RACKING-SYSTEM FOR FLAT PANELS

Abstract

The invention relates to a mounting device (1), in particular flat roof or open space mounting system, for surface elements, preferably photovoltaic or solar thermal modules, having a ground contact element (2) which preferably also serves to accommodate ballast weights and having a fixing bracket (3) which is connectable to the ground contact element (2) and comprises or is able to receive fixing elements (4), in particular clips, at an end facing away from the ground contact element (2), said fixing elements (4) serving to fix the surface elements (16), wherein it is provided that the connection between the ground contact element (2) and the fixing bracket (3) is detachable.

Claims

1. A mounting device for surface elements having a ground contact element comprising a fixing bracket which is connectable to the ground contact element and comprises or is able to receive fixing elements at an end facing away from the ground contact element, said fixing elements serving to fix the surface elements, the connection between the ground contact element and the fixing bracket being detachable.

2. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the ground contact element and the fixing bracket is establishable without tools and is detachable without tools.

3. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the ground contact element and the fixing bracket comprises an insertion connection.

4. The mounting device according to claim 3, wherein the insertion connection is configured in such a manner that an insertion direction runs essentially parallel to a base plane of the ground contact element.

5. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element comprises a structural plate having at least one stiffening profile extending along a longitudinal direction.

6. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element has a receiving slot at two ends opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction, said receiving slot serving to receive the fixing brackets.

7. The mounting device according to claim 6, wherein the receiving slot extends across two, stiffening profiles.

8. The mounting device according to claim 6, wherein the ground contact element has, in the area of the stiffening profiles, a securing tongue protruding into the mounting slot and being passable when connecting to a fixing bracket and being automatically transferrable into a securing position when or immediately before the end position of a fixing bracket is reached.

9. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket has a tab at an end connected or connectable to the ground contact plate, said tab at least partially engaging a stiffening profile.

10. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing bracket has a fixing portion for engagement into the ground contact element, and for engaging a stiffening profile, and a distance portion which adjoins the fixing portion and is monolithically connected to it, the distance portion being made of an at least partially elastically deformable material.

11. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element has a fixing opening via which the ground contact element is able to be connected to a substratum.

12. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element has a dimension of at least 700 mm in the longitudinal direction.

13. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element has border beadings at the borders in a width direction, said border beadings extending in the longitudinal direction and reinforcing the border mechanically and/or enabling a secure support of ballast weights having a regular bottom side.

14. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact element has a friction-increasing coating on a bottom side, at least sectionally in areas coming into contact with a substratum.

15. A mounting system having at least one mounting device according to claim 1 and at least one surface element, at least one fixing bracket of the mounting device being connected to the surface element via a clamping element.

16. The mounting system according to claim 15, wherein a longitudinal edge of the surface element is disposed essentially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the ground contact element.

17. The mounting system according to claim 16, wherein the connection between the fixing bracket and the surface element is on the longitudinal edge of the surface element.

18. The mounting system according to claim 15, wherein a row of surface elements is disposed in such a manner that the surface elements each adjoin or oppose each other with a short side, wherein, with the exception of outer ground contact elements, two fixing brackets per ground contact element establish a connection to two adjacent surface elements in each case.

19. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting device is a flat roof or open space mounting system, and the surface elements are photovoltaic or solar thermal modules, and wherein the ground contact element also accommodates ballast weights.

20. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing elements are clips.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Below, the invention at hand is further explained with reference to merely schematic drawings showing exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0064] FIG. 1A perspective view of a mounting device according to the invention in a first embodiment

[0065] FIG. 2a A first perspective view of a ground contact element according to the invention in a first embodiment

[0066] FIG. 2b A second perspective view of a ground contact element according to the invention in a first embodiment

[0067] FIG. 3A perspective view of a fixing bracket according to the invention in a first embodiment

[0068] FIG. 4A perspective side view of a mounting device according to the invention in a second embodiment

[0069] FIG. 5A perspective view of a mounting system according to the invention in a first embodiment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] In FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a mounting device 1 according to the invention is shown, said mounting device 1 comprising a ground contact element 2 realized as a structural plate 6. In this case, structural plate 6 has stiffening profiles 7 stabilizing structural plate 6, in particular mechanically, wherein the number of stiffening profiles 7 can vary. A receiving slot 8 is disposed on stiffening profiles 7, said receiving slot 8 running through all stiffening profiles 7 in this illustration, other embodiments, such as a receiving slot 8 which is disposed only across one stiffening profile 7, being conceivable. Structural plate 6 furthermore comprises border beadings 15 on the border side which are adjusted in particular in their height to stiffening profiles 7, whereby a plane for the support of ballast is realized by border beadings 15 and stiffening profiles 7.

[0071] Furthermore, structural plate 6 can have a friction-increasing coating on the ground side (not shown in the illustration). Fixing brackets 3 are fixed to structural plate 6 by means of an insertion connection 5 realized along longitudinal direction L, securing tongues 9 being realized on stiffening profiles 7, said securing tongues 9 being passable by an at least partial deformation during the establishment of insertion connection 5 without tools and snapping into a recess 10 disposed on fixing bracket 3 by an at least approximate return deformation when fixing bracket 3 reaches a defined end position and, thus, taking a securing position, whereby fixing brackets 3 are fixed in an end position and an acoustic and/or haptic signal communicates that this end position has been reached. Advantageously, a fixing bracket 3 is disposed on each of opposing ends of ground contact element 2. As will be described hereinafter, each of the two fixing brackets 3 canwith the exception of outer ground contact elements 2 disposed on the border side, where applicableestablish a connection to a surface element which is not illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 it is visible that fixing brackets 3 protrude quite far below adjacent surface elements due to the elongated design of ground contact element 2 or the large dimension in longitudinal direction L and, thus, allow a very stable support.

[0072] Fixing brackets 3 comprise a fixing portion 12 for engagement into ground contact element 2, in particular for engaging a stiffening profile 7, wherein fixing portion 12 can be designed differently, particularly with respect to its length, thus allowing different numbers of stiffening profiles 7 to be comprised. Furthermore, a tab 11 is disposed on fixing portion 12, said tab 7 comprising at least partially a stiffening profile 7 and, thus, preventing fixing bracket 3 from slipping out of position and being able to make the insertion of fixing bracket 3 easier as a positioning aid. Instead of a tab 11, also another fixing bracket 3, which is realized identically or differently, and which is in particular reflected, can be disposed on the same fixing portion 12. Distance portion 13 is realized preferably monolithically on fixing portion 12 and can be realized differently with respect to its height in order to enable, for example, an inclined and/or stepped arrangement of surface elements 16. Fixing elements 4 are disposed on distance portion 13 on the side facing away from ground contact element 2 and can be realized, for example, as a clip or an insertion connection.

[0073] In FIGS. 2a and 2b, a ground contact element 2 according to the invention is shown which is realized as a structural plate 6 and comprises stiffening profiles 7 stabilizing structural plate 6 in particular mechanically, wherein the number of stiffening profiles 7 can vary. Furthermore, structural plate 6 comprises border beadings 15 which are disposed at least approximately equally in their height as stiffening profiles 7, thus realizing overall a plane, for example, for the support of ballast. Border beadings 15 also stabilize the border mechanically, in particular against a breaking or deformation which can lead to a loss of ballast and, thus, the securing of the mounting device. A receiving slot 8 is disposed on stiffening profiles 7, said receiving slot 8 being designed for realizing an insertion connection 5 with a fixing bracket 3. Furthermore, stiffening profiles 7 comprise securing tongues 9 which interact with a recess 10 on fixing bracket 3 in order to communicate a reaching of an end position of fixing bracket 3 and to fix them. Optionally, structural panel 6 can comprise a coating, for example of EPDM, on the ground side in order to increase the friction with respect to the substratum and to positionally stably fix the structural plate. In addition to border beadings 15 and stiffening profiles 7, the structural plate can have further indentations and/or protrusions which can, for example, further improve the mechanical stability. Furthermore, structural plate 6 comprises an elongated hole 14, for example for the connection to an anchor unit sunk or capable of being sunk into the ground, adjustments along the longitudinal direction being possible due to the elongated design. Optionally, structural plate 6 can have further perforations in addition to elongated hole 14.

[0074] In FIG. 3, a fixing bracket 3 according to the invention is shown as an example, said fixing bracket 3 comprising a fixing portion 12 for engagement into ground contact element 2 and in particular for engaging a stiffening profile 7, wherein fixing portion 12 can be designed differently, particularly with respect to its length, thus allowing different numbers of stiffening profiles 7 to be comprised. Furthermore, at least one recess 10 is disposed on the fixing portion, further preferably a number of recesses 10 corresponding in particular to the number of comprised stiffening profiles 7, which is configured to interact with a securing tongue 9 disposed on stiffening profile 7 in order to fix the fixing bracket in an end position of insertion connection 5 and to communicate, in particular acoustically, that said end position has been reached. Furthermore, a tab 11 is disposed on fixing portion 12, said tab 11 comprising at least partially a stiffening profile 7 and, thus, preventing fixing bracket 3 from slipping out of position and being able to make the insertion of fixing bracket 3 easier as a positioning aid. Instead of a tab 11, also another fixing bracket 3, which is realized identically or differently and which is in particular reflected can be disposed on the same fixing portion 12. Distance portion 13 is realized preferably monolithically on fixing portion 12 and can be realized differently with respect to its height in order to enable, for example, an inclined and/or stepped arrangement of surface elements 16. Fixing elements 4 are disposed on distance portion 13 on the side facing away from ground contact element 2 and can be realized, for example, as a clip or an insertion connection. Preferably, fixing bracket 3 is made of an at least partially elastically deformable material, preferably of aluminum, which makes the fixing bracket particularly resistant to thermal deformation and allows that it can be at least partially adjusted by deformation during mounting.

[0075] In FIG. 4, a mounting device in a second embodiment is shown, comprising a ground contact element 2 realized as a structural plate 6. In this case, structural plate 2 has stiffening profiles 7 stabilizing structural plate 6 in particular mechanically, wherein the number of stiffening profiles 7 can vary. Securing tongues 9 being realized on stiffening profiles 7, said securing tongues 9 being configured to interact with recesses 10 on fixing bracket 3 in order to fix it in an end position and to communicate by means of an acoustic and/or haptic signal that the end position has been reached. Furthermore, structural plate 6 comprises border beadings 15 on the border side which are adjusted in particular in their height to stiffening profiles 7, whereby a plane for the support of ballast is realized by border beadings 15 and stiffening profiles 7. Fixing bracket 3 comprises a fixing portion 12 for engagement into ground contact element 2 and in particular for engaging a stiffening profile 7, wherein fixing portion 12 can be designed differently, particularly with respect to its length, thus allowing different numbers of stiffening profiles 7 to be comprised. In this embodiment, two distance portions 13 are disposed on fixing portion 12, each distance portion 13 having a fixing element 4 for abutment against a surface element 16. The distance portions can be realized identically or differently in their length in order to enable a stepped arrangement.

[0076] The viewing direction in FIG. 4 extends into the drawing plane along longitudinal direction L of ground contact element 2 and looks perpendicularly at a short side 19 of surface elements 16. Thus, longitudinal direction L runs parallel to longitudinal sides 18 of surface elements 16. Thus, stiffening profiles 7 act particularly well in the reinforcement of the mounting system along longitudinal sides 18 of surface elements 16. Furthermore, thus, fixing brackets 3 can engage or be fixed quite far inside along longitudinal sides 18, which also reduces the bending of the surface elements.

[0077] In FIG. 5, a mounting system 17 according to the invention is shown which comprises several mounting devices 1. In this case, each mounting device 1 comprises a ground contact element 2 realized as a structural plate 6. Moreover, mounting devices 1 comprise fixing brackets 3 which can be realized identically or differently within a mounting device 1 and which can be realized identically or differently within a mounting system 17. The illustration shows an arrangement of surface elements 16 in an orientation in which a longitudinal side is connected to, in particular clamped with, fixing brackets 3. Since ground contact element 2 is designed as elongated structural plate 6, the distances of the fixing locations can be shortened along longitudinal sides 18 of surface elements 16, which particularly improves the mechanical stability and the resistance to wind loads. For this purpose, ground contact element 2 can have preferably a length of at least 700 mm. By means of different fixing brackets 3, in particular fixing brackets 3 of different heights, an inclination of surface elements 16 can be achieved in order to generate a support having a south orientation or an east-west orientation.

[0078] As can be seen, longitudinal direction L of ground contact elements 3 extends parallel to longitudinal sides 18 of surface elements 16. Surface elements 16 are disposed in such a manner that they adjoin each other or oppose each other with short sides 19. Inner ground contact elements 2.1 each have two fixing brackets 3, which are each fixed to two adjacent fixing elements 16, preferably at longitudinal side 18. Outer ground contact elements 3 or ground contact elements 3 on the border side along longitudinal sides 18 can advantageously have only one fixing bracket 3 which establishes a connection to a surface element 16, preferably along longitudinal side 18, in each case.

[0079] In addition, wind deflector elements, preferably wind deflector plates, may be disposed on fixing brackets 3 and/or on the surface elements, which is not illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5. Said wind deflector elements are usually made of a metal plate and direct the wind, preferably in a south orientation of the system, in such a manner that a pressing suction acts on the surface elements in the direction of the substratum. Additionally, gaps can be realized between longitudinal edges 18 of surface elements 16 and the wind deflector elements. The wind deflector elements can be angled and protrude slightly beyond an upper longitudinal edge of the surface element.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0080] 1 mounting device [0081] 2 ground contact element [0082] 2.1 inner ground contact element [0083] 2.2 outer ground contact element [0084] 3 fixing bracket [0085] 4 fixing elements [0086] 5 insertion connection [0087] 6 structural plate [0088] 7 stiffening profile [0089] 8 receiving slot [0090] 9 securing tongue [0091] 10 recess [0092] 11 tab [0093] 12 fixing portion [0094] 13 distance portion [0095] 14 fixing opening [0096] 15 border beadings [0097] 16 surface element [0098] 17 mounting system [0099] 18 longitudinal side [0100] 19 short side [0101] L longitudinal direction