Photovoltaic panel assemblies for structurally demanding applications

Abstract

A PV panel assembly includes a PV panel and a frame. The PV panel includes one or more PV cells and is operable to provide electrical power at a panel output terminal in response to operating light incident on a panel upper surface. The frame extends along the panel peripheral edge and defines a frame inside surface which, together with a lower panel surface, defines a base volume. A molded base material is located in the base volume. A light-transmissive cover material extends over the panel first surface and over at least a portion of a frame outside surface which faces away from the base volume. The PV panel assembly may be incorporated in a landscape installation and connected with other such assemblies in the installation to provide a ground mounted PV panel array which also functions as a hardscape such as a walkway or patio.

1 . A PV panel assembly including:
 (a) a PV panel having a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, the PV panel being operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface, wherein the panel peripheral edge is defined by a first side peripheral edge and a second side peripheral edge, the second side peripheral edge lying opposite to the first side peripheral edge;   (b) a first lateral side component extending along the first side peripheral edge and defining a first lateral side inside surface;   (c) a second lateral side component extending along the second side peripheral edge and defining a second lateral side inside surface which lies opposite to the first lateral side inside surface so that the first lateral side inside surface, the second lateral side inside surface, and the panel second surface together define a base volume;   (c) a molded base material located in the base volume, the molded base material comprising a material solidified from a flowable material placed in the base volume and molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface and least a portion of both the first lateral side inside surface and the second lateral side inside surface; and   (d) a cover material extending over the panel first surface, the cover material being light-transmissive at least in portions extending over one or more areas of the panel first surface.   
     
     
         2 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first lateral side component extends along the entire length of the first side peripheral edge and the second lateral side component extends along the entire length of the second side peripheral edge. 
     
     
         3 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 1  wherein:
 (a) the first lateral side component includes a first border part which includes a first border surface facing the first side peripheral edge; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component includes a second border part which includes a second border surface facing the second side peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
         4 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 3  wherein:
 (a) the first lateral side component includes a first panel capture flange having a first side capture surface facing the panel first surface in a first area adjacent to the panel peripheral edge; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component includes a second panel capture flange having a second side capture surface facing the panel first surface in a second area adjacent to the panel peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
         5 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 4  wherein:
 (a) the first lateral side component extends along a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a first panel capture end at which the first panel capture flange is located to a first lower end, and wherein the first lateral side component includes a base material capture flange extending transverse to the first lateral side inside surface and having a first base material capture surface against which the flowable material is molded; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component extends along the thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a second panel capture end at which the second panel capture flange is located to a second lower end, and wherein the second lateral side component includes a second base material capture flange extending transverse to the second lateral side inside surface and having a second base material capture surface against which the flowable material is molded. 
 
     
     
         6 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 4  wherein:
 (a) the first lateral side component extends along a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a first panel capture end at which the first panel capture flange is located to a first lower end, and further including at least one first side embedding feature protruding from the first lateral side inside surface at a location between the first lower end and the panel second surface, the at least one first side embedding feature having first side embedding surfaces against which the flowable material is molded; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component extends along the thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a second panel capture end at which the second panel capture flange is located to a second lower end, and further including at least one second side embedding feature protruding from the second lateral side inside surface at a location between the second lower end and the panel second surface, the at least one second side embedding feature having second side embedding surfaces against which the flowable material is molded. 
 
     
     
         7 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 1  further including reinforcing elements embedded in the molded base material and extending transverse to a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from the first lateral side component to the second lateral side component. 
     
     
         8 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cover material is a layer of molded material comprising a material solidified from a flowable material molded against the panel first surface and against an outside surface of the first lateral side component and an outside surface of the second lateral side component. 
     
     
         9 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 1  further including a load receiving surface spaced apart from the panel first surface at least by the cover material and further including at least one reduced light transmissivity layer extending transverse a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly, the at least one reduced light transmissivity layer including a light-transmissive material in which is included low-light-transmissivity granular material including grains which are suspended in the reduced light transmissivity layer spaced apart from the load receiving surface. 
     
     
         10 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 9  wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material reduces the light transmissivity of the reduced light transmissivity layer by no more than approximately 10%. 
     
     
         11 . The PV panel assembly of  claim 9  wherein the low-light-transmissivity granular material in at least some of an area of the reduced light transmissivity layer is made up of grains having a maximum dimension of between approximately 10 microns and 7500 microns. 
     
     
         12 . A PV panel installation including:
 (a) a supporting bed;   (b) two or more PV panel assemblies supported on the supporting bed; and   (c) wherein each PV panel assembly includes,
 (i) a PV panel having a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, the PV panel being operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface, wherein the panel peripheral edge is defined by a first side peripheral edge and a second side peripheral edge, the second side peripheral edge lying opposite to the first side peripheral edge; 
 (ii) a first lateral side component extending along the first side peripheral edge and defining a first lateral side inside surface; 
 (iii) a second lateral side component extending along the second side peripheral edge and defining a second lateral side inside surface which lies opposite to the first lateral side inside surface so that the first lateral side inside surface, the second lateral side inside surface, and the panel second surface together define a base volume; 
 (iv) a molded base material located in the base volume, the molded base material comprising a material solidified from a flowable material placed in the base volume and molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface and least a portion of both the first lateral side inside surface and the second lateral side inside surface; and 
 (v) a cover material extending over the panel first surface, the cover material being light-transmissive at least in portions extending over one or more areas of the panel first surface. 
   
     
     
         13 . The PV panel installation of  claim 12  wherein the first lateral side component extends along the entire length of the first side peripheral edge and the second lateral side component extends along the entire length of the second side peripheral edge. 
     
     
         14 . The PV panel installation of  claim 12  wherein in each respective PV panel assembly:
 (a) the first lateral side component includes a first border part which includes a first border surface facing the first side peripheral edge; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component includes a second border part which includes a second border surface facing the second side peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
         15 . The PV panel installation of  claim 14  wherein in each respective PV panel assembly:
 (a) the first lateral side component includes a first panel capture flange having a first side capture surface facing the panel first surface in a first area adjacent to the panel peripheral edge; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component includes a second panel capture flange having a second side capture surface facing the panel first surface in a second area adjacent to the panel peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
         16 . The PV panel installation of  claim 14  wherein in each respective PV panel assembly:
 (a) the first lateral side component extends along a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a first panel capture end at which the first panel capture flange is located to a first lower end, and wherein the first lateral side component includes a base material capture flange extending transverse to the first lateral side inside surface and having a first base material capture surface against which the flowable material is molded; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component extends along the thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a second panel capture end at which the second panel capture flange is located to a second lower end, and wherein the second lateral side component includes a second base material capture flange extending transverse to the second lateral side inside surface and having a second base material capture surface against which the flowable material is molded. 
 
     
     
         17 . The PV panel installation of  claim 13  wherein in each respective PV panel assembly:
 (a) the first lateral side component extends along a thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a first panel capture end at which the first panel capture flange is located to a first lower end, and further including at least one first side embedding feature protruding from the first lateral side inside surface at a location between the first lower end and the panel second surface, the at least one first side embedding feature having first side embedding surfaces against which the flowable material is molded; and 
 (b) the second lateral side component extends along the thickness axis of the PV panel assembly from a second panel capture end at which the second panel capture flange is located to a second lower end, and further including at least one second side embedding feature protruding from the second lateral side inside surface at a location between the second lower end and the panel second surface, the at least one second side embedding feature having second side embedding surfaces against which the flowable material is molded. 
 
     
     
         18 . The PV panel installation of  claim 12  wherein each respective PV panel assembly includes a load receiving surface spaced apart from the panel first surface at least by the cover material and further including at least one reduced light transmissivity layer extending transverse to a thickness axis of the respective PV panel assembly, the at least one reduced light transmissivity layer including a light-transmissive material in which is included low-light-transmissivity granular material including grains which are suspended in the reduced light transmissivity layer spaced apart from the load receiving surface. 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing a PV panel assembly having a PV panel which (i) includes a panel first surface and a panel second surface with the panel first surface and the panel second surface bounded by a panel peripheral edge, and which (ii) is operable to provide electrical power in response to operating light incident on the panel first surface, the method including:
 (a) supporting the PV panel on a support surface in a first molding position in which the panel second surface faces upwardly away from the support surface;   (b) defining a base volume of the PV panel assembly, the base volume comprising a volume defined by the panel second surface and a peripheral transverse surface extending along the entire length of the panel peripheral edge, the peripheral transverse surface extending transverse to a plane defined by the panel second surface;   (c) while supporting the PV panel in the first molding position, placing a flowable base-forming material within at least a portion of the base volume so that the flowable base-forming material is molded against at least a portion of the panel second surface and at least a portion of the peripheral transverse surface;   (d) causing the flowable base-forming material to solidify while molded against the panel second surface and peripheral transverse surface to thereby form a molded base material within the base volume, the molded base material being molded against the portion of the panel second surface and the portion of the peripheral transverse surface;   (e) removing the PV panel from the first molding position together with the molded base material; and   (f) molding a light-transmissive cover material against substantially the entire panel first surface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the molded base material remains molded against the portion of the peripheral transverse surface when the PV panel is removed from the first molding position together with the molded base material.