The present invention relates to a construction frame for mounting of solar modules, especially frameless photovoltaic solar modules, to a sub-structure. The present invention further relates to a method for mounting of solar modules, especially frameless photovoltaic solar modules, to a sub-structure

Background of the invention

When attaching a solar module to a supporting sub-structure a fastening system usually has to be attached to the solar panel through which the solar panel in a further step is mounted to a carrier of the supporting sub-structure, such as a construction frame. The above mentioned further step usually involves attaching the fastening system to the carrier using screws or nuts and bolts.

One commonly used type of solar panels is photovoltaic solar panel modules. Photovoltaic modules are used for direct conversion of solar energy to electricity. For such conversion thin film solar modules have photoactive layers having a thickness in the range of a few tens of nanometers to a few micrometers. The photoactive layers, with contact and possibly reflective coatings, are typically applied to a large area substrate, such as a pane of glass. A further sheet material is usually laminated to the coated substrate, e.g. another pane of glass, to protect the photoactive layers from damage and weather. To strengthen the solar module a peripheral frame, such as a frame from aluminum profile extrusions, is sometimes used. If no frame is provided, for example when panes of glass are used as a substrate and as a cover, it is called a frameless solar module.

Frameless solar modules are also usually attached to the supporting sub-structure using a variety of connectors which are fastened by means of screws or nuts and bolts. However, through WO2010040780, is previously known a photovoltaic system, a

photovoltaic module and a method for assembling a photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system comprises at least one photovoltaic module, a carrier for holding the at least one photovoltaic module and a pair of support elements comprising a first support element and a second support element, said system being adapted such that the pair of support elements can be slid at least partially into one another in that at least two guide elements on a first support element reach into the second support element, wherein one of the respective support elements is disposed on the back side of the respective photovoltaic module and one is disposed on the carrier. The support member on the back side of the respective photovoltaic module serves as a mechanical reinforcement of the photovoltaic module. For the assembly of photovoltaic modules to the carrier thus only the support member on the back side of the photovoltaic module is used. During construction the support member disposed on the back side of the respective photovoltaic module is inserted into the support element disposed on the carrier, which support elements are adapted to each other as to their form. Consequently, the installation of the photovoltaic module is made entirely without connections using screws or nuts and bolts, so that a reliable and cost-effective and also simple and quick installation of photovoltaic modules is provided. Thus, according to this configuration the orientation of the photovoltaic modules on the carrier and their fixation on the carrier is achieved in a single step.

WO2010040780 also discloses a sub-structure and a carrier for receiving the photovoltaic modules, A mounting system of uprights provides a sub-structure where the uprights are connected to the carrier which comprises several parallel profile bars that are connected to the uprights. Two parallel mounting rails are provided on the profile bars and orthogonal thereto as a sub-structure for each line of photovoltaic modules. Several lines of photovoltaic modules may be arranged in parallel, each line having its own pair of mounting rails. A complete pre-assembly of the carrier is thus possible, where the photovoltaic modules only need to be inserted as a final step. In order to allow the simplest possible installation of photovoltaic modules, an assembly jig is used for mounting of the rails to the profile bars, which assembly jig determines the orientation of the rails and the distance between the rails to allow for precise mounting of photovoltaic modules.

Summary of the invention One object of the invention is to provide an improved construction frame for mounting of solar modules to a sub-structure, which allows for simple and economical assembly thereof.

This object is achieved by means of a construction frame having the characteristics of claim 1.

Thanks to the provision of a plurality of first elongate support members arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in a first plane attachable to said sub-structure; a plurality of second elongate support members arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in said first plane upon and orthogonally to said plurality of first elongate support members; said first and said second elongate support members having means for connecting to each other at a plurality of intersections there between through snap fitting, the construction frame may be assembled and furnished with solar modules without the use of assembly jigs and screws or bolts and nuts, except for possibly securing thereof to a substructure. One further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for mounting of solar modules to a sub-structure, allowing for simple and economical assembly thereof.

This object is achieved by means of a method having the characteristics of claim 9.

Thanks to the provision of steps of: arranging a plurality of first elongate support members in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in a first plane and attaching them to said sub-structure; and arranging a plurality of second elongate support members in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in said first plane upon and orthogonally to said plurality of first elongate support members; and connecting said first and said second elongate support members to each other at a plurality of intersections there between through snap fitting; and mounting said solar modules to said second elongate support members, the construction frame may be assembled and furnished with solar modules without the use of assembly jigs and screws or bolts and nuts, except for possibly securing thereof to a substructure.

Preferred embodiments are listed in the dependent claims.

Description of drawings In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail by way of example only with reference to attached drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of uprights carrying a plurality of first elongate support members arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other.

Fig. 2 is a detail of a first elongate support member, in particular illustrating the protruding first snap fit elements thereof.

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of how a plurality of second elongate support members are arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other upon and orthogonally to the plurality of first elongate support members.

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a section along one first elongate support member illustrating the interconnection of the first and second elongate support members through snap fitting as well as the mounting to the construction frame of a solar module. Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a solar power installation comprising a construction frame in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of a holder unit of a sub-structure mounting system carrying a second elongate support member at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the upright.

Still other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

Description of embodiments

In overview, the present invention relates to a construction frame for mounting of solar modules 1 , especially frameless photovoltaic solar modules 1 , to a sub-structure 2.

The construction frame may be mounted, for example by means of suitable fastening elements, as illustrated in figure 1 to uprights 2a firmly placed in soil so as to form an open space solar system. Although not shown, it is also possible to mount the construction frame to an inclined building roof, a flat building roof or to a facade of a building. A plurality of first elongate support members 3 are arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in a first plane. This plurality of first elongate support members 3 are attachable to the sub-structure 2.

As illustrated in figure 3, a plurality of second elongate support members 4 are arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in the first plane upon and orthogonally to the plurality of first elongate support members 3.

The second elongate support members 4, as illustrated in figure 4, at a side facing away from the first elongate support members 3, has first longitudinal interconnection means 7 arranged to interact with second complementary elongate interconnection means 8 arranged at the solar modules 1. These first 7 and second interconnection means 8 are arranged to allow the solar modules 1 to be slid into interconnection with the second elongate support members 4 from one end thereof. In one embodiment, as shown in figure 4, the first longitudinal interconnection means 7 are tracks arranged to receive corresponding projecting second interconnection means 8.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the second longitudinal interconnection means are tracks arranged to receive corresponding projecting first interconnection means. The first 3 and second elongate support members 4 have means 5, 6 for connecting to each other at a plurality of intersections there between through snap fitting.

In one embodiment, as illustrated in figures 2 and 4, the first elongate support members 3, at each intersection with the second elongate support members 4, has a protruding first snap fit element 5. These protruding first snap fit elements 5 may be machined from a longitudinal ridge portion of the first elongate support members 3, e.g. through milling or stamping.

The second elongate support members 4, as illustrated in figure 4, at each intersection with the first elongate support members 3, has a complementary recessed second snap fit element 6. Each second snap fit element 6 is arranged to receive a protruding first snap fit element 5 for connecting the first 3 and second elongate support members 4 to each other. As shown in figures 2 and 4, the protruding first snap fit element 5 protrudes to a side facing the second elongate support members 4 and has a distal portion 5a with an essentially conical section and a proximate portion 5b with a comparatively narrower section.

The recessed second snap fit element 6, as shown in figure 4, comprises two opposing flexible protrusions the distal ends of which are provided with mutually facing catches 6a, 6b. The catches 6a, 6b are arranged at a side of the second elongate support members 4 facing the first elongate support members 3. The respective distal ends are adapted to flex away from each other upon being initially pressed onto the essentially conical section 5a of the protruding first snap fit element 5 and the catches 6a, 6b thereof are arranged to snap into the comparatively narrower section portion 5b of the protruding first snap fit element 5 upon being pressed further.

As the protruding first snap fit element 5s are arranged with a predetermined spacing at the first elongate support members 3, the second elongate support members 4 may easily be attached thereto without using a jig. This is possible as the predetermined spacing will ensure appropriate spacing of the second elongate support members 4 to allow the solar modules 1 to be slid into interconnection with the second elongate support members 4 from one end thereof.

The first 3 and second elongate support members 4 are preferably made from aluminum profile extrusions. A complete pre-assembly of the construction frame is thus possible where, once the first elongate support members 3 has been fixed appropriately to the sub-structure 2, the second elongate support members 4 simply may be attached to the first elongated support members 3 through snap fitting. The photovoltaic modules 1 may then be inserted as a final step through being slid into interconnection with the second elongate support members 4 from one end thereof, and may additionally be fixed to the construction frame without the assembly crew having to perform a variety of screw fastening operations.

The present invention also relates to such a method for mounting of solar modules 1 to a sub-structure 2. In accordance with the method a plurality of first elongate support members 3 are arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in a first plane and attached to the substructure 2. The first elongate support members 3 may be attached to the sub-structure 2 using screws or bolts and nuts or any other suitable means for securing them to the substructure 2. The sub-structure 2 may consist of uprights 2a placed in soil so as to form an open space solar system, an inclined building roof, a flat building roof or a facade of a building.

Further, a plurality of second elongate support members 4 are arranged in a spaced relationship and parallel to each other in the first plane upon and orthogonally to the plurality of first elongate support members 3. The method still further comprises connecting the first 3 and second elongate support members 4 to each other at a plurality of intersections there between through snap fitting.

Finally, in accordance with the method, the further step of mounting the solar modules 1 to the second elongate support members 4 is performed. This mounting preferably involves sliding the solar modules 1 into interconnection with the second elongate support members 4 from one end thereof, which is possible when both the solar modules 1 and the second elongate support members 4 are furnished with complementary longitudinal interconnection means 7, 8. However, other ways of mounting the solar modules 1 to the second elongate support members 4 may be envisaged, including such ways of mounting which relies on the use of screws or bolts and nuts and similar means for attaching the solar panels 1 to the second elongate support members 4.

The present invention also relates to a solar power installation which comprises a construction frame as described above and a plurality of solar modules 1. An embodiment of such a solar power installation is illustrated in figure 5. The solar modules 1 may be thin film photovoltaic solar modules 1 or alternatively silicon photovoltaic solar modules 1. Other types of solar modules could also be envisaged.

The solar power installation may further comprise a sub-structure 2 mounting system with a plurality of uprights 2a each of which carries a respective second elongate support member 4 of the construction frame via a holder unit 2b. These holder units 2b are arranged to provide to the second elongate support members 4, and thus to the solar modules 1 , a

predetermined inclination angle with respect to the uprights 2a. In this way the solar modules 1 may be arranged at an advantageous angle to incoming solar rays. Each respective holder unit 2b may further be adjustably attached to its respective upright 2a so that the height of the holder unit 2b with respect to the upright 2a may be regulated, e.g. through a

combination of bolts and elongated tracks 2c as illustrated in figure 6.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but may be varied within the scope of the following claims.

Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.