Abstract:
The invention pertains to a support rail for a solar collector, i.e., a rail for accommodating and mounting a solar collector.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention pertains to a support rail for a solar collector, i.e., a rail for accommodating and mounting a solar collector. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The object of the invention may form part of a complex installation and mounting system for solar collectors (particularly hot water and photovoltaic collectors) that are installed, for example, on a roof, in a roof, on or in a building facade. 
         [0003]    The aforementioned collectors frequently feature a flat cuboid housing with dimensions (width, length, height) of about 100×200×10 cm. They are known as so-called frame collectors or tray collectors. 
         [0004]    Mounting systems known so far are largely rigid and cannot make allowances for local constructive standards. Consequently, collectors are frequently mounted in an askew and optically insufficient fashion. The collector may slide down on corresponding mounting rails before it can be located in the desired end position and fixed, particularly when mounting collectors on an inclined surface. 
         [0005]    The object of the invention in this respect consists of making available a support rail for a solar collector, wherein the rail allows the simple installation of a mounting means that serves for mounting the collector on the rail. The rail furthermore should allow a simple and safe positioning of the collector during the installation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In order to attain this object, the invention proposes a support rail that comprises three sections. A first section serves for accommodating a first mounting means that is inserted between the rail and the collector in order to mount the collector on the rail. 
         [0007]    A second section of the rail is intended for directly or indirectly mounting the rail itself on a corresponding supporting surface such as a roof or a facade. 
         [0008]    The third section serves for already adjusting the collector in a safe and defined fashion during the installation on the rail, namely without requiring special tools and/or other implements for this purpose. 
         [0009]    The first section is realized in such a way that it forms at least one supporting surface for the collector while the third section protrudes in the direction of the collector with respect to this supporting surface. The collector is accordingly realized with a groove-like depression in the bottom region that serves for accommodating the third section such that the collector and the third section of the support rail are interlocked during the installation. Due to this measure, the collector can no longer slide down on the rail during the installation phase, wherein this is particularly important with respect to the installation on inclined surfaces. 
         [0010]    In its most general embodiment, the invention pertains to a support rail for a solar collector with the following characteristics: 
         [0011]    a first section with an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional profile with a base and two limbs [arms] protruding from the base, 
         [0012]    end sections of the two limbs extend inward in alignment with one another and toward one another such that a slot-shaped opening for accommodating and fixing a first mounting means is formed between the end sections, 
         [0013]    a second section for accommodating and fixing a second mounting means, 
         [0014]    at least one third section adjacent to an end section of one limb, wherein the third section at least in part protrudes in a direction that points away from the first section with respect to a plane defined by the outer surfaces of the aligned end sections of the limbs. 
         [0015]    The following applies with respect to the first section: 
         [0016]    This section forms a receptacle for a first mounting means. Several mounting means can be arranged at different positions along one or more rails in order to fix one or more collectors. The mounting means can be inserted into the U-profile through the opening between the end sections of the limbs. The mounting means is subsequently turned, for example, by 90°. For this purpose, the section of the mounting means inserted into the U-profile has a shape with a narrow side and a broad side, wherein the broad side is wider than the slot-shaped opening. This makes it possible to guide the mounting means against the end sections of the limbs of the first section of the rail with the section inserted into the U-profile and to fix the mounting means at this location. In this case, the end sections of the limbs of the first section of the support rail act as a stop and a counter-bearing for the mounting means that is mounted on the collector on its opposite end. The collector is braced with respect to the support rail in this fashion and fixed in the desired position. Due to the aligned orientation of the end sections of the limbs of the first section of the support rail, a supporting surface for the bottom of the collector is simultaneously created. 
         [0017]    At the same time, the third section of the support rail is interlocked with a corresponding groove in the bottom of the collector in the above-described fashion. In this case, the third section essentially extends parallel to the rail. In a conventional installation, the groove arranged in the collector consequently extends essentially perpendicular to the parallel longitudinal sides of the collector. 
         [0018]    If so desired, corresponding third sections (interlocking elements) may also be provided adjacent to both end sections of the limbs of the first section of the support rail. In this case, the collector needs to feature at least two of the aforementioned grooves, into which the third sections of the support rail can engage. 
         [0019]    The third section extends, for example, perpendicular to the end sections of the limbs and accordingly perpendicular to the base of the aforementioned U-profile of the first section. The third section may have the shape of a bar at least in its part that points away from the first section. Alternatively, the third section may have a cross section at its interlocking part that corresponds to a right-angled trapezoid. The inclined surface of the trapezoid simplifies the engagement into the corresponding groove of the collector while the opposite surface section of the trapezoid allows a safe contact on a corresponding stopping face in the groove of the collector. 
         [0020]    According to one embodiment, the limbs of the first section of the support rail extend perpendicular to the base and parallel to one another (with the exception of the end sections). These end sections preferably extend parallel to the base in order to define the desired joint support for the collector. 
         [0021]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the end sections are realized with right-angle bends extending in the direction of the base of the U-profile on their free ends, i.e., adjacent to the slot-shaped opening. These right-angle bends form an additional interlocking option for the mounting means in order to securely fix this mounting means on the rail. 
         [0022]    The second section may also have an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional profile, i.e., with a base and two limbs that protrude from the base. 
         [0023]    The design of the support rail is simplified if the limbs of the second U-shaped section extend perpendicular to the limbs of the first U-shaped section. This makes it possible to insert a second mounting means into the second section laterally, i.e., parallel to the base of the first section, and to fix this second mounting means at this location. 
         [0024]    In this case, the design of the rail is additionally simplified if one limb of the second U-shaped section is formed by the base of the first U-shaped section. This embodiment is discussed in greater detail in the following description of the figures. 
         [0025]    The limbs of the second U-shaped section may feature a fluting on the inner side. This fluting makes it possible to fix the second mounting means on this second section of the rail, for example, with the aid of a screw, wherein the thread of the screw engages into the aforementioned fluting. 
         [0026]    In an embodiment, in which a fluting is provided on the outer side of one limb of the first U-shaped section, namely the limb that is situated adjacent to the second section of the support rail, it is also possible to fix the second mounting means in different positions relative to the first section of the support rail. Tolerances can be very easily compensated in this fashion during the installation. 
         [0027]    The at least three sections of the support rail may be discrete sections that are connected to one another (interconnected). However, it is preferred to realize an embodiment, in which the first, second and third sections are integrally connected to one another, wherein this embodiment may be realized, for example, by extrusion-moulding the support rail. This applies to a support rail of metal, as well as to a support rail of plastic. 
         [0028]    Other characteristics of the invention result from the characteristics of the dependent claims and the other application documents. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to one exemplary embodiment. In the respective schematic drawings, 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective representation of an inventive support rail in cooperation with a first and a second mounting means and a corresponding collector; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of another embodiment of the support rail. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    In the figures, identical components or components that fulfill the same function are identified by the same reference symbols. Positional information such as “top, bottom, left, right” refers to the illustrated installation position of the support rail. 
         [0033]    The support rail according to  FIG. 1  comprises a first section  10  that has an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional profile with a base  12  and two limbs  14 ,  16  that protrude from the base  12 . End sections  14   e ,  16   e  of the two limbs  14 ,  16  extend inward in alignment with one another and toward one another, wherein said end sections feature snap tabs  14   r ,  16   r  that extend downward (in the direction of the base  12 ) on their ends. A slot-shaped opening  18  that serves for accommodating and fixing a first mounting means  30  is formed between the end sections  14   e ,  16   e . The end sections  14   e ,  16   e  extend in alignment with one another. Their outer surfaces  14   a ,  16   a  accordingly extend in a plane E, on which a collector  40  lies with its bottom  42 . 
         [0034]    In order to install the mounting means  30 , it is inserted with its lower part, into the cuboid space of the first section  10  through the opening  18  then turned by 90° into the position shown and subsequently moved upward (which is not shown here) until lateral wings  32  of the mounting means  30  engage behind the snap rails  14   r ,  16   r . The collector  40  is simultaneously fixed on the opposite end of the mounting means  30  such that the collector  40  consequently is positioned and fixed on the rail by the mounting means  30 . An analogous mounting with additional mounting means is carried out at another location of the rail. 
         [0035]    The third section  20  illustrated to the right of the first section  10  is realized in the form of a hollow profile with rectangular cross section, wherein an upper cross arm  22  extends in alignment with the end sections  14   e ,  16   e  and in extension of the end section  16   e . A bar  24  protrudes perpendicularly upward from the cross arm  22  and engages into a corresponding groove  44  in the bottom  42  of the collector  40  in order to secure the collector from sliding on the rail. 
         [0036]    A section of the base  12  of the first section  10  (on the left in  FIG. 1 ) simultaneously forms a limb  52  of the second section  50  of the support rail, wherein the second section  50  also has an essentially U-shaped cross-sectional profile, and wherein the base is identified by the reference symbol  54  and extends perpendicular to the base  12  of the first section  10  while the other limb is identified by the reference symbol  56 . 
         [0037]    The inner side of both limbs  52 ,  56  features a fluting  58 . This fluting  58  serves for fixing a threaded screw  60 , with the aid of which a second mounting means  62  is fixed on the support rail as shown in  FIG. 1 , wherein this second mounting means  62  is mounted on the opposite end, for example, on a roof surface. 
         [0038]    The second mounting means  62  is provided with a fluting  64  on its surface that faces the support rail, wherein this fluting cooperates with a corresponding fluting  14   k  on the outer side of the limb  14  of the first section  10 . According to the figure, the flutings  64 ,  14   k  make it possible to fix the second mounting means  62  at different heights relative to support rail. 
         [0039]    Respective profile sections  70 ,  72  underneath the first section  10  and underneath the third section  20  complete the support rail such that an overall cross section of essentially rectangular shape is achieved. 
         [0040]    The embodiment according to  FIG. 2  essentially can be distinguished from the embodiment according to  FIG. 1  in that no discrete bar  24  is provided, wherein this interlocking element is instead directly formed by the third section  20  and the bar  24  has an approximately rectangular cross-sectional profile. Instead of the rectangular profile, it would also be possible to choose a right-angled trapezoid profile. In this embodiment, the bar  24  also serves for engaging into a corresponding groove  44  of the collector in order to secure this collector from sliding relative to the support rail. 
         [0041]    Consequently, the corresponding collector needs to be constructively adapted to the inventive support rail, namely by providing at least one groove, preferably several grooves, in the bottom region in order to respectively accommodate the third section of the support rail or the bar (web)  24  formed by this section. It is preferred that these grooves  44  respectively extend parallel and perpendicular to the lateral surfaces of the collector  40 . They may be distributed regularly or irregularly over the bottom  42  of the collector  40 . The grooves/beads  44  provide the additional advantage of reinforcing the collector bottom  42 .