SUPPORT CONNECTOR, SOLAR PANEL CONNECTOR ATTACHABLE TO THE SUPPORT CONNECTOR, AND ATTACHING SYSTEM COMPRISING SAID SUPPORT CONNECTOR AND SAID SOLAR PANEL CONNECTOR

Abstract

A system for attaching a solar panel to a support, includes a support connector and a solar panel connector, where the support connector includes a U-shaped profile having a lower wall and two side walls, where an upper end of the side walls is bent inwards to provide vertical rails for receiving the panel connector; and the panel connector include a profile having: an upper C-shaped portion configured for receiving a side edge of a solar panel; a lower, upwardly oriented channel portion configured for receiving the vertical rail of the support connector; and at least one box-shaped portion connecting the upper C-shaped portion and the lower channel portion.

Claims

1. A system for attaching a solar panel to a support, the system comprising: a support connector configured for attachment to a support and a solar panel connector configured for attachment to a solar panel; wherein the support connector comprises an essentially U-shaped profile having a horizontal lower wall and two parallel vertical side walls; wherein an upper end of the parallel vertical side walls is bent inwards to provide vertical rails for slidably receiving the solar panel connector; wherein the solar panel connector comprises a profile comprising an upper C-shaped portion configured for receiving a side edge of a solar panel; a lower, upwardly oriented lower channel portion configured for receiving the vertical rail of the support connector; and at least one box-shaped portion connecting the upper C-shaped portion and the lower channel portion; wherein the vertical rail comprises a downward projection for blocking the sliding movement of the panel connector; and wherein the downward projection is located in a longitudinally central portion of the vertical rail.

2. The system for attaching a solar panel to a support according to claim 1, further comprising a dedicated locking mechanism for locking the solar panel connector to the support connector when the solar panel connector reaches an inner position along the support connector.

3. The system for attaching a solar panel to a support according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a protruding elastic portion provided in one of the connectors of the solar panel and the support connector, and a hole provided in the other of the solar panel connector and the support connector, said protruding elastic portion and the hole being located such that the protruding elastic portions enters said hole when the solar panel connector reaches the inner position.

4. The system for attaching a solar panel to a support according to claim 3, wherein the vertical rail of the support connector comprises a downward protruding, upwardly elastic portion located at a longitudinally end portion of the support connector, wherein a lower edge of the downward protruding, upwardly elastic portion forms a downward slope with respect to the horizontal lower edge of the vertical rail such that the downward protruding, upwardly elastic portion is displaced upwards by a lower horizontal wall of the lower channel portion of the panel connector when the solar panel connector slides on the vertical rails; and wherein the lower horizontal wall of the lower channel portion of the panel connector comprises a first end hole configured for receiving the lower edge of the downward protruding, upwardly elastic portion of the vertical rail of the support connector when the solar panel connector reaches the inner position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a support connector according to the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a support connector according to the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the support connector according to the invention.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a front view of a solar panel connector according to the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a solar panel connector according to the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a solar assembly comprising a support connector and a panel connector according to the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the solar assembly of FIG. 6 showing the support connector and the panel connector.

[0053] FIG. 8 shows a further enlarged perspective view of the portion of the solar assembly shown in FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0054] The system for attaching a solar panel (100) to a support (200) is now disclosed with reference to the attached drawings. As disclosed above, the system of the invention comprises a support connector (1) and a solar panel connector (2) attachable to said support connector (1). Further, note that the present example is particularly directed to the connection between a solar tracker and a solar panel. Therefore, in the following the “support (200)” and the “support connector (1)” are referred to as “solar tracker (200)” and “tracker connector (1)”.

[0055] FIGS. 1-3 show respective views of the tracker connector (1) of the invention. The tracker connector (1) takes the form of an essentially U-shaped profile formed by a lower horizontal wall (11) and two parallel vertical side walls (12, 13). The upper ends of the side walls (12, 13) are curved inwards, i.e. towards the inside of the U-shaped profile, for forming respective vertical rails (14). In the present example, the curved portion of the side walls (12, 13) comprises an essentially horizontal wall (17) connecting the vertical rail (14) to the side walls (12, 13). The edges between the respective walls are rounded.

[0056] The tracker connector (1) shown in the figures further comprises a downward projection (15) emerging downwardly from the horizontal lower edge (141) of the vertical rail (14) for blocking the sliding advancement of a solar panel connector (2). The downward projection (15) is located longitudinally in the middle of the vertical rail (14), so that two solar panel connectors (2) can be attached to each tracker connector (1).

[0057] The tracker connector (1) further comprises a downward protruding, upwardly elastic portion (16) located at respective longitudinal ends of the vertical rail (14). Particularly, each elastic portion (16) comprises a lower edge (161) forming a downward slope with respect to the horizontal lower edge (141) of the vertical rail (14) in the direction of insertion of the solar panel connector (2). Further, said elastic portion (16) comprises an essentially vertical side edge (162) of oriented towards the direction of extraction of the solar panel connector (2). Thus, when the solar panel connector (2) is inserted in the vertical rail (14) of this tracker connector (1), the inclined lower edge (161) is displaced upwards so that the panel connector (2) can slide into the tracker connector (1). On the contrary, when the panel connector (2) reaches an inner position, a first hole provided therein (see description below) allows the lower edge (161) to return to its lower position. Then, the vertical side edge (162) blocks any outward displacement of the panel connector (2), which is then locked in said inner position.

[0058] FIGS. 4 and 5 show respective views of the solar panel connector (2) according to the present invention. The solar panel connector (2) takes the form of a profile having a shape formed by three distinct portions: an upper C-shaped portion (21), a lower channel portion (22), and a box-shaped portion (23) connecting the C-shaped portion (21) and the lower channel portion (22).

[0059] The C-shaped portion (21) is configured for clamping a side edge of a solar panel (100). Thus, the C-shaped portion (21) has an essentially horizontal lower wall (211), an essentially horizontal upper wall (213), and a vertical side wall (212) connecting the lower wall (211) and the upper wall (213), these three walls thus taking a C shape open towards the side. In this example, the lower wall (211), the side wall (212), and the upper wall (213) are essentially straight. However, other shapes are possible.

[0060] The lower channel portion (22) forms an upwardly open channel having a horizontal lower wall (221), a first vertical side wall (222) and a second vertical side wall (223). In this example, the second vertical side wall (223) has an upper end connected to the box-shaped portion (23), while the first side wall (222) is shorter, such that the upward open channel can be accessed laterally. This lower channel portion (22) is dimensioned for engaging with the vertical rail (14) of the solar tracker (1). That is, the vertical rail (14) of the solar tracker (1) fits inside the lower channel portion (22) such that the solar panel connector (2) can slide into the tracker connector (1). This means, in particular, that the distance between the lower horizontal wall (221) of the channel portion (22) and the lower wall (211) of the C-shaped portion, located above said channel portion (22), matches the length of the vertical rails (14) of the tracker connector (1), so that said vertical rail (14) cannot exit the channel portion (22). Thus, as explained above, upon entering the vertical rail (14), the upper end surface of the lower horizontal wall (222) bumps into the inclined lower edge (161) of the elastic portion (16) and, upon a simple pushing action by an operator, displaces said elastic portion (16) upwards. The solar panel connector (2) can then slide further until, when reaching the inner position, a longitudinally leading end thereof bumps into the downward projection (15) of the vertical rail (14) located in the middle portion of the tracker connector (1). At the same time, a first end hole (24) located at the lower wall (221) of the lower channel portion (22) near a longitudinally trailing end of the solar panel connector (1) reaches the position of the elastic portion (16) of the vertical rail (14). The elastic portion (16) then returns to its original lower position by entering into said first end hole (24). The vertical side edge (162) of the elastic portion (16) then blocks any outward displacement of the solar panel connector (1), which then is locked in the inner position.

[0061] In the present example, the box-shaped portion (23) of the solar panel connector (23) is merely formed by a vertically oriented rectangle located between the C-shaped portion (21) and the channel portion (22), where part of the second vertical side wall (223) of the channel portion (22) also forms a side wall of the rectangle.

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a solar assembly (300) formed by a solar tracker (200) having four solar panels (100) attached thereto. The attachment of the solar panels (100) is carried out by a system according to the invention comprising two tracker connectors (2) fixed to four solar panel connectors (1). The connection system is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0063] As shown therein, the solar panel (100) is clamped between the upper wall (213) and the lower wall (211) of the C-shaped portion (21) of the solar panel connector (2), while the tracker connector (1) is attached to the solar tracker (200) by means of a clamp (210) connected to a horizontal beam (220) thereof. In turn, the connection between the solar panel connector (2) and the tracker connector (1) is carried out as explained above. Specifically, FIGS. 7 and 8 show how the C-shaped portion (21) of the panel connector (2) is attached to the vertical rail (14) of the solar tracker (1) by sliding the solar panel connector (2) into the tracker connector (1). The solar panel connector (2) is locked in position, at one end thereof, by means of the downward projection (15) and, at the opposite end thereof, by cooperation between the elastic portion (161) of the tracker connector (1) and the end hole (24) of the panel connector (2).