Patent ID: 11949032
Assignee: SUNPOWER CORPORATION
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 9:
10. A spacing device for setting a lateral gap between adjacent rows of a PV array on a mounting structure, the spacing device comprising:
a spacer body having a bowed structure defining a width between a first end of the bowed structure and a second end of the bowed structure opposite the first end,
wherein the bowed structure of the spacer body of the spacing device forms a cavity between the first end and the second end, and wherein the spacing device comprises only a single crosspiece, wherein the crosspiece is a centrally curved crosspiece with a curvature that is outward relative to the cavity, wherein the spacing device is symmetrical about an axis extending through a center of the bowed structure, through a center of the cavity, through a center of the single crosspiece and through a mid-point between the first end and the second end;
a non-pivoting upper engagement feature and a non-pivoting lower engagement feature each on a corresponding outwardly curved portion of the bowed structure for non-pivotably engaging an outer surface of a first PV module in a first row of the PV array, wherein a width of the spacing device from an end of the non-pivoting lower engagement feature to an end of the non-pivoting upper engagement feature is greater than the width between the first end of the bowed structure and the second end of the bowed structure along a direction from the end of the non-pivoting lower engagement feature to the end of the non-pivoting upper engagement feature; and
at least one abutting portion on the bowed structure for contacting an outer edge of a second PV module in a second row of the PV array, the second row being adjacent to the first row;
wherein the width defined by the bowed structure of the spacer body is positioned above the mounting structure and defines the lateral gap between the first and second rows of the PV array.