Roof integrated photovoltaic system

Abstract

A roof integrated photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic panels each having a right end, a left end, a front edge, and a back edge. A right end coupler is secured to the right ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels and a left end coupler is secured to the left ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels. The right end couplers and the left end couplers are configured to interlock and form a seal when two of the plurality of panels are moved into end-to-end engagement with each other. At least one front edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the front edges thereof and at least one back edge coupler is affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the back edges thereof. The front edge couplers and the back edge couplers configured to interlock when two of the plurality of panels are moved into edge-to-edge engagement and a seal is positioned to prevent water from penetrating at the junction of a front edge of one panel and the back edge of an adjoined panel. Panels are installed on a roof in end-to-end and front edge to back edge relationship to form a photovoltaic array and are electrically interconnected to produce electricity when exposed to sunlight. Flashing and gap filling faux panels are provided as part of the system. In an alternate embodiment, a frame formed from individual rails surrounds and holds a frameless solar laminate and the frame also forms the coupling features.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A roof integrated photovoltaic system comprising:
 a plurality of photovoltaic panels each having a right end, a left end, a front edge, and a back edge;   a right end coupler secured to the right ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels;   a left end coupler secured to the left ends of at least some of the photovoltaic panels;   the right end couplers and the left end couplers configured to interlock and form a seal when two of the plurality of panels are moved into end-to-end engagement;   at least one front edge coupler affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the front edges thereof;   at least one back edge coupler affixed to at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic panels at the back edges thereof;   the front edge couplers and the back edge couplers configured to interlock when two of the plurality of panels are moved into top-edge-to-bottom-edge engagement; and   a seal positioned to prevent water from penetrating at the junction of a front edge of one panel and the back edge of an adjoined panel.   
     
     
         2 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  further comprising flashing components configured to flash around an installed system. 
     
     
         3 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  further comprising faux panels configured to fill gaps left when a plurality of photovoltaic panels are installed on a roof. 
     
     
         4 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  wherein each photovoltaic panel produces DC voltage at DC output terminals when exposed to sunlight and further comprising an inverter attached to each photovoltaic panel and coupled to the DC output terminals to convert the DC voltage of the photovoltaic panel to AC voltage at AC output terminals. 
     
     
         5 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 4  further comprising an AC cable having ends and being disposed beneath each photovoltaic panel, the AC output terminals of the inverter being electrically coupled to the AC cable with the ends of the AC cable being electrically coupled to the ends of the AC cable of an adjacent photovoltaic panel to aggregate the AC energy of the plurality of photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         6 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 5  wherein the AC cables of the photovoltaic panels are at least partially supported by the cable trays of the panels. 
     
     
         7 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 5  wherein the back edge couplers are configured to define a cable race, the AC cables of the photovoltaic panels being at least partially supported in the cable race of at least one back edge coupler. 
     
     
         8 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  further comprising a grounding groove on at least one of the couplers for receiving and electrically connecting with system ground wire. 
     
     
         9 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one faux panel configured to fill a gap along an edge of the system when installed to provide a straighter edge to the system. 
     
     
         10 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 9  wherein the at least one faux panel comprises a plurality of faux panels each configured to fill a gap of a corresponding configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  further comprising flashing components for installation around an installed system of photovoltaic panels to inhibit water migration beneath the installed system. 
     
     
         12 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 11  wherein the flashing components comprise step flashing components and counter flashing components, the counter flashing components being attachable to the photovoltaic panels and being configured to drape over step flashing components installed against the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         13 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  wherein the left end and right end couplers are profiled such that one of the couplers is elevated above the other coupler and then drops onto the other coupler into locking relationship as two like photovoltaic panels are urged together end-to-end. 
     
     
         14 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 13  further comprising at least one gasket extending along the left end coupler or the right end coupler and being positioned to be compressed between the couplers when the one coupler drops onto the other coupler to form a water inhibiting seal. 
     
     
         15 . The roof integrated photovoltaic system of  claim 1  wherein the front and back edge couplers are profiled such that the front edge of a photovoltaic panel is elevated above the back edge of a like panel and then drops down onto the back edge of the like panel as two photovoltaic panels are urged together front edge to back edge. 
     
     
         16 . A photovoltaic panel assembly for installation on a deck with like photovoltaic panel assemblies to form a photovoltaic array for converting sunlight to electrical energy, the photovoltaic panel assembly comprising:
 a solar panel having a peripheral frame surrounding a solar collector that produces DC voltage when exposed to sunlight, the solar panel having left and right ends and front and back edges;   a left end coupler extending along the left end of the solar panel;   a right end coupler extending along the right end of the solar panel;   at least one front edge coupler secured at the front edge of the solar panel;   at least one back edge coupler secured at the back edge of the solar panel;   the left and right end couplers being configured to lock into sealing engagement when the ends of two like panels are urged together in an end-to-end relationship;   the at least one front edge coupler and the at least one back edge coupler being configured to lock into sealing engagement when the bottom edge of the photovoltaic panel assembly is urged toward the top edge of a like photovoltaic panel assembly; and   electrical wiring beneath the photovoltaic panel assembly for coupling the electrical energy produced by the panel assembly with electrical energy produced by like panel assemblies in an array.   
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic panel assembly of  claim 16  wherein one of the left and right end couplers comprises a ramp and the other one of the left and right couplers comprises a ramp follower, the ramp and ramp follower being configured to engage one another as the ends of two like photovoltaic panel assemblies are urged together to elevate the end coupler of one of the photovoltaic panel assemblies and then to allow the elevated end coupler to drop onto the end coupler of the other one of the photovoltaic panel assemblies. 
     
     
         18 . The photovoltaic panel assembly of  claim 17  further comprises at least one gasket on one of the end couplers, the gasket being positioned to be compressed between the end couplers when the elevated end of the one photovoltaic pane assembly drops onto the end coupler of the other one of the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         19 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 16  wherein one of the front edge coupler and the back edge coupler comprises a ramp and the other one of the front edge coupler and the back edge coupler comprises a ramp follower, the ramp and ramp follower being configured and positioned to engage one another as the front edge of the photovoltaic panel assembly is urged toward the top edge of a like photovoltaic panel assembly and then to allow the front edge of the photovoltaic panel assembly to drop onto the back edge of the like photovoltaic panel assembly in overlying relationship. 
     
     
         20 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the back edge coupler comprises the ramp and the front edge coupler comprises the ramp follower. 
     
     
         21 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the ramp follower comprises a downwardly projecting tongue. 
     
     
         22 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the front edge and back edge couplers define a cable race for the routing of the electrical wiring between like panel assemblies of the array. 
     
     
         23 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 21  wherein one of the front edge and back edge couplers defines a ground channel configured to receive a ground wire for electrically grounding the photovoltaic panel assembly. 
     
     
         24 . A photovoltaic panel assembly as claimed in  claim 16  further comprising an inverter mounted beneath the solar collector, the inverter having inputs electrically coupled to the DC electrical energy of the solar collector and outputs, the inverter converting the DC electrical energy to AC electrical energy at its outputs, the electrical wiring being electrically coupled to the outputs of the inverter.