초록 ▼

A supporting rack for a solar panel with a framework mountable on a surface such as a roof, this framework including two elongate runners extending parallel to each other and a cross-member extending between and connecting the two runners. Upper and lower clamp assemblies detachably and adjustably m

A supporting rack for a solar panel with a framework mountable on a surface such as a roof, this framework including two elongate runners extending parallel to each other and a cross-member extending between and connecting the two runners. Upper and lower clamp assemblies detachably and adjustably mount the solar panel on top of the framework so that the panel extends at an acute angle to the plane of the runners. There are two front clamp assemblies, each mountable on a respective runner and clamped to a front edge of the solar panel. A clevis pin connection pivotally connects the clamping mechanism to its respective runner. Two upper, rear clamp assemblies each have an adjustable J-clamp member and a back plate. After installation of the rack, the panel is pivotable from an operating position at an acute angle to the runners to a greater angle to facilitate maintenance or repair.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A supporting rack for a solar panel comprising: a framework adapted for mounting on a support surface, said framework including two elongate runners that are spaced-apart and parallel to each other, and an elongate cross-member extending between and connecting the two runners; andmeans for detach

1. A supporting rack for a solar panel comprising: a framework adapted for mounting on a support surface, said framework including two elongate runners that are spaced-apart and parallel to each other, and an elongate cross-member extending between and connecting the two runners; andmeans for detachably and adjustably mounting said solar panel on top of said framework so that said solar panel in use extends at an acute angle to a plane defined by the two runners and with a direction of inclination generally parallel to the runners, said mounting means including two front clamp assemblies each mountable on a respective one of said runners and clamped to a front edge of the solar panel, each front clamp assembly including a clamping mechanism for clamping said front edge in a detachable manner and a pivot pin connection for pivotally connecting said clamping mechanism to a respective one of said runners,wherein, after installation of the supporting rack on said support surface, said solar panel can be pivoted from said acute angle to the plane of the runners, which can be an operating position for generating electrical power from sun radiation, to a greater angle to said plane for facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection of one or more of said solar panel, said support racking and said support surface,wherein said clamping mechanism includes an outer clamping member, a separate base clamping member pivotally mounted on its respective pivot pin connection, and a threaded fastener device for detachably connecting the outer and base clamping members, wherein each clamping mechanism can be clamped to said front edge of the solar panel by tightening the threaded fastener device and thereby pulling the outer clamping member towards the base clamping member, andwherein said base clamping member has a hollow round portion that extends around its respective pivot pin connection, and a locking tab formed in said hollow round portion and extending into an exterior recess formed on said pivot pin connection, whereby engagement between said locking tab and either of two sides of said exterior recess prevents over rotation of the respective clamping mechanism. 2. The supporting rack according to claim 1, including a second clamping mechanism for mounting another solar panel pivotally and respectively mounted on each pivot pin connection. 3. The supporting rack according to claim 1, wherein each pivot pin connection is mounted on its respective runner so that the position of the pivot pin connection is adjustable in the lengthwise direction of its respective runner. 4. The supporting rack according to claim 1, wherein said greater angle is 90 degrees to said plane so that said solar panel can be mounted and held in said two front clamp assemblies while the solar panel is extending perpendicularly to top surfaces of the two runners. 5. The supporting rack according to claim 1, wherein each runner is integrally formed with a longitudinal connecting channel on a top of the runner and each pivot pin connection includes a pivot pin and a bracket connector securing said pivot pin to the top of its runner by means of said connecting channel. 6. The supporting rack according to claim 1, further comprising two flexible, resilient clips each attaching a respective one of two opposite ends of said cross-member to a respective one of the runners. 7. A supporting rack for a solar panel comprising: two separate elongate runners adapted for mounting on a fixed support surface so that said runners are spaced apart from and parallel to each other, each runner being formed with a longitudinal connecting channel extending along a top of the runner; at least one separate, elongate frame member for connecting the two runners;and two panel clamping assemblies each pivotally mounted on a respective one of said two runners and each including a connecting device engageable with sides of the respective connecting channel to secure the panel clamping assembly to the top of its runner, wherein each connecting device can be disengaged from the sides of its respective connecting channel to allow the connecting device and the rest of its clamping assembly to be moved in a lengthwise direction along their runner to a desired position for supporting the solar panel at a desired degree of inclination relative to the two runners, andwherein each of said clamping assemblies including a base clamping member pivotally mounted on a pivot pin connection, the base clamping members having a hollow round portion that extends around its respective pivot pin connection, and a locking tab formed in said hollow round portion and extending into an exterior recess formed on said pivot pin connection, whereby engagement between said locking tab and either of two sides of said exterior recess prevents over rotation of the respective clamping assembly. 8. The supporting rack according to claim 7, further comprising rubber pads secured to a bottom of each runner in order to protect said support surface. 9. The supporting rack according to claim 7, wherein each runner is integrally formed with upper and lower longitudinal grooves provided for detachably connecting an elongate wire cap formed with upper and lower edge flanges which can be inserted respectively into the upper and lower grooves. 10. The supporting rack according to claim 7, wherein each runner has a central vertical web extending the length of the runner and two bottom flanges projecting from opposite sides of said vertical web, said at least one elongate frame member being detachably connected to one of the bottom flanges of each runner. 11. The supporting rack according to claim 7, further comprising a wind deflector and two end plates each adjustably mounted on a respective one of the runners and each connected to a respective bottom corner of said wind deflector in order to support the wind deflector, wherein each end plate is connected to top edges of the connecting channel of its respective runner by means of a threaded fastener. 12. The supporting rack according to claim 10, further comprising two flexible clips for connecting opposite ends of each of said at least one elongate frame member to two of the bottom flanges of said two runners, each flexible clip extending through a first hole formed in a respective one of the two bottom flanges and through a second hole formed in the elongate frame member and aligned with said first hole. 13. A supporting rack for a solar panel comprising: a framework adapted for mounting on a support surface, said framework including two elongate runners that are spaced-apart and parallel to each other, and an elongate cross-member extending between and connecting the two runners; and means for detachably and adjustably mounting said solar panel on top of said framework so that said solar panel in use extends at an acute angle to a plane defined by the two runners, said mounting means including a vertically extending, elongate connecting mechanism extending between and connecting rear sections of the runners and two rear clamp assemblies each having a back plate formed with a forwardly extending guideway defining a guide path, a J-clamp member having a top flange projecting towards said back plate and an integral guide pin slidably mounted in said guideway, and a threaded fastening device connecting said J-clamp member to said backplate whereby tightening the fastener device pulls said J-clamp member towards its back plate, said rear clamp assemblies being mounted on opposite end sections of said connecting mechanism and arranged to clamp a top edge frame member of the solar panel. 14. The supporting rack according to claim 13, wherein said connecting mechanism includes an elongate wind deflecting plate and two end plates each mounted on a respective one of said runners and each connected to a respective bottom corner of the wind deflecting plate. 15. The supporting rack according to claim 13, wherein said mounting means further includes two front clamp assemblies each mountable on a respective one of said runners and clamped to a front edge of the solar panel and wherein, during installation of the solar panel, said front clamp assemblies allow said solar panel to be pivoted rearwardly from an upright position to a sloping position where said top edge frame member can rest on the two rear clamp assemblies for clamping thereby. 16. The supporting rack according to claim 13, wherein each rear clamp assembly is bolted to said connecting mechanism. 17. The supporting rack according to claim 14, wherein each end plate is an angle member having a horizontal leg adjustably connected to a top of its respective runner and a vertical leg having two fastener holes for detachably connecting adjacent corners of two wind deflecting plates to the respective runner. 18. The supporting rack according to claim 13, wherein a front side of said J-clamp member is formed with a multi-sided recess to receive snuggly a head of the threaded fastening device, whereby engagement between said head and the sides of said recess prevent the head from rotating in said recess during said tightening of the fastening device.