Patent ID: 8382513

Claim:
A connecting member for connecting a pair of photovoltaic cell modules adjacent to each other, each having a photovoltaic cell panel and a frame body supporting an outer periphery of the photovoltaic cell panel, a pair of frame bodies adjacent to each other having respective ends thereof facing each other fixed in a state where a pair of photovoltaic cell panels are substantially parallel to roof material and are floating above the roof material, the connecting member comprising: a plate-like upper piece; a plate-like lower piece substantially parallel to the plate-like upper piece; a connecting piece connecting the plate-like lower piece and the plate-like upper piece at identical side edges in such a manner that the plate-like upper piece, the plate-like lower piece, and the connecting piece are formed in a substantially C-shaped cross section; and a disengagement prevention portion formed in a claw shape such that at least one corner of the plate-like upper piece is bent obliquely downwards or at least one corner of the plate-like lower piece is bent obliquely upwards, so that the disengagement prevention portion is configured to prevent release of elastic fit between the connecting member and the ends of the frame bodies facing each other by biting into the ends of the frame bodies facing each other and sandwiched by the plate-like upper piece and the plate-like lower piece, whereby release of the elastic fit is harder than the elastic fit; wherein each of the frame bodies, having an edge and a pair of ends opposite to each other, includes a concave portion opening outward along the edge between the pair of ends, and a bottom portion extending along the edge between the pair of ends, and each of the frame bodies is fixed to the roof material by a fixing member including a supporting portion to be inserted into the concave portion of said each of the frame bodies, a seat portion substantially parallel to the supporting portion having an upper surface to be mounted with the bottom portion of said each of the frame bodies and a bottom surface to be fixed to the roof material, and an upright portion connecting the supporting portion and the seat portion, whereby the frame bodies adjacent to each other are capable of being connected at respective ends thereof facing each other by the connecting member, and also are capable of being fixed to the roof material at respective edges thereof by the fixing members.