The invention disclosed herein relates generally to photovoltaic energy production and more specifically to a roof integrated photovoltaic systems having thin low profile solar tiles that mimic a traditional roofing tile.
Roof integrated photovoltaic (RIPV) systems are continually becoming more available and more affordable. These systems have evolved in recent years such that many of them no longer present a bulky industrial and unsightly appearance on a roof. The solar tiles or, more appropriately solar tiles, of these systems have become increasingly thinner. In fact, some solar tiles are less than half an inch thick and resemble traditional slate or asphalt shingles when installed in courses on a roof. This is good for consumers because modern RIPV systems can actually be architecturally pleasing and desirable while also producing sustainable electrical energy from sunlight.
As demand for thinner and lower profile solar tiles has grown, a problem has arisen with the electrical connector systems on solar tiles and solar tiles that are used to interconnect the solar tiles of a RIPV array together electrically. More specifically, these connectors traditionally are on the terminal ends of wires that extend from junction boxes mounted to the backs of solar tiles. This limits the thinness of a solar tile assembly to the thickness of the tile itself plus the thickness of its junction box and/or connectors. A need exists for an RIPV system wherein the thinness of individual solar tiles is not limited by the electronic junction boxes or connectors of the tile. It is to the provision of such a RIPV system that the present invention is primarily directed.
Briefly described, an RIPV system is made up of individual solar tiles that are installable in courses on a roof to produce electrical energy when exposed to sunlight. In a preferred embodiment, the tiles resemble traditional slate shingles in size and appearance. The tiles may be mounted to a roof using a batten and hanger system such as the TruSlate® system available from GAF of Parsippany, N.J., or some other mounting system appropriate for securing the solar tiles to a roof. When so mounted, the forward edge of each solar tile in a course overlaps slightly the back edge of a tile or tiles in a next lower course. Rainwater is shed from course to course and eventually directed off the roof at its eves.
Each solar tile of the system is provided with an edge connector or edge junction with which it is electrically connected to adjacent tiles using cables. The edge junction serves the function of a junction box on the back of a traditional solar panel in that electrical energy produced by the solar cells of the tile is directed to the edge junction. Sockets on opposed ends of the edge junction receive plugs of cables that interconnect the tiles electrically together. The edge junction is thin and projects reawardly from the back edge of its tile so that it is substantially coextensive with the solar tile itself or at least contains the plane of the solar tile.
It will be recognized that the thinness of each solar tile is not limited by the thickness of its electrical edge junction because the electrical junction is mounted on an edge of the solar tile rather than on its back surface. In one embodiment, the edge junction is slightly thicker than the solar tile itself such that tiles of one course may rest on the connectors of tiles in a next lower course. As a consequence, the front edges of tiles in the upper course are held slightly above the top surfaces of tiles in the lower course. This provides ventilation beneath the solar tiles of the system to help maximize the efficiency of the tiles. It also creates a space adjacent the top edge of each tile to accommodate cables and their plugs.
Thus, an RIPV system is presented in which the individual solar tiles can be thin and may resemble traditional roofing tiles. The tiles are simple to interconnect with cables during installation, are easy to remove if necessary for replacement or maintenance, provide for ventilation beneath the installed tiles, and define an accommodating space for cables and their plugs. These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the RIPV system will be understood better upon review of the detailed description set forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows.
Reference will now be made in more detail to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The invention is described and depicted herein within the context of solar tiles for installation using the TruSlate® metal batten and hanger system available from GAF. This system is described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,033,072; 7,454,873; and 7,448,117 and these patents are hereby incorporated by reference. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to being installed using this particular hanger system or any hanger system at all. In fact, any system for installing solar tiles on a roof deck may be used such as, for instance, rack systems, frame systems, headlap fasteners, or any other system. The TruSlate® batten and hanger system is used herein for convenience and as an example to add clarity and context to the discussion.
Each solar tile 19 is provided with an edge junction 21 extending reawardly from the top edge of the tile. The edge junctions 21 contain wires that connect electrically to and receive electrical energy from the solar cells 19 of the tile. The edge junctions are co-extensive with the solar tiles or at least contain the plane of the solar tile. In one embodiment, the edge junctions 21 are a bit thicker than the solar tiles themselves, which provides for benefits described below. Each edge junction has opposite ends 26 and 27 (
The edge junctions 21, plugs 23, and cables 22 are located and contained within the accommodating space 29 defined between the tiles 18 and the upper batten 14. The cables 22 extend beneath the hangers 16 that hold down the top edges of the solar tiles. Cables 22 between side-by-side solar tiles have some slack as shown in the drawing. The cable 22 at the right end of a course of solar tiles extends upwardly through a gap in the upper batten to connect electrically to a next higher course of solar tiles. The slack in cables 22 connecting side-by-side solar tiles allow for easy removal and replacement of a solar tile in the event of a defective tile, as detailed below.
The textures formed in the top surface can be etched, embossed, formed during manufacture, printed or otherwise applied and can mimic virtually any traditional roofing or shingle product. The solar tiles can even be curved or otherwise shaped to mimic, for instance, barrel style shingles. In fact, completely unique roofing motifs may be created such as width the satin shingle of
It is possible for a solar tile within an installed solar array to become defective or otherwise need repair or replacement in the future. Unlike many prior art roof integrated solar systems, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention makes this process very simple and easy to accomplish as shown in
As the solar tile slides from beneath the tiles in the next higher course, its edge junction 21 and cables 22 are exposed to the worker. The worker can then disconnect the plugs 23 from the opposed ends of the edge junction and remove the defective tile. To replace the removed tile, the process is reversed. The plugs 23 of cables 22 are reconnected to the sockets on the opposed ends of the edge junction of the replacement tile. The replacement tile is then simply slid upwardly beneath the solar tiles of the next higher course until it becomes captured beneath the hangers beneath that course. The bottom edge of the replacement tile is then snapped into the crooked ends of its hangers and the replacement task is complete.
The invention has been described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and configurations considered by the inventors to represent preferred modes of carrying out the invention. It will be understood by the skilled artisan, however, that the inventive concepts so embodied are not limited to the specific examples described above. For example, the solar tiles have been described as being substantially square to resemble a traditional slate-style shingle. The invention can be embodied in other solar tile sizes and designs to mimic, for instance, asphalt shingles or even to present a new and non-traditional aesthetic on the roof of a home.
The RIPV system has been illustrated as being installed using a batten and hanger system. However, any installation technique may be used within the scope of the inventive concept. These and other modifications and additions, both subtle and gross, may well be made to the illustrated and exemplary embodiments herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Priority is hereby claimed to the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application 62/574,560 filed on Oct. 19, 2017 and entitled Solar tile System.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4040867 | Forestieri et al. | Aug 1977 | A |
7625238 | Duesterhoeft | Dec 2009 | B2 |
7713089 | Faust et al. | May 2010 | B2 |
7918694 | Stahl et al. | Apr 2011 | B1 |
8003882 | Pisklak et al. | Aug 2011 | B2 |
8168880 | Jacobs et al. | May 2012 | B2 |
8215070 | Railkar | Jul 2012 | B2 |
8291654 | Botkin et al. | Oct 2012 | B2 |
8309840 | Stevens et al. | Nov 2012 | B2 |
8507784 | White | Aug 2013 | B2 |
8586856 | Kalkanoglu et al. | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8656657 | Livsey | Feb 2014 | B2 |
8695289 | Koch et al. | Apr 2014 | B2 |
8695291 | Pisklak et al. | Apr 2014 | B2 |
8697981 | Adriani et al. | Apr 2014 | B2 |
8853520 | Ueda | Oct 2014 | B2 |
8904717 | Lenox | Dec 2014 | B2 |
8938920 | Cleereman et al. | Jan 2015 | B2 |
9032672 | Livsey et al. | May 2015 | B2 |
9147786 | Keenihan et al. | Sep 2015 | B2 |
9169646 | Rodrigues | Oct 2015 | B2 |
9171982 | Meyers | Oct 2015 | B2 |
9184309 | Baurnbach | Nov 2015 | B2 |
9196756 | Cleereman et al. | Nov 2015 | B2 |
9202955 | Livsey et al. | Dec 2015 | B2 |
9331224 | Koch et al. | May 2016 | B2 |
9391223 | Langmaid et al. | Jul 2016 | B2 |
9537033 | Langmaid et al. | Jan 2017 | B2 |
9634606 | Balyon | Apr 2017 | B2 |
20060243318 | Feldmeier et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
20110017279 | Baumbach | Jan 2011 | A1 |
20120085040 | Ketwitz | Apr 2012 | A1 |
20140024302 | Aandewiel et al. | Jan 2014 | A1 |
20150162870 | Beck | Jun 2015 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2846540 | Sep 2015 | CA |
104428906 | Mar 2015 | CN |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20190123680 A1 | Apr 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62574560 | Oct 2017 | US |