| PATENT NUMBER | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT GRANT DATE | August 31, 2004 |
| PATENT TITLE |
Photovoltaic module, solar-power generating apparatus, a support member for supporting photovoltaic modules, and method of installing a solar-power generating apparatus |
| PATENT ABSTRACT |
Herein described is a photovoltaic module (30) that comprises a rectangular module body (61) and a frame (60) secured to the sides of the body. The frame is composed of an upper bar (63), a lower bar (64) and a pair of side bars (65 and 66). The upper bar (63) has an insertion projection (71) projecting from a part which is middle in thickness direction of the upper bar. The projection (71) is thinner than the upper bar (63). |
| PATENT INVENTORS | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT ASSIGNEE | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT FILE DATE | May 14, 2003 |
| PATENT FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT PARENT CASE TEXT | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT CLAIMS |
What is claimed is: 1. A photovoltaic module having to be secured between an upper support member and a lower support member, the upper support member having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall which define a down-open groove opening downward and slantwise, and the lower support member arranged below the upper support member, spaced from the upper support member and having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall which define an up-open groove opening upwards and slantwise, said photovoltaic module comprising: a rectangular module body; and a frame secured to the sides of the module body and composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars, the upper bar held by the upper groove-wall of the down-open groove and having an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar, and the lower bar is inserted in the up-open groove. 2. A photovoltaic module having to be secured between an upper support member and a lower support member, the upper support member having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall which define a down-open groove opening downward and slantwise, and the lower support member arranged below the upper support member, spaced from the upper support member and having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall which define an up-open groove opening upwards and slantwise, said photovoltaic module comprising: a rectangular module body; and a frame secured to the sides of the module body and composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars, the upper bar held by the upper groove-wall of the down-open groove and having an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar, which is above that part of the upper bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar, and the lower bar is inserted in the up-open groove. 3. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein the lower bar has an insertion projection protruding from a part of the lower bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the lower bar, held by the upper groove-wall of the up-open groove and having a width smaller than the width of the insertion portion of the upper bar. 4. The photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein spacers made of buffering material are attached to the outer sides of at least one of the side bars. 5. The photovoltaic module according to claim 4, wherein the spacers are attached to the ends of said at least one side bar, respectively. 6. A solar-power generating apparatus to be installed on the roof of a building, which performs solar power generation, comprising: an upper support member secured on the roof and having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining a down-open groove which opens downward and slantwise; a lower support member secured on the roof, having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining an up-open groove which opens upwards and slantwise, arranged below the upper support member and extending parallel to the upper support member; a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each comprising a rectangular module body and a frame secured to the sides of the module body and composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars, the upper bar held by the upper groove-wall of the down-open groove and having an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar, and the lower bar is inserted in the up-open groove. 7. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lower bar has an insertion projection protruding from a part of the lower bar, which is middle in the thickness direction of the lower bar, held by the upper groove-wall of the up-open groove and having a width smaller than the width of the insertion portion of the upper bar. 8. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a holding member is secured to the upper support member and holds the upper bar from above in the thickness direction of the upper bar, and a holding member is secured to the lower support member and holds the lower bar from above in the thickness direction of the lower bar. 9. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the upper and lower support members have a plurality of claw-holding parts, and the holding members have a plurality of engagement claws held in the claw-holding parts. 10. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lower groove-wall defining the up-open groove projects such that a distance between the bottoms of the down-open groove and up-open groove is shorter than a distance between the tip of the insertion projection of the upper bar and a root of the insertion projection of the lower bar. 11. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the side bars are made of metal, an electric wire having a male connection terminal is connected to one of the side bars, and an electric wire having a female connection terminal is connected to the other of the side bars. 12. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the side bars are positioned symmetrical with respect to a point, and the electric wires connected to the side bars are positioned symmetrical with respect to the point. 13. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the upper .support member has a flange extending in the lengthwise direction of the upper support member; a cable-holding member having a cable-holding groove and a holding groove for holding the flange is secured to the flange, with the flange removably fitted in the holding groove, and each of the photovoltaic modules has two output cables removably held in the cable-holding groove and bundled together therein. 14. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the side bars have a frame part each, which is removably fitted in the holding groove of the cable-holding member. 15. A support member to be secured to the roof of a building and designed to support a photovoltaic module installed on the roof, comprising: an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining a down-open groove opening downwards and slantwise and having a closed bottom; and an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining an up-open groove, positioned back-to-back with respect to the down-open groove, opening upwards and slantwise and having a closed bottom, wherein the down-open groove is deeper than up-open groove. 16. The support member according to claim 15, wherein the distance between the upper and lower groove-walls defining the down-open groove is shorter than the thickness of the photovoltaic module, and the upper groove-wall defining the down-open groove has a width smaller than the width of the lower groove-wall defining the down-open groove. 17. A method of installing on the roof of a building a solar-power generating apparatus for performing solar power generation, said method comprising the steps of: securing an upper support member and a lower support member on the roof, the upper support member having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining a down-open groove which opens downward and slantwise, and the lower support member having an upper groove-wall and a lower groove-wall defining an up-open groove which opens upwards and slantwise, arranged below the upper support member and spaced from the upper support member; moving a photovoltaic module comprising a rectangular module body and a frame secured to the sides of the module body and composed of an upper bar, a lower bar and a pair of side bars, until an insertion projection protruding from a part of the upper bar is inserted from below into the down-open groove, said part of the upper bar being middle in the thickness direction of the upper bar; rotating the photovoltaic module around the upper bar, thereby moving the lower bar toward the lower support member and causing the lower bar to oppose the up-open groove; moving the photovoltaic module downwards and slantwise, while holding the insertion projection in the down-open groove, thereby inserting the lower bar into the up-open groove; and securing a holding member to the upper support member, thereby holding the upper bar from above in the thickness direction of the upper bar, and securing a holding member to the lower support member, thereby holding the lower bar from above in the thickness direction of the lower bar. 18. A solar-power generating apparatus having a plurality of photovoltaic modules, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of support bases arranged parallel to one another, each having an upper wall, an opening made in the upper wall and extending in the lengthwise direction and a groove provided inside the opening, having a bottom broader than the opening and extending in the lengthwise direction; a plurality of support members supporting the photovoltaic modules, extending parallel to each other, and arranged on and intersecting with the support bases, each having connection holes at the intersections with the support bases; bolt-holding bodies, each having at least one screw hole, so formed not to rotate in the grooves, and so provided movably in the grooves as to pass under the support members; and bolts driven into the screw holes through the connection holes, from above at the intersections, thereby to couple the support members to the support bases. 19. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the connection holes are elongated holes that extend in the lengthwise direction of the support members. 20. The solar-power generating apparatus according to claim 18, the bolt-holding bodies comprising a polygonal nut and a having a screw hole and a projection, the polygonal nut has a screw hole, and the projection has one end secured to the nut and the other end protruding from the opening and serving as an upright edge that can contact the support member. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| PATENT PHOTOCOPY | available on request |
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