Patent ID: 7307209
Filing Date: 2007-12-11
Classification: F24S,H02S,Y02B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A photovoltaic array comprising: a plurality of elongated rails for being mounted on a support surface projecting upwardly therefrom and extending in a spaced and parallel relationship to each other; each rail having an extruded resin construction including a lower base and an upper cap that cooperate to define a pair of grooves opening in opposite directions from each other; and rectangular photovoltaic modules having edges that are received by the grooves of the rails so as to be mounted above the support surface in a spaced relationship from the support surface wherein the lower base and upper cap of each rail are extruded as separate pieces and secured to each other to define the oppositely opening pair of grooves, each base including a lower end for mounting on the support surface, a stem that projects upwardly from the lower end, an upper extremity of a T shape that defines an upwardly opening slot extending along the elongated length of the elongated rail and the upper extremity of the lower base including downwardly extending flanges for securing flashing; and each upper cap having a T shape including a stem that projects downwardly and is received by the slot in the T-shaped upper extremity of the lower base, and each upper cap having an upper cross bar that extends in opposite directions from the stem thereof to cooperate with the T-shaped upper extremity of the lower base in defining the pair of grooves that open in opposite directions from each other to receive the edges of the photovoltaic modules that are mounted by the rails on the support surface.