Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation

Botkin, Jonathan; Graves, Simon; Danning, Matt; Culligan, Matthew

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A - human necessities
A01 - agriculture
A21 - baking
A22 - butchering
A23 - foods or foodstuffs
A24 - tobacco
A41 - wearing apparel
A42 - headwear
A43 - footwear
A44 - haberdashery
A45 - hand or travelling articles
A46 - brushware
A47 - furniture
A61 - medical or veterinary science
A62 - life-saving
A63 - sports
A99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
B - performing operations
B01 - physical or chemical processes or apparatus in general
B02 - crushing, pulverising, or disintegrating
B03 - separation of solid materials using liquids or using pneumatic tables or jigs
B04 - centrifugal apparatus or machines for carrying-out physical or chemical processes
B05 - spraying or atomising in general
B06 - generating or transmitting mechanical vibrations in general
B07 - separating solids from solids
B08 - cleaning
B09 - disposal of solid waste
B21 - mechanical metal-working without essentially removing material
B22 - casting
B23 - machine tools
B24 - grinding
B25 - hand tools
B26 - hand cutting tools
B27 - working or preserving wood or similar material
B28 - working cement, clay, or stone
B29 - working of plastics
B30 - presses
B31 - making articles of paper, cardboard or material worked in a manner analogous to paper
B32 - layered products
B33 - additive manufacturing technology
B41 - printing
B42 - bookbinding
B43 - writing or drawing implements
B44 - decorative arts
B60 - vehicles in general
B61 - railways
B62 - land vehicles for travelling otherwise than on rails
B63 - ships or other waterborne vessels
B64 - aircraft
B65 - conveying
B66 - hoisting
B67 - opening, closing {or cleaning} bottles, jars or similar containers
B68 - saddlery
B81 - microstructural technology
B82 - nanotechnology
B99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
C - chemistry
C01 - inorganic chemistry
C02 - treatment of water, waste water, sewage, or sludge
C03 - glass
C04 - cements
C05 - fertilisers
C06 - explosives
C07 - organic chemistry
C08 - organic macromolecular compounds
C09 - dyes
C10 - petroleum, gas or coke industries
C11 - animal or vegetable oils, fats, fatty substances or waxes
C12 - biochemistry
C13 - sugar industry
C14 - skins
C21 - metallurgy of iron
C22 - metallurgy
C23 - coating metallic material
C25 - electrolytic or electrophoretic processes
C30 - crystal growth
C40 - combinatorial technology
C99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
D - textiles
D01 - natural or man-made threads or fibres
D02 - yarns
D03 - weaving
D04 - braiding
D05 - sewing
D06 - treatment of textiles or the like
D07 - ropes
D10 - indexing scheme associated with sublasses of section d, relating to textiles
D21 - paper-making
D99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
E - fixed constructions
E01 - construction of roads, railways, or bridges
E02 - hydraulic engineering
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E05 - locks
E06 - doors, windows, shutters, or roller blinds in general
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F - mechanical engineering
F01 - machines or engines in general
F02 - combustion engines
F03 - machines or engines for liquids
F04 - positive - displacement machines for liquids
F05 - indexing schemes relating to engines or pumps in various subclasses of classes f01-f04
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F16 - engineering elements and units
F17 - storing or distributing gases or liquids
F21 - lighting
F22 - steam generation
F23 - combustion apparatus
F24 - heating
F25 - refrigeration or cooling
F26 - drying
F27 - furnaces
F28 - heat exchange in general
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F42 - ammunition
F99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
G - physics
G01 - measuring
G02 - optics
G03 - photography
G04 - horology
G05 - controlling
G06 - computing
G07 - checking-devices
G08 - signalling
G09 - education
G10 - musical instruments
G11 - information storage
G12 - instrument details
G16 - information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for specific application fields
G21 - nuclear physics
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H - electricity
H01 - basic electric elements
H02 - generation
H03 - basic electronic circuitry
H04 - electric communication technique
H05 - electric techniques not otherwise provided for
H99 - subject matter not otherwise provided for in this section
Y - new / cross sectional technologies
Y02 - technologies or applications for mitigation or adaptation against climate change
Y04 - information or communication technologies having an impact on other technology areas
Y10 - technical subjects covered by former uspc

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Title: Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation

Abstract

A PV module kit for non-penetrating rooftop installation, including a plurality of PV modules and a plurality of connectors. Each of the PV modules includes a PV laminate and a frame forming a mounting region assembled thereto. The connectors include a male connector having a male fastener extending from a head, and a female connector having a female fastener assempbled within a head. The heads are entirely formed of plastic. The kit provides a mounted array state including a junction at which the mounting regions of at least two of the PV modules are aligned and interconnected by engagement of the male connector with the female connector. The so-formed junction is substantially electrically insulated. The plurality of connectors can further include a spacer connector including a head forming a bore sized slidably receive the male fastener, with all of the connector heads being identical.

Inventors:: Botkin, Jonathan; Graves, Simon; Danning, Matt; Culligan, Matthew

Issue Date:: Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2013

Research Org.:: SunPower Corporation, San Jose, CA, USA

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1113540

Patent Number(s):: 8615941

Application Number:: 13/624,521

Assignee:: SunPower Corporation (San Jose, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16B - DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS, WEDGES, JOINTS OR JOINTING

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS

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F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16B - DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS, WEDGES, JOINTS OR JOINTING
F16B33/006 - {Non-metallic fasteners using screw-thread}
F16B35/06 - Specially-shaped heads
F16B37/00 - Nuts or like thread-engaging members {

F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
F24S2025/02 - {Ballasting means}
F24S2025/6007 - {by using form-fitting connection means, e.g. tongue and groove}
F24S25/16 - Arrangement of interconnected standing structures
F24S25/20 - Peripheral frames for modules
F24S25/63 - for fixing modules or their peripheral frames to supporting elements
F24S25/65 - for coupling adjacent supporting elements, e.g. for connecting profiles together
F24S25/67 - for coupling adjacent modules or their peripheral frames

H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
H02S20/24 - specially adapted for flat roofs

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02B - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
Y02B10/10 - Photovoltaic [PV]
Y02B10/20 - Solar thermal

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E10/47 - Mountings or tracking
Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10T - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
Y10T29/49826 - Assembling or joining

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DOE Contract Number:: FC36-07GO17043

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats


                    Botkin, Jonathan, Graves, Simon, Danning, Matt, and Culligan, Matthew. Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation.  United States: N. p., 2013. 
        Web.

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                    Botkin, Jonathan, Graves, Simon, Danning, Matt, & Culligan, Matthew. Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation.  United States.

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                    Botkin, Jonathan, Graves, Simon, Danning, Matt, and Culligan, Matthew. Tue .  
        "Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1113540.

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@article{osti_1113540,

  title        = {Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation},

  author       = {Botkin, Jonathan and Graves, Simon and Danning, Matt and Culligan, Matthew},

  abstractNote = {A PV module kit for non-penetrating rooftop installation, including a plurality of PV modules and a plurality of connectors. Each of the PV modules includes a PV laminate and a frame forming a mounting region assembled thereto. The connectors include a male connector having a male fastener extending from a head, and a female connector having a female fastener assempbled within a head. The heads are entirely formed of plastic. The kit provides a mounted array state including a junction at which the mounting regions of at least two of the PV modules are aligned and interconnected by engagement of the male connector with the female connector. The so-formed junction is substantially electrically insulated. The plurality of connectors can further include a spacer connector including a head forming a bore sized slidably receive the male fastener, with all of the connector heads being identical.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2013},

  month        = {Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2013}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Roof system utilizing a solar cell
patent, March 1996

Hirai, Takashi; Hirai, Keisuke
US Patent Document 5,497,587
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/5497587

Solar panel assembly and support pad
patent, October 1980

Hawley, Wilbur W.
US Patent Document 4,226,256
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/4226256

Floating Support Structure for a Solar Panel Array
patent-application, May 2006

Thompson, Daniel S.
US Patent Application 11/264285; 20060090789
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20060090789

Modular Shade System
patent-application, December 2004

Shingleton, Jefferson G.; Brewster, Elise R.; Dinwoodie, Thomas L.
US Patent Application 10/796299; 20040261955
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20040261955

Plastic fastener system
patent, March 2003

Clark, Robert Graham
US Patent Document 6,537,006
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/6537006

Modular roof covering system
patent, August 2003

McDonough, William A.; Braungart, Michael; Clark, Paul J.
US Patent Document 6,606,823
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/6606823

Weldable plastic fastener
patent, September 1997

Medal, James
US Patent Document 5,672,036
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/5672036

Tracking solar shelter
patent, May 2009

Melton, David S.; Armijo-Caster, Odes
US Patent Document 7,531,741
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/7531741

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Title: Photovoltaic module kit including connector assembly for non-penetrating array installation

Abstract

Citation Formats

Roof system utilizing a solar cell patent, March 1996

Solar panel assembly and support pad patent, October 1980

Floating Support Structure for a Solar Panel Array patent-application, May 2006

Modular Shade System patent-application, December 2004

Plastic fastener system patent, March 2003

Modular roof covering system patent, August 2003

Weldable plastic fastener patent, September 1997

Tracking solar shelter patent, May 2009

Roof system utilizing a solar cell
patent, March 1996

Solar panel assembly and support pad
patent, October 1980

Floating Support Structure for a Solar Panel Array
patent-application, May 2006

Modular Shade System
patent-application, December 2004

Plastic fastener system
patent, March 2003

Modular roof covering system
patent, August 2003

Weldable plastic fastener
patent, September 1997

Tracking solar shelter
patent, May 2009