초록 ▼

An interlocking photovoltaic module mounting system that provides a one piece, integrated photovoltaic module frame portion that is directly mountable to a support structure and interlocks with separate adjoining photovoltaic module frame portions. The apparatus includes a frame member for enclosing

An interlocking photovoltaic module mounting system that provides a one piece, integrated photovoltaic module frame portion that is directly mountable to a support structure and interlocks with separate adjoining photovoltaic module frame portions. The apparatus includes a frame member for enclosing the perimeter of a photovoltaic module, having an inside surface and outside surface, with the inside surface including a recess for capture of the panel. The frame member outside surface includes at least one interlocking means for affixation to the complementary outside surface of an adjacent frame-member. The frame member includes a height-adjustable foot portion for supporting the frame member on a roof, so that adjacent frame members may be interlocked to form an array, and the foot portion may be adjusted to level the formed array on the roof.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed as invention is: 1. A photovoltaic module array comprising: a first frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said first frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside sur

What is claimed as invention is: 1. A photovoltaic module array comprising: a first frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said first frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside surface including a recess for capture of said photovoltaic laminate, at least one of said side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into said outside surface; a second frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said second frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside surface including a recess for capture of said photovoltaic laminate, at least one of said side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into said outside surface; and a discrete male coupling portion interlocking said first frame member female receiving portion and said second frame member female receiving portion, wherein said first frame member female receiving portion comprises an inside surface which positively engages an outside surface of said male coupling portion to resist a downward force on said second frame member. 2. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said male coupling portion solely spans between immediately adjacent side wall portions in said photovoltaic module array. 3. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said first and second frame member side wall portions outside surfaces face a direction substantially opposite respective inside surfaces and comprise a length substantially parallel with a skyward facing plane of said photovoltaic laminate, said female receiving portions running substantially the entire length of said side wall portions, and said male coupling portion has a length substantially less than the length of said frame member side wall portions, thereby enabling said male coupling portion to be located at substantially any position along the length of said frame member side wall portions. 4. The photovoltaic module array of claim 3 wherein said first frame member side wall portion outside surface is immediately adjacent to said second frame member side wall portion outside surface, said first frame member side wall portion outside surface being substantially parallel with and substantially nonlinear relative to said second frame member side wall portion outside surface. 5. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said male coupling portion further comprises means for providing electrical ground continuity between said first and second frame members. 6. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said first frame member includes a cap member for affixation between said first frame member and an adjacent frame member. 7. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said male coupling portion comprises a double male connector. 8. The photovoltaic module array of claim 1 wherein said first frame member female receiving portion inside surface comprises at least two opposing surfaces, a first opposing surface resisting downward forces presented to said second frame member and a second opposing surface resisting upward forces presented to said second frame member. 9. A photovoltaic module array comprising: (a) a plurality of photovoltaic modules; and (b) a plurality of coupling members; wherein each photovoltaic module comprises an integral frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside surface including a recess for capture of said photovoltaic laminate, at least one of said side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into said outside surface, each coupling member interlocking a first photovoltaic module and second photovoltaic module and comprising at least two male portions, a first male portion being inserted into the frame member female receiving portion of a first photovoltaic module, and a second male portion being inserted into the frame member female receiving portion of a second photovoltaic module, wherein said first photovoltaic module frame member female receiving portion comprises an inside surface which positively engages an outside surface of said male coupling portion to resist a downward force on said second photovoltaic module frame member. 10. The photovoltaic module array of claim 9 wherein said coupling members solely span between side wall portions of immediately adjacent photovoltaic modules in said photovoltaic module array, each side wall portion comprising inside and outside surfaces facing substantially opposite directions, each outside surface comprising a length running along a perimeter of said photovoltaic laminate, said female receiving portion running substantially the whole length of said side wall portion, adjacent side wall portions of said immediately adjacent photovoltaic modules comprising outside surfaces which are substantially parallel with and substantially nonlinear relative to each other. 11. The photovoltaic module array of claim 9 wherein said photovoltaic modules are individually deployable. 12. The photovoltaic module array of claim 9 wherein said first frame member includes at least one height-adjustable foot portion for supporting said first frame member. 13. The photovoltaic module array of claim 9 wherein said first frame member female receiving portion inside surface comprises at least two opposing surfaces, a first opposing surface resisting downward forces presented to said second frame member and a second opposing surface resisting upward forces presented to said second frame member. 14. The photovoltaic module array of claim 9 wherein said coupling member further comprises means for providing electrical ground continuity between said first and second photovoltaic modules. 15. A method for mounting photovoltaic modules to a roof structure, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, the first frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, the inside surface including a recess for capture of the photovoltaic laminate, and at least one of the side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into the outside surface; providing a second frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, the second frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, the inside surface including a recess for capture of the photovoltaic laminate, and at least one of the side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into the outside surface; and inserting a discrete male coupling portion into the first frame member female receiving portion and the second frame member female receiving portion to interlock the first frame member and the second frame member in an array above the structure, wherein the first frame member female receiving portion comprises an inside surface which positively engages an outside surface of the male coupling portion to resist a downward force on the second frame member. 16. The method for mounting photovoltaic modules to a structure of claim 15 further including the step of leveling the array on the structure with a height-adjustable foot portion. 17. The method for mounting photovoltaic modules to a structure of claim 16 further including the step of securing the foot portion to the structure with a fastener. 18. The method for mounting photovoltaic modules to a structure of claim 16 further including the step of laterally adjusting the foot portion within the frame to align with a structural member. 19. A photovoltaic module array comprising: a first frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said first frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside surface including a recess for capture of said photovoltaic laminate, at least one of said side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into said outside surface, wherein said female receiving portion only opens substantially perpendicularly relative to said side wall portion; a second frame member enclosing a single photovoltaic laminate, said second frame member having a plurality of side wall portions each having a top portion, bottom portion, inside surface, and outside surface, said inside surface including a recess for capture of said photovoltaic laminate, at least one of said side wall portions including at least one interlocking means comprising a female receiving portion integrated into said outside surface, wherein said female receiving portion only opens substantially perpendicularly relative to said side wall portion; and a discrete male coupling portion interlocking said first frame member female receiving portion and said second frame member female receiving portion, wherein said male coupling portion solely spans between immediately adjacent side wall portions in said photovoltaic module array. 20. The photovoltaic module array of claim 19 wherein said first and second frame member side wall portions outside surfaces face a direction substantially opposite respective inside surfaces and comprise a length substantially parallel with a skyward facing plane of said photovoltaic laminate, said female receiving portions running substantially the entire length of said side wall portions, and said male coupling portion has a length substantially less than the length of said frame member side wall portions, thereby enabling said male coupling portion to be located at substantially any position along the length of said frame member side wall portions. 21. The photovoltaic module array of claim 19 wherein said first frame member side wall portion outside surface is immediately adjacent to said second frame member side wall portion outside surface, said first frame member side wall portion outside surface being substantially parallel with and substantially nonlinear relative to said second frame member side wall portion outside surface. 22. The photovoltaic module array of claim 19 wherein said male coupling portion further comprises means for providing electrical ground continuity between said first and second frame members. 23. The photovoltaic module array of claim 19 wherein said male coupling portion comprises a double male connector.