Patent ID: 8240109

Claim:
A method of assembling a support structure of intersecting upper panel rails and lower support joists to support an array of solar panels in columns and rows, said method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying characteristics of an installed configuration of said support structure, including relevant measurements of said support structure, panel holding components, upper panel rail profiles, and panels with respect to a selected installation site; (b) assembling said support structure in accordance with said characteristics of said installed configuration at a staging site, including the substeps of: i) forming holes in said lower support joists to receive fasteners, ii) placing insulating washers on said fasteners between said upper panel rails and said lower support joists, and iii) slidably connecting said upper panel rails and said lower support joists together using said fasteners connected to T-channel slots formed in bottom surfaces of said upper panel rails; (c) unitarily folding said assembled support structure into a collapsed, interconnected package appropriate for transport and subsequent unitary unfolding; (d) unitarily unfolding and installing said support structure according to said predetermined characteristics of said installed configuration at said installation site; and, (e) sliding said solar panels through panel holding components on adjacent upper panel rails.