BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a device for supporting a solar energy collection panel;
FIG. 2 shows a support device being applied to a roof;
FIG. 3 shows a plurality of support devices applied to a roof;
FIG. 4 shows a front view of a mounting plate;
FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a mounting plate;
FIG. 6 shows examples of solar arrays that can be attached to a mounting plate;
FIG. 7 shows the relationship between a support device and a mounting plate;
FIG. 8 shows the system installed on a roof;
FIG. 9 shows an alternative example of apparatus embodying the present invention; and
FIG. 10 shows a variation on the apparatus shown in FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A device 101 for supporting a solar energy collecting panel is illustrated in FIG. 1. The device 101 is substantially wedge-shaped with a base 102 for contacting a roof surface and an inclined front face 103 for supporting the solar energy collection panel or similar device.
The base 102 is covered with a high friction rubber mat 104 or similar material to resist slippage and to dampen vibration.
Preferably, additional attachment devices are provided to enhance the stability of the mounting but in a preferred embodiment the support is held in place predominantly by gravity and friction.
In a preferred embodiment, the support is moulded in a plastic material and as such is relatively light, allowing the support to be positioned on a roof manually and preferably without the use of heavy lifting equipment. The device is configured such that the total weight may be adjusted. Consequently, the device may be placed in position on a roof and then ballast may be added in order to increase the weight. In this way, an appropriate weight is provided by the device but at the same time, without the ballast being added, the device is relatively light thereby facilitating its manual application.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a ballast cavity 105 is provided towards the bottom of the device configured to receive ballast after the device has been located in position. Ballast, which may take the form of a liquid (such as water) or as particulate matter (such as sand) is applied to the ballast cavity 105 via a filler hole 106. The amount of ballast supplied to the ballast cavity 105 may be adjusted such that in combination, the wedge-shaped device with its ballast provides an optimised degree of loading to the roof surface. An optimised degree of loading is sufficient to withstand wind uplift while at the same time minimising any excessive loading applied to the roof. After filling the ballast cavity, the filler hole 106 is secured by a filler cap 107.
Above the ballast cavity 105 there is provided a passageway 108 that extends through the body of the support device 101 from the front face 103 to the rear face 109. The passageway 108 is provided so as to house electrical devices, illustrated generally in FIG. 1 as 110. These electrical devices 110 may take the form of electrical interconnection apparatus or may take the form of more sophisticated electronic apparatus, such as inverters for inverting the generated direct current to an alternating current for transmission purposes.
FIG. 2 shows the support device 101 with a similar support device 201 applied to a roof 203 of a commercial building. Typical of commercial buildings, the roof is relatively large and is either flat or, as in this example, has a modest incline. In this example, ballast is being applied to the ballast cavity 105 via an applicator 204. The applicator 204 allows appropriate quantities of ballast to be measured, based on calculations as to the degree of loading required by the support device so as to ensure that the support device remains stable while at the same time the weight of the support device does not apply excessive loading to the roof.
In order to achieve optimal solar collection, it is preferable for the width of the device to be aligned in a substantially north-south direction. To facilitate this alignment, each device may be provided with a compass 205, thereby allowing an installer to accurately align each device without a requirement for additional equipment.
FIG. 3 shows how a plurality of the support devices may be applied to a roof so as to optimise the collection of solar energy from said roof.
In a preferred embodiment, a row of supports 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 receive panels which are subsequently connected together, thereby creating a contiguous run of panels. Similarly, panels are connected together after being applied to supports 311, 312 and 313.
In a preferred embodiment, support devices are aligned in a column, such as devices 311 and 303, are connected by a conduit 315. This conduit enhances structural stability and also allows electrical connections to be made between adjacent rows, to facilitate the collection of electrical energy at a single output. Furthermore, it is possible for these conduits to be pre-cut to a preferred length, thereby facilitating the installation of the support devices at optimised spacings, as illustrated in FIG. 3, so as to avoid self-shading.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment facilitates the application of photovoltaic devices to a flat or modestly sloping roof, in which a plurality of substantially wedge-shaped devices are applied to the roof in an appropriate north-south orientation. The total weight of the devices is adjusted so as to apply an appropriate loading to the roof. Thereafter, a mounting plate is secured to the appropriately adjusted devices and solar energy collection devices, preferably photovoltaic devices, are positioned upon the mounting plate.
FIG. 4 illustrates an appropriate mounting plate for application to the devices illustrated in FIG. 3. The mounting plate 401 includes a front face 402 and a support web 403. As shown in FIG. 4, the angle between the front face 402 and the support web 403 reflects that defined by the wedge-shaped supports themselves and is thereby held firmly by the wedge-shaped supports. Depending upon the configuration, mechanical fixing may be required between the wedge-shaped supports and the mounting plate. In this example, wedge-shaped supports 101 are provided at each end of the mounting plate 401. However, if additional loading is required, it would be possible for additional intermediate support devices to be provided.
The support web 403 includes a channel 404 to facilitate the housing of interconnection cables.
FIG. 5 shows the mounting plate 401 from the rear, clearly showing channel 404 for conveying interconnection cables. In addition, the support web is provided with a substantially flat lip 501 which may be used to facilitate additional securing to the roof 203. A similar lip 502 is provided at the end of the front face 402.
FIG. 6 shows how, in a preferred embodiment, solar arrays are attached to the front face of the mounting plate 401, this could be attached onsite or in the factory during manufacture. A choice range of photovoltaic systems could be deployed, such as photovoltaic modules 601, crystalline cell laminates 602 or thin film amorphous laminates 603.
FIG. 7 illustrates the interconnecting relationship between the mounting plate 401 and the support devices 101. Preferably, the support devices 101 are wide enough to support adjacent edges of two mounting plates 401, thereby enabling long rows of photovoltaic arrays to be set up in order to optimise the collection of solar energy from the available roof space. As previously stated, intermediate support devices may be provided as required.
After aligning the support devices as illustrated in FIG. 3, some of the devices may be required to receive an electrical connection device 110 and, preferably, these are inserted where required before the application of the mounting plates 401. However, in a preferred embodiment, the electronic equipment should remain accessible after the mounting plate has been fitted so as facilitate further access and maintenance. Mounting plates 401 are then applied so as to be supported by at least two supporting devices and secured further (where appropriate) using lips 501, 502.
The modular installation of the support devices with mounting plates attached thereto allows an entire system, as illustrated in FIG. 8, to be established without the use of heavy lifting equipment. It is envisaged that in a preferred embodiment, the whole system could be configured by two installers, preferably followed by an electrician, to complete the electrical installation. The mechanical mounting plates are configured as illustrated in FIG. 8, with appropriate photovoltaic systems provided pre-fitted or deployed on-site as appropriate in a fashion substantially similar to that illustrated in FIG. 6. Upon completion of the mechanical installation, an electrician would interconnect the energy generating devices and deploy additional electronic equipment as required. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the transmission cable 801 is received from the array of devices and returned to the interior of the building, via an appropriate interconnection box 802 so as to allow the generated electricity to be used within the building. In a preferred embodiment, the electricity generated from the array is supplied as a dual supply together with mains power received from a grid system. Alternatively, the generated electricity may be supplied directly to a grid system.
FIG. 9 shows an alternative apparatus 901 for supporting a solar energy collection device which is also substantially wedge-shaped, with a base 902 for contacting a roof surface and an inclined front face 903 for supporting solar energy collection devices. Each wedge-shaped component 901 is produced from a solid plastic or rubber material (possibly recycled rubber) with an upper connecting rail 904 and a lower connecting rail 905 attaching the wedge-shaped devices 901 together, thereby defining the whole assembly.
FIG. 10 shows how individual wedge-shaped units 901 may be deployed along rail 904. During assembly, an appropriate number of wedge-shaped units 901 are deployed on a roof. More units would be deployed if a greater loading is required. Thereafter, having positioned the wedge-shaped units, rails 904 and 905 are located and firmly attached to the units. Thus, when heavy loading is required a configuration may take the form as shown in FIG. 9 or, with a lighter loading, the configuration may take the form as shown in FIG. 10. It is therefore possible to adjust the total weight of the wedge-shaped devices so as to apply an appropriate loading to the roof.
Patent Application
20080029144
