Solar tile assembly

Abstract

A solar tile assembly having a removable outer panel ( 1 ) that includes a number of photovoltaic cells ( 3 ) disposed on an outermost surface thereof, and an inner support structure ( 2 ). The photovoltaic cells cover a lower portion of the outer panel. The outer panel is secured to the inner support structure using fasteners disposed at a front end of the solar tile assembly. The inner support structure includes a framework having a lower stepped interlockable section. In use the interlockable section is disposed under a portion of an adjacent tile assembly. The removable outer panel is provided with electrical connectors ( 19 a ) in the underside thereof, which electrical connectors form an electrical connection with connectors ( 13 ) provided on the inner support structure when the outer panel is slid towards the inner support structure.

1 . A solar tile assembly comprising a removable outer panel that comprises photovoltaic means and a first electrical connector, the first electrical connector being provided underneath the outer panel, and an inner support structure that comprises a second electrical connector, the arrangement being such that in use an electrical connection between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is achieved by bringing together the outer panel and the inner support structure.  
     
     
         2 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is broken by the removal of the outer panel from the inner support structure.  
     
     
         3 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the outer panel is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element.  
     
     
         4 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1  in which the removable outer panel is adapted to be slidable on the inner support structure.  
     
     
         5 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element.  
     
     
         6 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outer panel comprises the attachment element and the inner support structure is formed with the channel for receiving and retaining the attachment element of the outer panel.  
     
     
         7 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the outer panel comprises a pair of attachment elements and the inner support structure is formed with a pair of channels for receiving and retaining the attachment elements of the outer panel.  
     
     
         8 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is broken by sliding the outer panel in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel.  
     
     
         9 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the outer panel in a slide direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel and then lifting the outer panel in a direction perpendicular to the slide direction.  
     
     
         10 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is broken by the removal of the outer panel from the inner support structure, and wherein the outer panel is removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the outer panel in a slide direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel and then lifting the outer panel in a direction perpendicular to the slide direction.  
     
     
         11 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element, and wherein the outer panel is removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the outer panel in a slide direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel and then lifting the outer panel in a direction perpendicular to the slide direction.  
     
     
         12 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer panel is slidably attached to the inner support structure by attachment means comprising a channel section formed to receive an attachment element, wherein the outer panel comprises the attachment element and the inner support structure is formed with the channel for receiving and retaining the attachment element of the outer panel, and wherein the outer panel is removed from the inner support structure by first sliding the outer panel in a slide direction that is substantially parallel to a plane of an outermost surface of the outer panel and then lifting the outer panel in a direction perpendicular to the slide direction.  
     
     
         13 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the inner support structure can be attached to the outer surface of a structure such as a building or attached to an independent support structure inside or outside a building.  
     
     
         14 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inner support structure comprises an electrical junction box that comprises the second electrical connector.  
     
     
         15 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the outer panel comprises an electrical junction box formed with the first electrical connector, the assembly being such that in an assembled state of the solar tile assembly the first connector and the second connector provide electrical communication between the two electrical junction boxes.  
     
     
         16 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the electrical junction box of the inner support structure comprises an electrical input terminal and an electrical output terminal, the arrangement being such that the electrical input terminal and the electrical output terminal provide electrical communication between corresponding solar tile assemblies.  
     
     
         17 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the outer panel comprises an electrical junction box formed with the first electrical connector, the assembly being such that in an assembled state of the solar tile assembly the first connector and the second connector provide electrical communication between the two electrical junction boxes.  
     
     
         18 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 17  in which the outer removable panel comprises a pair of electrical connectors.  
     
     
         19 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 18  in which the pair of electrical connectors extend outwardly from the junction box.  
     
     
         20 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the support structure comprises means for providing electrical connections between adjacent solar tile assemblies,  
     
     
         21 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the means for providing electrical connections between adjacent solar tile assemblies comprises an electrical connector on opposite sides of the support structure.  
     
     
         22 . The solar tile assembly as claimed in  claim 1  in which the first electrical connector is located with the area bounded by the outer panel when viewed in plan.  
     
     
         23 . A removable solar tile comprising photovoltaic means and a first electrical connector, the first electrical connector being provided underneath the tile, the tile being such that in use an electrical connection between the electrical connector of the removable solar tile and a second electrical connector of an inner support structure is achieved by bringing together the outer panel and the inner support structure.  
     
     
         24 . An inner support structure for a removable tile that comprises photovoltaic means, the inner support structure comprising an electrical connector, the arrangement being such that in use an electrical connection between the electrical connector of the inner support structure and an electrical connector of the removable tile is achieved by bringing together the removable tile and the inner support structure and the electrical connector of the inner support structure being adapted to connect with the electrical connector of the removable tile which is provided underneath the removable tile.