Mounting system for solar panels

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting system for frameless solar panels that enables water to run of more easily. Moreover the water does not collect near or on the module and runs of in transversal direction of the mounting rail holding the lower end of the module.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . Mounting rail ( 3 ) for plate-like elements such as solar panels ( 6 ,  7 ), in particular for roofs ( 2 ) extending in a slanted plane ( 26 ), with roof mounting means ( 5 ) for being mounted on that roof ( 2 ) and defining a mounting plane ( 22 ), and with an insert mounting recess ( 8 ) to receive an edge of a plate-like element ( 6 ,  7 ) for being held in that first insert mounting recess ( 8 ), the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) having a lower ( 16 ) and an upper ( 19 ) face opposing each other, characterized in that the lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) is declining to the outside of the mounting rail ( 3 ) at an angle δ of at least 11°, preferably an angle of at least 41°, with the upper face ( 19 ) and/or the mounting plane ( 22 ), thereby defining a slanted water run off plane ( 23 ). 
     
     
         20 . Mounting rail ( 3 ) according to  claim 19 , characterized in that a plane ( 23 ) is defined by the center edge of and the outer edge of the lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ), said plane ( 23 ) declining towards the outside of the mounting rail ( 3 ) and forming an angle γ of at least 11°, preferred an angle of at least 41°, with the upper face ( 19 ) and/or the mounting plane ( 22 ), said plane ( 23 ) defining the slanted water run off plane. 
     
     
         21 . Mounting rail ( 3 ) according to  claim 19 , characterized in that a second insert mounting recess ( 8   b ) is provided at the side opposite of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) and showing a second lower face ( 16   b ) preferably declining to the outside of the mounting rail ( 3 ) at an angle with the second upper face ( 19   b ) and/or the mounting plane ( 22 ) smaller than the angle of the lower face ( 16 ) of the first insert mounting recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         22 . Mounting rail ( 3 ) according to  claim 19 , characterized in that the upper face ( 19 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) extends mainly parallel to the mounting plane ( 22 ), and preferably also the second upper face ( 19   b ) of the second insert mounting recess ( 8   b ) extends mainly parallel to the mounting plane ( 22 ). 
     
     
         23 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) for plate-like elements such as solar panels ( 6 ,  7 ), in particular for roofs ( 2 ) extending in a slanted plane ( 26 ), characterized by a mounting rail ( 3 ) according to  claim 19  and further by a first member insert ( 4 ) provided in the first insert mounting recess ( 8 ) and showing a receiving groove ( 27   a ) for the plate-like element ( 6 ,  7 ) and preferably a wedge-like part filling the gap between the plate-like element ( 6 ,  7 ) and the slanted lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         24 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that a second member insert ( 4   b ) is provided in the second insert mounting recess ( 8   b ) and showing a receiving groove ( 27   b ) for the plate-like element ( 6 ,  7 ) and preferably a wedge-like part filling the gap between the plate-like element ( 6 ,  7 ) and the second lower face ( 16   b ) of the second insert mounting recess ( 8 ′). 
     
     
         25 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that the member inserts ( 4 ,  4   b ) are shorter than the mounting rail ( 3 ), preferably shorter than the plate-like elements ( 6 ,  7 ), and that preferred the member inserts ( 4 ,  4   b ) have essentially constant cross-section. 
     
     
         26 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that at least one of the member inserts ( 4 ,  4   b ) or the insert mounting recesses ( 8 ,  8   b ) have fixing means ( 12 ,  12   b ) for fixing at least one of the inserts ( 4 ,  4   b ) in the respective insert mounting recesses ( 8 ,  8   b ). 
     
     
         27 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that the member inserts ( 4 ,  4   b ) are made of flexible and/or resilient material. 
     
     
         28 . Mounting system ( 3 ,  4 ) according to  claim 23 , characterized in that at least the first member insert ( 4 ) has a protruding portion ( 17 ) extending beyond the lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) and preferably also extending beyond the upper face ( 19 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         29 . Mounting system ( 1 ) for plate-like elements such as solar panels ( 6 ,  7 ) especially for roofs ( 2 ) extending in a slanted plane ( 26 ) comprising at least a mounting rail ( 3 ) having roof mounting means ( 5 ) for being mounted on that roof ( 2 ) and defining a mounting plane ( 22 ) and an insert mounting recess ( 8 ) and at least a member insert ( 4 ) for being held in that first insert mounting recess ( 8 ), having means ( 27   a ,  27   b ,  28   a ,  28   b ) for holding the plate-like member ( 6 ), the member insert ( 4 ) being shorter than the mounting rail ( 3 ), the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) having a lower ( 16 ) and an upper ( 19 ) face opposing each other, characterized in that the lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) defines a slanted surface that allows water to run off towards a vertical plane containing the top of the roof and acts as a water run off plane ( 23 ), the water run off plane making an angle (γ) to the mounting plane ( 22 ) or the plane of the roof ( 26 ), the angle (γ) being larger than the angle of the roof (α), preferably at least larger by an amount (β) of 1° or even more preferred the angle being at least larger by an amount of 2°, even more preferred at least larger by an amount of 5°, preferably the angle (γ) being larger than 11° even more preferred larger than 25° or even more preferred larger than 40°. 
     
     
         30 . Mounting system ( 1 ), as claimed in  claim 29 , for plate-like elements such as solar panels ( 6 ,  7 ) especially for roofs ( 2 ) extending in a slanted plane ( 26 ) comprising at least a mounting rail ( 3 ) having roof mounting means ( 5 ) for being mounted on that roof ( 2 ) in a mounting plane ( 22 ) and an insert mounting recess ( 8 ) and at least a member insert ( 4 ) for being held in that first insert mounting recess ( 8 ), having means ( 27   a ,  27   b ,  28   a ,  28   b ) for holding the plate-like member ( 6 ), the member insert ( 4 ) being shorter than the mounting rail ( 3 ), the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) having a lower ( 16 ) and an upper ( 19 ) face opposing each other, characterized in that the lower face ( 16 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) defines a slanted surface that allows water to run off towards a vertical plane containing the top of the roof ( 2 ) and acts as a water run off plane ( 23 ), the water run off plane ( 23 ) and the upper module holding face ( 27   a ) or the water run off plane ( 23 ) and upper face ( 19 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) making an angle (b) larger than zero, preferably the angle being larger than the angle of the roof (a) plus an amount (β) of at least 1°, preferably at least larger than 2° and even more preferred larger than 5°, preferably the angle (b) being larger than 20° even more preferred larger than 30° or even more preferred larger than 40°. 
     
     
         31 . Mounting system according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the upper face ( 19 ) of the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) extends mainly parallel to the plate like member ( 6 ,  7 ) when being held. 
     
     
         32 . Mounting system according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the member insert ( 4 ) has a mainly constant cross-section. 
     
     
         33 . Mounting system according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the member insert ( 4 ), the insert mounting recess ( 8 ) or both have means ( 12 ) for fixing the position of the insert ( 4 ) in the insert mounting recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         34 . Mounting system according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the member insert ( 4 ) is made of a flexible material. 
     
     
         35 . Mounting system according to  claim 29 , characterized in that the member insert ( 4 ) has a protruding portion ( 17 ) extending beyond the lower module holding face ( 27   a ) and preferably also extending beyond the upper face of the insert mounting recess ( 19 ) when placed in the insert mounting recess ( 8 ). 
     
     
         36 . Mounting rails and inserts according to  claim 29 .