Support system for solar panels The invention relates to a support system for panels, such as solar panels, comprising at least one support section on which the solar panels can be supported, which support section in cross-section defines an undercut cavity that opens into an opening that is delimited by two longitudinal edges, as well as at least one fixing means for fixing a solar panel on the support section, which fixing means comprise screw means, such as a bolt, a nut plate that interacts with the screw thread of the screw means, and a clamping plate that has been pushed onto the shank of the screw means, such that the nut plate can be inserted through the opening in the support section and, by then turning it, can be hooked into the undercut cavity, the clamping plate can be placed on the side of the panel facing away from the support section and the panel can be clamped firmly on the support section by tightening the screw means.

A support system of this type is disclosed in EP 905 795. By means of this support system it is possible, for example, to mount photovoltaic solar cells on a roof. The roof is preferably a sloping roof and oriented towards the sun in order to obtain as high an output as possible.

When installing the support system the requisite number of sections, usually two for each row of panels, are first mounted on the roof. The fixing means at the highest part of the roof are then tightened, after which the adjoining panels are fitted. The next series of fixing means have to be fitted beneath this with panels, such that every two adjacent panels can be clamped by tightening the intermediate fixing means.

Tightening of the fixing means is effected by turning the nut plates and tightening the bolts. Because the panels must be held in the correct position at the same time, two people are usually needed for this. One has to support the panels in the desired position and the other has to hold and tighten the fixing means.

Such a procedure is laborious and labour intensive. The installation costs are consequently fairly high. The aim of the invention is to provide a support system with which the panels can be installed efficiently even by one person. Said aim is achieved in that the fixing means comprise an auxiliary support that is pushed onto the bolt and is located between the nut plate and the clamping plate, which auxiliary support can be fastened to the support section.

When fitting panels by means of the support system according to the invention, the

fixing means can be temporarily fixed to the sections in advance. However, at this stage the fixing means do not yet have to be fitted in precisely the correct location. They are then still able to be slid easily along the support section, in particular if the auxiliary support can be fastened to the support section by means of a snap-fit connection and/or can be clamped between the sides of the longitudinal edges of the support section that face one another.

The fixing means provisionally fitted in this way remain in the initial position until the panel has been placed in position. This can be carried out by a single person who is then also able to slide the fixing means from their provisional position into their definitive position and fix them in place. Fitting of the panel is then complete.

The provisional fitting of the fixing means can be obtained in various ways.

According to a simple embodiment, provision is made that the longitudinal edges of the support section and the opposite edges of the auxiliary support have elevations and/or recesses to obtain a snap-fit effect. In particular, the auxiliary support can have first protrusions on opposite sides, whilst the longitudinal edges of the support section have outward-facing support surfaces on which the first protrusions are supported when the auxiliary support has been snap-fitted onto the support section. Firm fitting that nevertheless allows sliding is obtained if the support section has ridges on the sides of the longitudinal edges facing one another and the auxiliary support has second protrusions that can be snap-fitted under said ridges.

The auxiliary support can be provided with a support foot that can be fixed to the support section, as well as a guide that is upright with respect to the support foot and with respect to which the bolt can be slid in the longitudinal direction. There is preferably a pretensioning spring between the head of the bolt and the guide, such that the nut plate screwed onto the bolt abuts under pretension against the side of the support foot that faces away from the guide. As a result the bolt and the nut plate have a clearly defined position before fitting has taken place. This makes it easier to place the fixing means on the support section. In this context it is also advantageous if the support foot has main stops diametrically opposite one another on the side of the nut plate, which main stops determine the position in which the nut plate can be inserted in the opening in the support section.

After the fixing means have been placed on the support section, the nut plate has to be turned such that it can be hooked behind the parts of the section that delimit the opening therein. To this end the support foot has auxiliary stops located diametrically opposite one another on the side of the nut plate, such that the nut plate can be brought into a position

between the main stops and the auxiliary stops, and the height of the auxiliary stops relative to the support foot is such that the nut plate can be turned passing over these after the bolt has been displaced overcoming the spring pretension. In the position in which it has been turned in this way, which differs by 90 degrees from the position when the nut plate is inserted in the support section, the nut plate is once again in contact with the main stops and the auxiliary stops.

The clamping plate is preferably constructed in the form of a sectional part that has a hole for the shaft of the bolt as well as two arms that extend along the guide and can be slid in contact with a flattened section thereof. The nut plate can also be constructed as a sectional part provided with a hole for the shank of the bolt, as well as a chamber in which a separate nut is accommodated such that it cannot turn.

The invention furthermore relates to fixing means for use with a support system as described above. These fixing means comprise a bolt, a nut plate that interacts with the screw thread of the bolt, and a clamping plate that has been pushed onto the shank of the bolt. According to the invention an auxiliary support is provided that has been pushed onto the bolt and is between the nut plate and the clamping plate.

In addition the invention relates to a support section for use with this, which support section in cross-section defines an undercut cavity with a narrowed opening that is delimited by two longitudinal edges. According to the invention ridges are provided on sides of the longitudinal edges facing one another.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the figures.

Figure 1 shows a support system according to the invention with panel.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the support system according to Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section through the support section of the support system.

Figure 4 shows the fixing means in the exploded state.

Figure 5 shows the fixing means in the assembled state.

The support system for panels 1, for example solar panels, that is shown in Figure 1 first of all comprises a number of support sections 2, only one of which can be seen in Figure 1. The support system further comprises fixing means 3, by means of which the panel 1 is clamped on the support section 2. As is shown in Figure 3, the support section 2 has a base 4 and upright walls 5. The base 4 and the upright walls 5 delimit an undercut cavity 6, which opens via the slit-shaped opening 7. The slit-shaped opening 7 is delimited

on either side by longitudinal edges 8, each of which is provided with a ridge 9 extending inwards.

The fixing means 3 as shown in Figures 4 and 5 consist of a bolt 10 provided with a threaded portion 11, a shaft 12 and a hexagonal head 13. A nut plate 14 and a clamping plate 15 also form part of the fixing means 3. The nut plate 14 and the clamping plate 15 are constructed as sections, each with two wings 16 and two flanges 17 with a ridge 18 projecting inwards. A smooth-walled hole 19 has been made in the clamping plate 16, such that the clamping plate can be slid freely over the shaft 12 of the bolt 10. The hole 20 in the nut plate is also smooth; a nut 21 has been inserted in the gap between the flanges 17, into which nut 21 the threaded portion 11 of the bolt 10 has been screwed, as is also shown in Figure 5.

According to the invention the fixing means 3 are also provided with the auxiliary support indicated in its entirety by 22. This auxiliary support 22, in turn, consists of a support foot 23 and a sleeve-shaped guide 24, through which the bolt 10 has been fitted such that it can slide. The sleeve-shaped guide 24 consists of a sleeve 25, on the top of which a spring 26 bears which, in turn, presses against the inward-extending ridges 18 of the flanges 17 on the clamping plate 15.

The guide 24 furthermore has two protrusions 27, around which the inward- extending ridges 18 of the flanges 17 can slide in a closely fitting manner, as shown in Figure 5.

The support foot 23 has four first protrusions 28 as well as two second protrusions 29 that are located beneath the first protrusions and are chamfered somewhat towards the bottom. When the fixing means 3 are installed on the support profile 2 the second protrusions 29 are snap-fitted behind the ridges 9 of the longitudinal edges 8, such that the first protrusions 28 come to bear on the outward-facing support surfaces 30 of the longitudinal edges 8. Provisional clamping of the fixing means 3 on the support section 2 is obtained in this way. The fixing means 3 consequently do not have to be held in the hand, as a result of which the person who is fitting the panels is then able to position a panel 1 on the support section 2. The fixing means 3 can then be slid to the desired position, such that one of the wings 16 of the clamping plate reaches a position above the panel 1.

When putting the fixing means 3 on the support section 2, the nut plate 14 is in the position shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this position the nut plate 14 can be accommodated, past the longitudinal edges 8 and ridges 9, in the undercut cavity 6. To fix the fixing means

3 to the support section 2 the nut plate 14 then has to be turned through 90 degrees, such that the wings 16 thereof reach a position below the parts 31 of the support section 2 associated with the longitudinal edges 8.

Turning the nut plate 14 through 90 degrees can easily be effected in the following way. First of all, for this purpose the support foot 23 is provided with main stops 32 that are diametrically opposite one another. These main stops determine the position of the nut plate 14 in which the latter can be placed in the undercut cavity 6. The support foot 23 also has two auxiliary stops 33, which likewise are positioned diametrically opposite one another at the other corners of the support foot 23. The size of these auxiliary stops 33 is smaller than that of the main stops 32.

By now moving the nut plate 14 downwards relative to the support foot 23, which is possible by pressing the bolt 10 downwards against the resilient force exerted by the spring 26, the clamping plate 14 moves past the auxiliary stops 33. In this position the clamping plate 14 can be turned into the position shown in Figure 3, between the main stops 32 and the auxiliary stops 33. The wings 16 of the clamping plate can then be firmly clamped against the surfaces 31 by tightening the bolt 10. Moreover, the wings 16 of the clamping plate are pressed onto the panels 1, after which the installation is complete.

It is pointed out that in the situation shown in Figures 1-3 the fixing means 3 are shown at the end of a series of panels 1. One of the wings 16 is therefore supported by a supporting bolt 34, such that good contact pressure on the adjacent panel 1 is ensured. As a supplementary feature, a finishing strip 35 is clamped under the relevant flange 16 of the clamping plate 15 and on the head of the bolt 34.

Furthermore, the fixing means 3 can, of course, be used between two panels 1, in which case both wings 16 of the clamping plate 15 then each bear on a relevant panel 1.