Patent ID: 9673750
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: F24S,H01L,H02S,Y02B,Y02E

Claim:
1. A photovoltaic assembly, comprising: first and second photovoltaic mounting structures, each including a module retention portion and a body portion having a bottom surface configured to be attached to an underlying structure; the module retention portion of the first mounting structure including a module overlap portion extending from the body portion of the first mounting structure to define a uniformly narrowing gap between the overlap portion and the body portion, terminating in a distal pinch point configured to receive an edge portion of a photovoltaic module; and a flexible photovoltaic module disposed between the mounting structures with a first edge of the module positioned within the module retention portion of the first mounting structure and a second edge of the module positioned within the module retention portion of the second mounting structure, such that the first edge of the module is received in the uniformly narrowing gap with the first edge pinched between the overlap portion and the body portion, thereby fixing the position of the first edge of the module as it reaches the distal pinch point; wherein the first and second mounting structures are disposed a distance apart less than a width of the module, thereby causing the module to curve in a state of compression between the mounting structures while leaving a center portion of the module free standing.