Patent ID: 8341917

Claim:
A method of collecting energy from panels of a panel roof or siding system comprising: a) providing first and second panels, each of said panels having a channel section and a pair of opposed side flanges; b) providing an anchoring clip, said anchoring clip having a base flange, a vertical wall member and a top flange portion, said base flange adapted to be connected to a substructure, said vertical wall member connected between said base flange and said top flange portion, said top flange portion including two flanges spaced from one another; c) connecting said base flange to the substructure; d) positioning said side flange of said first panel on one side of said anchoring clip and positioning said second side flange of said second panel on an opposite side of said anchoring clip, at least a portion of said side flanges of said first and second panels positioned on or adjacent to said top flange portion; e) providing a locking crown, said locking crown including a main body and two side legs extending downwardly from said main body; f) positioning said locking crown at least partially about said top flange portion to sandwich a portion of said side flanges of said first and second panels between said two side legs and an outer surface of said top flange portion of said anchoring clip; g) forming a fluid channel arrangement designed to enable fluid to controllably flow through or adjacent to said locking crown, said fluid channel arrangement inhibiting or preventing fluid flow between said first and second panels and said substructure as fluid flows through said fluid channel arrangement; h) providing a cap member, said cap member including a top portion and two side legs extending downwardly from said top portion; i) positioning said cap member about at least a portion of said locking crown and side flanges of said first and second panels so as to facilitate in maintaining said locking crown and side flanges in position relative to said anchoring clip; and, j) flowing fluid through said fluid channel arrangement to transfer heat between said flowing fluid and one or more structures selected from the group consisting of at least one of said panels, said locking crown, said anchoring clip, and said cap member, said flowing fluid directed to an energy transfer device or energy conversion device after flowing through said fluid channel arrangement.