of acartridge 900 having atruck 960 which comprises a plurality of paired spaced ball bearings 966 a-b, which are mounted in upper and lower housings 964 a-b and 968 a-b respectively.Truck 960 also has a pair of arms 962 a-b that extends to engage corresponding grooves 942 a-b in asupport rail 940. Though only shown in this embodiment, it should be understood that anytruck FIG. 9 truck 960 is secured toattachment structure 930 a by means ofscrew 970 or other fastener, which is driven through a top surface of theattachment structure 930 a into the body ofcartridge 900. Other trucks that may be employed are described in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 12/846,686, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Thetrucks cartridges -
FIGS. 10A-10C show an embodiment in whichcartridge 1000 is constructed of a frame structure of spaced elongated members 1010 a-d. The spaced elongated members 1010 a-d are preferably formed in a U-shape with outwardly extending flanges on either top side. This shape is also known as a hat channel. Attachment structures 1030 a-b are fastened transversely across and beneath the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d for, as shown inFIG. 10A , slidably connecting thecartridge 1000 to support rails 1040 a-b. Photovoltaic panels, e.g., 1020 a-b, are mounted on top of the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d and secured byclips 1012 a-b or other fastener to the elongated members 1010 a-d. As with theFIG. 1-5 embodiment, glue, Velcro™, or other known engagement means can be used to secure the photovoltaic panels 1020 a-d to the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d. Anoptional exterior rim 1050, shown in dotted lines inFIG. 10A , is fit around the outside of the cartridge and fastened to the ends of both the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d and attachment structures 1030 a-b. Theoptional exterior rim 1050 provides added structural support and also enables thecartridge 1000 to be stacked with other cartridges. Preferably, the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d, photovoltaic panels 1020 a-d, and attachment structures 1030 a-b are all arranged within the dimension of the thickness ofexterior rim 1050 so they do not project beyond a top or bottom surface of therim 1050 of thecartridge 1000, enabling stacking ofcartridges 1000. -
Cartridge 1000 is also equipped with acommon bus system 1080.Wiring 1012 for thecommon bus system 1080 is run through the spaced elongated members 1010 a-d.FIG. 10A shows a series ofplugs 1006, for connecting the photovoltaic panels 1020 a-d to thecommon bus system 280. Thecommon bus system 1080, through achannel 1078 transversely mounted to the bottom of spaced elongated members 1010 a-d, also has aplug 1014 and plug 1016 on opposite sides of theexterior rim 1050 of thecartridge 1000 for electrically interconnectingadjacent cartridges 1000. -
FIG. 10B shows a side view ofcartridge 1000 along axis A ofFIG. 10A , showing aphotovoltaic panel 1020 a mounted on spacedelongated member 1010 a, along withattachment structure 1030 a andrail 1040 a. It should be understood that trucks, e.g., 760, 960 can be mounted inattachment structure 1030 a as well, and thatattachment structure 1030 a may be fitted with holes or screw threads (not shown) that can be used with fasteners, e.g., screw 970 ontruck 960 or fit with portions of the truck, e.g., 760, 960 to secure and stabilize the truck within the attachment structure 1030 aD.FIG. 10C shows a cross-section ofcartridge 1000 along axis B ofFIG. 10B , showingphotovoltaic panel 1020 a mounted on spaced elongated members 1010 a-b along withexterior rim 1050. -
FIGS. 11-13 show another embodiment of acartridge 1100 that does not employ a truck. The cross sectional profile of the attachment structures 1130 a-b, which are formed as grooves in the underside ofcartridge 1100, matches that of the rails 1140 a-b, which are generally T-shaped in cross-section.FIGS. 12 and 13 show this embodiment in more detail.Rails 840 a-b are mounted on a support table 1190 or other supporting structures, such thatcartridge 1100 is suspended above the table by therails 840 a-b. As can be seen inFIG. 11 , the rails 1140 a-b are transversely mounted toflange 1152 on the table 1050. The rails 1140 a-b themselves are hollow and can be compressed, which allows sliding of thecartridges 1100 along the rails, and after thecartridges 1100 are slid into place, provide resistance which holds thecartridges 1100 to the rails 1140 a-b.FIG. 12 also shows thatcartridge 1100 is connected to anelectrical harness 1192 on a support tablepost support structure 1150 viaplug 1118, so that collected photovoltaic-generated electricity can be gathered and sent to a power grid. - Although the rails depicted in
FIGS. 6A-9 and 11-13 have a generally T-shaped profile, it should be understood that another cross-sectional rail profile, e.g., circular or I-shaped, could be used. Further, it should be understood that although the mounting system described herein (e.g., 601 shown inFIG. 6B ) is generally used for ground mounted installations (as inFIG. 12 ). - A plurality of cartridges may be stacked together and shipped to an installation site. For this reason, the cartridges, e.g., 100, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1400, 1500, 2200, and 2300 are generally designed to lie flat or fit together vertically and are configured to protect the photovoltaic panels in transit, and the trucks, e.g., 760, 960 are designed to be completely contained flush or preferably entirely within the attachment structures. In addition, as noted above, the photovoltaic panels are preferably recessed in the
cartridges FIG. 14 , a cartridge 1400 can have one or more openings 1402 so that when cartridges are stacked, a threaded securing member (not shown) can be inserted in opening 1402 and topped with bolts to ensure the cartridges remain secure in place during transit. Cartridge 1400 may also have a plurality of protrusions 1404 a, 1404 b to engage corresponding recesses (not shown) in the backside of cartridge 1400 to help hold a stack of cartridges together as an integrated unit. Alternately, or in addition to the protrusions 1404 a, 1404 b, and associated recesses, the cartridge 1400 can be formed with a self-aligning lip 1450 that engages a corresponding recess (not shown) on the backside of cartridge 1400 for the same purpose. -
FIG. 15 shows acartridge 1500 according to another embodiment from a top view. In this embodiment, thecartridge 1500 may be manufactured from aframe 1505,central beam 1524, and a pair ofstruts 1522 a,b. Thecartridge 1500 is then loaded with an array of eightphotovoltaic panels 1510 in a two column-four row array as shown. Thecartridge 1500 is mounted and installed on parallelcartridge mounting rails 1540 a. Thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a may be provided on a ground or roof support structure as is shown and described below. -
FIGS. 16A , B, and D show theframe 1505,central beam 1524, and struts 1522 a,b (only 1522 a is shown inFIG. 16B ) in more detail.FIG. 16A shows a cross-section of theframe 1505 alongline 16A-16A ofFIG. 15 .FIG. 16B shows a cross-section of thestrut 1522 a alongline 16B-16B ofFIG. 15 .FIG. 16D shows a cross section of thecentral beam 1524 alongline 16D-16D ofFIG. 15 . Each of theframe 1505,central beam 1524, and strut 1522 a are formed from a rolled metal, such as galvanized steel. As is shown inFIGS. 16A , B, and D, a reinforced area 1536 a-f of folded over metal is provided along the entire length of theframe 1505,central beam 1524, and strut 1522 a at the top and bottom parts to provide increased stability and torsion resistance. Theframe 1505 andcentral beam 1524 are provided mountingregions 1537 a,b to facilitate installation of photovoltaic panels as described below. Similarly, thestrut 1522 a is provided a mountingchannel 1533. Theframe 1505 andcentral beam 1524 also havefixation holes 1534 to permit installation of a bracket (shown inFIG. 20A-C ) to secure the photovoltaic panels within the mountingregions 1537 a,b as described below. In one embodiment, shown inFIG. 16A , theframe 1505 is formed to create anesting channel 1539 to allow onecartridge 1500 to be stacked upon another cartridge, as shown below inFIG. 21A-C . As is shown inFIGS. 16A , B, and D, theframe 1505 is taller than thecentral beam 1524 and struts 1522 a,b to allow one cartridge to stack upon another cartridge but prevent thecentral beam 1524 and struts 1522 a,b from contacting with and damaging thephotovoltaic panels 1510 of the next lowest cartridge when cartridges are stacked. - As is shown in
FIG. 16B , thestrut 1522 a is formed withopposed arms 1538, to allow the strut to wrap around a T-shapedcartridge mounting rail 1540 a to prevent thecartridge 1500 from lifting off of thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a, while also permitting thecartridge 1500 to slide along therails 1540 a. In another embodiment, shown inFIG. 16C , thestrut 1522 c and opposedarms 1538 a are formed with a generally U-shaped cross section, which permits thestrut 1522 c to be attached to a T-shaped or other shaped cartridge mounting rail in either a downward direction from above the rail or slid onto the rail from the rail end. Once attached to the mounting rail the cartridge utilizing thestrut 1522 c could be slid to a mounting location along the rails - A
wheel assembly 1541 formed of awheel 1542 andaxle 1543 can be provided which allows thecartridge 1500 to slide easily along thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a ofFIG. 15 . It can be appreciated that other means may be used to facilitate the sliding of thecartridge 1500 to slide along thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a, such as ball bearings or low friction surfaces, as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/846,686, and described above and shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 . Thestrut 1522 a also has afastener hole 1552 to allow a fastener to be inserted through thestrut 1522 a and engage thestrut 1522 a with the cartridge mounting rail (shown inFIG. 15 ) to allow thecartridge 1500 to be fixed in place once thecartridge 1500 has reached a desired mounting location. - In another embodiment, shown in
FIGS. 16E-G , the mountingchannels 1533 a,b are provided on thecentral beam 1524 a andframe 1505 a. The mountingregions 1537 c are provided on thestrut 1522 d. Similar toFIG. 16C , thestrut 1522 d has a generally U-shaped cross-section, allowing it to be attached to a cartridge mounting rail from above the rail or to be attached by sliding the cartridge onto the rail from the rail end. -
FIGS. 17A-D show the installation of aphotovoltaic panel 1510 into acartridge strut 1522 a andframe element 1505 from the side perspective. In the embodiment shown, thephotovoltaic panel 1510 is installed with the top surface of thecartridge 1500 facing down. In another embodiment, the photovoltaic panel may be installed from below with thecartridge 1500 facing up. The mountingregions 1537 a offrame 1505 and mountingchannel 1533 ofstrut 1522 a are configured to hold aphotovoltaic panel 1510. Thephotovoltaic panel 1510 may be provided with moldedcushion pads 1511 to protect thephotovoltaic panel 1510 edges from being damaged when installed into thecartridge 1500. Thephotovoltaic panel 1510 is inserted into the C-shapedmounting channel 1533 at an angle θ, which may be in a range of 30° to 60°. In order to facilitate the installation of thephotovoltaic panel 1510 into the mountingchannel 1533 and allow thepanel 1510 to tilt to the proper angle, thearms 1538 of thestrut 1522 a may be provided anangled portion 1535 at the mountingchannel 1533. - Next, as shown in
FIG. 17B , once one edge of thephotovoltaic panel 1510 is inserted into the C-shapedmounting channel 1533 and the photovoltaic panel is lowered into position so that the opposite edge is seated into acorresponding mounting region 1537 a on theframe 1505, abracket 1546 is provided to fasten the photovoltaic panel in place as is shown inFIGS. 17B-C . Afastener 1545 is provided to be inserted through afastener hole 1547 in thebracket 1546, and into thefixation hole 1534 of theframe 1505. In one embodiment, thefixation hole 1534 and/or thefastener hole 1547 are threaded to engage a threaded fastener. In another embodiment, thefixation hole 1534 and/or thefastener hole 1547 are smooth and the fastener is a bolt and nut.FIG. 17C shows thebracket 1546 being fastened to theframe element 1505 to secure thephotovoltaic panel 1510 in place. Thebracket 1546 may be fastened to the frame element by use of rivets, welds, or other similar fastener means or attachment structures. A second and thirdphotovoltaic panel 1510 may also be similarly installed between thecentral beam 1524 and thestruts 1522 a,b and shown inFIGS. 15 and 17D .Brackets 1546 a,b fasten thephotovoltaic panels 1510 to thecentral beam 1524. Afastener 1545 is passed through the twobrackets 1546 a,b and thecentral beam 1524 to secure thephotovoltaic panels 1510 in place. - As shown in
FIG. 17E in another embodiment, theframe 1505 a,central beam 1524 a, and strut 1522 c ofFIGS. 16D-F may be used in place of theframe 1505,central beam 1524, and strut 1522 a, shown inFIGS. 17A-D , to create acartridge 1500 a having a U-shaped channel on thestruts 1522 d. In this embodiment, the installation of the photovoltaic panels would proceed similarly to that shown inFIGS. 17A-C . One side of thephotovoltaic panels 1510 is inserted at an angle into a mountingchannel 1533 a,b of either thecentral beam 1524 a orframe 1505 a. The opposing side of thephotovoltaic panel 1510 is then lowered onto the mountingregions 1537 c of thestrut 1522 d. Finally,brackets 1534 are affixed to thestrut 1522 d to secure thephotovoltaic panels 1510 in place. -
FIG. 18 shows a fully-loadedcartridge 1500 from below. Thecartridge 1500 has eight mountedphotovoltaic panels 1510, installed as described above. Sixwheels assemblies 1541 are provided and spaced at locations alongstruts 1522 a,b, however, more orfewer wheel assemblies 1541 may be utilized as desired and required to support thecartridge 1500. - In one embodiment, shown in
FIGS. 19A-F , theframe 1505 may be formed from one continuous piece. As is shown from the top inFIG. 19A and side inFIG. 19B , a frame blank 1504 is provided and pre-notched at thelocations 1507 where thecartridge 1500 will be mounted on thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a. The frame blank 1504 has four sections A, B, C, and D, each correspond to one side of the completedframe 1505. In one embodiment, the four sections (A, B, C, and D) are of equal length. In another embodiment, a given section (e.g. A) is equal in length with its opposing sections (i.e. C), but is of a different length from adjacent sections (i.e. B and D). The frame blank 1504 is then bent as shown inFIG. 19C-E atlocations 1506 between the sections A, B, C, and D to form the completedframe 1505. The frame blank 1504 is notched atlocations 1508 in the reinforcedareas 1536 a,b at thelocations 1506 to allow the frame blank 1504 to be bent into the configuration shown inFIGS. 19E and 19F . Once the bends have been made, the notched reinforcedareas 1536 a,b may be welded together or otherwise fastened together to increase the strength of theframe 1505. The ends of the completedframe 1505 are joined together by fasteners, welding, or other fastening techniques. - Once the
frame 1505 is assembled, as shown inFIGS. 19E and 19F , thecentral beam 1524 and thestruts 1522 a,b are fastened in place as shown inFIG. 20 . Thestruts 1522 a,b are attached to align with the notches in theframe 1505, with thecentral beam 1524 centered between thestruts 1522 a,b. Thestruts 1522 a,b andcentral beam 1524 are provided withflanges struts 1522 a,b andcentral beam 1524 are fastened to theframe 1505. Thestruts 1522 a,b andcentral beam 1524 may be fastened to frame 1505 usingflanges -
FIG. 21A shows astack 1508 of completedcartridges 1500, whichFIG. 21B shows in more detail. As is shown inFIG. 21B , a cross-section of 21A with one side of theframe 1505 removed, theframes 1505 are configured to nest with one another. As was discussed above with respect toFIG. 16A , the lower reinforcedarea 1536 b of acartridge 1500 rests upon thenesting channel 1539 of thecartridge 1500 below it. Because this reinforcedarea 1536 b andnesting channel 1539 follow the perimeter of thecartridge 1500, thecartridges 1500 nest into one another to prevent thecartridges 1500 from sliding and becoming damaged. This allowsmultiple cartridges 1500 to be transported together more easily and compactly as shown in FIG. 21C, while protecting the edges of thephotovoltaic panels 1510 and eliminating the necessity of using dunnage and pallets in transporting the cartridge stacks 1508. - Once the cartridges of the various embodiments discussed above (e.g. 100, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1400, 1500, 2200, and 2300) have been transported to the installation site and are prepared for installation on the corresponding support structure, the
cartridges cartridges - As discussed above, the
cartridges cartridges cartridge 100 onto therails 640 a,b or aligning attachment structures (e.g. 130 a,b, 1130 a,b, 1522 a,b,c,d) on the cartridges to the rails) and advancing them by having an operator slide them on therails 640 a,b into a desired position. This placing and sliding can be done at the head end of a row or at spaced positions along a row. Head-end installation reduces equipment and labor movement. Both therails 640 a,b and thecartridges - The cartridges (e.g. 2200, 2200 b) may be deployed manually as shown in
FIGS. 22A-D .FIG. 22A shows afirst cartridge 2200 being lowered ontosupport structure 2240 via alifting device 2210.Lifting device 2210, which is attached to anoverhead cable 2211, can comprise (as shown) anadjustable frame 2212 that holds a cartridge (e.g., 2200) by its edges. Each side of theframe 2212 can be opened or closed by engaging acorresponding latch FIG. 22B showscartridge 2200 securely placed on thesupport structure 2240, after which it can be slid down the structure, as shown inFIG. 24C .FIG. 22D shows the placement and subsequent positioning of asecond cartridge 2200 b after thefirst cartridge 2200. -
FIG. 23 shows another embodiment of acartridge 2300 for holding a singlephotovoltaic panel 121 and having a pair of attachment structures 130 a-b. Similar to the cartridge ofFIG. 1 which holds multiple panels,cartridge 2300 can be optionally connected toother cartridges 2300 using a male electrical connector 216 (not shown) and femaleelectrical connector 218 on an outer part of a frame of thecartridge 2300. It should be understood that the various methods and structures described herein for mounting photovoltaic panels on a multi-panel cartridge, e.g., 100, are applicable to single panel cartridges, e.g., 2300, as well. For instance, similar tocartridge 100,cartridge 2300 can have a recessed area (110 inFIG. 1 ) and an engagement mechanism for holdingphotovoltaic panel 121 within the recessed area, and an electrical connector (206 inFIG. 2 ) located within the recessed area for electrically connecting thephotovoltaic panel 121 toconnectors - Similar to
FIG. 6A , as shown inFIG. 24A , a first single-panel cartridge 2300 can be placed on the parallel spaced rails 2440 a-b ofsupport structure 2400 and slid down the rails far enough to place another cartridge on the rails 2440 a-b in place behind it, so it too can be slid down the rails 2440 a-b. It should be understood thatcartridge 2300 could be placed on the rails 2440 a-b by simple lifting, or a winch could be used. Alternatively,cartridge 2300 could be lined up over the rails 2440 a-b and lowered on top of them. It should also be appreciated that the same methods of mounting the cartridges described in other embodiments, e.g., forcartridge 100, can be used. Further, since it may be difficult to manually push successive cartridges, e.g., 100, 2300 over long distances, cartridges could be lowered onto a rail e.g., 640 a-b, 2440 a-b at set locations spaced along the rail and then slid into position. Alternatively, a robotic system as described in application Ser. No. 12/846,644 can be used to place thecartridge 2300 on rails 2440 a-b and slide them down the rails. -
FIG. 24B shows asecond cartridge 2300 b being placed on parallel spaced rails 2440 a-b of thesupport structure 2400 behind thefirst cartridge 2300. Thecartridges cartridges connectors Cartridges FIG. 23 ), such as complementary locking or latching structures, or Velcro™, or any other fastening mechanism, mounted on the outside of thecartridges cartridges subsequent cartridges 2300 are placed on the rails, the installer can advance the already mountedcartridges 2300 incrementally further down an array row. The installation process continues until a desired number of cartridges have been placed on the rail and slid into position. - It should be noted that the
support structure 2300 is shown as being designed to run along a horizontal surface of a roof, as opposed to perpendicular to it (i.e. in a vertical direction). Although the support structures (e.g., 2400) described herein could be adapted to vertical mounting, horizontal mounting is preferred because it permits cartridges to be slid into a desired position without requiring a locking mechanism to prevent the cartridges from falling back down the structure. It should also be understood that various combinations of trucks or no trucks, and different types of rails can be used with any of the cartridges (e.g., 100, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1400, 1500, 2200, and 2300) described herein. - Since, as noted above, manual installation of cartridges can become difficult as the row length increases, a more automated cartridge mounting and delivery system may be used. One such delivery system is described in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 12/846,644, which is incorporated by reference herein.
-
FIG. 25 shows such arobotic installation system 400 for deployment of cartridges. For simplification, onlycartridges 100 are shown inFIG. 25 , but it should be understood that the illustratedinstallation system 400 may be used with any ofcartridges robot arm 410, to which the frame 460 of avacuum system 430 is attached, moves to align the frame 460 over a first exemplaryFIG. 1 cartridge 100, situated as thetop cartridge 100 in amagazine 500 comprising a plurality ofcartridges 100 stacked together. Once aligned, the vacuum is activated and suction cups 470 are engaged with thephotovoltaic panels 120 a-h of thecartridge 100. Therobot arm 410 the lifts thecartridge 100 off themagazine 500 and moves thecartridge 100 over to the rail system 340 a-b. - As seen in
FIGS. 26A-E , once firstexemplary cartridge 100 is placed on the rails 340 a-b at location 2650 (shown here as an end of the row location), apush actuator 480 pushes afirst cartridge 100 down the rails 340 a-b. As best seen inFIG. 26A , thepush actuator 480 has aflat surface 485 to engage the edge of thecartridge 100. Atelescoping arm 490 extends to press thecartridge 100 down the rails 340 a-b (FIGS. 26B-D ). As seen inFIG. 26E , once thefirst cartridge 100 is in place, a second cartridge 100 b can be lowered onto the rails 340 a-b and pushed by thepush actuator 480 along the rails 340 a-b. The first andsecond cartridges 100, 100 b can also be pushed together along the rails 340 a-b. In this manner,multiple cartridges 100 can be pushed simultaneously, in order to install a plurality ofcartridges 100 onto the rail system 340 a-b from an end of therow location 2650. - In another embodiment, shown in
FIGS. 27A and 27B , thecartridge 1500 ofFIG. 15 may be mounted onto the T-shapedcartridge mounting rails 1540 a from the end of thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a as shown, similar to as described above with respect toFIGS. 24A and 24B . Once thecartridge 1500 is slid onto the end of thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a, apush actuator 480 pushes thecartridge 1500 along the rails as shown inFIG. 24B . - In another embodiment, the cartridge rails may be configured without the T-shape at an installation location along the
cartridge mounting rails 1540 b as is shown inFIG. 27C . At this location along the rails, thecartridge 1500 may be lowered onto the rails as described above. Then, thepush actuator 480 would slide thecartridge 1500 onto the T-shaped rails, and, from then, moved to its mounting location along thecartridge mounting rails 1540 b. In another embodiment, shown inFIG. 27D , thecartridge 1500 a, shown inFIG. 17E , could be installed onto thecartridge mounting rails 1540 c either vertically or horizontally as discussed above. Similar to the embodiments described above, apush actuator 480 may then move thecartridge 1500 a. -
FIG. 28A shows a side view of thecartridge 1500 ofFIG. 15 mounted to thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a. As can be seen, thearms 1538 of thestruts 1522 a,b wrap underneath T-shapedcartridge mounting rails 1540 a, while thewheel assembly 1541 allows thecartridge 1500 to roll along thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a. When thecartridge 1500 reaches its mounting location,fasteners 1552, such as pins or bolts, may be inserted through mountingholes 1553 in thestruts 1522 a,b and into thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a to secure thecartridge 1500 at its mounting location along thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a. - As shown in a second embodiment in
FIG. 28B , acartridge 1500 b that utilizesstruts 1522 c,d of the kind shown inFIG. 16C may be installed onto the T-shapedcartridge mounting rails 1540 a in a vertical direction, similar to as shown inFIGS. 22A-D . Thecartridge 1500 b may then roll alongcartridge mounting rails 1540 a to its mounting location. This configuration ofcartridge 1500 a has the advantage of being able to be lowered onto thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a without having to be inserted onto the rails from the end. Similarly to the embodiment shown inFIG. 27A , once thecartridge 1500 a reaches its mounting location,fasteners 1552, such as pins or bolts, are inserted through mountingholes 1553 in thestruts 1522 c and into thecartridge mounting rails 1540 a. - In a third embodiment, shown in
FIG. 28C , acartridge 1500 a is configured to be installed on rectangular cross-sectioncartridge mounting rails 1540 c. Thiscartridge 1500 a may be installed either from the end, as described and shown with respect tocartridge 1500, or vertically as described and shown with respect tocartridge 1500 b ofFIG. 28B . Thecartridge 1500 a is then rolled to its mounting location, at whichpoint fasteners 1552, such as pins or bolts are inserted through mountingholes 1553 in thestruts 1522 d and into thecartridge mounting rails 1540 c. - Deployment of cartridges at spaced positions along a row or at the end of each row reduces equipment and labor movement. Both rails and cartridges are designed so the cartridges can quickly be placed onto the rails and slid along the rows and moved into a final position. In this manner, each cartridge mounts one or more photovoltaic panels (e.g., one, four or eight, as shown in the Figs.) at once to a set of rails, thereby simplifying installation time and cost. A field installation 2000 is shown in
FIGS. 29A and 29B . In such an installation, a plurality of rows of rails (e.g., 640 a-b, 2340 a-b) are set up, onto which cartridges (e.g., 100, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1400, 1500, 2200, and 2300) can be installed in sequence, a row at a time, from spaced positions along each row. Optionally, arobotic installation system 400 can be used. - It should also be noted that the cartridges (e.g., 100, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1400, 1500, 2200, and 2300) can be prewired to facilitate photovoltaic panel interconnection and the cartridges themselves can plug into one another to further reduce installation labor. It should also be noted that any other system components, such as wire harnesses, DC/DC converters, and the like could also be slid in from the ends of the rows, to further increase installation efficiency.
- While embodiments have been described in detail, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather the embodiments can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described. Although certain features have been described with some embodiments of the cartridge, such features can be employed in other disclosed embodiments of the cartridge as well. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the foregoing embodiments, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (57)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US13/426,274 US20120233940A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2012-03-21 | Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction |
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US12/846,621 US20110138599A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2010-07-29 | Mounting system supporting slidable installation of a plurality of solar panels as a unit |
US12/846,686 US20120025042A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2010-07-29 | Apparatus facilitating mounting of solar panels to a rail assembly |
US12/846,644 US20120027550A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2010-07-29 | Automated installation system for and method of deployment of photovoltaic solar panels |
US12/957,808 US20120023726A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2010-12-01 | Method and apparatus providing simplified installation of a plurality of solar panels |
US13/426,274 US20120233940A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2012-03-21 | Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction |
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US12/957,808 Continuation-In-Part US20120023726A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2010-12-01 | Method and apparatus providing simplified installation of a plurality of solar panels |
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US20120233940A1 true US20120233940A1 (en) | 2012-09-20 |
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US13/426,274 Abandoned US20120233940A1 (en) | 2010-07-29 | 2012-03-21 | Mechanical photovoltaic module cartridge and method of construction |
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US (1) | US20120233940A1 (en) |
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