Patent Application
20140360951
The invention relates to a holder for a solar module according to the preamble of claim 1.
Such a holder is known from WO 2011/054943 A1. The known holder is adapted to the frame geometry of the solar module that is used in each case. On account of the multiplicity of different frame geometries, a multiplicity of holders corresponding thereto have to be produced and kept available. This is complicated, inconvenient and expensive.
it is the object of the invention to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, a holder which is suitable for receiving a multiplicity of different frame geometries of solar modules is intended to be specified. According to a further aim of the invention, the holder should be producible as easily and cost-effectively as possible. Furthermore, it should be possible to mount the solar module as quickly and easily as possible on the holder.
This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 12. Expedient configurations of the invention can be gathered from the features of claims 2 to 11, 13 and 14.
The invention proposes that each receiving element is assigned at least one support surface, attached to the base plate, for supporting the side wall, the spacing of said support surface from the receiving element being variable. The provision proposed according to the invention of a support surface for supporting the side wall, the spacing of said support surface from the receiving element being variable, allows the holder to be used to receive different frame geometries of solar modules. Consequently, only one holder has to be produced and kept available for a multiplicity of differently configured frame geometries. The proposed holder is universal.
Expediently, the receiving element has a slot for introducing the leg. The slot is bounded by two faces. One face of the slot is expediently inclined at an angle of 10° to 40°, preferably 15° to 25°, to the base plate. The inclination of the one face of the slot corresponds substantially to the desired inclination of the solar module to be erected using the holder according to the invention. The other face of the slot expediently does not extend parallel to the one face. It can extend approximately parallel to the base plate such that the slot opens in a V-shaped manner. This makes it possible to introduce the leg of the frame into the slot in a manner approximately parallel to the base plate and subsequently to pivot said leg such that it substantially rests against the one face. In this way, at the same time one side wall of the frame is pivoted such that it passes into the region of the support surface and is supported there. In this way, the solar module is thus held securely and reliably in the pivoted state in the holder. The fixing of the solar module by simple insertion and subsequent pivoting can be carried out quickly and easily. In particular no fastening means are required for this purpose.
According to a further particularly advantageous configuration of the invention, at least one pointed protrusion extends from the one face in the direction of the opposing other face. Advantageously, a plurality of pointed protrusions extend in the direction of the opposing other face. The proposed pointed protrusions serve to perforate a coat of paint or anodic coating or some other coating provided optionally on the leg, such that electrical contact is established between the holder and the frame. This allows undesired static charges to be conducted from the frame to ground via the holder.
According to a further advantageous configuration, a support bar that extends from the base plate may be provided between the receiving elements. Expediently, a height of the support bar corresponds to the spacing of the one face adjacent thereto from the base plate. In other words, as a result of the provision of a support bar configured in such a way, the leg is supported not only via the one face of the receiving elements, but additionally also by the support bar extending in between. In this way, improved load transmission from the solar module to the holder is achieved. The proposed holder thus allows the frame to be received in a particularly stable manner.
According to a further configuration of the invention, it is proposed that the variable support surface is formed by a plurality of tongues which are at different spacings from one end of the slot. Expediently, the tongues extend obliquely from the base plate in the direction of an opening plane formed by the slots. The tongues may be bendable back into a tongue recess, corresponding thereto, in the base plate. In this way, it is possible to introduce the frame of the solar module first of all into the slots formed by the receiving elements such that the leg is oriented approximately parallel to the base plate. By pivoting the leg in the direction of the one face of the slot, those tongues that extend under the leg of the frame are then pushed back into the tongue recesses. The longest tongue of those tongues which are not bent back into the base plate forms the support surface for supporting the side wall that is located opposite after the frame has been pivoted.
According to a further configuration of the invention, a fixed stop extends from the base plate in each case opposite the receiving element. If the tongues that act as supporting surfaces unexpectedly break or snap as a result of the exertion of a high load, the fixed stop serves as a further supporting surface. The holder is thus redundant with regard to the fastening of the solar module and thus configured in a particularly safe manner. Even in the event of the support surface in the form for example of tongues failing, as a result of the proposed fixed stop, lifting of the solar module from the holder, for example as a result of wind forces, can be avoided.
Expediently, the holder is produced in one piece from a metal sheet, in particular an aluminum or stainless steel sheet. The holder can be produced in one part in particular by means of laser cutting and edging.
The variable support surface can of course also be configured in some other way. It may for example be a setscrew, an eccentric or elements configured in some other way which can be brought by bending into a different spacing position with respect to the end of the slot.
The invention also proposes a support device for a solar module, wherein at least one holder according to the invention is attached by way of its base plate to a profile rail. The profile rail may be for example a square tube.
Expediently, a support element for supporting the solar module on another side opposite the one side of the frame is provided at a predetermined spacing from the holder. The support element can be attached for example in a pivotable manner to the profile rail or to the frame of the solar module. By using two such support devices located next to one another, it is possible for the solar module to be mounted in the holder, be pivoted and subsequently supported obliquely by means of the support element on the other side of the frame. The support element is expediently configured such that the solar module held in the holding element is settable at an angle of 10° to 40°, preferably 15° to 25°, with regard to the profile rail by way of said support element.
According to a particularly advantageous configuration of the invention, a plurality of holders according to the invention and a plurality of support elements, which are held for example in a pivotable manner, are attached alternately to a profile rail. By using such support devices, it is possible to erect a plurality of solar modules obliquely one behind another. Such support devices are suitable in particular for erecting solar modules on flat roofs.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following text with reference to the drawings, in which:
For the sake of clarity,
The reference signs S1 and S2 denote support devices. Each of the support devices S1, S2 has a profile rail 5 which is formed for example from a square tube. Mounted on a top side O of the profile rail 5 is a holder 6. A support 7 is attached to the profile rail 5 in a pivotable manner at a predetermined spacing from the holder 6. The reference sign 8 denotes elastomer elements which are attached to an underside U of the profile rail 5 and are fastened for example by means of an adhesive.
As is apparent in particular from
The holder 6, which is shown in particular also in
The one face U1 of the further slot 21 forms here approximately an angle of 20° with the base plate 19. Pointed protrusions 23 extend from the one face U1 in the direction of the opposing other face U2. The pointed protrusions 23 are expediently hardened. The hardening can be achieved by the production of the pointed protrusions 23 by means of laser cutting followed by the rapid cooling thereof. Provided between the receiving elements 20 is a support bar 24 that extends from the base plate 19. A height, denoted by way of reference sign H1, of the support bar 24 corresponds to the spacing A1 of the one face U1, adjacent thereto, from the base plate 19.
Tongues 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d extend from the base plate 19 obliquely in the direction of an opening plane formed by the further slots 21 or the legs 3 introduced into said slots 21. The tongues 25a-25d have different lengths and thus different spacings from the one end E of the further slot 21.
L1, L2, L3 and L4 indicate different frame geometries. In other words, the leg 3 can have different depths corresponding to the lines L1, L2, L3, L4. In the case of the depth L1, the side wall 4 extends from the leg 3 in the region of the line L1. In the case of the depth L1, the side wall 4 (not shown here) would thus be supported by the support surface Sf formed by the tongue 25c. In the case of a leg 3 having the depth L2, a side wall 4 extending therefrom would be supported by the support surface Sf formed by the tongue 25b. In the case of a leg 3 having the depth L4, the fixed stop 22 serves as the support surface.
In order to mount the solar module in the holder 6, first of all the leg 3 of the frame R is introduced in a manner oriented approximately parallel to the base plate 19 into the further slot 21 until it rests against the end E thereof. Then, the leg 3 is pivoted such that it comes to rest approximately against the one face U1. In the process, the pointed protrusions 23 penetrate an anodic coating or coat of paint provided on the leg 3. At the same Lime, depending on the depth L1-L4 of the leg 3, the tongues 25a-25d located under the leg 3 are bent back in the direction of the base plate 19. The longest of those tongues 25a-25d which are not located under the leg 3 during the pivoting thereof, remain in their obliquely bent up position and thus form a support surface Sf for supporting the side wall 4 (not shown here) extending from the leg 3.
The holder 6 and the support 7 are advantageously formed from metal sheets produced by means of laser cutting, which are subsequently edged. Both the holder 6 and the support 7 are expediently manufactured in one piece.
As is apparent in particular from
Although not shown in the figures, a plurality of holders 6 and supports 7 can be mounted alternately on a profile rail 5. In other words, a support device S1, S2 can in this case be used to support a plurality of solar modules one behind another, this further improving the efficiency of the device.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 2012 001 369.6 | Feb 2012 | DE | national |
| 20 2012 004 333.1 | May 2012 | DE | national |
| 10 2012 208 480.0 | May 2012 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/051373 | 1/24/2013 | WO | 00 | 8/7/2014 |
