Claims
- 1. A mounting structure for a solar panel, comprising:
a frame, the frame comprising:
a front wall; a bottom wall connected to the front wall; a back wall connected to the bottom wall, the front, bottom, and back walls forming an elongated chamber within the frame; a first panel support connected to the front wall; and a second panel support connected to the back wall.
- 2. The mounting structure of claim 1, wherein:
the back wall is taller than the front wall.
- 3. The mounting structure of claim 2, wherein:
the first panel support extends from a first bend in the front wall and includes a second bend.
- 4. The mounting structure of claim 3, wherein:
the second panel support extends from a first bend in the back wall and includes a second bend.
- 5. The mounting structure of claim 4, wherein:
a portion of the first panel support extending from the first bend in the front wall extends substantially along a nonzero angle alpha with respect to the bottom wall; and a portion of the second panel support extending from the first bend in the back wall also extends substantially along the angle alpha.
- 6. The mounting structure of claim 5, wherein:
the frame is made from sheet metal.
- 7. The mounting structure of claim 2, comprising:
a mat disposed below the frame.
- 8. The mounting structure of claim 2, comprising:
at least one endcap at least partially covering an end of the frame.
- 9. A panel system, comprising:
a plurality of panel units arranged in at least one row of panel units, each panel unit comprising:
a frame comprising:
a front wall; a bottom wall connected to the front wall; a back wall connected to the bottom wall, the front, bottom, and back walls forming an elongated chamber within the frame; a first panel support connected to the front wall; and a second panel support connected to the back wall; and a solar panel supported by the first and second panel supports of the frame, wherein the front walls of the frames in a row are aligned, and the back walls of the frames in a row are aligned.
- 10. The panel system of claim 9, wherein:
the back wall is taller than the front wall.
- 11. The panel system of claim 10, wherein:
the first panel support extends from a first bend in the front wall and includes a second bend.
- 12. The panel system of claim 11, wherein:
the second panel support extends from a first bend in the back wall and includes a second bend.
- 13. The panel system of claim 12, wherein:
a portion of the first panel support extending from the first bend in the front wall extends substantially along a nonzero angle alpha with respect to the bottom wall; and a portion of the second panel support extending from the first bend in the back wall also extends substantially along the angle alpha.
- 14. The panel system of claim 13, wherein:
a panel supported in the first and second panel supports extends along the angle alpha.
- 15. The panel system of claim 13, wherein:
the frame is made from sheet metal.
- 16. The panel system of claim 10, comprising:
a mat disposed below the frame.
- 17. The panel system of claim 10, wherein each row of panel units includes a panel unit at a first end of the row, a panel unit at a second end of the row, and panel units between the end panel units.
- 18. The panel system of claim 17, wherein a continuous open chase extends through the panel units in a row.
- 19. The panel system of claim 18, comprising:
an endcap mounted on each of the end panel units, the endcaps at least partially closing off the continuous open chase.
- 20. The panel system of claim 17, comprising:
a DC to AC conversion unit proximate at least one row in the panel system.
- 21. A method of making a solar panel mounting structure, comprising:
providing a sheet of metal; cutting the sheet of metal to a desired shape; bending the sheet at a first bend to form a front wall; bending the sheet at a second bend to form a back wall, wherein a bottom wall extends between the front wall and the back wall; bending the sheet at third and fourth bends to form a first panel support at the front wall; bending the sheet at fifth and sixth bends to form a second panel support at the back wall.
- 22. The method of claim 21, wherein:
the third bend is at a nonzero angle alpha to the bottom wall; and the fifth bend is substantially at the angle alpha to the bottom wall.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein:
the first and second bends are substantially right angle bends.
- 24. The method of claim 22, wherein:
the bends are performed using a metal brake.
- 25. The method of claim 22, wherein the panel front, back and bottom walls form an elongated chamber with an open top and ends, the method comprising:
providing at least one endcap to at least partially cover one of the ends of the elongated chamber.
- 26. A method of installing a solar panel system, comprising:
providing a plurality of mounting structures, each mounting structure comprising:
a frame comprising:
a front wall; a bottom wall connected to the front wall; a back wall connected to the bottom wall, the front, bottom, and back walls forming an elongated chamber within the frame; a first panel support connected to the front wall; and a second panel support connected to the back wall; providing a plurality of solar panels; placing the mounting structures in a row, wherein the front walls of the frames in a row are aligned, and the back walls of the frames in a row are aligned; mounting the solar panels on the mounting structures, wherein the solar panels at least partially close off a top portion of the elongated chambers of the frames in the row; and electrically connecting two or more of the solar panels in a row.
- 27. The method of claim 26, comprising:
placing ballast in one or more of the mounting structures.
- 28. The method of claim 26, wherein:
the row of panel units includes a mounting structure at a first end of the row, a mounting structure at a second end of the row, and mounting structures between the end mounting structures; and a continuous open chase extends through the mounting structures in a row.
- 29. The method of claim 28, comprising:
mounting an endcap on each of the end mounting structures, the endcaps at least partially closing off the continuous open chase.
- 30. The method of claim 28, comprising:
placing at least one mat beneath the row.
- 31. The method of claim 28, comprising:
placing a DC-AC conversion unit proximate the row; and electrically connecting one or more of the panels to the DC-AC conversion unit.
- 32. The method of claim 26, comprising:
providing a second row of mounting structures, wherein the front walls of the frames in the second row are aligned, and the back walls of the frames in the second row are aligned; mounting the solar panels on the mounting structures in the second row, wherein the solar panels at least partially close off a top portion of the elongated chambers of the frames in the second row; and electrically connecting two or more of the solar panels in the second row.
- 33. The method of claim 26, comprising:
selecting an angle alpha according to an expected direction of incoming sunlight, wherein a portion of the first panel support extending from the first bend in the front wall extends substantially along the angle alpha with respect to the bottom wall, and a portion of the second panel support extending from the first bend in the back wall also extends substantially along the angle alpha.
- 34. The method of claim 26, comprising:
selecting an angle alpha according to an expected direction of incoming sunlight, wherein mounting the solar panels on the mounting structures comprises mounting the solar panels so that they extend substantially along the angle alpha with respect to the bottom walls of the frames.
- 35. The method of claim 26, wherein the second panel support is adjustable to provide a variable angle of inclination.
- 36. The method of claim 26, wherein mounting the solar panels on the mounting structures comprises:
securing the solar panels to the mounting structures by at least one of the following:
advancing one or more screws or bolts through the first and second panel supports and into the solar panels; and securing straps to the mounting structures to that the straps extend over a portion of the solar panels.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to the provisional application assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 60/438,520, filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 8, 2003, and entitled “Solar Panel Mounting Structure, Solar Panel System, and Methods of Making and Installing Thereof.”
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60438520 |
Jan 2003 |
US |