Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Discrete attachment point apparatus and system for photovoltaic arrays
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Application No.: US13911955Application Date: 2013-06-06
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Publication No.: US09647157B2Publication Date: 2017-05-09
- Inventor: Jack Raymond West , Brian Atchley , Tyrus Hudson
- Applicant: SolarCity Corporation
- Applicant Address: US CA San Mateo
- Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
- Current Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: US CA San Mateo
- Agency: Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
- Main IPC: H02S20/23
- IPC: H02S20/23 ; F24J2/52 ; H01L31/042 ; H02S20/00

Abstract:
An attachment point apparatus and system for photovoltaic arrays is disclosed as well as an installed photovoltaic array using attachment apparatus. One embodiment provides a rail for receiving a PV module, including a rail member located substantially beneath at least a portion of a second photovoltaic module and having a first end located near a gap between a first and second photovoltaic modules. An embodiment also provides a second photovoltaic module which is substantially coplanar with and located between a first and third photovoltaic modules and wherein said rail member is connected to the first, second, and third photovoltaic modules and attached to a support structure by a first and second attachment brackets. A further embodiment provides a lever clip, said lever clip comprising a head portion connecting a photovoltaic module to a rail, a lever portion extending away from a head portion, and a retaining portion near an end of a lever portion wherein the lever portion acts as a lever to rotate the head portion during installation such that the head portion secures the photovoltaic module to a frame.
Public/Granted literature
- US20140026946A1 Discrete Attachment Point Apparatus and System for Photovoltaic Arrays Public/Granted day:2014-01-30
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