Patent FR-2950641-A1 (FR)
Title: Device for interlocking photovoltaic panels with building roof, comprises longitudinal profiles fixed to roof and arranged in direction of roof slope, and clamping unit for maintaining lateral edges of panels with respect to roof
Inventor: GIROUD HUBERT
IPC: E04D3/36
Filed: 2009-09-25
Abstract: The device for interlocking photovoltaic panels with a building roof, comprises longitudinal profiles (4) fixed to the roof and arranged in the direction of the roof slope, and a clamping unit for maintaining the lateral edges of panels with respect to the roof. Each of the longitudinal profiles has a lower section (40) fixed to the roof for supporting a bearing surface (41) by lateral edges of the panels, an upper section (42) of which the longitudinal walls extend over bearing surface and are able to prevent lateral slippage of the panels, and two longitudinal troughs (43, 44). The device for interlocking photovoltaic panels with a building roof, comprises longitudinal profiles (4) fixed to the roof and arranged in the direction of the roof slope, and a clamping unit for maintaining the lateral edges of panels with respect to the roof. Each of the longitudinal profiles has a lower section (40) fixed to the roof for supporting a bearing surface (41) by lateral edges of the panels, an upper section (42) of which the longitudinal walls extend over bearing surface and are able to prevent lateral slippage of the panels, and two longitudinal troughs (43, 44) arranged laterally on both sides of the lower section. Each of the two troughs supports longitudinal channels (45, 46) for the condensate recovery. Membranes are arranged between two adjacent longitudinal sections, extend with respect to a longitudinal row of panels, comprise an attachment unit matching with the longitudinal troughs at their longitudinal edges. The device is fixed to the roof by a base equipped with lateral troughs to match with a part of rod fixed to the roof by a fastener. Joints are arranged in the panels, and longitudinal lips extend from longitudinal edges of joints to inside of the longitudinal channels to guide the condensate in the channels. The surface for supporting the lower section is provided with longitudinal grooves to contact with intermediate supporting elements. Each of clamping unit comprises a stud provided with a notch laid astride the upper profile. The stud is further provided with a traversing hole contacting with a washer and a screw to avoid the rising edges of the panels, and comprises two transverse surfaces of stop on both sides of the notch. The stop surfaces are able to support the lower transverse edges of panels to avoid longitudinal slipping of the panels. Support joints formed as intermediate support elements are laid between the panels and longitudinal grooves of the bearing surface. Each of support joints has a longitudinal protuberance contacting with one of the longitudinal grooves of the support surface. Jumpers forming the clamping unit are formed at the lateral section of the upper section, and laid astride on the upper sections. Each of the jumpers has two lateral legs for holding two adjacent panels arranged each side of the longitudinal profile, and a hole contacting with a screw to secure the jumper on the upper section. Separation clogs are arranged astride the upper profile and have lateral fins on which the lower edges of panels adjoin. Lower joints having a longitudinal section of trapezoidal form are positioned between the longitudinal profiles and panels. Upper joints have a longitudinal section of the trapezoidal form and an inclination equal to that of lower joints, are positioned between the panels and clamping profiles forming the clamping unit, and are arranged on the panels with an orientation opposite to that of the lower joints for using clamping profiles of flat shape for holding two adjacent panels arranged one below another. The lower and/or upper joints have a longitudinal protrusion contacting with grooves formed in the supporting surface and/or grooves of complementary form provided in the clamping profiles. Elongated hoods are used to mask mechanical elements for fixing clamping profiles with longitudinal profiles. Each elongated hood comprises a clipping unit for connecting with a groove formed in the clamping profiles. Flexible membranes are arranged between two adjacent longitudinal profiles and at the opposite of an expansion joint separating two elements of the roof on which the device is connected. Each flexible membrane comprises a rod connecting with the trough formed within longitudinal profiles at level of each of its longitudinal edges.