The present invention relates generally to solar panel systems and methods and, more particularly, to a solar panel and system featuring unframed solar panels.
Prior art systems and methods for mounting photovoltaic or other types of solar panels meet are intended to hold the solar panels against wind, hail, rain and snow. In a typical prior art installation, four-sided solar panels are shipped from the manufacturer with a metal frame around the four edges of the solar panel. During the manufacturing process, the unframed solar panels may be mounted into the frames by inserting the solar panel into a channel fabricated into the frame. This insertion process must be done carefully to avoid damage to the edges of the glass and is often done by hand at significant expense.
In the field installation process for a prior art system, a supporting structure may be built consisting of horizontal beams supported by vertical posts. Then, the metal frames of the framed solar panels are attached to the horizontal beams with mounting brackets and mounting hardware, e.g., bolts. (See, e.g.,
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a solar panel system is disclosed. The system comprises, in combination: a liner comprised of a compliant material positionable about two opposing edges of a four edge solar panel; two support beams configured to support the two opposing edges of the four edge solar panel, with the liner interposed between the two support beams and the two opposing edges, and with two remaining edges of the four edge solar panel in an unframed condition; and a support structure for the solar panel system that is adapted to receive thereon the two support beams.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a solar panel system is disclosed. The system comprises, in combination: a four edge solar panel; a liner comprised of a compliant material positionable about two opposing edges of the four edge solar panel; two support beams configured to support the two opposing edges of the four edge solar panel, with the liner interposed between the two support beams and the two opposing edges, and with two remaining edges of the four edge solar panel in an unframed condition; wherein the two support beams each comprise a lower horizontal member, an upper horizontal member, a vertical member interposed between the lower horizontal member and the upper horizontal member, and a separator positioned on an upper surface of the upper horizontal member; a top plate coupled to the separator; and a support structure for the solar panel system that is adapted to receive thereon the two support beams.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a method for assembling a solar panel array is disclosed. The method comprises: providing a four edged solar panel; providing a support structure for the solar panel array; positioning on the support structure two support beams; interposing a liner comprised of a compliant material between two opposing edges of the four edge solar panel and the two support beams; and leaving two edges of the four edge solar panel in an unframed condition.
Referring first to
Referring now to
In one embodiment, assembly of a system 10 commences with installation of vertical supports 12, followed by the coupling thereto of horizontal supports 14 (see
Referring specifically to
Support beams 18 may be mounted to the horizontal supports 14, in an orientation that will expose the separator 26 at a top of the structure. (Mounting may be accomplished utilizing bolts, screws, or other desired mounting means.) In another embodiment, the support beam 18 may be extruded and the separator 26 at the top of the structure may be an integral part of the extruded support beam. Support beams 18 should be spaced sufficiently far apart so that, as described below, a single solar panel 16 may be installed onto a pair of support beams 18, with an underside of the solar panels 16 along an edge thereof being supported, on two sides thereof, by the upper horizontal member 22. Where a plurality of solar panels 16 are to be installed, as illustrated for example in
Referring specifically to
The liner 28 may be a single piece, or may be multiple pieces. For example, it may be desired to provide a single piece having a substantially sideways “L” shape, so as to line the area above the upper horizontal member 22 and along the separator 26. The portion of the liner 28 located above the solar panel 16 may be substantially flat and may be provided as a separate piece. Alternatively, an entire liner 28, as shown in
After the solar panel 16, with liner 28, is positioned on the support beam 18, it may be desired to securely affix the solar panel 16 in position. Referring to
As described herein, only two opposite edges of the solar panels 16 are held by the liner 28. It should be noted that when solar panels 16 are mounted in a static array, they are usually tilted toward the ground in the southern direction to better capture the sunlight. In a tracking array, they are typically tilted toward the east in the morning and the west in the afternoon. If the solar panel system 10 is oriented with the support beams 18 along the direction of the tilt, it can be seen that the bottom and top edges of the solar panels 16 would be unframed. Thus, there will be no structure on these edges to catch water or dirt. As a consequence, the reliability of the solar panels 16 is improved and the shadowing of the bottom edge by dirt is eliminated.
The solar panel system 10 described above can be assembled by a sequence of steps in which the components are added on top of each other. First, in one embodiment, the support beams 10 and 12 are put in place. Then, the next level of support beams 18 with separators 26 may be placed on top of them. Then, the lower part of the liner 28 may be placed on top of the support beams 18. Finally, the solar panels 16 may be placed on top of the line 28, the second part of the liner 28 may be placed on top of the solar panels 16, and then the top plate 30 may be placed on top of the liner 28 to hold the liner 28 and solar panels 16 in place. In this embodiment, none of these steps require inserting solar panels into a channel, require any critical tolerancing or apply any significant pressure to the solar panel during the installation process. Such an assembly is relatively quick, inexpensive and unlikely to cause the solar panels 16 to break.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.