Patent ID: 8601755

Claim:
A system for supporting a plurality of solar panels on a surface, the solar panels each having an upper edge, an opposed lower edge, and a pair of opposed side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, the solar panels being disposed in adjacent rows wherein the lower edge of one panel is adjacent the upper edge of another panel in an adjacent row, the system comprising: a plurality of elongated support members each having a first edge and an opposed second edge extending longitudinally between a pair of opposed ends, each support member having an elongated first portion including the first edge and a coextensive elongated second portion including the second edge, each support member further having a longitudinally extending mid portion extending between and interconnecting the first and second portions; the first portion having a base for contacting a surface and an edge receiving area configured to receive an upper edge of a solar panel at a first height above the base; and the second portion having a base for contacting the surface and an edge receiving area configured to receive a lower edge of a solar panel at a second height above the base, the second height being less than the first height; the mid portion horizontally spacing the first portion from the second portion and having an exposed generally upwardly facing surface between the first and second portions, the generally upwardly facing surface being at a height offset from the edge receiving area of the first portion; the system having an installed configuration wherein a first one of the support members and a second one of the support members are disposed generally parallel to each other and spaced apart on the surface, the support members being positioned such that the first portion of the first one of the support members is directed toward the second elongated portion of the second one of the support members, the upper edge of a solar panel being received in the edge receiving area of the first portion of the first one of the support members and a lower edge of the solar panel being received in the edge receiving area of the second portion of the second one of the support members.