Patent Publication Number: US-2022216823-A1

Title: Fixed structure of solar panels and c-shaped steel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a solar power generation device, and more particularly to an assembly structure for solar panels. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Solar panels generate electricity by absorbing solar energy and therefore are put outdoors. Solar panels are fixed on support frames which are assembled at a pre-determined place. Conventional support frames for solar panels include an upper frame and a bottom frame. After the bottom frame is set, put solar panels on the bottom frame and then fix the upper frame with the bottom frame. Therefore, solar panels are clamped by the upper frame and the bottom frame. 
     Each of the upper frame and the bottom frame, however, is metal product with such high price that cost much if the amount is large. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to fix solar panels on C-shaped steels with a small number of components in order to lower cost. 
     For achieving the foregoing and other objectives, the present invention includes a C-shaped steel extending in a lateral direction and a fastening frame extending in a longitudinal direction, the fastening frame being above the C-shaped steel. A rubber strip for waterproofing is provided between the fastening frame and the solar panels. The C-shaped steel has a top surface for solar panels laying thereon. A spacer is disposed on the top surface with two opposite sides each being provided with a positioning surface for solar panels abutting against so that solar panels are spaced apart and are positioned by the spacer. A pressing member is disposed under the C-shaped steel with a first end abutting against the C-shaped steel and a second end abutting against the solar panels. A bolt penetrates through a first hole of the fastening frame and a second hole of the pressing member and then connects with a nut. By locking the nut, the pressing member abuts against the C-shaped steel and the solar panels so that the fastening frame and the C-shaped steel are in cooperation to clamp the solar panels for fastening. 
     Preferably, the spacer is made of a non-conductive material. The positioning surfaces are located on a middle portion of the spacer. The middle portion includes a gasket extending between the C-shaped steel and the solar panels. 
     Preferably, the fastening frame includes a groove extending in the longitudinal direction between the solar panels. 
     Preferably, the C-shaped steel includes a downward extending portion disposed at a side of the top surface. The downward extending portion is abutted by the first end of the pressing member. 
     Preferably, the first end of the pressing member is bent upward to hook the downward extending portion. The second end of the pressing member includes a flat portion which is totally engaged with the solar panels. 
     Preferably, the bolt includes a head portion which is larger than the first hole, a chin portion in a complementary shape to the first hole except for circle and a body portion with threads. The head portion abuts against the fastening frame. The chin portion inserts into the first hole. The body portion passes through the first hole and the second hole. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plane view of the present invention  3 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view in the plane A-A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view in the plane B-B of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view in the part C of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the auxiliary fastening member of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the present invention includes a C-shaped steel  1  extending in a lateral direction, a fastening frame  2  extending in a longitudinal direction and a pressing member  4 . With the C-shaped steel  1  being a part of roof construction, cost of the present invention may be reduced. 
     A top surface  11  is provided on the C-shaped steel  1  and spacers  3  are arranged at intervals. Each of the spacers  3  is fixed on the C-shaped steel  1  by screws  34 . Each of the spacers  3  is made of a non-conductive material and has a middle portion  31  with two opposite sides each provided with a positioning surface  32 . Each of the two opposite sides of the middle portion  31  has a gasket  33 . 
     The spacer  3  is used to separate the solar panels  71 ,  72  arranged on the top surface  11  of the C-shaped steel  1 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , one solar panel  71  is disposed at one side of the spacer  3  while another solar panel  72  is disposed at the opposite side. The solar panels  71 ,  72  laterally abut against the positioning surfaces  32  respectively. Bottom surfaces of the solar panels  71 ,  72  are separated from the C-shaped steel  1  by the gaskets  33 . 
     The fastening frame  2  is located above the C-shaped steel  1  and is provided with two wing portions  21  pressing on the solar panels  71 ,  72 . There are rubber strips  22  for waterproofing between the wing portions  21  and the solar panels  71 ,  72 . In this embodiment, the fastening frame  2  includes a groove  23 , extending in the longitudinal direction, located in the interval between the solar panels  71 ,  72  in order to guide the drainage of rainwater. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the pressing member  4  is a bent plate having a lower first end  41  and a higher second end  42 . The first end  41  is bent upward to form a hook portion  411  so as to hook a downward extending portion  12  disposed at a side of the top surface  11  of the C-shaped steel  1 . The second end  42  includes a flat portion  421  which is totally engaged with the solar panels  71 ,  72 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a first hole  24  is provided on the fastening frame  2 , and a second hole  43  is provided on the pressing member  4 . A bolt  5  penetrates the fastening frame  2  and the pressing member  4  through the first hole  24  and the second hole  43 , and then the bolt  5  connects with a nut  54 . The bolt  5  includes a head portion  51 , a chin portion  52  and a body portion  53  with threads. The head portion  51  has a greater diameter than that of the first hole  24  so as to abut against the fastening frame  2 . The chin portion  52  inserts into the first hole  24 . The body portion  53  passes through the first hole  24  and the second hole  43 . After locking the nut  54 , the pressing member  4  is forced to upwardly press on the C-shaped steel  1  and the solar panels  71 ,  72  while the fastening frame  2  is forced to downwardly press on the solar panels  71 ,  72 . The solar panels  71 ,  72 , therefore, are fixed. 
     The chin portion  52  is preferably in a complementary shape to the first hole  24  except for circle. In this embodiment, each of the chin portion  52  and the first hole  24  is elongated laterally so that the chin portion  52  is stopped from turning in the first hole  24 . Hence, it is easy and quick to lock the nut  54  since the bolt  5  is never driven to turn in the course of locking the nut  54 . 
     In the present invention, the pressing member  4  is used to fix the solar panels between the C-shaped steel  1  and the fastening frame  2 . The present invention, therefore, facilitates simplification to the structure and reduction to the cost as a result of a small volume and a simple structure of the pressing member  4 . 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 , a reinforcing member  6  is provided at a junction of two solar panels between two C-shaped steels  1  to enhance the stability of the solar panels. The reinforcing member  6  is put under the fastening frame  2  and the solar panels  71 ,  72  while a bolt  61  penetrates the fastening frame  2  and the reinforcing member  6 , and then the bolt  61  connects with a nut  62 . After locking the nut  62 , the fastening frame  2  and the reinforcing member  6  are forced to press on the solar panels  71 ,  72  to fix the solar panels  71 ,  72 .